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Judges Peter Micciche, Terry Eubank and Tyler Best sample a salmon dish prepared by chef Stephen Lamm of the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank at Return of the Reds on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at the Kenai City Dock in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai celebrates ‘Return of the Reds’ in food bank fundraiser

Chefs competed for best salmon recipe; fresh-caught fish auctioned

Judges Peter Micciche, Terry Eubank and Tyler Best sample a salmon dish prepared by chef Stephen Lamm of the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank at Return of the Reds on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at the Kenai City Dock in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Map via Kenai Peninsula Borough.

Assembly to consider emergency service area for Cooper Landing

Borough legislation creating the service area is subject to voter approval

Map via Kenai Peninsula Borough.
A freshly stocked rainbow trout swims in Johnson Lake during Salmon Celebration on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at Johnson Lake in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Excellent lake fishing, good halibut and slow salmon

Northern Kenai Fishing Report for June 1

A freshly stocked rainbow trout swims in Johnson Lake during Salmon Celebration on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at Johnson Lake in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Two new cars purchased by the Soldotna Senior Center to support its Meals on Wheels program are parked outside of the center in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, March 30, 2022.(Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion file)

Soldotna budget defunds area senior center

The unanimous vote came after multiple people expressed concerns about how the center operates

Two new cars purchased by the Soldotna Senior Center to support its Meals on Wheels program are parked outside of the center in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, March 30, 2022.(Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion file)
Peter Micciche (center) listens to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly certify the results of the Feb. 14, 2023, special mayoral election, through which he was elected mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Thousands respond to borough services survey

Many of the survey questions focused on the quality of borough roads

Peter Micciche (center) listens to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly certify the results of the Feb. 14, 2023, special mayoral election, through which he was elected mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
An Epidemiology Bulletin titled “Drowning Deaths in Alaska, 2016-2021” published Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (Screenshot)

Health officials say Alaska leads nation in drowning deaths, urge safe practices

A majority of non-occupational Alaska drownings occur in relation to boating, both for recreation and for subsistence

An Epidemiology Bulletin titled “Drowning Deaths in Alaska, 2016-2021” published Wednesday, May 31, 2023. (Screenshot)
Chief J.J. Hendrickson plays with Torch the cat at the Kenai Animal Shelter on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna, Kenai to extend animal control partnership

So far this year, the Kenai shelter has served roughly 190 animals

Chief J.J. Hendrickson plays with Torch the cat at the Kenai Animal Shelter on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Transportation professionals tour the Sterling Highway and Birch Avenue intersection in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, May 22, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna brainstorming pop-up pedestrian safety project

The temporary project aims to boost pedestrian safety near Soldotna Creek Park

Transportation professionals tour the Sterling Highway and Birch Avenue intersection in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, May 22, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Cam Choy, associate professor of art at Kenai Peninsula College, works on a salmon sculpture in collaboration with the Kenai Watershed Forum during the Kenai River Festival at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on June 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai River Festival to bring education, music to Soldotna Creek Park

The festival will run 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday

Cam Choy, associate professor of art at Kenai Peninsula College, works on a salmon sculpture in collaboration with the Kenai Watershed Forum during the Kenai River Festival at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on June 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)
Alaska SeaLife Center staff treat a harbor seal pup at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. (Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)

Nikiski harbor seal rescued, 4th in a week

The female seal pup was seen on a crowded fishing beach

Alaska SeaLife Center staff treat a harbor seal pup at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. (Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)
Fishermen young and old try their luck at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on June 4, 2020, on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Youth-only king salmon fisheries to open in Ninilchik, Homer

They will be open for one day in each location

Fishermen young and old try their luck at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on June 4, 2020, on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Trenten Dodson (Photo provided by Kenai Watershed Forum)

Dodson to head Watershed Forum

He has a significant background in fisheries management and habitat restoration

Trenten Dodson (Photo provided by Kenai Watershed Forum)
Tyson Cox references a sheet illustrating the rotation of seats on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Commission during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna requests changes to planning commission ordinance

The measure is being considered next week

Tyson Cox references a sheet illustrating the rotation of seats on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Commission during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
“Grubby” the Virginia opossum is captured by Homer Police officer Taylor Crowder on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. Photo by Homer Police Department

Grubby saved

Virginia opossum taken in by Anchorage zoo

“Grubby” the Virginia opossum is captured by Homer Police officer Taylor Crowder on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. Photo by Homer Police Department
Attendees affix poppies to wreaths during a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 29, 2023, at Leif Hanson Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

‘We remember’

Servicemembers honored at Memorial Day ceremonies in Kenai

Attendees affix poppies to wreaths during a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 29, 2023, at Leif Hanson Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
One of three recently admitted harbor seal pups is seen at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)

3 harbor seal pups admitted to SeaLife Center

All three came from the Copper River

One of three recently admitted harbor seal pups is seen at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)
The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Slow fishing for hatchery kings on Kasilof River; Cook Inlet halibut ‘just beginning’

Northern Kenai Fishing Report for May 25

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Poster for 100% Alaska Town Hall & Family Day (Photo courtesy Change 4 the Kenai)

100% Alaska Town Hall to share assessment results, discuss state of ‘vital services’

The project is composed of four steps: assess, plan, act and evaluate

Poster for 100% Alaska Town Hall & Family Day (Photo courtesy Change 4 the Kenai)
Poster for Return of the Reds. (Photo courtesy Kenai Peninsula Food Bank) Poster for Return of the Reds. (Photo courtesy Kenai Peninsula Food Bank)

Return of the Reds returns after several-year hiatus

The Kenai event celebrates the start of the 2023 salmon season

Poster for Return of the Reds. (Photo courtesy Kenai Peninsula Food Bank) Poster for Return of the Reds. (Photo courtesy Kenai Peninsula Food Bank)
Middle schoolers practice fly casting into the Kenai River during a kids camp put on by Trout Unlimited on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at the Donald E. Gilman Kenai River Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Learning to love the watershed

Kids camp teaches fly fishing, ecology

Middle schoolers practice fly casting into the Kenai River during a kids camp put on by Trout Unlimited on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at the Donald E. Gilman Kenai River Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)