News

A map of COVID-19 Community Levels by county show the Kenai Peninsula have a “medium” community level on Friday, Feb. 24, 2022. (CDC.gov)

CDC: Many more can ditch masks, for now

The agency is now only advising universal masking in regions where community COVID level is high

A map of COVID-19 Community Levels by county show the Kenai Peninsula have a “medium” community level on Friday, Feb. 24, 2022. (CDC.gov)
Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney speaks during a meeting of the Soldotna City Council on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna looks to outsource grant-writing labor

The city wants to maximize funding opportunities made available through the federal government

Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney speaks during a meeting of the Soldotna City Council on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai City Council members James Baisden and Teea Winger deliberate at the body’s regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai mulls benefit of rec center as repair costs add up

The Kenai City Council voted this month to consolidate project funding for the building

Kenai City Council members James Baisden and Teea Winger deliberate at the body’s regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Freezing rain creates icy conditions on Wednesday, Feb. 16. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna asks for more snow removal money

The City of Soldotna estimates it will spend more than expected on snow removal services this winter. Citing above average snowfall, the city’s streets and… Continue reading

Freezing rain creates icy conditions on Wednesday, Feb. 16. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Austin Vanderford and his supporters, including his wife Paige VanZant, pose after a fight. (Photo courtesy of Lucas Noonan/Bellator)

Ninilchik grad to fight for Bellator title

An Alaska High School Hall of Fame wrestler and Ninilchik School graduate is fighting for the Bellator middleweight world mixed martial arts championship in Dublin,… Continue reading

Austin Vanderford and his supporters, including his wife Paige VanZant, pose after a fight. (Photo courtesy of Lucas Noonan/Bellator)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Sterling Highway crash sends woman, child to Anchorage for intensive care

The Tuesday collision occurred near the Sterling Transfer Facility

Alaska State Troopers logo.
A green Little Free Library stands at the edge of Daubenspeck Family Park on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Proposal would bring more Little Free Libraries to Kenai

The proposal to expand the program came from Friends of the Kenai Library

A green Little Free Library stands at the edge of Daubenspeck Family Park on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Data from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services show that some regions of Alaska have dropped to "low" COVID alert level, while most others remain at "high" alert level, as of Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Screenshot)

1,773 new COVID cases reported, no new peninsula deaths

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services only reports new deaths on Wednesdays

Data from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services show that some regions of Alaska have dropped to "low" COVID alert level, while most others remain at "high" alert level, as of Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Screenshot)
Members of the Kenai City Council convene at a work session on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai seeks input on waterfront revitalization

The forum will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center

Members of the Kenai City Council convene at a work session on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Tuckerman Babcock stands in The Peninsula Clarion office on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Babcock enters state Senate race

Babcock will challenge incumbent Peter Micciche for the seat containing Kenai and Soldotna

Tuckerman Babcock stands in The Peninsula Clarion office on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
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Kasilof fisherman convicted of PFD fraud

Additional charges against a longtime Kenai Peninsula fisherman were dropped by a prosecutor Tuesday, after a plea deal was reached in Juneau on Friday over… Continue reading

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Peter Segall / Juneau Empire U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, gave her annual address to the Alaska State Legislature on Tuesday at the Capitol in Juneau. Murkowski’s speech emphasized bipartisanship and making Alaska ready for the opportunities brought by the recent infrastructure package.

Murkowski highlights infrastructure during speech to Legislature

Infrastructure and resource development were among the issues discussed by Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski during an address to the Alaska Legislature during a joint… Continue reading

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, gave her annual address to the Alaska State Legislature on Tuesday at the Capitol in Juneau. Murkowski’s speech emphasized bipartisanship and making Alaska ready for the opportunities brought by the recent infrastructure package.
Skiers take off for the men’s 40K freestyle race at Sunday’s Tour of Tsalteshi event just outside of Soldotna on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Moose, midweek rain can’t stop Tour of Tsalteshi

A stubborn moose on the trail couldn’t even deter skiers at the fifth annual Tour of Tsalteshi ski race Sunday. Well, not completely. Soldotna’s Melissa… Continue reading

Skiers take off for the men’s 40K freestyle race at Sunday’s Tour of Tsalteshi event just outside of Soldotna on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Public Health Nurse Sherra Pritchard gives Love Inc. Director Leslie Rohr a COVID-19 booster shot during the Project Homeless Connect event in Soldotna on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Project Homeless Connect participation down from last year

Organizers site the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

Kenai Public Health Nurse Sherra Pritchard gives Love Inc. Director Leslie Rohr a COVID-19 booster shot during the Project Homeless Connect event in Soldotna on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska's 511 app shows travel on central peninsula roads to be "difficult" as of 6:50 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. (Screenshot)

More snow forecast for peninsula

A winter weather advisory was issued through Tuesday morning

Alaska's 511 app shows travel on central peninsula roads to be "difficult" as of 6:50 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. (Screenshot)
Colleen Mondor speaks about the history of missing aircraft in Alaska during a lecture presented by the Cook Inlet Historical Society on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 in Alaska. (Screenshot)

Cook Inlet Historical Society seminar explores mystery of Alaska’s missing airplanes

The Feb. 17 lecture was given by Colleen Mondor

Colleen Mondor speaks about the history of missing aircraft in Alaska during a lecture presented by the Cook Inlet Historical Society on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 in Alaska. (Screenshot)
Ashlyn O’Hara / Peninsula Clarion A bouquet of yellow roses is seen at the Triumvirate Theatre in Nikiski. The roses were placed by Rhonda McCormick on the site of the theater’s old greenroom, which was named after her mom, Rosie Reeder. Reeder used to run the bookstore attached to the theater’s Peninsula Center Mall location. The building burned in a fire on Feb. 20, 2021.

Triumvirate reflects on year of loss, year of gain

Joe Rizzo said he remembers getting the call around 3 a.m. on Feb. 20, 2021. The voice on the other end told him the Triumvirate… Continue reading

Ashlyn O’Hara / Peninsula Clarion A bouquet of yellow roses is seen at the Triumvirate Theatre in Nikiski. The roses were placed by Rhonda McCormick on the site of the theater’s old greenroom, which was named after her mom, Rosie Reeder. Reeder used to run the bookstore attached to the theater’s Peninsula Center Mall location. The building burned in a fire on Feb. 20, 2021.
A line gathers at the entrance to Frozen RiverFest on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Frozen RiverFest returns

Saturday night found groups of Alaskans huddled around bonfires and sipping beer in Soldotna Creek Park, where the annual Frozen RiverFest —a beer tasting event… Continue reading

A line gathers at the entrance to Frozen RiverFest on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly convenves on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly approves $30,000 cybersecurity contract following incident

The borough’s IT director said no public data was compromised

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly convenves on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Ashlyn O’Hara / Peninsula Clarion State Rep. Ron Gillham speaks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 6. at Kenai Municipal Airport.

Gillham targets school reform in Juneau

Gillham said Friday that his bills are aimed at expanding parent choice in education

Ashlyn O’Hara / Peninsula Clarion State Rep. Ron Gillham speaks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 6. at Kenai Municipal Airport.