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Kenai City Council members convene for their regular meeting at the council chambers on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council moves ahead with slash site resolution

Community members could dispose of spruce beetle-infested trees and other vegetation at the site

Kenai City Council members convene for their regular meeting at the council chambers on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
A classroom is seen at Kenai Middle School on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Can public funds be used for private school classes? Education department isn’t sure

‘Any effort to divert public funds to private schools is a blatantly unconstitutional act’ says opponent to the practice

A classroom is seen at Kenai Middle School on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

State COVID 14- day case count up slightly

Alaska reported a 16% total increase over the last 14 days

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Darryl Magen, center, and Josh Delie, far right, start their journey from the Kenai Municipal Airport on Friday, June 3, 2022 to this year’s Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Olympic send-off

Darryl Magen and Josh Delie were met with cheers and words of encouragement from family, friends and city officials

Darryl Magen, center, and Josh Delie, far right, start their journey from the Kenai Municipal Airport on Friday, June 3, 2022 to this year’s Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Employees of Metco Alaska work to remove debris from the Lowell Point Road May 23, 2022, following the May 7 Bear Mountain landslide that blocked the road and access to and from the community of Lowell Point. (Photo and caption courtesy of the Kenai Peninsula Borough)

Lowell Point Road to reopen for weekend traffic

The road opened Friday through Monday last weekend and was opened intermittently earlier this week

Employees of Metco Alaska work to remove debris from the Lowell Point Road May 23, 2022, following the May 7 Bear Mountain landslide that blocked the road and access to and from the community of Lowell Point. (Photo and caption courtesy of the Kenai Peninsula Borough)
Residents line the Sterling Highway, in front of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office to oppose the Pebble Mine on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Activists: Pebble plan should be just a first step in protecting Bristol Bay

Additional protections could come through congressional action or conservation easements or similar land designations

Residents line the Sterling Highway, in front of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office to oppose the Pebble Mine on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska Senate President Peter Micciche, left, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich, right, meet with reporters in Micciche’s office in the early morning hours of Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska, after the Legislature ended its regular session. Micciche, a Republican, said last month that he is not seeking reelection this year and Begich, a Democrat, announced Thursday, June, 2, 2022 that he is likely to withdraw his candidacy next week. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

Alaska Senate minority leader doesn’t plan to run this year

Ten Alaska state lawmakers do not plan to seek reelection this year

Alaska Senate President Peter Micciche, left, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich, right, meet with reporters in Micciche’s office in the early morning hours of Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska, after the Legislature ended its regular session. Micciche, a Republican, said last month that he is not seeking reelection this year and Begich, a Democrat, announced Thursday, June, 2, 2022 that he is likely to withdraw his candidacy next week. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)
The Kenai Municipal Cemetery is seen on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council postpones discussion on cemetery expansion

Efforts to expand the Kenai Municipal Cemetery have been underway for awhile

The Kenai Municipal Cemetery is seen on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Branden Bornemann celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Kenai Watershed Forum on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. Bornemann will step down as executive director of the nonprofit this month, according to a release from the organization. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Watershed Forum director steps down

Bornemann has been at the organization since 2011 and took over as director in 2018

Branden Bornemann celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Kenai Watershed Forum on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. Bornemann will step down as executive director of the nonprofit this month, according to a release from the organization. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
An Alaska Army National Guard aircrew flying a UH-60 Black Hawk aided in the rescue of a mountain biker with a possible spinal injury from the wilderness near Cooper Landing on May 30, 2022. (Alejandro Pena / U.S. Air Force)

National Guard rescues injured biker near Cooper Landing

The biker had a possible spinal injury, requiring aerial medevac

An Alaska Army National Guard aircrew flying a UH-60 Black Hawk aided in the rescue of a mountain biker with a possible spinal injury from the wilderness near Cooper Landing on May 30, 2022. (Alejandro Pena / U.S. Air Force)
Red fox kits stand in the tall grass on St. Matthew Island in July of 2019. Alaska has recorded its first fox infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza, and the wildlife veterinarian with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says that young foxes and other young scavenging mammals are liley to be more susceptible to infections. (Photo by Rachel Richardson/USGS Alaska Science Center)

Red fox is 1st documented Alaska mammal infected with current strain of avian influenza

The infection was confirmed last week, according to state officials

  • Jun 1, 2022
  • By Yereth Rosen Alaska Beacon
  • State News
Red fox kits stand in the tall grass on St. Matthew Island in July of 2019. Alaska has recorded its first fox infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza, and the wildlife veterinarian with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says that young foxes and other young scavenging mammals are liley to be more susceptible to infections. (Photo by Rachel Richardson/USGS Alaska Science Center)
Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion
Teresa Becher watches as beluga whales swim up the Kenai River on April 24, 2021. Becher is a volunteer citizen scientist coordinator with the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership, which observes beluga migration in Cook Inlet.

Busy beluga monitoring season wraps up

A collaboration among organizations allows citizens to contribute to monitoring in Cook Inlet

Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion
Teresa Becher watches as beluga whales swim up the Kenai River on April 24, 2021. Becher is a volunteer citizen scientist coordinator with the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership, which observes beluga migration in Cook Inlet.
Forms to run for state office are available at the Alaska Division of Elections' offices in Juneau on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, the deadline for potential candidates to file. The state's new voting system has led to a large number of Alaskans running for office this year. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Alaska’s elections are packed as filing deadline passes

Many races are hotly contested, others not at all

Forms to run for state office are available at the Alaska Division of Elections' offices in Juneau on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, the deadline for potential candidates to file. The state's new voting system has led to a large number of Alaskans running for office this year. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The south side of 397 E. Pioneer Avenue as seen on Friday, May 27, 2022. The barn door to the right was cut into the wall of the former Refuge Chapel, a modifcation other tenants of the building claimed had been done in violation of the business condominium association rules. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Lt. governor candidate scrutinized for Homer property usage

Fire marshal said ‘commercial’ activity in old chapel did not have valid plan review

The south side of 397 E. Pioneer Avenue as seen on Friday, May 27, 2022. The barn door to the right was cut into the wall of the former Refuge Chapel, a modifcation other tenants of the building claimed had been done in violation of the business condominium association rules. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Bill Ritter, former governor of Colorado and founder of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, promotes bipartisanship in his opening address on May 24 at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Nonpartisan solutions promoted for energy and climate problems, but not everyone is on board

Splits along partisan lines and disagreements over natural gas emerge at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference

Bill Ritter, former governor of Colorado and founder of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, promotes bipartisanship in his opening address on May 24 at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Thor Evenson gets an early look at his exibition at the Kenai Art Center on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

A winding path to art

Kenai Art Center’s June exhibit features an array of works by local talent Thor Evenson

Thor Evenson gets an early look at his exibition at the Kenai Art Center on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Nick Carpenter, Medium Build frontman (Courtesy Nick Carpenter)

Soldotna free music series to debut Wednesday with band Medium Build

The band is the premiere main act of this summer’s free Levitt AMP Concert series

Nick Carpenter, Medium Build frontman (Courtesy Nick Carpenter)
Racers take off from the start line at the Kasilof River Special Use Area for Cook Inletkeeper’s annual Mouth to Mouth Wild Run & Ride on Monday, May 30, 2022. To celebrate National Bike Month, the conservation organization hosted a 10-mile run, 10-mile fat bike ride, and 3-mile run, with all proceeds going toward Cook Inletkeeper’s mission — to ensure healthy salmon in the Cook Inlet watershed. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Watershed moment

Cook Inletkeeper held its annual Mouth to Mouth Wild Run and Ride on Monday on the shores of Cook Inlet

Racers take off from the start line at the Kasilof River Special Use Area for Cook Inletkeeper’s annual Mouth to Mouth Wild Run & Ride on Monday, May 30, 2022. To celebrate National Bike Month, the conservation organization hosted a 10-mile run, 10-mile fat bike ride, and 3-mile run, with all proceeds going toward Cook Inletkeeper’s mission — to ensure healthy salmon in the Cook Inlet watershed. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
This photo shows elections materials for Alaska’s 2022 special primary election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

In-person voting begins for Alaska’s special primary election for US House

Forty-eight candidates are on the ballot for the special primary

This photo shows elections materials for Alaska’s 2022 special primary election. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Anglers fish on the Kenai River on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Low early-run king numbers prompt restrictions

The cumulative sonar estimate is 72 large king salmon through May 29

Anglers fish on the Kenai River on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)