Ashlyn O'Hara

Daniel Hasche, Rachel Lord, Caroline Venuti and Joni Wise participate in a Homer City Council Candidate Forum at Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Homer City Council hopefuls tackle housing, transportation, harbor

The forum was the fifth of eight being held throughout September heading into the Oct. 3 municipal election

Daniel Hasche, Rachel Lord, Caroline Venuti and Joni Wise participate in a Homer City Council Candidate Forum at Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, on Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche and Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidates Heath Smith and Kelly Cooper participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Forum at Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Mayor, assembly candidates field questions in Homer

Participating in Thursday’s forum were incumbent Mayor Peter Micciche and assembly candidates Kelly Cooper and Heath Smith

Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche and Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidates Heath Smith and Kelly Cooper participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Forum at Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Christy Phillips reads to preschoolers at Seward Sprouts Preschool in Seward, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Seward Sprouts Preschool)

Seward seeks solutions to child care challenges

Nearly 80% of people surveyed reported that they were not satisfied with their access to quality, affordable child care

Christy Phillips reads to preschoolers at Seward Sprouts Preschool in Seward, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Seward Sprouts Preschool)
Signs along K-Beach Road, an area slated for annexation by the City of Soldotna, show opposition of the city’s efforts to expand its boundaries, on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

State Supreme Court hears oral arguments on Soldotna annexation case

The case has been working through the Alaska Court System since 2020

Signs along K-Beach Road, an area slated for annexation by the City of Soldotna, show opposition of the city’s efforts to expand its boundaries, on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Ryan Tunseth, Adam Bertoldo, Bill Elam and Nissa Savage participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidate forum at Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Election 2023: 1st round of assembly candidates tackle issues

Participating in Monday’s forum were Adam Bertoldo, Bill Elam, Peter Ribbens, Nissa Savage and Ryan Tunseth

Ryan Tunseth, Adam Bertoldo, Bill Elam and Nissa Savage participate in a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidate forum at Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
(File photo)

Kenai mulls future of marijuana drive-thrus

The state has made permanent COVID-era rules that allowed marijuana establishments to offer drive-thru and walk-up services

(File photo)
Superintendent Clayton Holland speaks about the National Blue Ribbon award during an assembly at Soldotna Montessori Charter School on Friday, Jan 14, 2022. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

KPBSD seeks new contract with superintendent

School board members on Monday unanimously voted in support of Clayton Holland

Superintendent Clayton Holland speaks about the National Blue Ribbon award during an assembly at Soldotna Montessori Charter School on Friday, Jan 14, 2022. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Sidewalk chalk drawings cover the outside of corroding insulation at Soldotna Elementary School on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sidewalk chalk drawings cover the outside of corroding insulation at Soldotna Elementary School on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Victoria Askin photographs a gravemarker in the Kenai Cemetery as part of a city imaging project on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Volunteers help build visual database of Kenai cemetery plots

The cataloging will allow someone to check on the condition or maintenance of a specific grave

Victoria Askin photographs a gravemarker in the Kenai Cemetery as part of a city imaging project on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Teea Winger, Henry Knackstedt and Phil Daniel participate in a Kenai City Council candidate forum at the Kenai Community Library in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council candidates convene for Thursday forum

Three of the four candidates for Kenai City Council convened in the Kenai Community Library on Thursday evening to share their thoughts on waterfront revitalization,… Continue reading

Teea Winger, Henry Knackstedt and Phil Daniel participate in a Kenai City Council candidate forum at the Kenai Community Library in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Staff from the Alaska SeaLife Center help release two harbor seal pups into Cook Inlet on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

SeaLife Center sends off seals at Kenai beach

Harbor seals Tuber and Darth Tater were rescued from Kenai and Nikiski earlier this year

Staff from the Alaska SeaLife Center help release two harbor seal pups into Cook Inlet on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sterling Elementary welcomes students on the first day of school on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Arrest made in case of vandalism at Sterling Elementary School

A Nikiski man was arrested Tuesday in connection with an incident of vandalism at Sterling Elementary School that occurred in July and resulted in more… Continue reading

Sterling Elementary welcomes students on the first day of school on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, fields questions from attendees at a legislative presentation at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Bjorkman reports back from Juneau

The state senator gave a presentation to a joint meeting of the Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, fields questions from attendees at a legislative presentation at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
From left: Paul Whitney, Chera Wackler, Garrett Dominick and Dan Nelson participate in a Soldotna City Council candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday.

Election 2023: Soldotna candidates talk city’s future at Monday forum

The forum, hosted in partnership with the Central Peninsula League of Women Voters and the Soldotna Public Library, is the first of eight being held ahead of the Oct. 3 municipal election

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
From left: Paul Whitney, Chera Wackler, Garrett Dominick and Dan Nelson participate in a Soldotna City Council candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday.
The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

KPBSD to use grant funds for elementary counselor positions

The district budgeted about $626,000 for elementary school counselors for the current fiscal year

The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The George A. Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough building. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)
The George A. Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough building. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)
Forum flyer by Ashlyn O'Hara.

Election 2023: 1st Clarion, KDLL candidate forum is Monday

Three city council candidates and one mayor candidate will share their thoughts about issues facing Soldotna

Forum flyer by Ashlyn O'Hara.
Sample ballots are displayed ahead of the Oct. 4 municipal election at an absentee in-person polling place in Kenai City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sample ballots are displayed ahead of the Oct. 4 municipal election at an absentee in-person polling place in Kenai City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

State Board of Education bars trans girls from girls high school sports teams

Schools or school districts must create separate athletic categories for cisgender girls and other student athletes

A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
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Off the Shelf: ‘The bard of the Yukon’ lures with ghostly song

Jaunty tales and folksy rhymes bring the far north to life in Robert Service’s poetry

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