Larry Zarella, left, and Danielle Aslanian of Denali Cooks performs at the 2022 Kenai River Festival at Soldotna Creek Park on Friday, June 10, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

River Fest returns

The festival, which runs through Sunday, features live music, food booths, a wine and beer garden, a “Kids Zone” and the “Run for the River” race event

Larry Zarella, left, and Danielle Aslanian of Denali Cooks performs at the 2022 Kenai River Festival at Soldotna Creek Park on Friday, June 10, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
In this aerial photo provided by the BLM Alaska Fire Service, the East Fork Fire burns about 25 miles north of St. Mary’s, Alaska on June 2. The largest documented wildfire ever burning through tundra in southwest Alaska is within miles of two Alaska Native villages, prompting dozens of residents with respiratory problems to voluntarily evacuate. (Pat Johnson, BLM Alaska Fire Service via AP)

Large tundra wildfire in southwest Alaska threatens villages

Officials on Friday put the communities of St. Mary’s and Pitkas Point into “ready” status

  • Jun 10, 2022
  • By Mark Thiessen Associated Press
  • State News
In this aerial photo provided by the BLM Alaska Fire Service, the East Fork Fire burns about 25 miles north of St. Mary’s, Alaska on June 2. The largest documented wildfire ever burning through tundra in southwest Alaska is within miles of two Alaska Native villages, prompting dozens of residents with respiratory problems to voluntarily evacuate. (Pat Johnson, BLM Alaska Fire Service via AP)
This photo shows a return envelop for 2022 special primary. Ballots must be postmarked or received by the Alaska Division of Elections by June 11. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)

Judge rules against Alaska in ballot access case

A state court judge said elections officials cannot certify special primary results until visually impaired voters “are provided a full and fair opportunity to participate”

This photo shows a return envelop for 2022 special primary. Ballots must be postmarked or received by the Alaska Division of Elections by June 11. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
A sign describing bluff erosion is seen on Kenai North Beach in Kenai, Alaska, on Aug. 6, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai, borough look to extract rock for bluff stabilization

In moving hard rock out of Seldovia, the borough could kill a few birds with one stone

A sign describing bluff erosion is seen on Kenai North Beach in Kenai, Alaska, on Aug. 6, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Project Gabe, named after a young man who died of an opioid overdose, aims to bring overdose kits to the fisheries industry in the Southeast. Volunteers assembled 150 kits on Friday, June 10, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

‘This is stoppable’: Program works to bring opioid overdose kits to seafood industry

The project began with a tragic death, but proponents hope it can prevent more

Project Gabe, named after a young man who died of an opioid overdose, aims to bring overdose kits to the fisheries industry in the Southeast. Volunteers assembled 150 kits on Friday, June 10, 2022. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Screenshot via Alaska Department of Fish and Game website

Mobile app for anglers, hunters launched

The app will also include information about hunting and sport fishing regulations

Screenshot via Alaska Department of Fish and Game website
The entrance to the Homer Electric Association office is seen here in Kenai, Alaska, on May 7, 2020. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Storm knocks out power for 10,000 HEA customers

The outage was caused by a possible lightning strike

The entrance to the Homer Electric Association office is seen here in Kenai, Alaska, on May 7, 2020. (Peninsula Clarion file)
A spruce bark beetle rests on the photographer’s thumb on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Cantwell, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A spruce bark beetle rests on the photographer’s thumb on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Cantwell, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Traffic is backed up on the Sterling Highway following a vehicle collision on Thursday, June 9, 2022, near Cooper Landng, Alaska. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Vehicle collision shuts down Sterling Highway for hours Thursday

The collision occured near the Russian River Ferry landing

Traffic is backed up on the Sterling Highway following a vehicle collision on Thursday, June 9, 2022, near Cooper Landng, Alaska. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Landslide debris surrounds part of Lowell Point Road on Friday, June 3, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Work on Lowell Point landslide to end Friday

The announcement comes more than a month after a slide wiped out Lowell Point Road

Landslide debris surrounds part of Lowell Point Road on Friday, June 3, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The bottom story is all that is left of a building at 177 E. Bunnell Ave. that caught fire early Saturday morning, June 4, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. Two people and their pets living in an apartment on the side closest to the road escaped injury. Homer Volunteer Fire Department, Kachemak Emergency Services and Western Emergency Services worked until about noon on Saturday to fully extinguish the fire. The Compass Rose Building to the right had some minor damage such as cracked windows from heat exposure. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Fire destroys building in Homer’s Old Town district

Occupants, pets escape without injury fire on Bunnell Avenue

The bottom story is all that is left of a building at 177 E. Bunnell Ave. that caught fire early Saturday morning, June 4, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. Two people and their pets living in an apartment on the side closest to the road escaped injury. Homer Volunteer Fire Department, Kachemak Emergency Services and Western Emergency Services worked until about noon on Saturday to fully extinguish the fire. The Compass Rose Building to the right had some minor damage such as cracked windows from heat exposure. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Troopers arrest man in sexual assault case

Case prompts police to offer self-defense class for women

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Cam Choy, associate professor of art at Kenai Peninsula College, works on a salmon sculpture in collaboration with the Kenai Watershed Forum during the Kenai River Festival at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska on June 8, 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai River Festival returns this weekend

The festival aims to spread awareness about the Kenai River watershed and its surrounding systems

Cam Choy, associate professor of art at Kenai Peninsula College, works on a salmon sculpture in collaboration with the Kenai Watershed Forum during the Kenai River Festival at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska on June 8, 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Houses are seen in Seward, Alaska, on Thursday, April 15, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Housing prices see steep hike, report says

Low interest rates, limited inventory and the increase in prices in 2020 contributed to a tight housing market

Houses are seen in Seward, Alaska, on Thursday, April 15, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
A copy of the State of Alaska Official Ballot for the June 11, 2022, Special Primary Election is photographed on May 2, 2022. (Peninsula Clarion staff)

Time nearly up to cast ballot for special primary election

All ballots for the special primary must be postmarked or physically received by the Alaska Division of Elections by June 11

A copy of the State of Alaska Official Ballot for the June 11, 2022, Special Primary Election is photographed on May 2, 2022. (Peninsula Clarion staff)
Mount Susitna is seen from Anchorage on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Developers are planning a wind-power project west of Alaska’s ‘Sleeping Lady’

Little Mount Susitna is west of Mount Susitna, known as “The Sleeping Lady” or, in Dena’ina, Dgehlishla

  • Jun 7, 2022
  • By James Brooks Alaska Beacon
  • State News
Mount Susitna is seen from Anchorage on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
The offices of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. are seen Monday, June 6, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo and caption by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska still holds millions of dollars in Russian investments

The Alaska Legislature failed to pass legislation requiring the state to sell assets in Russia

The offices of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. are seen Monday, June 6, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo and caption by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Courtesy Photo/ City and Borough of Juneau
Dense residential housing in areas such as Douglas includes a mixture of more expensive homes occupied by long-term owners, rentals occupied by residents from various income categories and an increasing number of short-term rentals occupied by tourists.

Debate continues on short-term rentals in Juneau

Mandatory registration of Airbnb and similar rentals favored by Assembly members.

Courtesy Photo/ City and Borough of Juneau
Dense residential housing in areas such as Douglas includes a mixture of more expensive homes occupied by long-term owners, rentals occupied by residents from various income categories and an increasing number of short-term rentals occupied by tourists.
The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai Fire Department receives funding for floor replacement

Materials containing asbestos have been found in building, officials said

The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Kids participate in the first day of the Kenai Performers Drama Camp at the playhouse building in Soldotna on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kids in ‘Wonderland’

Kenai Performers drama camp takes on musical inspired by Lewis Carroll classic

Kids participate in the first day of the Kenai Performers Drama Camp at the playhouse building in Soldotna on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)