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District employees leave the Betty J. Glick Borough Assembly Chambers during the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Education Board meeting in Soldotna, Alaska on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, to rally for a fair contract. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Educators call for action

District staff rally at school board meeting, talk of a strike

District employees leave the Betty J. Glick Borough Assembly Chambers during the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Education Board meeting in Soldotna, Alaska on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, to rally for a fair contract. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Donna Arduin, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, speaks to House members during an informational meeting at the Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Donna Arduin, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, speaks to House members during an informational meeting at the Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Crime bill held up over conflict of interest

Crime bill held up over conflict of interest

Lawmakers say new ethics rule too ‘fuzzy.’

Crime bill held up over conflict of interest
Protesters hold up flags during a public hearing on a draft environmental plan on proposed petroleum leasing within Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Monday, in Anchorage. Congress in December 2017 approved a tax bill that requires oil and gas lease sales in the refuge to raise revenue for a tax cut backed by President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Dan Joling)

Critics protest proposed drilling in Alaska’s Arctic refuge

Congress in 1980 expanded the refuge to nearly the size of South Carolina

  • Feb 11, 2019
  • By DAN JOLING Associated Press
  • ANWR
Protesters hold up flags during a public hearing on a draft environmental plan on proposed petroleum leasing within Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Monday, in Anchorage. Congress in December 2017 approved a tax bill that requires oil and gas lease sales in the refuge to raise revenue for a tax cut backed by President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Dan Joling)
The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Alaska House has yet to organize about a month into session

The 40-member House has 23 Republicans but just 20 of them have aligned with the GOP caucus

  • Feb 11, 2019
  • By BECKY BOHRER The Associated Press
The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Health insurance costs strain school districts’ budgets

Health insurance costs strain school districts’ budgets

Health insurance accounts for 16 percent of one district’s budget.

Health insurance costs strain school districts’ budgets
Love, INC’s executive director Leslie Rohr leads the Shelter Development workgroup at Love, INC in Soldotna on Thursday, Feb. 7. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Shelter Workgroup discusses transitional housing and cold-weather shelters for the peninsula

The transitional housing project is based on a housing-first approach to combating homelessness

Love, INC’s executive director Leslie Rohr leads the Shelter Development workgroup at Love, INC in Soldotna on Thursday, Feb. 7. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
After construction workers removed siding from the facade of the Kenai Municipal Airport, a mural with iconic Kenai images like fishing nets, the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox chapel and a dog musher, was revealed on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 in Kenai, Alaska.(Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Airport mural to be immortalized in photos

The mural depicts peninsula icons, like a Russian Orthodox Church, a dog musher and a fishing net.

After construction workers removed siding from the facade of the Kenai Municipal Airport, a mural with iconic Kenai images like fishing nets, the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox chapel and a dog musher, was revealed on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 in Kenai, Alaska.(Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Paul Huber, co-chair of the Citizens for Nikiski Incorporation, speaks at a meeting at the Nikiski Fire Station 2 on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019.

Citizens for Nikiski Incorporation meet with mayor

Alaska requires that any petition for incorporation include a detailed administrative plan

Paul Huber, co-chair of the Citizens for Nikiski Incorporation, speaks at a meeting at the Nikiski Fire Station 2 on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019.
Schools briefs for the week of February 11, 2019
Schools briefs for the week of February 11, 2019
King Key watches the Juneau Pride Chorus sing at the Stonewall 50 Tea & Dance event in McPhetres Hall Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)
King Key watches the Juneau Pride Chorus sing at the Stonewall 50 Tea & Dance event in McPhetres Hall Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. (Ben Hohenstatt | Capital City Weekly)
Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce casts doubt on LNG project

Pierce said that the mayor’s office is still looking through all the impacts to the Kenai Peninsula

Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Robert Gibson of Cooper Landing picks barley by hand at a small barley field planted by the Kenai Peninsula Borough in a vacant gravel pit on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Cooper Landing, Alaska. Gibson uses three different methods to pick the barley, including using a scythe and a hand sickle. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough seeks to grow local agriculture

Borough forming agricultural land program, seeking letters

Robert Gibson of Cooper Landing picks barley by hand at a small barley field planted by the Kenai Peninsula Borough in a vacant gravel pit on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, in Cooper Landing, Alaska. Gibson uses three different methods to pick the barley, including using a scythe and a hand sickle. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

No-bid contract for psychiatric institute raises questions

A previous report advised against privatizing the institute.

The Alaska State Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Packages move along a conveyor belt at the Amazon.com fulfillment center in Robbinsville, New Jersey, on June 7. (Bloomberg/Photo by Bess Adler)

Amazon now collecting borough sales tax

Borough estimates online tax collection could produce $1.5 million in sales tax revenue annually.

Packages move along a conveyor belt at the Amazon.com fulfillment center in Robbinsville, New Jersey, on June 7. (Bloomberg/Photo by Bess Adler)
Local author Ann Mercer poses with her book, “Miss Lucy Moose Falls Down in the Swamp” at River City Books in Soldotna on Wednesday. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Inspired by a moose

Kasilof woman writes and illustrates her 1st children’s book

Local author Ann Mercer poses with her book, “Miss Lucy Moose Falls Down in the Swamp” at River City Books in Soldotna on Wednesday. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
A group of teachers gather outside the entrance to West Homer Elementary and Big Fireweed Academy wearing “red for ed” Wednesday, in Homer. Teachers around the Kenai Peninsula demonstrated this week to bring awareness to the contract negotiation situation with the school district. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Teachers, unions getting frustrated by contract negotiations

District educators and classified staff have been without a renewed contract since July 1.

A group of teachers gather outside the entrance to West Homer Elementary and Big Fireweed Academy wearing “red for ed” Wednesday, in Homer. Teachers around the Kenai Peninsula demonstrated this week to bring awareness to the contract negotiation situation with the school district. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Kenai asks Board of Fish to rescind meeting decision

Kenai asks Board of Fish to rescind meeting decision

In January the board decided to move the regulatory meeting from the Kenai Peninsula to Anchorage.

Kenai asks Board of Fish to rescind meeting decision
Andy Jones, Director of the Department of Health and Social Services’ Office of Substance Misuse, right, speak about the fiscal impacts of the opioids on the state along with Michael Duxbury, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, center, and Laura Brooks, Director of Health and Rehabilitation for the Department of Corrections, in front of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Andy Jones, Director of the Department of Health and Social Services’ Office of Substance Misuse, right, speak about the fiscal impacts of the opioids on the state along with Michael Duxbury, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, center, and Laura Brooks, Director of Health and Rehabilitation for the Department of Corrections, in front of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Amanda Price, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, right, watches as Kathryn Monfreda, bureau chief of the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Statewide Services, presents the Uniform Crime Reporting Annual Report to House members during an informational meeting at the Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

State changing system for recording crimes

Costs to municipal agencies remain unknown.

Amanda Price, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, right, watches as Kathryn Monfreda, bureau chief of the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Statewide Services, presents the Uniform Crime Reporting Annual Report to House members during an informational meeting at the Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)