Ben Boettger

  • 727 Stories
  • Page 18 of 37

Chuitna documentary to premier February 3

Two developments in the ongoing controversy over the proposed Chuitna coal project are expected to happen soon after one another. In the first weeks of… Continue reading

Water rights dispute generates thousands of comments

On Thursday, a controversial and precedent-setting decision on whether to grant water rights for a west-side Cook Inlet stream to the salmon conservation group Chuitna… Continue reading

This photo provided by Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response, Inc. shows pan pan ice taken during an agency overflight near a Hilcorp Alaska LLC offshore platform in Cook Inlet, Alaska, Monday, April 3, 2017. Officials said an underwater pipeline spill between two production platforms owned by Hilcorp dumped less than three gallons (11 liters) of oil into Cook Inlet. (Derek Samora/CISPRI via AP)

Responders stand down from oil leak

Responders to an oil release from a Hilcorp crude oil pipeline on the west side of Upper Cook Inlet stood down at 9 a.m Monday… Continue reading

This photo provided by Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response, Inc. shows pan pan ice taken during an agency overflight near a Hilcorp Alaska LLC offshore platform in Cook Inlet, Alaska, Monday, April 3, 2017. Officials said an underwater pipeline spill between two production platforms owned by Hilcorp dumped less than three gallons (11 liters) of oil into Cook Inlet. (Derek Samora/CISPRI via AP)

Chuitna Coal no longer seeking permits

As of March 31, the Delaware-based PacRim Coal “has suspended all permitting activities” related to its project to surface-mine coal from under the West Cook… Continue reading

Meeting to consider response to Sports Lake elodea

How to respond to the discovery of the invasive waterweed elodea in Soldotna’s Sports Lake will be addressed at an upcoming public meeting. Kenai Watershed… Continue reading

Meet the HEA Board of Director candidates

Meet the HEA Board of Director candidates

Three seats on Homer Electric Association’s nine-member Board of Directors are each being sought by two candidates. The cooperative utility, which supplies electricity to approximately… Continue reading

Meet the HEA Board of Director candidates
Nathan Beck works his way across a bouldering wall he co-designed, with Ed Schmitt, at the River City Wellness Center gym on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. The new wall, featuring stylized landscape art by Kaitlin Vadla, will have a grand opening on Saturday, April 8 from 4 p.m to 6 p.m. Admission will be $20.

Climb on

… Continue reading

Nathan Beck works his way across a bouldering wall he co-designed, with Ed Schmitt, at the River City Wellness Center gym on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. The new wall, featuring stylized landscape art by Kaitlin Vadla, will have a grand opening on Saturday, April 8 from 4 p.m to 6 p.m. Admission will be $20.

Pipeline rate settlement helps decrease HEA bills

Edit: This story has been updated with additional information on Kenai Beluga Pipeline's 2015 traffic. A settlement in February over the cost of delivering fuel… Continue reading

ConocoPhillips LNG plant sale will not immediately impact local economy

Editor's note: This story has been changed to correct the spelling of Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor’s special assistant for oil and gas Larry Persily's name, and… Continue reading

Hilcorp ordered to inspect crude pipeline near leaking gas line

Federal pipeline safety authorities have ordered Hilcorp Alaska to inspect the underwater crude oil pipeline running adjacent and parallel to the leaking Hilcorp natural gas… Continue reading

With Downton Cannery lacking a male heir, Lady Edith (portrayed by Chris Pepper) suffers emotional anguish at a rehearsal of Triumvirate Theater's 12th annual dinner theater production, "Downton Cannery" on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at Mykel's Restaurant in Soldotna, Alaska. The "Downton Abbey" spoof will be performed Friday and Saturday, and on Friday March 31. The shows start at 6 p.m at Mykels, and inlude a three-course meal and art auction. Tickets are $48. 

Cannery nobility

… Continue reading

With Downton Cannery lacking a male heir, Lady Edith (portrayed by Chris Pepper) suffers emotional anguish at a rehearsal of Triumvirate Theater's 12th annual dinner theater production, "Downton Cannery" on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at Mykel's Restaurant in Soldotna, Alaska. The "Downton Abbey" spoof will be performed Friday and Saturday, and on Friday March 31. The shows start at 6 p.m at Mykels, and inlude a three-course meal and art auction. Tickets are $48. 

HEA to pay out credits to members

Homer Electric Association plans to start paying out credits to approximately 10,000 members who bought electricity from the utility cooperative between 1986 and 1987. As… Continue reading

Grave markers stand in Kenai’s cemetery on Friday, March 17, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. With the number of open plots in the cemetery shrinking, the Kenai City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a moratorium on purchasing graves in advance for those still living. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai passes moratorium on grave reservations

Kenai’s cemetery plots can belong only to the dead, following the Kenai City Council’s unanimous decision on Wednesday to put a moratorium on gravesite reservations… Continue reading

Grave markers stand in Kenai’s cemetery on Friday, March 17, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. With the number of open plots in the cemetery shrinking, the Kenai City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a moratorium on purchasing graves in advance for those still living. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

Hilcorp to monitor Cook Inlet gas leak

Hilcorp plans to observe the methane release from its leaking Cook Inlet pipeline by using sensor buoys to make weekly water quality samples and twice-monthly… Continue reading

Contracts and power pooling issues in HEA’s future

The three people elected this year to the Homer Electric Association Board of Directors will be part of decisions about the utility’s natural gas supply… Continue reading

No injuries in Soldotna trailer fire

Central Emergency Services extinguished a burning trailer in Soldotna’s River Terrace mobile home park on Monday afternoon. The trailer was a total loss, though according… Continue reading

Stock: In Alaska, travel bans affect soldiers, oil workers, families

After President Donald Trump released his Jan. 27 executive order suspending people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S, the first call Anchorage immigration… Continue reading

This map, included in a Tuesday, March 7 workgroup presentation to members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, outlines in yellow the boundary of a proposed emergency service area covering the highway corridors of the eastern peninsula, with existing borough emergency service areas shaded in purple. Green dots show volunteer-staffed emergency service stations in Cooper Landing, Moose Pass, and Hope. Red dots are the stations of existing service areas.

Borough to explore emergency services fix

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly took a first step Tuesday toward securing emergency services in an area that has few residents, but sees thousands of… Continue reading

This map, included in a Tuesday, March 7 workgroup presentation to members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, outlines in yellow the boundary of a proposed emergency service area covering the highway corridors of the eastern peninsula, with existing borough emergency service areas shaded in purple. Green dots show volunteer-staffed emergency service stations in Cooper Landing, Moose Pass, and Hope. Red dots are the stations of existing service areas.

Kenn Carpenter appointed to Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

Kenn Carpenter, a procurement specialist at Seward’s AVTEC vocational training school, will represent Seward, Cooper Landing, Moose Pass, Hope, east Sterling, and other areas of… Continue reading

Hilcorp given May 1 deadline to repair leaking pipeline

Editor's note: This story has been changed to correct a typographical error: its statement that the 2014 pipeline leaks were caused by shifting rocks originally and… Continue reading