A spruce bark beetle rests on the photographer’s thumb on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Cantwell, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A spruce bark beetle rests on the photographer’s thumb on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Cantwell, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Traffic is backed up on the Sterling Highway following a vehicle collision on Thursday, June 9, 2022, near Cooper Landng, Alaska. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Vehicle collision shuts down Sterling Highway for hours Thursday

The collision occured near the Russian River Ferry landing

Traffic is backed up on the Sterling Highway following a vehicle collision on Thursday, June 9, 2022, near Cooper Landng, Alaska. (Photo by Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Landslide debris surrounds part of Lowell Point Road on Friday, June 3, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Work on Lowell Point landslide to end Friday

The announcement comes more than a month after a slide wiped out Lowell Point Road

Landslide debris surrounds part of Lowell Point Road on Friday, June 3, 2022, in Seward, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The bottom story is all that is left of a building at 177 E. Bunnell Ave. that caught fire early Saturday morning, June 4, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. Two people and their pets living in an apartment on the side closest to the road escaped injury. Homer Volunteer Fire Department, Kachemak Emergency Services and Western Emergency Services worked until about noon on Saturday to fully extinguish the fire. The Compass Rose Building to the right had some minor damage such as cracked windows from heat exposure. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Fire destroys building in Homer’s Old Town district

Occupants, pets escape without injury fire on Bunnell Avenue

The bottom story is all that is left of a building at 177 E. Bunnell Ave. that caught fire early Saturday morning, June 4, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. Two people and their pets living in an apartment on the side closest to the road escaped injury. Homer Volunteer Fire Department, Kachemak Emergency Services and Western Emergency Services worked until about noon on Saturday to fully extinguish the fire. The Compass Rose Building to the right had some minor damage such as cracked windows from heat exposure. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Troopers arrest man in sexual assault case

Case prompts police to offer self-defense class for women

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Cam Choy, associate professor of art at Kenai Peninsula College, works on a salmon sculpture in collaboration with the Kenai Watershed Forum during the Kenai River Festival at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska on June 8, 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai River Festival returns this weekend

The festival aims to spread awareness about the Kenai River watershed and its surrounding systems

Cam Choy, associate professor of art at Kenai Peninsula College, works on a salmon sculpture in collaboration with the Kenai Watershed Forum during the Kenai River Festival at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska on June 8, 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)
The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai Fire Department receives funding for floor replacement

Materials containing asbestos have been found in building, officials said

The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Kids participate in the first day of the Kenai Performers Drama Camp at the playhouse building in Soldotna on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kids in ‘Wonderland’

Kenai Performers drama camp takes on musical inspired by Lewis Carroll classic

Kids participate in the first day of the Kenai Performers Drama Camp at the playhouse building in Soldotna on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
The entrance to the Kenai Community Library is photographed on Thursday, March 10, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai City Council accepts library grant

No community members testified about the legislation

The entrance to the Kenai Community Library is photographed on Thursday, March 10, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

King fishing closed on Kenai River, restricted on Kasilof

As of Sunday, a total of 265 kings had passed through the ADFG sonar tracker

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Anchorage resident dies in Seward Highway crash

The crash took place at Mile 7 of the highway in Seward last Monday

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Anglers fish on the Kenai River on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Northern Kenai fishing report

Opportunities for anglers in the north Kenai area

Anglers fish on the Kenai River on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai City Council members convene for their regular meeting at the council chambers on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council moves ahead with slash site resolution

Community members could dispose of spruce beetle-infested trees and other vegetation at the site

Kenai City Council members convene for their regular meeting at the council chambers on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Darryl Magen, center, and Josh Delie, far right, start their journey from the Kenai Municipal Airport on Friday, June 3, 2022 to this year’s Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Olympic send-off

Darryl Magen and Josh Delie were met with cheers and words of encouragement from family, friends and city officials

Darryl Magen, center, and Josh Delie, far right, start their journey from the Kenai Municipal Airport on Friday, June 3, 2022 to this year’s Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Employees of Metco Alaska work to remove debris from the Lowell Point Road May 23, 2022, following the May 7 Bear Mountain landslide that blocked the road and access to and from the community of Lowell Point. (Photo and caption courtesy of the Kenai Peninsula Borough)

Lowell Point Road to reopen for weekend traffic

The road opened Friday through Monday last weekend and was opened intermittently earlier this week

Employees of Metco Alaska work to remove debris from the Lowell Point Road May 23, 2022, following the May 7 Bear Mountain landslide that blocked the road and access to and from the community of Lowell Point. (Photo and caption courtesy of the Kenai Peninsula Borough)
Residents line the Sterling Highway, in front of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office to oppose the Pebble Mine on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Activists: Pebble plan should be just a first step in protecting Bristol Bay

Additional protections could come through congressional action or conservation easements or similar land designations

Residents line the Sterling Highway, in front of Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office to oppose the Pebble Mine on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Municipal Cemetery is seen on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council postpones discussion on cemetery expansion

Efforts to expand the Kenai Municipal Cemetery have been underway for awhile

The Kenai Municipal Cemetery is seen on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Branden Bornemann celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Kenai Watershed Forum on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. Bornemann will step down as executive director of the nonprofit this month, according to a release from the organization. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Watershed Forum director steps down

Bornemann has been at the organization since 2011 and took over as director in 2018

Branden Bornemann celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Kenai Watershed Forum on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. Bornemann will step down as executive director of the nonprofit this month, according to a release from the organization. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
An Alaska Army National Guard aircrew flying a UH-60 Black Hawk aided in the rescue of a mountain biker with a possible spinal injury from the wilderness near Cooper Landing on May 30, 2022. (Alejandro Pena / U.S. Air Force)

National Guard rescues injured biker near Cooper Landing

The biker had a possible spinal injury, requiring aerial medevac

An Alaska Army National Guard aircrew flying a UH-60 Black Hawk aided in the rescue of a mountain biker with a possible spinal injury from the wilderness near Cooper Landing on May 30, 2022. (Alejandro Pena / U.S. Air Force)
Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion
Teresa Becher watches as beluga whales swim up the Kenai River on April 24, 2021. Becher is a volunteer citizen scientist coordinator with the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership, which observes beluga migration in Cook Inlet.

Busy beluga monitoring season wraps up

A collaboration among organizations allows citizens to contribute to monitoring in Cook Inlet

Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion
Teresa Becher watches as beluga whales swim up the Kenai River on April 24, 2021. Becher is a volunteer citizen scientist coordinator with the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Partnership, which observes beluga migration in Cook Inlet.