News

Kenai City Council members on behalf of the city accept check for $50,000 from Kenai Senior Connection Inc. during a council meeting on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai seniors donate funds to city

The senior center’s fundraising group presented a check to the Kenai City Council on Wednesday

Kenai City Council members on behalf of the city accept check for $50,000 from Kenai Senior Connection Inc. during a council meeting on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska state Senate President Peter Micciche, center, looks on as lawmakers gather in front of him on the Senate floor on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. A bill dealing with the annual dividend paid to residents was bumped from the Senate floor on Wednesday. Micciche said it did not have the votes to pass. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)

State lawmakers struggle with dividend debate

Legislative leaders have said they see resolving the divisive debate as critical

Alaska state Senate President Peter Micciche, center, looks on as lawmakers gather in front of him on the Senate floor on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. A bill dealing with the annual dividend paid to residents was bumped from the Senate floor on Wednesday. Micciche said it did not have the votes to pass. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)
Anchorage Police Det. Dave Cordie, left, addresses reporters Thursday, May 5, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska, about the disappearance nine years ago of a 6-year-old boy and hopes that the public will provide new leads on the whereabouts of Deshawn McCormick. On the right is attorney Rachel Gernat with the Office of Special Prosecutions, which provides legal assistance to the police on cold cases. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Anchorage police seek new leads in missing child cold case

DeShawn McCormick disappeared nine years ago when he was 6 years old

Anchorage Police Det. Dave Cordie, left, addresses reporters Thursday, May 5, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska, about the disappearance nine years ago of a 6-year-old boy and hopes that the public will provide new leads on the whereabouts of Deshawn McCormick. On the right is attorney Rachel Gernat with the Office of Special Prosecutions, which provides legal assistance to the police on cold cases. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

Statewide COVID case numbers remain steady

Cases have increased by just 1% from the week of April 20-26

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Kenai City Council members Henry Knackstedt, left, and James Baisden participate in a council meeting on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai mulls ending Zoom participation for city meetings

The service was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic

Kenai City Council members Henry Knackstedt, left, and James Baisden participate in a council meeting on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Gavel (Courtesy photo)

Kenai dentist charged with 84 counts of tax evasion, fraud

The indictment was made public April 28 for Glenn and Saray Lockwood

Gavel (Courtesy photo)
Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File A Carnival Cruise Lines vessel similar to one due in Juneau following a COVID outbreak aboard steams past Douglas in 2021.

City contacting ship on way to town following COVID outbreak

The ship, due to arrive here Saturday, experienced an outbreak enroute from Miami to Seattle.

Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File A Carnival Cruise Lines vessel similar to one due in Juneau following a COVID outbreak aboard steams past Douglas in 2021.
Joe Spady as Algnernon Moncrieff, left, and Devin Boyle as Jack Worthing rehearse a scene from the Kenai Performers’ production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kalifornsky, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kenai Performers)

‘A trivial show for very serious people’

Kenai Performers takes on Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Joe Spady as Algnernon Moncrieff, left, and Devin Boyle as Jack Worthing rehearse a scene from the Kenai Performers’ production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kalifornsky, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kenai Performers)
Assembly member Richard Derkevorkian (second from right) speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Voters to decide whether to add 2 seats to board of education, assembly

The goal of reapportionment is to get the population of each assembly and board of education district as close to a “target population” as possible

Assembly member Richard Derkevorkian (second from right) speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lawmakers held a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, to vote to confirm Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s appointments to state boards and commissions. All nominees were confirmed. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Lawmakers confirm Dunleavy appointees, work on PFD

Senate attempts to rework dividend formula

Lawmakers held a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, to vote to confirm Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s appointments to state boards and commissions. All nominees were confirmed. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander, left, speaks during a “State of the City” address while Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel looks on at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Officials: Kenai sees strong sales growth, business climate

City leaders gave their fourth “State of the City” address Wednesday

Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander, left, speaks during a “State of the City” address while Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel looks on at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sterling Elementary School Principal Denise Kelly speaks at a surprise assembly held at the school to celebrate her being named Alaska Elementary Principal of the Year on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Sterling, Alaska. On the right, Kelly’s daughter, Freya, attends. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Making a place where staff and students want to be

Sterling principal recognized in surprise ceremony

Sterling Elementary School Principal Denise Kelly speaks at a surprise assembly held at the school to celebrate her being named Alaska Elementary Principal of the Year on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Sterling, Alaska. On the right, Kelly’s daughter, Freya, attends. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Birders check out shorebirds on the outgoing tide on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at Mud Bay on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Put on your boots and grab your binoculars — It’s Shorebird Festival

This year is the 30th anniversary of the festival

Birders check out shorebirds on the outgoing tide on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at Mud Bay on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Lisa Denny wears “The Handmaid’s Tale”-inspired garb while holding a sign stating “I stand with Planned Parenthood” during a protest held near the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, May 3, following a leaked draft of a Supreme Court decision that would overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade.

What does the leaked Supreme Court draft mean for Alaska?

Abortion access would remain, but elections and appointments would be heated

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Lisa Denny wears “The Handmaid’s Tale”-inspired garb while holding a sign stating “I stand with Planned Parenthood” during a protest held near the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, May 3, following a leaked draft of a Supreme Court decision that would overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issues a community alert about the relationship between fentanyl and fatal drug overdoses at a press conference at the True North Recovery and Wellness Center in Wasilla, Alaska, on May 4, 2022. (Screenshot)

Dunleavy spotlights dangers of fentanyl

The governor calls for harsher punishments for dealers as overdose deaths rise

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issues a community alert about the relationship between fentanyl and fatal drug overdoses at a press conference at the True North Recovery and Wellness Center in Wasilla, Alaska, on May 4, 2022. (Screenshot)
A vintage Underwood typewriter sits on a table on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at the Homer News in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Peninsula media win Alaska Press Club awards

Awards include sweep of COVID-19 reporting category

A vintage Underwood typewriter sits on a table on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at the Homer News in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
The Peninsula Community Health Center has a Mobile Mammography coming to Kenai on Thursday, May 5. (Promotional image)

Providence mammography unit coming to Kenai

The mobile unit will be at the Peninsula Community Health Services Kenai Clinic starting at 9 a.m. Thursday

The Peninsula Community Health Center has a Mobile Mammography coming to Kenai on Thursday, May 5. (Promotional image)
The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Board OKs raises for more district admin

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s coordinators and assistant superintendent will get raises

The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Senate Judiciary Committee moved a bill that would ban transgender student athletes from competing on teams of the sex they identify with on Monday, May 2, 2022. The bill could go to a floor vote sometime this week. (Screenshot)

Transgender sports bill ready for Senate vote

Senate Bill was moved out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday

The Senate Judiciary Committee moved a bill that would ban transgender student athletes from competing on teams of the sex they identify with on Monday, May 2, 2022. The bill could go to a floor vote sometime this week. (Screenshot)
Teslas charge at Alaska’s first Tesla Supercharger station on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Tesla Supercharger brings high-speed EV charging to Soldotna

Teslas from around the state charged at the Soldotna station on Saturday

Teslas charge at Alaska’s first Tesla Supercharger station on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)