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Shawnda O’Brien, the just-departed state Director of the Division of Public Assistance, talks Dec. 27 about the problems that are resulting in months-long backlogs in processing applications for benefits commonly referred to as food stamps. Her departure as director was announced Monday following weeks of widespread media coverage about the backlog that is expected to take additional months to resolve. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Head of state’s troubled food stamps program replaced

Director of the Division of Public Assistance departs in wake of months-long backlog.

Shawnda O’Brien, the just-departed state Director of the Division of Public Assistance, talks Dec. 27 about the problems that are resulting in months-long backlogs in processing applications for benefits commonly referred to as food stamps. Her departure as director was announced Monday following weeks of widespread media coverage about the backlog that is expected to take additional months to resolve. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Megan Pacer / Homer News file Grace Fleming of Seward competes in the seal hop March 7, 2020, during the Kachemak Bay Traditional Games, a Native Youth Olympics invitational, at Homer High School.

Native Youth Olympics Invitational to kick off season this weekend

Native Youth Olympics are a series of events derived from traditional Alaska Native feats of athleticism

Megan Pacer / Homer News file Grace Fleming of Seward competes in the seal hop March 7, 2020, during the Kachemak Bay Traditional Games, a Native Youth Olympics invitational, at Homer High School.
The Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee meets on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Advisory Committee supports expansion of wolverine hunting, rejects trapping restrictions

The Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee met Monday

The Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee meets on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Sheree Van Natta speaks to a voter at the Kenai Mall, polling place for Precinct 3 voters, on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Register by Sunday to vote in special mayoral election

The special election was necessitated by the resignation of former Mayor Charlie Pierce

Sheree Van Natta speaks to a voter at the Kenai Mall, polling place for Precinct 3 voters, on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign warning of crossing moose is seen on Kalifornsky Beach Road in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Study analyzes moose-vehicle collision risks, with results that could be used to improve road safety

Now a new study has quantified collisions and produced statistical analysis

  • Jan 9, 2023
  • By Yereth Rosen Alaska Beacon
  • State News
A sign warning of crossing moose is seen on Kalifornsky Beach Road in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Alaska State Capitol is photographed in Juneau, Alaska. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Anchorage Democrat meets residency rules, judge says

The challenge was brought by Republican Liz Vazquez, who lost the Anchorage House race to Armstrong

The Alaska State Capitol is photographed in Juneau, Alaska. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
A new sign welcomes people to the City of Soldotna stands near the intersection of the Sterling Highway and Kenai River on May 1, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna to use $20k grant for arts and culture master plan

The council last summer approved legislation supporting the creation of the master plan

A new sign welcomes people to the City of Soldotna stands near the intersection of the Sterling Highway and Kenai River on May 1, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna City Council members thank outgoing council member Justin Ruffridge for his years of service to the city during a council meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska.. Ruffridge was elected last month to the Alaska Legislature. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

4 vie for vacant Soldotna council seat

City council members will interview applicants Wednesday

Soldotna City Council members thank outgoing council member Justin Ruffridge for his years of service to the city during a council meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska.. Ruffridge was elected last month to the Alaska Legislature. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

City manager to take over parking rules in Kenai

Kenai Municipal Code currently prohibits parking on city streets between 4-8 a.m. from Oct. 1 to May 1 of the following year

Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
A rainbow trout is released in a restocking event at the 21st annual Kenai Peninsula Salmon Celebration in Kasilof on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Fish and Game taking public comment on stocking plan for local waters

The 2023 Stocking Plan outlines the locations, numbers, sizes and life stages for each species of fish that will be stocked

A rainbow trout is released in a restocking event at the 21st annual Kenai Peninsula Salmon Celebration in Kasilof on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
This photo shows the TikTok icon on a phone screen. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Gov. Dunleavy bans TikTok from state devices

Alaska is the 22nd state to take action against the social media platform for perceived security risks

This photo shows the TikTok icon on a phone screen. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
In this Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017 photo, a black bear checks out his surroundings in Granite Basin in Juneau, Alaska. The National Park Service is proposing a rule that would prohibit bear baiting in national preserves in Alaska, the latest in a dispute over what animal rights supporters call a cruel practice. The park service said Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 it is proposing a rule barring bear baiting in national preserves in Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

Hunter bear bait ban proposed for Alaska national preserves

The agency will be taking public comments on the proposal

  • Jan 7, 2023
  • By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
  • State News
In this Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017 photo, a black bear checks out his surroundings in Granite Basin in Juneau, Alaska. The National Park Service is proposing a rule that would prohibit bear baiting in national preserves in Alaska, the latest in a dispute over what animal rights supporters call a cruel practice. The park service said Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 it is proposing a rule barring bear baiting in national preserves in Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)
Kelsey Shields applies a “Lucy’s Market” sticker to a Cheese of the Month subscription box on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 at Lucy’s Market in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

New month, new cheese

Lucy’s Market launches subscription box for monthly cheese selections

Kelsey Shields applies a “Lucy’s Market” sticker to a Cheese of the Month subscription box on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023 at Lucy’s Market in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign welcomes travelers to the Kenai Peninsula. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

State population stagnates; peninsula sees small growth

Population of Alaska remained almost unchanged from July 2021 to July 2022

A sign welcomes travelers to the Kenai Peninsula. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A map of 2023 construction projects on the Kenai Peninsula shared during the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District’s Industry Outlook Forum on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, at the Christian Community Church in Homer, Alaska. (Screenshot)

State outlines a year of transportation projects at industry forum

Planning Manager David Post gave a presentation covering the department’s Surface Transportation Program

A map of 2023 construction projects on the Kenai Peninsula shared during the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District’s Industry Outlook Forum on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, at the Christian Community Church in Homer, Alaska. (Screenshot)
Visitor guides await travelers at the Kenai Municipal Airport, Thursday, June 20, 2019, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai Peninsula tourists trending older, staying longer

Tourism is bouncing back from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

Visitor guides await travelers at the Kenai Municipal Airport, Thursday, June 20, 2019, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion file)
Chunks of ice float on Mendenhall Lake in front of the Mendenhall Glacier on Monday, May 30, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. A study of all of the world’s 215,000 glaciers published on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, finds even if with the unlikely minimum warming of only a few tenths of a degrees more, the world will lose nearly half its glaciers by the end of the century. With the warming we’re now on track to get, the world will lose two-thirds of its glaciers and overall glacier mass will drop by one-third while sea level rises 4.5 inches just from melting glaciers. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)

Study: Two-thirds of glaciers on track to disappear by 2100

The study in Thursday’s journal Science examined all of the globe’s 215,000 land-based glaciers

  • Jan 5, 2023
  • By Seth Borenstein Associated Press
  • State News
Chunks of ice float on Mendenhall Lake in front of the Mendenhall Glacier on Monday, May 30, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. A study of all of the world’s 215,000 glaciers published on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, finds even if with the unlikely minimum warming of only a few tenths of a degrees more, the world will lose nearly half its glaciers by the end of the century. With the warming we’re now on track to get, the world will lose two-thirds of its glaciers and overall glacier mass will drop by one-third while sea level rises 4.5 inches just from melting glaciers. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)
The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)

911 texting soon available

The service will allow residents to contact emergency services via traditional cellphone texting services

The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)
The Kenai/Soldotna Advisory Committee meets at the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Building in Kalifornsky, Alaska, on Jan. 7, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)

Fish and Game advisory committee meeting Monday

There are 67 proposals to the Board of Game impacting the Southcentral region

The Kenai/Soldotna Advisory Committee meets at the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Building in Kalifornsky, Alaska, on Jan. 7, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)
Students smile as they walk to their classes for the first day of fall semester at the University of Alaska Southeast. The University of Alaska is set to receive 360,000 acres of federal land within the next four years, set in motion by a clause included in the recently passed $1.7 trillion federal spending bill. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

University of Alaska set to receive 360,000 acres of federal land

The transfer was set in motion by a clause included in the recently passed $1.7 trillion federal spending bill

Students smile as they walk to their classes for the first day of fall semester at the University of Alaska Southeast. The University of Alaska is set to receive 360,000 acres of federal land within the next four years, set in motion by a clause included in the recently passed $1.7 trillion federal spending bill. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)