Life

Out of class, but not off duty: Local teachers come together to make music

Out of class, but not off duty: Local teachers come together to make music

For the members of the band Recess Duty, teaching music all day just wasn’t enough. “We decided we should do something for ourselves,” Kent Peterson,… Continue reading

Out of class, but not off duty: Local teachers come together to make music
This photo released by Universal Pictures shows Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard in “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” (Photo courtesy Universal Pictures)

“Fallen Kingdom” not as smart as its predecessors, still thrilling

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” As the years go by, the “Jurassic Park” franchise has begun to experience something the real dinosaurs never did: evolution. These… Continue reading

This photo released by Universal Pictures shows Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard in “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” (Photo courtesy Universal Pictures)
Backyard Country BBQ comes to the Kenai

Backyard Country BBQ comes to the Kenai

Backyard Country BBQ Featuring music by Jerrod Niemann Trick Pony The Ken Peltier Band June 29: Soldotna Creek Park, Soldotna June 30: Outside Don Jose’s,… Continue reading

Backyard Country BBQ comes to the Kenai
Backyard Country BBQ comes to the Kenai

Backyard Country BBQ comes to the Kenai

Backyard Country BBQ Featuring music by Jerrod Niemann Trick Pony The Ken Peltier Band June 29: Soldotna Creek Park, Soldotna June 30: Outside Don Jose’s,… Continue reading

Backyard Country BBQ comes to the Kenai
This photo released by Universal Pictures shows Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard in “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” (Photo courtesy Universal Pictures)

“Fallen Kingdom” not as smart as its predecessors, still thrilling

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” As the years go by, the “Jurassic Park” franchise has begun to experience something the real dinosaurs never did: evolution. These… Continue reading

This photo released by Universal Pictures shows Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard in “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” (Photo courtesy Universal Pictures)
Goat yoga comes to the Peninsula

Goat yoga comes to the Peninsula

Amber Harrison had few expectations when she laid down her yoga mat at the Palmer Fairgrounds last year. She came all the way to the… Continue reading

Goat yoga comes to the Peninsula

Triumvirate Theatre hosts 20th annual summer camp

For 20 years, the Triumvirate Theatre has spent part of its summer educating kids about the stage. This week, the Kenai-area drama organization is teaching… Continue reading

This film still released by Disney and Pixar shows the Parr family in “The Incredibles 2.” (Photo by Disney/Pixar)

‘The Incredibles 2’ keeps the charm of the original

Right before the opening credits of this week’s film, the stars appear onscreen to both apologize for how long its taken the film to make… Continue reading

This film still released by Disney and Pixar shows the Parr family in “The Incredibles 2.” (Photo by Disney/Pixar)
Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference keynote speaker Anthony Doerr delivers the opening address at the start of the annual conference last Friday, June 5, at Land’s End Resort.

Author Anthony Doerr delivers Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference keynote

The role of the keynote speaker at the annual Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference can range from Rotary Club toastmaster to Marine Boot Camp drill instructor… Continue reading

Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference keynote speaker Anthony Doerr delivers the opening address at the start of the annual conference last Friday, June 5, at Land’s End Resort.
This photo released by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. shows (from left) Sarah Paulson, Sandra Bullock and Rihanna in “Ocean’s 8.” (Photo by Barry Wetcher)

Reeling it in: ‘Ocean’s 8’ breezy and fun, little else

“Ocean’s 8” The “Ocean’s” franchise is starting to feel more like Sunday afternoon television than a big event movie-going experience. The first film, “Ocean’s 11”… Continue reading

This photo released by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. shows (from left) Sarah Paulson, Sandra Bullock and Rihanna in “Ocean’s 8.” (Photo by Barry Wetcher)
Former Miss Alaska USA Alyssa London displays designers Jason Brown and Donna Decontie-Brown’s work at the Native Fashion Show at Centennial Hall on Friday, June 8, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

‘Light and love’: Native Fashion Show gets ‘electric’ response from full house

At early Celebrations in the 1980s, Dorothy Grant’s clothing designs were already a crowd favorite. Grant remembers women asking her about the clothes she was… Continue reading

Former Miss Alaska USA Alyssa London displays designers Jason Brown and Donna Decontie-Brown’s work at the Native Fashion Show at Centennial Hall on Friday, June 8, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
McKayla Paul participates with her mother in the Toddler Fashion Show on the main stage at Centennial Hall for Celebration 2018 on Friday, June 8, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

At toddler review, the story’s in the regalia

Five-year-old McKayla Paul, of the Deisheetaan (Beaver Clan), took to the stage naturally at Thursday’s Celebration 2018 Toddler Regalia Review. Her face wide with a… Continue reading

McKayla Paul participates with her mother in the Toddler Fashion Show on the main stage at Centennial Hall for Celebration 2018 on Friday, June 8, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
TJ and Kinsie pose by a carving. Courtesy image.

Weaving the Future, Carving the Past

It is a couple weeks shy of Father’s Day but TJ Young is not waiting for the holiday to share what a proud dad he… Continue reading

TJ and Kinsie pose by a carving. Courtesy image.
This photo released by Warner Bros. Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. shows Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) in “Tomb Raider.” (Photo by Ilzek Kitshoff/Warner Bros. Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.)

‘Tomb Raider’ adequate, but not all the way there

“Tomb Raider” As a teacher, one of the ways you know you’ve been at the job a long time is when you start getting kids… Continue reading

This photo released by Warner Bros. Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. shows Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) in “Tomb Raider.” (Photo by Ilzek Kitshoff/Warner Bros. Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.)
Susan Share dismantles “Trellis Wardrobe” at the Kenai Fine Arts Center on Monday in Kenai. The piece is the largest sculpture in her upcoming exhibition “InFormal Nature.” The sculpture is made entirely of paper, with the exception of many magnets that are used to hold the piece together, and allow the work to open and shut like a closet. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

‘InFormal Nature’ explores the possibility of paper at Kenai Fine Arts Center

  When viewing Susan Share’s latest exhibition at the Kenai Fine Arts Center, it’s hard to believe that the work is almost all made with… Continue reading

Susan Share dismantles “Trellis Wardrobe” at the Kenai Fine Arts Center on Monday in Kenai. The piece is the largest sculpture in her upcoming exhibition “InFormal Nature.” The sculpture is made entirely of paper, with the exception of many magnets that are used to hold the piece together, and allow the work to open and shut like a closet. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Peter Sheppard, left, and Matt Lees, right practice a scene from Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.” Sheppard directs the play, opening at 7 p.m. Friday, May 25, for the start of Pier One Theatre’s 2018 season. (Photo by Richard Rose)

Homer’s Pier One theater opens season this weekend

Now in its second season after former Pier One artistic director Lance Petersen passed the torch to current artistic director Jennifer Norton, the little red… Continue reading

Peter Sheppard, left, and Matt Lees, right practice a scene from Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.” Sheppard directs the play, opening at 7 p.m. Friday, May 25, for the start of Pier One Theatre’s 2018 season. (Photo by Richard Rose)
This still released by Disney and Lucasfilm shows Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” (Photo by Jonathan Olley/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Internet trolls ruin ‘Solo’ for everyone else

‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ “George Lucas destroyed my childhood.” If you’ve never heard that particular complaint, then you’ve wisely stayed out of the whiniest… Continue reading

This still released by Disney and Lucasfilm shows Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” (Photo by Jonathan Olley/Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Mindy Rowland performs with her Fishermen at the 44th Annual Alaska Folk Festival in Centennial Hall on Monday, April 9, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

A brain injury took away her speech. Music helped bring it back

Wearing a purple sweater, purple skirt, black leggings and purple nail polish to match, Mindy Rowland bounded onto the stage on the first night of… Continue reading

Mindy Rowland performs with her Fishermen at the 44th Annual Alaska Folk Festival in Centennial Hall on Monday, April 9, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
In this film still from “Deadpool 2” released by 20th Century Fox, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) leans on Blind Al (Leslie Uggams). (Photo courtesy 20th Century Fox)

‘Deadpool 2’ brings more heart amid violence

The first “Deadpool” was a bizarre movie. I was always amazed both at the fact that it was such a big hit and that they… Continue reading

In this film still from “Deadpool 2” released by 20th Century Fox, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) leans on Blind Al (Leslie Uggams). (Photo courtesy 20th Century Fox)
Organic clay-based paint stands stacked in the window at the “Art Shack,” an art studio space owned by Sue Mann, on Friday, May 4, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. Mann, who owns the art supply store Artzy Junkin on the lot next to the Maverick Bar, opened the space as a joint studio space for artists to teach classes or make art. It’s been a longtime goal she is starting this year, with classes like a mother and daughter chandelier-making class, mosaic, tie-dye and stained glass. She currently has five artists working on contract, she said. “Really, that’s my heart for this — bringing artists together,” she said.

Art from salvage

The group of old buildings behind the decorative mushrooms and tall spruce alongside the Sterling Highway are all rescued and finding new life with art.… Continue reading

Organic clay-based paint stands stacked in the window at the “Art Shack,” an art studio space owned by Sue Mann, on Friday, May 4, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. Mann, who owns the art supply store Artzy Junkin on the lot next to the Maverick Bar, opened the space as a joint studio space for artists to teach classes or make art. It’s been a longtime goal she is starting this year, with classes like a mother and daughter chandelier-making class, mosaic, tie-dye and stained glass. She currently has five artists working on contract, she said. “Really, that’s my heart for this — bringing artists together,” she said.