News

House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)

House passes emergency declaration bill

The House Coalition is made of mostly Democrats and independents and is led by Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak.

House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire file)
File

Sterling man sentenced for 2001 sexual assault and kidnapping

The man was sentenced to serve 37 years in prison.

File
Matt Conner (left) and Amber Kraxberger-Linson demonstrate how to tie flies during a remote workshop on Friday, March 26, 2021, in Alaska. (Screenshot)

A crash course in fly-fishing

The tutorial was presented by the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in partnership with the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center.

Matt Conner (left) and Amber Kraxberger-Linson demonstrate how to tie flies during a remote workshop on Friday, March 26, 2021, in Alaska. (Screenshot)
Pike prey on rearing salmon. (Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

State, refuge to tackle invasive pike problem

The species threatens native fish populations in the area, including rainbow trout and juvenile salmon.

Pike prey on rearing salmon. (Alaska Department of Fish and Game)
Ryanna Thurman (right) speaks to a library employee at the Soldotna Public Library on Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna library plans read by the river installation

The library hopes to install a “StoryWalk” in Soldotna Creek Park this summer

Ryanna Thurman (right) speaks to a library employee at the Soldotna Public Library on Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Dr. Brett Watson presents the findings of a study he and others conducted through the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Institute of Social and Economic Research on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Screenshot)

Benefits from commercial fishing mostly affect fishers’ hometowns, UAA study finds

The study aimed to answer the question: What are the short-run economic impacts of commercial fisheries on local economies?

Dr. Brett Watson presents the findings of a study he and others conducted through the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Institute of Social and Economic Research on Thursday, March 25, 2021. (Screenshot)
Passengers at the Juneau International Airport make their way past signage notifying the public about the state’s travel restrictions on Monday, Nov. 15, 2020. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services released a request for information seeking to determine interest among potential contractors to provide a one-dose vaccine to interested travelers in a secure section of the airports in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks and Ketchikan. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Alaska health department floats idea of airport vaccinations

Could vaccines be coming to Alaska’s busiest airports?

Passengers at the Juneau International Airport make their way past signage notifying the public about the state’s travel restrictions on Monday, Nov. 15, 2020. Alaska Department of Health and Social Services released a request for information seeking to determine interest among potential contractors to provide a one-dose vaccine to interested travelers in a secure section of the airports in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks and Ketchikan. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday.

Lawmakers clash on how to manage pandemic

Disaster debate shows deep divisions.

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, listens to representatives debate a COVID-19 disaster declaration on Thursday.
This Sunday, April 10, 2011 picture shows a rig and supply vessel in the Gulf of Mexico, off the cost of Louisiana. Thirteen states sued the Biden administration Wednesday, March 24, 2021 to end a suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal land and water and to reschedule canceled sales of offshore leases in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska waters and western states. The Republican-leaning states, led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, seek a court order ending the moratorium imposed after Democratic President Joe Biden signed executive orders on climate change on Jan. 27. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

In shift, oil industry group backs federal price on carbon

The reversal comes as President Joe Biden has made tackling climate change a top priority.

  • Mar 25, 2021
  • By Matthew Daly and Matthew Brown Associated Press
This Sunday, April 10, 2011 picture shows a rig and supply vessel in the Gulf of Mexico, off the cost of Louisiana. Thirteen states sued the Biden administration Wednesday, March 24, 2021 to end a suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal land and water and to reschedule canceled sales of offshore leases in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska waters and western states. The Republican-leaning states, led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, seek a court order ending the moratorium imposed after Democratic President Joe Biden signed executive orders on climate change on Jan. 27. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

DHSS: 145 new cases

Affected peninsula communities include Soldotna with six cases and Kenai with one case.

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
RN Rachel Verba (right) administers a dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to Dr. Chris Michelson on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Bruce Richards/CPH)

Several hundred vaccination slots still open

Appointments are available at multiple central peninsula clinics.

RN Rachel Verba (right) administers a dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to Dr. Chris Michelson on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Bruce Richards/CPH)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

DHSS: 210 new cases

Affected peninsula communities include Kenai with three cases and Soldotna with one case.

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Ninilchik is seen in November of 2020. (File)

Ninilchik clinic offers innovative addiction treatment

As part of its MAT program, the clinic offers monthly injections of buprenorphine to people struggling with addiction.

Ninilchik is seen in November of 2020. (File)

More large vaccine clinics planned for the central peninsula

As of Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., there were multiple large-scale vaccine clinics planned on the central peninsula.

Rep. Sarah Vance (R-Homer) in the Alaska Capitol on Feb. 11, 2021 in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Peter Segall/Juneau Empire)

Public pushback puts pause on DMV proposal

Lawmakers shutter plan to close six rural DMVs

Rep. Sarah Vance (R-Homer) in the Alaska Capitol on Feb. 11, 2021 in Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Peter Segall/Juneau Empire)
Sens. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, left and Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, questioned acting Attorney General Treg Taylor about the administration’s approach to legal matters at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, March 23, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

AG defends pandemic emergency orders during hearing

Liberties can be limited.

Sens. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, left and Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, questioned acting Attorney General Treg Taylor about the administration’s approach to legal matters at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, March 23, 2021. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Jesse Bjorkman speaks at a borough work session on Tuesday, March 2 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

KPBSD to save teaching positions with federal funds

Through the federal CARES Act, the district received about $2.3 million in original ESSER funds.

Jesse Bjorkman speaks at a borough work session on Tuesday, March 2 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Eric Pederson, principal of Paul Banks Elementary School, stands with his family outside the school in this undated photo in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Eric Pederson)

Local principals promoted to school district leadership positions

Kari Dendurent will be the next assistant superintendent

Eric Pederson, principal of Paul Banks Elementary School, stands with his family outside the school in this undated photo in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Eric Pederson)
A vial of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is seen at Central Emergency Services Station 1 on Friday, Dec. 18 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

1 in 5 eligible borough residents fully vaccinated

More than half of peninsula seniors are fully vaccinated.

A vial of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is seen at Central Emergency Services Station 1 on Friday, Dec. 18 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
James Baisden (left), Charlie Pierce (middle) and Jesse Bjorkman (right) attend a joint work session with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Baisden to retire, step down as chief of staff

Baisden has served as borough Mayor Charlie Pierce’s chief of staff since 2018.

James Baisden (left), Charlie Pierce (middle) and Jesse Bjorkman (right) attend a joint work session with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)