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Elena Corey and Jim Pate perform during Music by the Fire at the Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

An evening of books and song

Musicians give fireside serenades to librarygoers

Elena Corey and Jim Pate perform during Music by the Fire at the Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska, on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council OKs new personal property tax exemption

The ordinance takes effect Jan. 19

Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Shrubs grow outside of the Kenai Courthouse on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward man acquitted in 2019 double-homicide case

The man was accused of shooting and killing 28-year-old Dustin Marx and 40-year-old Michael White inside of their van

Shrubs grow outside of the Kenai Courthouse on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai resident Barbara Kennedy testifies in support of allowing more city residents to own chickens during a city council meeting on Wednesday, Feb.1, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai again debates future of remote participation in city meetings

The discussion comes two months after a hacker disrupted a council meeting

Kenai resident Barbara Kennedy testifies in support of allowing more city residents to own chickens during a city council meeting on Wednesday, Feb.1, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Luminaria light the path of the Third Annual StarLight StarBright winter solstice skiing fundraiser at the Kenai Golf Course in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Illuminating the darkest night

StarLight StarBright winter solstice skiing fundraiser benefits the American Cancer Society

Luminaria light the path of the Third Annual StarLight StarBright winter solstice skiing fundraiser at the Kenai Golf Course in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Courthouse is photographed on February 26, 2019, in Kenai, Alaska. (Clarion file)

Kenai resident pleads guilty to 2020 homicide

He was sentenced to 70 years, with 35 suspended

Kenai Courthouse is photographed on February 26, 2019, in Kenai, Alaska. (Clarion file)
Soldotna city council members, staff and residents break ground on the Soldotna Field House project on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula groups among Rasmuson grant awardees

The City of Soldotna, Love INC and Kenai Peninsula Housing Initiatives will receive $770,000 in grant funds

Soldotna city council members, staff and residents break ground on the Soldotna Field House project on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna's Kaytlin McAnelly celebrates winning the girls title at 132 pounds Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at the state wrestling tournament at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna girls, Seward boys win state wrestling titles

Kenai Peninsula sweeps Most Outstanding Wrestler awards

Soldotna's Kaytlin McAnelly celebrates winning the girls title at 132 pounds Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at the state wrestling tournament at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion Santa Claus joins children for some hockey action during A Day with the Clauses festivities at Daubenspeck Park in Kenai on Monday.

Skating with Santa

Santa Claus arrived on an ATV and hit the ice himself, skating, playing hockey and greeting children

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion Santa Claus joins children for some hockey action during A Day with the Clauses festivities at Daubenspeck Park in Kenai on Monday.
Nurse Sherra Pritchard gives Madyson Knudsen a bandage at the Kenai Public Health Center after the 10-year-old received her first COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion file)

Department of Health urges flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines

Only 18.5% of Alaskans have received a flu vaccine as of last week

Nurse Sherra Pritchard gives Madyson Knudsen a bandage at the Kenai Public Health Center after the 10-year-old received her first COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion file)
Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion Cassidi Cameron, left, and Tim Dillon stand in Dillon’s office at the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District on Dec. 12 near Kenai.

KPEDD director prepares to pass the torch

Tim Dillon to step down as head of the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District at the end of the month

Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion Cassidi Cameron, left, and Tim Dillon stand in Dillon’s office at the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District on Dec. 12 near Kenai.
Signs direct visitors at the City of Seward’s city hall annex on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward electric rates to increase by $0.06 per kilowatt hour Jan. 1

Seward twice in 2023 voted not to sell the utility to Homer Electric Association

Signs direct visitors at the City of Seward’s city hall annex on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A snowmachine rider takes advantage of two feet of fresh snow on a field down Murwood Avenue in Soldotna, Alaska on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Snowmachine use closed in parts of Chugach National Forest, opened in refuge

On the refuge, all areas “traditionally open to snowmachine use” are now open

A snowmachine rider takes advantage of two feet of fresh snow on a field down Murwood Avenue in Soldotna, Alaska on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
U.S. Department of Justice Logo. (Graphic by Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai woman sentenced in bankruptcy fraud case

Saray Lockwood formerly operated Kenai Dental Clinic with her late-husband Dr. Glenn Lockwood

U.S. Department of Justice Logo. (Graphic by Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
"Specific Gravity, a multimedia work by Michael Armstrong is on display in Homer Council on the Arts' "Fun with 5x7" show in November and December 2023. Photo by Michael Armstrong

A life guided by art

Former Homer News editor Michael Armstrong pursues his creative life

"Specific Gravity, a multimedia work by Michael Armstrong is on display in Homer Council on the Arts' "Fun with 5x7" show in November and December 2023. Photo by Michael Armstrong
Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna adopts 4% bed tax

The tax applies to all hotels, motels, inns, lodges and short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs and Vrbos

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Association of Realtors sits with duffel bags of Christmas gifts donated to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Students in Transition program at Kenai Catering in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Realtors donate duffel bags in annual tradition

The Students in Transition program serves students experiencing housing instability

The Kenai Peninsula Association of Realtors sits with duffel bags of Christmas gifts donated to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Students in Transition program at Kenai Catering in Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Audience members listen to Iris Fontana, of the Satanic Temple, deliver an invocation during a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. Fontana was the last person to deliver an assembly invocation before a new borough policy, which says only borough volunteer chaplains may deliver the invocation, takes effect. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Satanic Temple gets last word as assembly ends open invocation policy

Effective Jan. 1, assembly invocations will be delivered exclusively by volunteer chaplains who serve the borough’s fire and emergency medical service areas

Audience members listen to Iris Fontana, of the Satanic Temple, deliver an invocation during a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. Fontana was the last person to deliver an assembly invocation before a new borough policy, which says only borough volunteer chaplains may deliver the invocation, takes effect. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Skis poke out of the snow minutes before the start of StarLight StarBright: A Winter Solstice Ski Event on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, at the Kenai Golf Course in Kenai, Alaska.

Skiers to illuminate solstice night for annual fundraiser

The event benefits Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society

Skis poke out of the snow minutes before the start of StarLight StarBright: A Winter Solstice Ski Event on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, at the Kenai Golf Course in Kenai, Alaska.
Santa and Mrs. Claus wait for children to arrive during Breakfast with Santa at the Kenai Senior Center in Kenai, Alaska on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Making the most of winter break

Holiday festivities include crafting, caroling, scavenger hunts and a whole lot of Santa

Santa and Mrs. Claus wait for children to arrive during Breakfast with Santa at the Kenai Senior Center in Kenai, Alaska on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)