Curious Juneau

Curious Juneau

In Juneau, quirky people, untold stories and little mysteries are as abundant as the rain. For the things about Juneau you can’t Google, why not work with a KTOO reporter to satisfy your curiosity? Curious Juneau is a recurring news feature driven by questions and reporting from our audience, starring you and your questions.

Episodes

Did people really used to race down Gold Creek on the Fourth of July?

July 11, 2024
Mary McEwen asked Curious Juneau about a long lost July 4 tradition — one her father told stories about.
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Juneau is a windy city. So why don’t we have more wind turbines?

June 27, 2024
A solitary wind turbine at Juneau’s Coast Guard station sparks curiosity about an untapped renewable resource.
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What will happen to Juneau’s City Hall mural if the city moves out?

June 13, 2024
The "Raven discovering mankind in a clamshell” mural is an iconic piece of downtown art — but is that enough to save it?
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What happened to the village, gardens and fish camp at Auke Rec?

May 30, 2024
A KTOO listener asked about the Áak’w Ḵwaan village where Auke Recreation Area is now. 
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Where do the Foodland ravens roost?

May 16, 2024
Juneauites have fun watching the curious corvids that wander around town, but most of them disappear when the sun goes down. A KTOO listener asked us where they go.
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Why is gas cheaper in Auke Bay? And why is it cheaper to fly to Seattle than Ketchikan?

May 2, 2024
Somehow, we found a Clemson economist who studies competition between gas stations.
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How well does Juneau recycle, and where does it all end up?

April 18, 2024
Over the years, several Curious Juneau listeners have asked where Juneau’s recycling goes. A few even wonder if it’s really getting reused, or if some of it ends up in a landfill.
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What happened to the fast-food restaurants that used to be in Juneau, and why aren’t there more today?

April 4, 2024
For this Curious Juneau, Clarise Larson investigates what it takes to make a fast-food restaurant survive in the capital city today.
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Why do Juneau’s thrift stores fill up so fast? And what can we do about it?

March 22, 2024
A listener asked KTOO why it's so hard to donate clothes and other used items in town. For this installment of Curious Juneau, Anna Canny investigates why that is and some of the creative solutions people have found.
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What are the original Lingít names for Juneauʼs mountains?

March 7, 2024
A listener asked KTOO what the local mountains’ original Lingít names are. For this installment of Curious Juneau, Yvonne Krumrey spoke with Lingít educators to find out. 
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Curious Juneau: Why does Alaska’s Capitol building have a ground floor?

July 24, 2023
When Americans walk into a multi-story building, they’d usually say they’re on the first floor. Not in the lobby of Alaska’s Capitol building.
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Curious Juneau: What caused the jumble of fallen trees near the ferry terminal?

June 19, 2023
The fan of fallen trees on the west side of Auke Nu Cove may be evidence of one of Juneau’s weirdest wind phenomena.
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Curious Juneau: How big is the Coast Guard’s presence in Juneau?

May 28, 2023
“It's a major footprint. And then we also have people who work for the Coast Guard who are not active duty,” she said. “It does end up being a significant economic driver in the community.”
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Curious Juneau: Why does that speed limit sign say 19 ½ mph?

May 4, 2023
Studies show drivers remember fewer details about routes they’re more familiar with. Around Juneau and in other parts of the U.S., experimenting with speed limits can improve road safety.
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What happened to Juneau’s Taco Bell?

May 3, 2022
In the late '90s Juneau had two Taco Bells. But by the early 2000s they were both gone.
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Why are some of Juneau’s street lights glowing purple?

January 24, 2022
Some Juneau residents have noticed street lights with a purple glow popping up around town. A KTOO listener asked why.
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Is there an Indigenous name for this cloud formation in Juneau?

August 28, 2021
A Curious Juneau listener wrote in saying they'd witnessed a snake-like cloud forming along the Gastineau Channel and wondered if there are any Lingít stories or a Lingít name for this cloud feature.
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Was there really a gun range in the basement of Harborview Elementary School?

August 6, 2021
The short answer is yes. It was there for decades, and there are plenty of people still around in Juneau who remember it.
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Is there gold in them thar beaches?

May 29, 2019
One Curious Juneau listener has noticed janky-looking rafts and unnatural pits proliferating in recent years at his go-to fishing spot. So we asked one of the raft owners what they’re up to.
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Does Juneau really have the smallest Costco in the world?

March 28, 2019
Sure it's small, but is it the smallest? When inside, do you shop clockwise or counterclockwise? And what's up with ToshCo in Gustavus?
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