A caribou has holiday lights tangled in its antlers on April 13, 2022. (Photo courtesy of Robin Andree)

Springtime brings out the animals

Wildlife sightings might become more prevalent in the coming weeks

A caribou has holiday lights tangled in its antlers on April 13, 2022. (Photo courtesy of Robin Andree)
Vaughn Dosko is seen in this undated photo. Dosko was awarded region 3 principal of the year by the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals. (Photos courtesy of the Alaska Council of School Administrators)

Kenai Middle School administrator receives principal of the year award

Vaughn Dosko, the principal at Kenai Middle School, attributed the award to his students and staff

Vaughn Dosko is seen in this undated photo. Dosko was awarded region 3 principal of the year by the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals. (Photos courtesy of the Alaska Council of School Administrators)
(From left) Mike Frost, Monica Frost, Tara Sweeney and Sue Carter attend a campaign meet and greet at Addie Camp on Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. Sweeney is running to fill the seat of former U.S. House Rep. Don Young, who died in March. (Photo courtesy Karina Waller)

Sweeney brings Congressional campaign to the central peninsula

She is one of 48 candidates vying for Alaska’s vacant U.S. House seat

(From left) Mike Frost, Monica Frost, Tara Sweeney and Sue Carter attend a campaign meet and greet at Addie Camp on Saturday, April 16, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. Sweeney is running to fill the seat of former U.S. House Rep. Don Young, who died in March. (Photo courtesy Karina Waller)
Signs hang on the entryway wall at the Kenai Peninsula Education Association office in Soldotna, Alaska, in this Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, file photo. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

‘It’s time to go’

COVID stress, workload cited among reasons some staff are leaving the school district

Signs hang on the entryway wall at the Kenai Peninsula Education Association office in Soldotna, Alaska, in this Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, file photo. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A fishing vessel fleet off the coast of Seward, Alaska, participates in oil spill response training hosted by the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council (RCAC), along with members of the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, on Thursday, April 14, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

‘The prevention proves that it’s working’

Community seminar explores oil spill preparedness in Seward

A fishing vessel fleet off the coast of Seward, Alaska, participates in oil spill response training hosted by the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council (RCAC), along with members of the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, on Thursday, April 14, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna City Manager Stephanie Queen (center) speaks during a meeting of the Soldotna City Council on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna gets green light to tackle beetle-killed trees

The work will be done independently of delayed federal funding

Soldotna City Manager Stephanie Queen (center) speaks during a meeting of the Soldotna City Council on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Soldotna City Council convenes on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Veto of Triumvirate funds sustained

Divided Soldotna council upholds mayoral veto of money for the troupe’s production of ‘Tarzan’

The Soldotna City Council convenes on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Commercial fishing and other boats are moored in the Homer Harbor in this file photo. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Seawatch: Bristol Bay sockeye run could stress processors

Bristol Bay is expected to see a return of as many as 75 million sockeye salmon

Commercial fishing and other boats are moored in the Homer Harbor in this file photo. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Alaskans for Better Elections Executive Director Jason Grenn presents information about Alaska’s news election systems during a joint chamber of commerce luncheon on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Info on new election systems presented at joint chamber luncheon

Summer emerged as the clear favorite season in a mock ranked choice election held at Wednesday’s joint Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce luncheon in… Continue reading

Alaskans for Better Elections Executive Director Jason Grenn presents information about Alaska’s news election systems during a joint chamber of commerce luncheon on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Elin Antaya, a Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior, was awarded the Hoffman-Greene Ocean Youth Award by the Alaska SeaLife Center for work supporting and stewarding the ocean. (Courtesy photo / ASC)

Making waves: Juneau teen wins statewide award for ocean stewardship

Her involvement with the ocean ranges across all aspects of her life.

Elin Antaya, a Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior, was awarded the Hoffman-Greene Ocean Youth Award by the Alaska SeaLife Center for work supporting and stewarding the ocean. (Courtesy photo / ASC)
Alaska SeaLife Center Animal Care Specialist Savannah Costner releases a 1-year-old female elephant seal back to the ocean on March 24, 2022, after the animal was admitted as a patient to the ASLC Wildlife Response Program. The 320-pound animal was released near Lowell Point in Seward, Alaska. (Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)

SeaLife Center rehabs baby elephant seal

The seal is the first mammal admitted to the center’s Wildlife Response Program this year

Alaska SeaLife Center Animal Care Specialist Savannah Costner releases a 1-year-old female elephant seal back to the ocean on March 24, 2022, after the animal was admitted as a patient to the ASLC Wildlife Response Program. The 320-pound animal was released near Lowell Point in Seward, Alaska. (Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)
Snow falls on studded tires on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. For Alaskans living above the 60 North Latitude line, which includes all portions of the Sterling Highway, studded tires must be removed by May 1, 2022. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Studded tires off May 1 on peninsula

Studded tires cause damage on dry pavement, officials said

Snow falls on studded tires on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. For Alaskans living above the 60 North Latitude line, which includes all portions of the Sterling Highway, studded tires must be removed by May 1, 2022. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Soldotna High School teacher Dr. Paul Marks testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education on Monday, April 11, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Students to try out new testing system this spring

The district’s third through ninth grade students will take the first iteration of AK STAR testing in language arts and math

Soldotna High School teacher Dr. Paul Marks testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education on Monday, April 11, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

State releases northern Kenai fishing report

Kasilof River steelhead fishing is beginning and expected to improve over the next few weeks

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District student Olivia Ferguson, who also serves as the student representative to KPBSD Board of Education’s information committee, testifies before the board Monday, April 11, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

$65M bond package presented to board of education

The funds would tackle maintenance and repairs at district schools

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District student Olivia Ferguson, who also serves as the student representative to KPBSD Board of Education’s information committee, testifies before the board Monday, April 11, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Bunny Swan performs at Soldotna Creek Park on July 3, 2019, as part of the Levitt Amp Soldotna Music Series. The series returns June 1 in Soldotna Creek Park. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna summer serenades are back

The free concert series — put on by the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce — will kick off on June 1 at Soldotna Creek Park

Bunny Swan performs at Soldotna Creek Park on July 3, 2019, as part of the Levitt Amp Soldotna Music Series. The series returns June 1 in Soldotna Creek Park. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
A spruce bark beetle is seen on the underside of a piece of bark taken from logs stacked near Central Peninsula Landfill on Thursday, July 1, 2021, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna to consider using city funds for tree removal

Legislation would pave the way for the city to use some of its own money to conduct work ahead of summer

A spruce bark beetle is seen on the underside of a piece of bark taken from logs stacked near Central Peninsula Landfill on Thursday, July 1, 2021, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A nine-seat Beechcrafter Super King Air B200 plane sits in a hanger at Kenai Aviation in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council OKs Kenai Aviation agreements

The airline plans to begin offering flights in May

A nine-seat Beechcrafter Super King Air B200 plane sits in a hanger at Kenai Aviation in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
A beach on the eastern side of Cook Inlet is photographed at Clam Gulch, Alaska, in June 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Board of Fisheries sets new shellfish regs

Fisheries for hardshell clams, both butter and littleneck clams, are closed in all Cook Inlet and North Gulf Coast waters

A beach on the eastern side of Cook Inlet is photographed at Clam Gulch, Alaska, in June 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)
The Soldotna Elementary School kindergarten class runs into Kaladi Brothers Coffee on South Kobuk Street in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, April 8, 2022, to look at their art show. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Making ‘beautiful things’

Kindergartners show off work at Kaladi Brothers Coffee shop

The Soldotna Elementary School kindergarten class runs into Kaladi Brothers Coffee on South Kobuk Street in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, April 8, 2022, to look at their art show. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)