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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)
Senate President Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, is seen here in this June 16, 2021, file photo. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

Peninsula project funding, alcohol reform pass in Juneau

$3,200 PFD payments, education legislation also included

Senate President Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, is seen here in this June 16, 2021, file photo. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)
Local veterans participate in the Memorial Day ceremony at Leif Hansen Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, May 30, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

‘We appreciate and honor their sacrifice’

Kenai honors veterans’ service on Memorial Day

Local veterans participate in the Memorial Day ceremony at Leif Hansen Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, May 30, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Signs are placed on Lowell Point Road ahead of the road opening in Seward, Alaska, May 27, 2022, following the May 7 Bear Mountain landslide. (Photo and caption courtesy Kenai Peninsula Borough)

Lowell Point Road reopens after landslide

Locals have relied on water taxi service since the May 7 slide

Signs are placed on Lowell Point Road ahead of the road opening in Seward, Alaska, May 27, 2022, following the May 7 Bear Mountain landslide. (Photo and caption courtesy Kenai Peninsula Borough)
Heather Renner and Tasha Reynolds run and fat bike to the finish line on the Kenai Beach during the 2019 Mouth to Mouth Wild Run & Ride. (Photo courtesy Kaitlin Vadla)

Mouth to Mouth bike race and run returns Monday

The race starts at the mouth of the Kasilof River and ends at the mouth of Kenai River

Heather Renner and Tasha Reynolds run and fat bike to the finish line on the Kenai Beach during the 2019 Mouth to Mouth Wild Run & Ride. (Photo courtesy Kaitlin Vadla)
Demonstrators rally in support of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District teachers and staff outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, May 26, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

‘Overworked and underpaid’

Rally calls for support for KPBSD staff, teachers

Demonstrators rally in support of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District teachers and staff outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, May 26, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Mount Redoubt volcano can be seen across Cook Inlet from the shores of South Kenai Beach, in Kenai, Alaska, on April 10, 2022. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Cook Inlet basin energy future lies beyond fossil fuels, conference speakers say

The region that was once famous for oil is teeming with renewables like wind, solar, geothermal and tidal energy

Mount Redoubt volcano can be seen across Cook Inlet from the shores of South Kenai Beach, in Kenai, Alaska, on April 10, 2022. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Tony Izzo, CEO of Matansuka Electric Association, stands with other utility executives on May 25 to describe a $200 million project to upgrade transmission lines along Alaska’s Railbelt. The announcement was made at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference in Anchorage. Curtis Thayer, executive director of the Alaska Energy Authority, is at the far left; Gov. Mike Dunleavy is at the far right. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Utilities in Alaska’s Railbelt announce $200M transmission upgrade project

The upgrade will move more energy from the Bradley Lake Hydroelectric Plant on the Kenai Peninsula

Tony Izzo, CEO of Matansuka Electric Association, stands with other utility executives on May 25 to describe a $200 million project to upgrade transmission lines along Alaska’s Railbelt. The announcement was made at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference in Anchorage. Curtis Thayer, executive director of the Alaska Energy Authority, is at the far left; Gov. Mike Dunleavy is at the far right. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
A spruce bark beetle is seen on the underside of a piece of bark taken from logs stacked near Central Peninsula Landfill on Thursday, July 1, 2021, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Emergency harvest of beetle-killed spruce trees approved

The move comes amid an infestation that has spread across Southcentral Alaska

A spruce bark beetle is seen on the underside of a piece of bark taken from logs stacked near Central Peninsula Landfill on Thursday, July 1, 2021, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Wood is piled near the entrance to Centennial Park on Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The campground was closed for most of May while the city worked with contractors to remove trees infested with spruce bark beetles from the property. Southcentral Alaska’s current spruce beetle outbreak has already affected 1.6 million acres of land, including 21,000 acres managed by the Kenai Peninsula Borough. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna beetle-kill efforts boosted by $150K grant

The city has focused recent mitigation efforts on city campgrounds

Wood is piled near the entrance to Centennial Park on Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The campground was closed for most of May while the city worked with contractors to remove trees infested with spruce bark beetles from the property. Southcentral Alaska’s current spruce beetle outbreak has already affected 1.6 million acres of land, including 21,000 acres managed by the Kenai Peninsula Borough. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)