News

Department of Health logo. (Graphic)

State Department of Health recommends Alaska adults be screened for syphilis

A surge in syphilis cases is being observed nationwide

Department of Health logo. (Graphic)
Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, confers with other senators and legislative staff moments before gavelling in the start of this year’s legislative session at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Lawmakers open session with education discussion

Early effort to overturn veto of one-time school funding fails in House

Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican, confers with other senators and legislative staff moments before gavelling in the start of this year’s legislative session at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Cook Inlet Coordinator for the Department of Fish and Game Matt Miller and Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee Members Greg Springer and Monte Roberts discuss proposals to the the State Board of Fisheries at a committee meeting at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Advisory committee tackles sport fishing in latest meeting

The meeting was among a series slated to set recommendations on nearly 200 proposals to the State Board of Fisheries

Cook Inlet Coordinator for the Department of Fish and Game Matt Miller and Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee Members Greg Springer and Monte Roberts discuss proposals to the the State Board of Fisheries at a committee meeting at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Bill Elam speaks at a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Elam enters Alaska House race

Elam has represented District 5, which includes Sterling and Funny River, on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly since 2020

Bill Elam speaks at a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Bryce Butler pulls an athlete from Chickaloon up and over to win a round of the Inuit stick pull during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula Native Youth Olympics Invitational at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula athletes compete in Native Youth Olympics invitational

The games are a series of events derived from traditional Alaska Native feats of athleticism

Bryce Butler pulls an athlete from Chickaloon up and over to win a round of the Inuit stick pull during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula Native Youth Olympics Invitational at Kenai Middle School in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Seward man arrested on charges of assault alleged to have taken place over ‘several years’

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22 at the Seward Courthouse

Alaska State Troopers logo.
The Peninsula Clarion printing press is photographed on Monday, April 18, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Black Press Media announces move to new ownership

Carpenter Media Group operates leading community news publications in the southern United States, including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and Kentucky.

  • Jan 15, 2024
  • Black Press staff
The Peninsula Clarion printing press is photographed on Monday, April 18, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna ordinance would streamline child care permitting in more city zones

Day care centers could operate under a more streamlined permitting process in more city zones under an ordinance given initial approval by members of the… Continue reading

Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Shrubs grow outside of the Kenai Courthouse on Monday, July 3, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Motion to dismiss filed in sexual abuse case against former SoHi teacher

The attorney representing a former Soldotna High School teacher and union head filed a motion Wednesday to dismiss the case, asserting that the grand jurors… Continue reading

Shrubs grow outside of the Kenai Courthouse on Monday, July 3, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna council fields feedback on postponed drag story hour

Community members moved discourse about a recently postponed drag story hour event from cyberspace to city hall Wednesday night, where the Soldotna City Council convened… Continue reading

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

State data: Kenai Peninsula Borough not seeing statewide rise in COVID activity

A state and nationwide upward trend in COVID-19 activity has seen spikes in case counts and hospitalizations, but state data indicates the surge hasn’t made… Continue reading

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Kenai Peninsula Education Association President LaDawn Druce (left) and committee Chair Jason Tauriainen (right) participate in the first meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Four Day School Week Ad Hoc Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Group studying 4-day school week model takes shape

Members of a newly minted Kenai Peninsula Borough School District group convened for the first time Wednesday in Soldotna to refine their goals and purpose… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula Education Association President LaDawn Druce (left) and committee Chair Jason Tauriainen (right) participate in the first meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Four Day School Week Ad Hoc Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Scott Daletas, Monte Roberts and Jerry Strieby, all of whom sit in sport fishing guide seats, discuss proposals during a meeting of the Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Optimal escapement goal supported at advisory committee meeting

How many king salmon does it take to rebuild a run, and what restrictions should be in place to protect king salmon? Those were questions… Continue reading

Scott Daletas, Monte Roberts and Jerry Strieby, all of whom sit in sport fishing guide seats, discuss proposals during a meeting of the Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Sen. Jesse Bjorkman (left) addresses constituents during a town hall event on Saturday, April 15, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Bjorkman prefiles bills, says pressure is on for lawmakers this session

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman was well-represented on the list of bills prefiled by state lawmakers ahead of their upcoming session, which kicks off Jan. 16 in… Continue reading

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman (left) addresses constituents during a town hall event on Saturday, April 15, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Wildwood inmate charged with assault

An inmate at Wildwood Pretrial was charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault for attacking two corrections officers Monday, Alaska State Troopers said Tuesday. According… Continue reading

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Around two dozen people gathered to snowshoe at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge stand for a photo near Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Refuge hosts guided snowshoe walks

Along trails near the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge’s Visitor Center, a procession of around two dozen snowshoers followed Park Ranger Leah Eskelin on a Saturday… Continue reading

Around two dozen people gathered to snowshoe at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge stand for a photo near Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Finance Director Liz Hayes (left) presents preliminary fiscal year 2025 budge information during a school board committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Budget deficit continues to steer school board talks

Warnings about the implications and scale of the budget deficit the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is facing for the upcoming fiscal year again dominated… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Finance Director Liz Hayes (left) presents preliminary fiscal year 2025 budge information during a school board committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Graduates throw their caps into the air at the end of Soldotna High School’s commencement ceremony on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board mulls grad policy clarifications

High school graduates would only be permitted to participate in the commencement ceremonies of the school they are graduating from under a policy being considered… Continue reading

Graduates throw their caps into the air at the end of Soldotna High School’s commencement ceremony on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign welcomes employees and visitors at the Kenai Peninsula Borough administration building on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

New policy clarifies filming, recording in borough facilities

A new Kenai Peninsula Borough policy that explains what is and isn’t allowed in borough buildings when it comes to photography, filming or recording became… Continue reading

A sign welcomes employees and visitors at the Kenai Peninsula Borough administration building on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Fine Art Center is preparing for its first in-person gallery in July 2021. Photo taken on Sunday, May 9, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Peninsula Art Hive to debut Saturday

The Kenai Art Center will host the first session of the Kenai Peninsula Art Hive — a free session for creativity using donated art supplies… Continue reading

The Kenai Fine Art Center is preparing for its first in-person gallery in July 2021. Photo taken on Sunday, May 9, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)