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The Alaska State Capitol on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Alaska House passes budget with roughly $2,275 payments to residents, bill goes to Senate

The bill also includes a roughly $175 million, one-time increase in aid to school districts that would be paid according to a funding formula

The Alaska State Capitol on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Head coach Taylor Shaw (center) talks to the Kenai River Brown Bears during a timeout at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Season review: Brown Bears hope to build on solid finish to season

It’s not easy to finish a season in last place in a division, yet have plenty of reasons for optimism for the next season

Head coach Taylor Shaw (center) talks to the Kenai River Brown Bears during a timeout at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai River flows near Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The Riverfront Redevelopment project will impact much of Soldotna’s riverside areas downstream to the bridge. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna riverfront redevelopment planning moves forward

Soldotna City Council on Monday unanimously approved the creation of a project manager to shepherd the Riverfront Redevelopment Project

The Kenai River flows near Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. The Riverfront Redevelopment project will impact much of Soldotna’s riverside areas downstream to the bridge. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Aleutian Airways logo. Photo courtesy of Aleutian Airways
Aleutian Airways logo. Photo courtesy of Aleutian Airways
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Homer pedestrian pathway project selected for federal funding

The project will create greater nonmotorized transportation access in Homer

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Vendors speak to attendees of the Kenai Peninsula Job and Career Fair in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Job Fair draws employers, seekers

The Job Center has options and opportunities to connect people with training, coaching and funding

Vendors speak to attendees of the Kenai Peninsula Job and Career Fair in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Vanessa Uei checks in guests during a grand opening for AK Wellness & Tanning in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

AK Wellness & Tanning holds grand opening for new location

The expanded location is along the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai

Vanessa Uei checks in guests during a grand opening for AK Wellness & Tanning in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Senior Center’s dining space is readied for the annual March for Meals fundraiser in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, April 5, 2024. (Photo by Ken Aaron, provided by Kenai Senior Center)

March for Meals raises funds to support senior food service

The local event was organized by Kenai Senior Connection and hosted at the Kenai Senior Center

The Kenai Senior Center’s dining space is readied for the annual March for Meals fundraiser in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, April 5, 2024. (Photo by Ken Aaron, provided by Kenai Senior Center)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
An array of solar panels stand in the sunlight at Whistle Hill in Soldotna on Sunday.

Federal grant awarded for Whistle Hill solar project

The annual production of the completed system is estimated to be enough electricity to power 19 homes

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
An array of solar panels stand in the sunlight at Whistle Hill in Soldotna on Sunday.
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
John and Parrisa Harris are surrounded by plants and flowers in the newly reopened Fireweed Greenhouse in Kenai on Sunday.

Fireweed Greenhouse finds renewed bloom

Parrisa and John Harris purchased the greenhouse last summer and reopened it late last month

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
John and Parrisa Harris are surrounded by plants and flowers in the newly reopened Fireweed Greenhouse in Kenai on Sunday.
School board member Patti Truesdell speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District School Board in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

School Board approves rehiring retired teachers

There are at least 25 full-time positions that will need to be filled for the next fiscal year

School board member Patti Truesdell speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District School Board in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

3 arrested for weekend burglary

The three are accused of stealing clothes, electronics, collectible cards and tools

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland responds to questions during a joint work session of the School Board and Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland responds to questions during a joint work session of the School Board and Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer High School students who joined schools from around the state in a high school walkout pose near the end of the event, on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. Not all students who attended the event are in the image. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)

Homer students join statewide student walkout

The event was in response to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto last month of an education bill passed by the Alaska Legislature

Homer High School students who joined schools from around the state in a high school walkout pose near the end of the event, on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Homer, Alaska. Not all students who attended the event are in the image. (Photo by Emilie Springer/Homer News)
Juneau students chant outside the governor’s office on the third floor of the Alaska State Capitol during a statewide protest Thursday morning calling for more public education funding. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Juneau students take statewide protest for more education funding into the Capitol

Scores of students march from JDHS to the offices of the governor and other lawmakers.

Juneau students chant outside the governor’s office on the third floor of the Alaska State Capitol during a statewide protest Thursday morning calling for more public education funding. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Bill Holt tells a fishing tale at Odie’s Deli on Friday, June 2, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. Holt was among the seven storytellers in the latest session of True Tales Told Live, an occasional storytelling event co-founded by Pegge Erkeneff, Jenny Nyman, and Kaitlin Vadla. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion file)

Storytelling series returns with tales about ‘making the most of it’

The next True Tales, Told Live will be held Friday, April 12 at The Goods Sustainable Grocery starting at 6:30 p.m.

Bill Holt tells a fishing tale at Odie’s Deli on Friday, June 2, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. Holt was among the seven storytellers in the latest session of True Tales Told Live, an occasional storytelling event co-founded by Pegge Erkeneff, Jenny Nyman, and Kaitlin Vadla. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion file)
Kenai Fire Department Deputy Chief John Harris and Kenai Police Department Chief David Ross respond to questions about their facility during a work session of the Kenai City Council in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council discusses maintenance needs of public safety building

Central to the discussion was a proposed study to evaluate options and determine a path forward for the facility

Kenai Fire Department Deputy Chief John Harris and Kenai Police Department Chief David Ross respond to questions about their facility during a work session of the Kenai City Council in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Cooper Landing residents seek veto for concrete plant lease, mayor upholds assembly decision

The concrete plant is intended to support the construction of a steel arch bridge as part of the Sterling Highway MP 45-60 Project

Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
John Bryan and Candace Nakagawa, Co-Directors of Sports Science, Strength and Conditioning, clean up the kitchen after preparing a meal for the Kenai River Brown Bears at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, March 29, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

‘The right thing to do’

On mostly volunteer basis, couple overhauls nutrition, strength and conditioning program for Bears

John Bryan and Candace Nakagawa, Co-Directors of Sports Science, Strength and Conditioning, clean up the kitchen after preparing a meal for the Kenai River Brown Bears at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, March 29, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion
Attendees share their thoughts about a Dena’ina-focused charter school at a meeting hosted by the Kenaitze Indian Tribe on Thursday in Kenai.

Kenaitze Indian Tribe hosts meeting to gauge interest in a Dena’ina charter school

The initiative comes amid heightened legislative interest in Alaska’s charter school system

Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion
Attendees share their thoughts about a Dena’ina-focused charter school at a meeting hosted by the Kenaitze Indian Tribe on Thursday in Kenai.