The 10 most-read articles at the Juneau Independent in 2025
- Mark Sabbatini
- Jan 1
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 2
Cruise ships, tragic incidents and extreme weather got the most web clicks, along with one odd item demonstrating why the importance of news is about more than just numbers
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
The numbers don’t lie, but they also don’t tell the whole story.
Going purely on web clicks, the most important news story in Juneau since June 20 — by far — was the U.S. Coast Guard declaring in November the swastika is no longer a hate symbol. It doesn’t seem overly subjective to declare that’s clearly not the case.
The item was a two-paragraph excerpt of a national/world story that linked to the original article at The Washington Post. However, it was shared on Reddit and got nearly 88,000 clicks as a result. That compares to 23,289 clicks on the most-read story our staff wrote last year.
That statistical glitch is a useful example of why a list of the Juneau Independent’s 10 most-read stories since its debut in June offers interesting insight, but isn’t the whole truth in proper context. This list — and how it compares to the Independent’s official top 10 stories of 2025 soon to be published — also illustrates why what we prioritize as newsworthy isn’t based on what gets the most web clicks.
The most-read list has no stories about glacial flooding, tax cuts passed in the local election and some other matters with enormous communitywide impacts that received heavy coverage over many months. Setting our news priorities by the numbers means we would be spending a lot more time scrutinzing police blotters, court dockets and weather reports instead of government, schools and issues such as housing.
There are arguments and business models for news organizations "giving the people what they want." And arguments an approach like the Independent’s represents a "media elite" mentality. Those arguments won’t be scrutinized here.
With that prelude, the following are the 10 most-read stories at the Juneau Independent’s website during 2025 (excluding the Coast Guard story mentioned above):
(23,289 hits; published Sept. 16)
Lede: Cruise ships are cancelling port stops and making other schedule adjustments due to a high wind warning for the outer coastal areas of Southeast Alaska from late Tuesday until Wednesday night.
(17,535 hits; published Dec. 24)
Lede: A 7-year-old child died in a two-vehicle collision on Glacier Highway near Auke Lake on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Juneau Police Department.
(10,640 hits; published Sept. 19 by the Chilkat Valley News and republished by the Independent under a regional sharing agreement)
Lede: In some respects, Wednesday wasn’t Haines at its best. Roughly 250 Holland America cruise ship passengers were met on shore by rain blown sideways by gusting wind. Then, after cold, wet tours, many sat inside tenders knocking against the dock, or waited on the dock itself, until they were told they wouldn’t be heading back to their boat, the Nieuw Amsterdam.
(9,929 hits; published Dec. 29)
Lede: The closure of the runway at Juneau International Airport for an estimated six hours and a power outage beyond unplowed roads past Amalga Harbor are among the multitude of struggles being reported by agencies and individuals due to a record snowstorm that has brought much of everyday life to a halt.
(8,901 hits; published Aug. 19)
Lede: Thousands of crew members arrive in Juneau every summer via cruise ship. While the passengers they serve look for uniquely Alaskan souvenirs, the international crew hopes to find a sense of home.
(8,482 hits; published Dec. 26)
Lede: A Christmas Eve crash that killed a 7-year-old girl occurred when the Jeep she was riding in lost control and collided with an oncoming pickup truck on Glacier Highway near Auke Lake, according to an update released Friday by the Juneau Police Department.
(7,974 hits; published Sept. 29)
Lede: The editor and most of the reporters at the Homer News, Peninsula Clarion, and the Juneau Empire announced their resignations Monday after corporate management deleted content from a story about Charlie Kirk in response to a complaint from a Republican state lawmaker.
(7,444 hits; published Dec. 25)
Lede: Henry Adams says he was just showing up for a midday Christmas Day meal at Resurrection Lutheran Church, figuring that was still happening regardless of whatever disputes its leaders have been involved in lately.
(7,399 hits; published Nov. 14)
Lede: Kyle Walker, 41, was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison, with two years suspended, and five years of felony probation by Juneau Superior Court Judge Marianna Carpeneti.
(6,493 hits; published Dec. 21)
Lede: Calvin Olsen helped launch the auto detailing shop Sacred Shine by convincing local tribal officials of its worth — and his own — which provided job training to other tribal citizens as the business grew. He then took a construction job with the tribe until departing a year ago after experiencing struggles due to an injury. A couple of weeks ago he learned he had pancreatic cancer.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
