Kenai

Kenai City Council member Deborah Sounart, left, and candidate Sovala Kisena participate in the KDLL 91.9 FM/Peninsula Clarion 2024 Candidate Forum Series on Monday, at the Kenai Community Library . (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Forum series debuts with Kenai City Council candidates

Kenai voters will this year cast ballots for two candidates to fill the two open seats

Kenai City Council member Deborah Sounart, left, and candidate Sovala Kisena participate in the KDLL 91.9 FM/Peninsula Clarion 2024 Candidate Forum Series on Monday, at the Kenai Community Library . (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
A voting booth for the Kenai Peninsula Borough and City of Homer elections at Cowles Council Chambers on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022 in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Charlie Menke/ Homer News)
A voting booth for the Kenai Peninsula Borough and City of Homer elections at Cowles Council Chambers on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022 in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Charlie Menke/ Homer News)
A map created within the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s parcel viewer in September 2017 displays in green the Swanson Square property and in blue the property of the Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai, Alaska. Because the properties are within 500 feet of one another, the City of Kenai has now twice rejected marijuana retail operations in Swanson Square. (Map by Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion File)

Kenai PZ commission denies Canna Get Happy variance application

The proposed location is in Swanson Square next to Salvation Army along the Kenai Spur Highway

A map created within the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s parcel viewer in September 2017 displays in green the Swanson Square property and in blue the property of the Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai, Alaska. Because the properties are within 500 feet of one another, the City of Kenai has now twice rejected marijuana retail operations in Swanson Square. (Map by Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion File)
Monitor Robert Begich counts the salmon pulled ashore and looks for king salmon at a test site for beach seine gear near Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council opposes Endangered Species Act listing for chinook

The city both stated their opposition to that proposed listing, as well as the National Marine Fisheries Service’s positive finding on the requesting petition

Monitor Robert Begich counts the salmon pulled ashore and looks for king salmon at a test site for beach seine gear near Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai awards $700,000 contract for rehabilitation of airport fire station

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the facility is at the end of its life

Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Briar Oden is the first to start pushing a new ambulance into the garage at the Kenai Public Safety Building in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Fire Department puts new ambulances into service

Ambulances are used for 80% of the department’s calls

Briar Oden is the first to start pushing a new ambulance into the garage at the Kenai Public Safety Building in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Troopers Joseph Miller Jr. and Jason Woodruff are seen as K9 Olex bites Ben Tikka in a screenshot from body camera footage taken in Kenai, Alaska, on May 24, 2024. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Law)
Troopers Joseph Miller Jr. and Jason Woodruff are seen as K9 Olex bites Ben Tikka in a screenshot from body camera footage taken in Kenai, Alaska, on May 24, 2024. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Law)
The Kenai Municipal Airport is seen on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough, cities support effort for direct Seattle air route

The City of Kenai last month applied for a grant that would provide financial incentives for an air carriers to establish the route

The Kenai Municipal Airport is seen on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Teague Vanek barbecues salmon during Industry Appreciation Day festivities at the Kenai softball greenstrip in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Industry Appreciation Day returns Saturday

Industry Appreciation Day, an annual celebration of a selection of local industries — oil and gas, commercial fishing, tourism and health care — will return… Continue reading

Teague Vanek barbecues salmon during Industry Appreciation Day festivities at the Kenai softball greenstrip in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
City Manager Terry Eubank responds to questions during a work session of the Kenai City Council in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Public Safety Building’s communications tower to see upgrades

Kenai City Council approves ‘innovative procurement’ to award contract and end delays for police radio improvements

City Manager Terry Eubank responds to questions during a work session of the Kenai City Council in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Snow is cleared from a parking lot at the Kenai Municipal Airport on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai accepts airport grant funds for snow removal equipment, new master plan

Ordinances were approved on a shortened timeline to meet Federal Aviation Administration deadline

Snow is cleared from a parking lot at the Kenai Municipal Airport on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign directs voters at Soldotna City Hall during the special Field House election on March 5, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign directs voters at Soldotna City Hall during the special Field House election on March 5, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
The badge for the Kenai Police Department

Kenai resident arrested on arson, burglary charges

No one was in the home and moderate fire damage and significant smoke damage occurred, officials said

The badge for the Kenai Police Department
A sign marks Kenai’s Field of Flowers in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai’s Field of Flowers returns to bloom

The field went unplanted last year to rehabilitate the space

A sign marks Kenai’s Field of Flowers in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks to the joint Kenai and Soldona Chambers of Commerce at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 31. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Ruffridge updates chambers on legislative efforts

He discussed the successes of his freshman session in the Alaska Legislature

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks to the joint Kenai and Soldona Chambers of Commerce at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 31. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A voting booth for the Kenai Peninsula Borough and City of Homer elections is photographed at Cowles Council Chambers on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Charlie Menke/ Homer News)
A voting booth for the Kenai Peninsula Borough and City of Homer elections is photographed at Cowles Council Chambers on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Charlie Menke/ Homer News)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Alexis Alamillo, of Anchorage, carries a sockeye salmon caught in a dipnet from the mouth of the Kenai River on Wednesday.

Kenai River dipnetting now open 24 hours a day

The liberalization of fishing regulation was effective starting Thursday evening

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Alexis Alamillo, of Anchorage, carries a sockeye salmon caught in a dipnet from the mouth of the Kenai River on Wednesday.
Lisa Parker, vice mayor of Soldotna, celebrates after throwing the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Peninsula Oilers and the Mat-Su Miners on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

King of the River food drive extended, Kenai takes lead

The winning city’s mayor will throw the opening pitch at a Peninsula Oilers game

Lisa Parker, vice mayor of Soldotna, celebrates after throwing the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Peninsula Oilers and the Mat-Su Miners on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Drummers perform during a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Dena’ina Wellness Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, July 12, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenaitze tribe celebrates 10 years of ‘far-fetched dream’ at wellness center

Community members recognized the work done at the Dena’ina Wellness Center over the past decade

Drummers perform during a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Dena’ina Wellness Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, July 12, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Safeway is seen on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai and Soldotna Safeways may be sold under proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger

The local stores will be sold to CS Wholesale Grocers only if the merger overcomes suit from the FTC

The Kenai Safeway is seen on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)