Foliage surrounds the Soldotna Police Department sign on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The building will be the Central Peninsula site for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Drug Take Back Day to take place Saturday

The purpose is to“safely dispose of unneeded medications to prevent misuse and addiction

Foliage surrounds the Soldotna Police Department sign on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The building will be the Central Peninsula site for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Candidates for Alaska’s sole U.S. House seat share a laugh before a debate Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. From left are Republican Sarah Palin, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat; Republican Nick Begich, and Chris Bye, a Libertarian. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Peltola faces Palin, Begich, Bye in debate

Peltola beat Palin and Republican Nick Begich in a ranked choice August special election

Candidates for Alaska’s sole U.S. House seat share a laugh before a debate Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. From left are Republican Sarah Palin, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat; Republican Nick Begich, and Chris Bye, a Libertarian. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Qilak the otter pup looks at the camera after a feeding session at the Alaska SeaLife Center. The otter pup was admitted as a patient on Sept. 7, 2022, after being found on top of his moribund mother. (Photo Credit: Alaska SeaLife Center)

Rescued otter pup finds new home in Chicago

Qilak was rescued by the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response program in early September

Qilak the otter pup looks at the camera after a feeding session at the Alaska SeaLife Center. The otter pup was admitted as a patient on Sept. 7, 2022, after being found on top of his moribund mother. (Photo Credit: Alaska SeaLife Center)
Gary Anderson fills out an early voting ballot on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, at Kenai City Hall in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Thousands of borough voters have already voted in Nov. 8 election

Federal and state races and constitutional convention question are all on the ballot

Gary Anderson fills out an early voting ballot on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, at Kenai City Hall in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Assembly members participate in a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Special mayoral election will be Feb. 14

Kenai Peninsula Borough voters will get to cast their ballots for the next borough mayor on Feb. 14 following a vote by assembly members Tuesday… Continue reading

Assembly members participate in a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Snow is cleared from the parking lot at Kenai Cinema in Kenai, Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Winter storm brings heavier, more snow than expected

Heavy snowfall hit the Central Peninsula on Tuesday, following a weather advisory by the National Weather Service that warned of up to 5 inches of… Continue reading

Snow is cleared from the parking lot at Kenai Cinema in Kenai, Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News
A sign at the South Peninsula Hospital COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinic provides information and hours for testing and vaccines at the Bartlett Street building in Homer.

Hospitalizations continue to fall; COVID cases see uptick

According to the Alaska COVID-19 Data Hub, updated Wednesday, 19 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19. No patients are on ventilators. This is down from last… Continue reading

Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News
A sign at the South Peninsula Hospital COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinic provides information and hours for testing and vaccines at the Bartlett Street building in Homer.
Kenai Peninsula Borough Clerk Johni Blankenship collects ballots from assembly members during a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly retains Johnson as president, makes Cox vice president

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly voted Tuesday to retain Brent Johnson and elect Tyson Cox as president and vice president, respectively. The body’s reorganization process… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula Borough Clerk Johni Blankenship collects ballots from assembly members during a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola dances with others attending a reelection campaign event Monday evening at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. Peltola also attended a meet-and-greet at a coffee shop and met with local union members on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Peltola tells Juneau crowd reelection not a ‘slam dunk,’ encourages supporters to vote

“They’re not going to underestimate us a second time.”

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola dances with others attending a reelection campaign event Monday evening at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. Peltola also attended a meet-and-greet at a coffee shop and met with local union members on Tuesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce selects Edie Grunwald to be his running mate at a campaign event at Paradisos restaurant in Kenai on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Grunwald announced Tuesday that she was withdrawing as his running mate in response to allegations of harassment made against Pierce. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Citing Pierce harassment allegations, Grunwald suspends lieutenant governor bid

The announcement came days after Pierce and the Kenai Peninsula Borough were named as defendants in a lawsuit

Alaska Gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce selects Edie Grunwald to be his running mate at a campaign event at Paradisos restaurant in Kenai on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Grunwald announced Tuesday that she was withdrawing as his running mate in response to allegations of harassment made against Pierce. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Anchorage man dies in Sterling Highway crash

Troopers say they’re still investigating the cause and circumstances

Alaska State Troopers logo.
The Kenai Peninsula College Main Entrance on Aug. 18, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Roadshow to offer workshops and info for local businesses

Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership aims to advance industry and business as broader concepts within the state

The Kenai Peninsula College Main Entrance on Aug. 18, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Candidates for Alaska State House District 6 Ginger Bryant, on screen, left, and Louie Flora, on screen, right, participate remotely in a forum held at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Southern peninsula House candidates Zoom into Monday forum

Nonpartisan candidates Ginger Bryant and Louie Flora participated

Candidates for Alaska State House District 6 Ginger Bryant, on screen, left, and Louie Flora, on screen, right, participate remotely in a forum held at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Film fans enjoy reindeer sausages and hot dogs at the gala opening of the Homer Documentary Film Festival last Thursday, Sept. 22 at the Homer Theatre. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Homer Film Fest winners named

The festival spanned a week, Sept. 22 through Sept. 29

Film fans enjoy reindeer sausages and hot dogs at the gala opening of the Homer Documentary Film Festival last Thursday, Sept. 22 at the Homer Theatre. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Teens distribute the zombie cure — Zombie Skittles — after completing the escape room on Oct. 21, 2022, at Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Great escapes

Teens tackle faux zombie plague in Soldotna Library activity

Teens distribute the zombie cure — Zombie Skittles — after completing the escape room on Oct. 21, 2022, at Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican seeking reelection, answers a question during a candidate forum, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. She faces Republican Kelly Tshibaka and Democrat Pat Chesbro in the Nov. 8, 2022, election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

Asylum seekers are Indigenous Siberians from Russia

The two landed earlier this month near Gambell, on Alaska’s St. Lawrence Island

  • Oct 24, 2022
  • By Mark Thiessen Associated Press
  • State News
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican seeking reelection, answers a question during a candidate forum, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. She faces Republican Kelly Tshibaka and Democrat Pat Chesbro in the Nov. 8, 2022, election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Charlie Pierce, a Republican candidate for Alaska governor, answers a question during a debate, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. A lawsuit filed a day earlier by an employee when he was mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough accuses Pierce of “constant unwanted physical touching, sexual remarks and sexual advances.” Pierce declined comment on the lawsuit to The Associated Press, and said he didn’t plan to suspend his gubernatorial campaign. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)

Lawsuit details allegations of sexual harassment by former borough mayor

The suit was filed by Charlie Pierce’s former executive assistant

Charlie Pierce, a Republican candidate for Alaska governor, answers a question during a debate, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. A lawsuit filed a day earlier by an employee when he was mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough accuses Pierce of “constant unwanted physical touching, sexual remarks and sexual advances.” Pierce declined comment on the lawsuit to The Associated Press, and said he didn’t plan to suspend his gubernatorial campaign. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)
This combination image consisting of screenshots from the AFN convention livestream shows the four gubernatorial candidates who will appear on statewide ballots, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Democratic former state Rep. Les Gara, Republican former Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce and independent former Gov. Bill Walker. (Screenshots)

Gubernatorial candidates take widely varying stances in AFN forum

Four contenders at AFN debate see different fixes for public safety, prison deaths and housing

This combination image consisting of screenshots from the AFN convention livestream shows the four gubernatorial candidates who will appear on statewide ballots, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Democratic former state Rep. Les Gara, Republican former Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce and independent former Gov. Bill Walker. (Screenshots)
Graphic by Ashlyn O'Hara.

State minimum wage to increase $0.51 in January

The federal minimum wage has not increased since 2009

Graphic by Ashlyn O'Hara.
Voting booths are set up at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Voting kicks off Monday

Early, absentee in-person voting begins Monday for November election

Voting booths are set up at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)