Home2

Nick Varney

Reeling ‘Em In: Dolly Varden fishing opening up; silvers sneaking in

The staff at the Reeling ‘Em In headquarters has been diligently sifting through a myriad of cyber correspondence from fisherpersonage bemoaning the fact that they… Continue reading

Nick Varney
Refuge Notebook: Battered sallow moth caterpillars come and go

Refuge Notebook: Battered sallow moth caterpillars come and go

In early June, I received multiple accounts of abundant black caterpillars stripping trees and shrubs of foliage around the Marsh Lake Trail off of Skilak… Continue reading

Refuge Notebook: Battered sallow moth caterpillars come and go

Alaska Voices: Lawmakers must fight for Dreamers

DACA recipients have proven themselves to be hardworking members of our communities

  • Jul 16, 2020
A sign by the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center shows where to vote on Aug. 21, 2018, for the Diamond Ridge, Homer, Alaska, precinct. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Voices of the Peninsula: It’s time to pass the Equal Rights Amendment

Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972 and Alaska was the 10th state to ratify.

  • Jul 16, 2020
  • • Bridget Smith, League of Women Voters Juneau
    • Cathleen Rolph, League of Women Voters Kenai Peninsula
A sign by the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center shows where to vote on Aug. 21, 2018, for the Diamond Ridge, Homer, Alaska, precinct. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
A mural by David Pettibone and Austin Parkhill is part of the 1% for art work on the new Homer Police Station, as seen here on June 25, 2020, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Artist establishes roots in Homer

The large figurative and landscape paintings are part of a narrative, “Eat, drink and be merry …”

A mural by David Pettibone and Austin Parkhill is part of the 1% for art work on the new Homer Police Station, as seen here on June 25, 2020, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Opinion: The quackery economics of libertarian ideologues

Opinion: The quackery economics of libertarian ideologues

Taxes aren’t the only factor in oil production.

  • Jul 13, 2020
  • By Rich Moniak
Opinion: The quackery economics of libertarian ideologues
The Capitol building in Juneau, Alaska. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire File)

Voices of the Peninsula: Dividends don’t grow on trees

“Without taxing for the extraction of our oil, there will be no dividends.”

The Capitol building in Juneau, Alaska. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire File)
Along the shores of Resurrection Bay is a good place to read a good book. (Photo by Kat Sorensen)

Tangled Up in Blue: Dog-eared

I never used bookmarks when I was growing up. I devoured books, both with my avid reading and my pervasive habit of marking all the… Continue reading

Along the shores of Resurrection Bay is a good place to read a good book. (Photo by Kat Sorensen)
Reeling ‘Em In: Kings still around at fishing hole while silvers not yet here

Reeling ‘Em In: Kings still around at fishing hole while silvers not yet here

The weather was phenomenal over the Fourth of July weekend. Visitors, as well as locals, seemed to enjoy barbecuing themselves along with the goodies they… Continue reading

Reeling ‘Em In: Kings still around at fishing hole while silvers not yet here
Refuge Notebook: This land is your land, this land is my land

Refuge Notebook: This land is your land, this land is my land

Bucket list! Once-in-a-lifetime! Saved up for years! Not enough time to see it all! Dream destination! I hear these exclamations at the refuge’s visitor center… Continue reading

Refuge Notebook: This land is your land, this land is my land
Members of Mavis Muller’s “BEE the change” art project pose for a drone photograph on July 5, 2020, at Muller’s home in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by John Newton)

Artist organizes ‘bee the change’ project

“I like to refer to this kind of group activity as the art of activism, or ‘artivism’ for short.”

Members of Mavis Muller’s “BEE the change” art project pose for a drone photograph on July 5, 2020, at Muller’s home in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by John Newton)
Kachemak Cuisine: Celebrate the Fourth Alaska style — with salmon

Kachemak Cuisine: Celebrate the Fourth Alaska style — with salmon

We don’t usually do things in the traditional manner up here on July 4.

Kachemak Cuisine: Celebrate the Fourth Alaska style — with salmon
Alaska Voices: Alaska Native Tribes must act fast to close digital divide

Alaska Voices: Alaska Native Tribes must act fast to close digital divide

When it comes to high-speed internet access, rural Alaska communities are lagging behind.

  • Jul 7, 2020
  • By Ben Fate Velaise
Alaska Voices: Alaska Native Tribes must act fast to close digital divide
A campfire can be seen at the Quartz Creek Campground in Cooper Landing, Alaska, in May 2020. (Clarion staff)

‘Real’ camping

For those not familiar with it, “glamping” is glamorous camping.

  • Jul 4, 2020
  • By Will Morrow For the Peninsula Clarion
A campfire can be seen at the Quartz Creek Campground in Cooper Landing, Alaska, in May 2020. (Clarion staff)
Refuge Notebook: Rains, rocks and trail work on the Swanson River

Refuge Notebook: Rains, rocks and trail work on the Swanson River

Rain pounded against the windshield, encouraging a creeping melancholy as I drove myself and a volunteer north on the Sterling Highway toward Swanson River Road.… Continue reading

  • Jul 2, 2020
  • By KASEY RENFRO Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
Refuge Notebook: Rains, rocks and trail work on the Swanson River
Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion                                 Forever Dance Alaska performs for the crowd during the 2019 Fourth of July parade in Kenai. The team will not be performing in the parade this year due to the new coronavirus pandemic. They will instead perform during an outside July 4 production hosted by Kenai Performers.

The show must go on

American icons to take stage in outdoor July 4 performance

Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion                                 Forever Dance Alaska performs for the crowd during the 2019 Fourth of July parade in Kenai. The team will not be performing in the parade this year due to the new coronavirus pandemic. They will instead perform during an outside July 4 production hosted by Kenai Performers.
Greg Sutter in a photo taken July 12, 2017, near Homer. (Photo courtesy Greg Sutter)

Voices of the Peninsula: Let’s keep ‘yellow jack’ from flying over more boats

In Homer you could see it being flown on our state ferry, M/V Tustumena, tied to the Pioneer Dock

Greg Sutter in a photo taken July 12, 2017, near Homer. (Photo courtesy Greg Sutter)
Bacon is prepared on a fire pit, June 19, 2020, in the Copper River Valley, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kalifornsky Kitchen: Eating from fire

My attitude toward camp cooking is that you can eat pretty much anything you would eat at home.

Bacon is prepared on a fire pit, June 19, 2020, in the Copper River Valley, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Larry Persily (Clarion file)

Alaska Voices: LNG project economics still challenging

The new estimate released at the June AGDC meeting is 12% below the number of several years ago.

  • Jun 29, 2020
  • By Larry Persily
Larry Persily (Clarion file)
Alaska Voices: UAA helps Anchorage build workforce capacity

Alaska Voices: UAA helps Anchorage build workforce capacity

It’s about time we asked ourselves: What can we do to support our university?

  • Jun 25, 2020
  • By Bill Popp
Alaska Voices: UAA helps Anchorage build workforce capacity