Buccaneer Energy is pushing south with oil and natural gas development in Cook Inlet.

The independent oil and gas company operating onshore in Kenai and offshore the inlet announced Wednesday it has a purchase and sale agreement for two leases in southern Cook Inlet. The leases are in shallow water offshore from Anchor Point and were formerly owned by Pioneer Natural Resources and formerly known as Alaska's Cosmopolitan Unit.

The 28th running of the Tustumena 200 sled dog race came to a close Monday morning when the final musher crossed the finish line in Kasilof.

Bill Piccolo finished at 7:41 a.m. Monday, earning him the Red Lantern moniker for being the final competitor to complete the race.

The race was won Sunday at 3:56 p.m. by veteran musher Cim Smyth, a Big Lake musher who had won the race twice before. He narrowly edged out Denali’s Jeff King, a three-time champ, who finished at 4:03 that afternoon.

Kenai’s Parks and Recreation Commission discussed planned improvements at Kenai Municipal Park and on trails throughout town at its Monday meeting.

The commission discussed two draft plans created for the city by Nancy Casey, a landscape architect, offering feedback on how the plans might best suit the community’s needs.

A merger between the Kenai Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Kenai Chamber of Commerce is under way.

Brendyn Shiflea, president of the new organization, said the new entity is the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center.

The former Kenai Chamber of Commerce is changing its name to represent both organizations. The Kenai Visitors Bureau has filed paperwork with the state of Alaska to legally dissolve. Once the dissolution is approved, its assets will be transferred to the new Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, Shiflea said.