A Pacific walrus pup rests his head on the lap of an Alaska SeaLife Center staff member after being admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center Wildlife Response Program on Aug. 1, 2023. Walruses are highly tactile and social animals, receiving near-constant care from their mothers during the first two years of life. To emulate this maternal closeness, round-the-clock “cuddling” is being provided to ensure the calf remains calm and develops in a healthy manner. (Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)

Rescued walrus calf dies of ‘multiple complications’

The calf had earned national attention for its unique prescription of “round-the-clock” cuddling

A Pacific walrus pup rests his head on the lap of an Alaska SeaLife Center staff member after being admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center Wildlife Response Program on Aug. 1, 2023. Walruses are highly tactile and social animals, receiving near-constant care from their mothers during the first two years of life. To emulate this maternal closeness, round-the-clock “cuddling” is being provided to ensure the calf remains calm and develops in a healthy manner. (Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)
The Sterling Highway crosses the Kenai River near the Russian River Campground on March 15, 2020, near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Russian River Campground closes Wednesday

The road is set to be reopened on May 29

The Sterling Highway crosses the Kenai River near the Russian River Campground on March 15, 2020, near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai will not bond water treatment project

The City of Kenai will not put before city voters a bond question related to the planned reconstruction of the city’s Water Treatment Plant pump… Continue reading

Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Image via va.gov.

Veterans may be eligible for new benefit expansion

Representatives of the department spoke on the expansion at a town hall event held Friday in Kenai

Image via va.gov.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at the Kenai Classic Roundtable at Kenai Peninsula College on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Annual roundtable to discuss king salmon, energy development, federal funding

The roundtable will open with a keynote address by Rep. Mary Peltola and close with Gov. Mike Dunleavy

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at the Kenai Classic Roundtable at Kenai Peninsula College on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
(Foreground) Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland (left) and KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes (right) speak about the district’s fiscal year 2024 budget during a work session with the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School district prepares to launch ‘Budget 101’ informational meetings

The sessions will be targeted toward the public and will each tackle a different element of the borough’s budget process

(Foreground) Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland (left) and KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes (right) speak about the district’s fiscal year 2024 budget during a work session with the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Sockeye salmon fishing slowing

Northern Kenai Fishing Report for Aug. 10

A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Silas Luke Jones performs on the Ocean Stage at the Kenai Peninsula Fair in Ninilchik, Alaska, on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Peninsula Fair brings festivities in defiance of rainfall

Rain or shine, the fair will be running through the weekend

Silas Luke Jones performs on the Ocean Stage at the Kenai Peninsula Fair in Ninilchik, Alaska, on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Hoses pump water along Patrick Dr. to help mitigate flooding near Kalifornsky Beach Road on Friday, July 21, 2023, near Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly to consider expedited request for K-Beach water study funding

The legislation would pay for a professional engineering or hydrology service for the study of a long-term solution

Hoses pump water along Patrick Dr. to help mitigate flooding near Kalifornsky Beach Road on Friday, July 21, 2023, near Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Examples of the tags that will be affixed to coho salmon caught by researchers on the Kenai River this year. (Photo courtesy Department of Fish and Game)

Joint study to tag Kenai River coho

Up to 490 transmitters will be implanted into healthy salmon this year

Examples of the tags that will be affixed to coho salmon caught by researchers on the Kenai River this year. (Photo courtesy Department of Fish and Game)
Sample ballots are displayed ahead of the Oct. 4 municipal election at an absentee in-person polling place in Kenai City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sample ballots are displayed ahead of the Oct. 4 municipal election at an absentee in-person polling place in Kenai City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
John “Gus” Knox, right, holds a salmon he caught during the Kenai River Junior Classic in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Smiles and salmon

Junior classic takes kids on the river

John “Gus” Knox, right, holds a salmon he caught during the Kenai River Junior Classic in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Soldotna Landfill is seen on June 27, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion file)
The Soldotna Landfill is seen on June 27, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion file)
A map shows the Seward Highway MP 17-22.5 Rehabilitation Project area.(Screenshot)

Seward Highway blasting closures to start earlier in day

The blasting work being done is part of the Seward Milepost 17-22.5 Rehabilitation Project

A map shows the Seward Highway MP 17-22.5 Rehabilitation Project area.(Screenshot)
Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank, right, and Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, left, present the annual “State of the City” address at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank, right, and Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, left, present the annual “State of the City” address at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Aspen trees offer a spot of red on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at the Hidden Lake Campground in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge near Sterling, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Refuge reopens Mystery Creek Access Road

Mystery Creek Access Road has been reopened for the season by the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, a Tuesday news release from the refuge says. According… Continue reading

Aspen trees offer a spot of red on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at the Hidden Lake Campground in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge near Sterling, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
A spruce bark beetle is seen on the underside of a piece of bark taken from logs stacked near Central Peninsula Landfill on Thursday, July 1, 2021, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough gets $1.5 million to fell beetle-killed trees along roads

The assembly will decide next Tuesday whether or not to accept that money

A spruce bark beetle is seen on the underside of a piece of bark taken from logs stacked near Central Peninsula Landfill on Thursday, July 1, 2021, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kids burst from the start of the Brewery to Bathroom .5K "The race for the rest of us" on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Silly charity run targets the people who don’t participate in charity runs

Brewery to Bathroom, a 0.5K sort-of-parody of other charity 5K runs, raises awareness about cancer

Kids burst from the start of the Brewery to Bathroom .5K "The race for the rest of us" on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
From left: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members Jason Tauriainen, Matt Morse, Virginia Morgan and Beverley Romanin participate in a board meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board revises policy for challenging instructional materials

The revisions newly limit the number of instructional items that a person can challenge at any given time to one

From left: Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education members Jason Tauriainen, Matt Morse, Virginia Morgan and Beverley Romanin participate in a board meeting on Monday, July 10, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Northern Kenai dipnetting now closed

Anglers are required to complete online reporting by Aug. 15

A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)