Victoria Petersen

House Republicans huddle for a decision on the opening day of the 31st Session of the Alaska Legislature on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

House Republicans announce support for K-12 funding

“This is a commitment to support the full base amount through this entire budget process.”

House Republicans huddle for a decision on the opening day of the 31st Session of the Alaska Legislature on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
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Schools briefs for the week of April 29-May 5

What’s happening this week

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Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, works a calculator as he and Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, listen to public testimony on the state budget in the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Friday, April 12, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Capitol priorities

As session heads into final weeks, Sen. Micciche talks budget, crime bills and PFD

Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, works a calculator as he and Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, listen to public testimony on the state budget in the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Friday, April 12, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Bruce Wall, a planner with the Kenai Peninsula Borough, answers Kalifornsky residents’ questions about the creation of a new advisory planning commission for the area, on Wednesday, at the Betty J. Glick Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Chambers in Soldotna. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kalifornsky on track for its own advisory planning commission

The commissions help advise the borough on borough-owned lands.

Bruce Wall, a planner with the Kenai Peninsula Borough, answers Kalifornsky residents’ questions about the creation of a new advisory planning commission for the area, on Wednesday, at the Betty J. Glick Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Chambers in Soldotna. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kachemak Selo Middle-High School building sits against a backdrop of the ridge separating the village from the Kenai Peninsula Borough road system Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Kachemak Selo. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

K-Selo grants gets two-year extension

The borough has two more years to find around $5 million to fulfill the 35% match required.

The Kachemak Selo Middle-High School building sits against a backdrop of the ridge separating the village from the Kenai Peninsula Borough road system Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Kachemak Selo. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Sean Dusek stands next to BP Teachers of Excellence honorees, Wendy Todd, a teacher at Paul Banks Elementary in Homer, Julie Doepken, a teacher at William H. Seward High School in Seward, Martha Fleming of Seward High School and Jennifer Hornung, a teacher at Nikiski Middle/High School at the BP Teachers of Excellence reception in Anchorage, Alaska on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. (Photo courtesy of BP Teachers of Excellence.)

Peninsula educators recognized as BP Teachers of Excellence

Thirteen teachers across the state were awarded the teachers of excellence award.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Sean Dusek stands next to BP Teachers of Excellence honorees, Wendy Todd, a teacher at Paul Banks Elementary in Homer, Julie Doepken, a teacher at William H. Seward High School in Seward, Martha Fleming of Seward High School and Jennifer Hornung, a teacher at Nikiski Middle/High School at the BP Teachers of Excellence reception in Anchorage, Alaska on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. (Photo courtesy of BP Teachers of Excellence.)
A child watches as her line and weight sink into the water at an Alaska Department of Fish and Game-stocked fish pond at the annual Sports and Rec Trade Show at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Sunday, April 29, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Sport, Rec and Trade show celebrates 34th year

This year’s Kenai Peninsula Sport, Rec and Trade Show is the biggest it’s been in over a decade, Kelly Martin, president of the trade show… Continue reading

A child watches as her line and weight sink into the water at an Alaska Department of Fish and Game-stocked fish pond at the annual Sports and Rec Trade Show at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Sunday, April 29, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
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International Fly Fishing Film Tour comes to Kenai

The local Trout Unlimited Chapter is bringing the International Fly Fishing Film Festival to the peninsula. The event is a fundraiser benefiting the Kenai Peninsula… Continue reading

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An Alaska SeaLife Center animal care specialist feeds a sea otter pup. The female pup was admitted Tuesday, April 9, 2019, after the newborn was found floating alone in Kachemak Bay. (Photo courtesy Alaska SeaLife Center)

SeaLife Center rescues newborn sea otter pup

The newborn was floating alone in Kachemak Bay

An Alaska SeaLife Center animal care specialist feeds a sea otter pup. The female pup was admitted Tuesday, April 9, 2019, after the newborn was found floating alone in Kachemak Bay. (Photo courtesy Alaska SeaLife Center)
Kenai police to purchase new radios

Kenai police to purchase new radios

Kenai Police Department applied for and received a $100,000 grant

Kenai police to purchase new radios
Dale Cocklin of Two Peas in a Pod Farm sells an abundance of root vegetables like beets, kohlrabi, carrots and more at his stand at the Tuesday, Aug. 28. 2018 Farmers Fresh Market at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Farmers Market season is just around the corner

“We have a quite a few more vendors and a couple of new farmers.”

Dale Cocklin of Two Peas in a Pod Farm sells an abundance of root vegetables like beets, kohlrabi, carrots and more at his stand at the Tuesday, Aug. 28. 2018 Farmers Fresh Market at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
John O’Brien was offered the position of interim superintendent of schools for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on Friday, April 5, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of the Pegge Erkeneff/Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)

School board approves interim superintendent John O’Brien’s contract

“I am committed to the students, parents, and staff of this District …”

John O’Brien was offered the position of interim superintendent of schools for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on Friday, April 5, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of the Pegge Erkeneff/Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)
Musician Mika Day performs for market attendees at this year’s final Wednesday Market, on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Summer Music in the Park lineup released

The series will kick off June 5 with Blackwater Railroad Company

Musician Mika Day performs for market attendees at this year’s final Wednesday Market, on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski. (File photo)
Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski. (File photo)
Diamond Dance Project, a local dance studio, performed an original dance concert “Taiko” inspired by their recent dance trip to Japan at the Soldotna High School auditorium, March 24, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Crystal Soyangco/Diamond Dance Project)

Diamond Dance project inspired by trip to Japan

Dubbed “Taiko,” the concert debuted March 24 and may return with an encore show.

Diamond Dance Project, a local dance studio, performed an original dance concert “Taiko” inspired by their recent dance trip to Japan at the Soldotna High School auditorium, March 24, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Crystal Soyangco/Diamond Dance Project)
Local sourdough enthusiasts Lacy Ledahl, Maria Nolas and Elizabeth Cox taught a class at Maggie’s General Store about the benefits and baking opportunities of sourdough, Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Sourdough stories

Local bakers share origins of an Alaskan classic

Local sourdough enthusiasts Lacy Ledahl, Maria Nolas and Elizabeth Cox taught a class at Maggie’s General Store about the benefits and baking opportunities of sourdough, Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Community members, parents, staff and students concerned about the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s potential plan to consolidate Soldotna High School and Soldotna Prep School gather in the Soldotna High School Auditorium to get more information about how that consolidation would affect them, Thursday, April 11, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Community discusses consolidation of SoHi, SoPrep

“We’re really here, for the most part, because of the governor’s proposed budget.”

Community members, parents, staff and students concerned about the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s potential plan to consolidate Soldotna High School and Soldotna Prep School gather in the Soldotna High School Auditorium to get more information about how that consolidation would affect them, Thursday, April 11, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
An ulu the author made as part of the Alaska Humanities Forum Sister School Exchange. (Photo provided by author)

Out of the Office: A sister school experience

As I write this column, I’m drowning in stories of Legislature budgets, potential school closures and some guy stealing a mammoth tusk in Anchorage. There’s… Continue reading

An ulu the author made as part of the Alaska Humanities Forum Sister School Exchange. (Photo provided by author)
First-year Chapman School teacher Malia Larson speaks to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in support of an ordinance that will appropriate around $2.4 million to the school district in hopes of retaining some non-tenured teachers for the next school year, in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough to vote on district supplemental funding ordinance

The ordinance would appropriate $2,423,955 for the school district’s fiscal year 2019 budget.

First-year Chapman School teacher Malia Larson speaks to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in support of an ordinance that will appropriate around $2.4 million to the school district in hopes of retaining some non-tenured teachers for the next school year, in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Escape Route, a road connecting the towns of Kenai and Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, is photographed on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough tables state road trade

“Things haven’t been going too well, so we’re going to ask to table it here after the public meeting.”

Escape Route, a road connecting the towns of Kenai and Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, is photographed on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)