Kenai Peninsula

Laden with a game bag full of black bear meat, Dan France heads for camp near the Tustumena Glacier, 1963. Zebra Mountain and the glacier can be seen in the background. (Photo courtesy Fair Family Photo Collection)

A Sheepish Tale

In August 1963, my long-time neighbor and my father flew into the Tustumena benchlands.

Laden with a game bag full of black bear meat, Dan France heads for camp near the Tustumena Glacier, 1963. Zebra Mountain and the glacier can be seen in the background. (Photo courtesy Fair Family Photo Collection)
Photo courtesy of the Pratt Museum Walter R. Bell poses for a photo in Seldovia in 1918.

For most in Homer, Walter didn’t ring any bells

The marker read: “Walter R. Bell. Buried here July 1921. Born in 1860, Fillmore Co., Minn.”

Photo courtesy of the Pratt Museum Walter R. Bell poses for a photo in Seldovia in 1918.
A ptarmigan hunter takes in the sunshine near the front door of the Jims’ cabin on upper Surprise Creek, summer 1968. (Photo from the Fair Family Collection)

The two Jims, Part 3: More fun in the finding than in the having

“This is not a gold country, and don’t let anybody kid you.”

A ptarmigan hunter takes in the sunshine near the front door of the Jims’ cabin on upper Surprise Creek, summer 1968. (Photo from the Fair Family Collection)
Big Jim (left) and Little Jim show off some of the furs from a recent winter’s trapping season, circa late 1950s. (Photo courtesy of Mona Painter)

The two Jims, part two: Coming home and battling a bully

In their early days in the Cooper Landing area, the Jims needed a place to live.

Big Jim (left) and Little Jim show off some of the furs from a recent winter’s trapping season, circa late 1950s. (Photo courtesy of Mona Painter)
James “Little Jim” Dunmire (left) and James “Big Jim” O’Brien. (Photo courtesy of Mona Painter)

History Lessons: Coming in for the Landing: An Origin Story

Jim’s Landing honors two close friends: James (“Big Jim”) O’Brien and James (“Little Jim”) Dunmire.

James “Little Jim” Dunmire (left) and James “Big Jim” O’Brien. (Photo courtesy of Mona Painter)
Drew at King Country Creek cabin remains are pictured in 1999. All that remains of the last King County Creek cabin, just inland from Skilak Lake, are these well-weathered logs, which are difficult to find in the tall grass at that location. (Photo by Clark Fair)

An unusual and difficult journey to the Kenai (part 2)

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second part of a two-part story about the Kings County Mining Company’s expedition to the Kenai Peninsula in 1898. Part… Continue reading

Drew at King Country Creek cabin remains are pictured in 1999. All that remains of the last King County Creek cabin, just inland from Skilak Lake, are these well-weathered logs, which are difficult to find in the tall grass at that location. (Photo by Clark Fair)
Pictured is Henry W. Rozell, one of the principal founders of the Kings County Mining Company. Rozell, shown here eight years after the expedition to the Kenai Peninsula, was the group’s treasurer. (Photo from ancestry.com)

History Lesson: An unusual and difficult journey to the Kenai

New history column kicks off with the story of Kings County Mining Company’s expedition to peninsula.

Pictured is Henry W. Rozell, one of the principal founders of the Kings County Mining Company. Rozell, shown here eight years after the expedition to the Kenai Peninsula, was the group’s treasurer. (Photo from ancestry.com)
A bag of butter boletes is seen in this July 2020 photo. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kalifornsky Kitchen: A secret stash of mushrooms

We have a tote bag full of the mushrooms, which are spongy and the nicest yellow color.

A bag of butter boletes is seen in this July 2020 photo. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Rhubarb pairs well with sweet fruit like strawberries, and work well in desserts like strawberry rhubarb crumble, June 1, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion) Rhubarb pairs well with sweet fruit like strawberries, and work well in desserts like strawberry rhubarb crumble, June 1, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kalifornsky Kitchen: Bottom-of-the-freezer berry crumble

I’m convinced it’s impossible to mess this one up.

Rhubarb pairs well with sweet fruit like strawberries, and work well in desserts like strawberry rhubarb crumble, June 1, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion) Rhubarb pairs well with sweet fruit like strawberries, and work well in desserts like strawberry rhubarb crumble, June 1, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River Campus Valedictorian Michelle Wicker speaks during Kenai Peninsula College’s virtual commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Screenshot)

‘Be proud of yourself and your accomplishments’

Kenai Peninsula College graduates honored in virtual commencement ceremony

Kenai River Campus Valedictorian Michelle Wicker speaks during Kenai Peninsula College’s virtual commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Screenshot)
A schematic of one of the options for the Jims’ Landing boat launch project scope. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Environmental impact of Jims’ Landing improvements assessed

The boat launch is located in the Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area, near Milepost 58 of the Sterling Highway.

A schematic of one of the options for the Jims’ Landing boat launch project scope. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Shorebirds fly on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Mud Bay near the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. The birds were one of several species of shorebirds seen in Mud Bay over the weekend that included bar-tailed godwits, western sandpipers, dunlins, long-billed dowitchers and Pacific plovers. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Hybrid shorebird festival takes flight this year

Festival is a mix of live, virtual programming

Shorebirds fly on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at Mud Bay near the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. The birds were one of several species of shorebirds seen in Mud Bay over the weekend that included bar-tailed godwits, western sandpipers, dunlins, long-billed dowitchers and Pacific plovers. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
The Swan Lake Fire can be seen from above on Monday, Aug. 26 on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Alaska Wildland Fire Information)

Fire season outlook ‘average’ this year

While the outlook looks average, weather patterns and fire mitigation techniques can all be factors.

The Swan Lake Fire can be seen from above on Monday, Aug. 26 on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Alaska Wildland Fire Information)
The site of the Sterling Highway MP 45-60 Project is seen near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Sean Holland)

Bypass project pushes ahead

People should expect traffic delays and construction noise when traveling through Cooper Landing this summer.

The site of the Sterling Highway MP 45-60 Project is seen near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Sean Holland)
Teresa Becher watches as beluga whales swim up the Kenai River on Saturday, April 24, 2021. She and her volunteer team monitor belugas in the Cook Inlet. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion) Teresa Becher watches as beluga whales swim up the Kenai River on Saturday, April 24, 2021. She and her volunteer team monitor belugas in the Cook Inlet. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Beluga time

Get out your binoculars: The whales are frolicking in the Kenai River

Teresa Becher watches as beluga whales swim up the Kenai River on Saturday, April 24, 2021. She and her volunteer team monitor belugas in the Cook Inlet. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion) Teresa Becher watches as beluga whales swim up the Kenai River on Saturday, April 24, 2021. She and her volunteer team monitor belugas in the Cook Inlet. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
The Swan Lake Fire can be seen from above on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019, on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Alaska Wildland Fire Information)

Study analyzes wildfire impact on peninsula

Data suggest wildfires are going to be a persistent problem for Alaskans in the future.

The Swan Lake Fire can be seen from above on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019, on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Alaska Wildland Fire Information)
Pieces of art are displayed at Cook Inletkeeper’s Community Action Studio on Thursday, April 22 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Cook Inletkeeper launches rotating art gallery

The display formally debuted on Earth Day as one of several activities the organization offered at the studio.

Pieces of art are displayed at Cook Inletkeeper’s Community Action Studio on Thursday, April 22 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The entrance to Soldotna Public Library is seen on Thursday, March 25, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Libraries prepare for summer programming

Once COVID-19 becomes less of a concern, the Soldotna library will try to bring back more in-person events.

The entrance to Soldotna Public Library is seen on Thursday, March 25, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Silver salmon swim in Sucker Creek on Sept. 18, 2020. (Photo by Matt Bowser/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

Workshop highlights farming risk to salmon

The number of farms in Alaska has grown by 30% over the last five years.

Silver salmon swim in Sucker Creek on Sept. 18, 2020. (Photo by Matt Bowser/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)
Sockeye salmon. (Photo via Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

Sockeye runs on Kenai and Kasilof predicted to be less than 20-year average

The sockeye fishery opens the third Monday in June or June 19, whichever comes last.

Sockeye salmon. (Photo via Alaska Department of Fish and Game)