Victoria Petersen

Victoria Petersen / Peninsula Clarion                                Graduates wait to walk across the stage May 5 at University of Alaska Anchorage’s spring 2019 commencement ceremony, including students from the university’s School of Education, which lost accreditation for all seven of its teacher-preparation programs in January.

A Perennial Challenge in Rural Alaska: Getting and Keeping Teachers

The problem is about to get worse.

Victoria Petersen / Peninsula Clarion                                Graduates wait to walk across the stage May 5 at University of Alaska Anchorage’s spring 2019 commencement ceremony, including students from the university’s School of Education, which lost accreditation for all seven of its teacher-preparation programs in January.

Earthquake shakes Southcentral

The earthquake was measured at 33 miles deep.

A sign directs voters at Soldotna City Hall during the special Field House election on March 5, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Absentee voting now open

Absentee voting is open to any qualified voter.

A sign directs voters at Soldotna City Hall during the special Field House election on March 5, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Firefighters refill their water tanker along the banks of the Kenai River in Cooper Landing, Alaska on Aug. 30, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Level 1 READY alert removed for Cooper Landing

Residents in Cooper Landing are asked to remain vigilant, aware and prepared.

Firefighters refill their water tanker along the banks of the Kenai River in Cooper Landing, Alaska on Aug. 30, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
School employees, community members and members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education listen to a presentation on Voznesenka and Kachemak Selo schools during a Monday, Sept. 9, 2019 meeting of the school board at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

How to prepare for the educator strike

If the strike occurs Tuesday morning, it will continue until a tentative agreement is reached.

School employees, community members and members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education listen to a presentation on Voznesenka and Kachemak Selo schools during a Monday, Sept. 9, 2019 meeting of the school board at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
(Photo courtesy of Type 2 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 4, Rick Connell, I.C./Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management)

Swan Lake Fire grows slightly, community meeting scheduled

The Swan Lake Fire, located five miles northeast of Sterling is nearly 50% contained, and has grown slightly, to 165,085 acres, according to the Type… Continue reading

(Photo courtesy of Type 2 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 4, Rick Connell, I.C./Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management)
School employees, community members and members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education listen to a presentation on Voznesenka and Kachemak Selo schools during a Monday, Sept. 9, 2019 meeting of the school board at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

No agreement yet as educator strike looms

Two education associations rejected the district’s offer at their Thursday bargaining session.

School employees, community members and members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education listen to a presentation on Voznesenka and Kachemak Selo schools during a Monday, Sept. 9, 2019 meeting of the school board at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Kenai peninsula Borough School District administration, members from the Kenai Peninsula Education Association and the Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association meet at a collective bargaining session to continue contract negotiations for employees who have been without contracts for a year, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Educators set to strike Tuesday

Educators and staff will strike, starting Tuesday, a Friday night press release from two employee associations said. Executive committees with the Kenai Peninsula Education Association… Continue reading

Kenai peninsula Borough School District administration, members from the Kenai Peninsula Education Association and the Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association meet at a collective bargaining session to continue contract negotiations for employees who have been without contracts for a year, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District employees hold signs for a fair contract at a special board of education meeting, May 16, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

School contract talks to resume after threats

After threats, dates and times of the meetings will not be disclosed for safety reasons.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District employees hold signs for a fair contract at a special board of education meeting, May 16, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna City Council members are pictured on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019 at Soldotna City Hall in Soldotna, Alaska. The council voted to postpone a resolution that would authorize the city manager to submit a petition to annex to the state’s Local Boundary Commission. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Annexation vote postponed

The vote was on a resolution to submit Soldotna’s annexation petition to Local Boundary Commission.

Soldotna City Council members are pictured on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019 at Soldotna City Hall in Soldotna, Alaska. The council voted to postpone a resolution that would authorize the city manager to submit a petition to annex to the state’s Local Boundary Commission. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Rain fails to ease drought on Kenai Peninsula

Rain fails to ease drought on Kenai Peninsula

Several communities continue to go without fresh water, or their reserves are close to running out.

Rain fails to ease drought on Kenai Peninsula
Victoria Petersen / Peninsula Clarion                                 Signs along K-Beach Road, an area slated for annexation by the City of Soldotna, show opposition to the city’s efforts to expand its boundaries on Wednesday near Soldotna.

Annexation proposal draws criticism at hearing

Only one of the attendees testified in support of the proposal.

Victoria Petersen / Peninsula Clarion                                 Signs along K-Beach Road, an area slated for annexation by the City of Soldotna, show opposition to the city’s efforts to expand its boundaries on Wednesday near Soldotna.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and two employee associations — The Kenai Peninsula Borough Education Association and the Kenai Peninsula Borough Education Support Association — negotiate for a new contract on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019, at the Soldotna High School Library, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Threat to union shuts down contract talks

Law enforcement was notified of the threat.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and two employee associations — The Kenai Peninsula Borough Education Association and the Kenai Peninsula Borough Education Support Association — negotiate for a new contract on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019, at the Soldotna High School Library, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna Mayor Nels Anderson speaks to a crowd Tuesday March 19, 2013 during a candidate forum hosted by the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce at the Soldotna Sports Center. (Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion)

Community mourns Soldotna Mayor Nels Anderson

Anderson passed away Tuesday morning, according to a shared Facebook post from the mayor’s son.

Soldotna Mayor Nels Anderson speaks to a crowd Tuesday March 19, 2013 during a candidate forum hosted by the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce at the Soldotna Sports Center. (Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion)
The industrial area of Nikiski, featuring a refinery and currently mothballed LNG and fertilizer plants, was selected by the producer-led consortium of the Alaska LNG Project before the state took over in 2017. (Photo/File/AJOC)

Community to weigh in on LNG draft EIS Wednesday

The meeting is at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Nikiski Recreation Center.

The industrial area of Nikiski, featuring a refinery and currently mothballed LNG and fertilizer plants, was selected by the producer-led consortium of the Alaska LNG Project before the state took over in 2017. (Photo/File/AJOC)
Students in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District performed better than the state average on state assessments. (Graphic by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

District performance above state average

The assessments took place this spring, with about 76,400 students across the state participating.

Students in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District performed better than the state average on state assessments. (Graphic by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Burn suspension lifted

Burn suspension lifted

Permits can be obtained online at forestry.alaska.gov/burn and at local fire departments.

Burn suspension lifted
The updated Swan Lake Fire map shows the fire, which is measured to be nearly 164,000 acres, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management)

Public lands reopened as crews make progress on Swan Lake Fire

The fire is measured to be about 163,686 acres and is 37% contained.

The updated Swan Lake Fire map shows the fire, which is measured to be nearly 164,000 acres, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District employees hold signs for a fair contract at Thursday’s special board of education meeting, May 16, 2019, In Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

School board to mull educators’ contract proposal

The proposal will be considered by the school board Monday.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District employees hold signs for a fair contract at Thursday’s special board of education meeting, May 16, 2019, In Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
A map provided by the U.S. Drought Monitor shows areas of Alaska experiencing drought conditions. (Image courtesy U.S. Drought Monitor)

Drought conditions stay, despite some rain

More rain fell the first three days of September than in the entire month of August.

A map provided by the U.S. Drought Monitor shows areas of Alaska experiencing drought conditions. (Image courtesy U.S. Drought Monitor)