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With Central Emergency Services’ Shawn Killian playing catcher, Soldotna Police Department disapatcher Tammy Goggia swings at an oncoming ball during a charity softball game for the Nikiski Children’s Fund between local law enforcers and firefighters on Thursday, August 18 at Kenai’s Oiler’s Field. Law enforcement won the game 17-7, but made no arrests for stolen bases. The Nikiski Children’s Fund, founded last year by Carlee Rizzo, makes money available to to teachers and other community members to fill needs they see for local children. Rizzo said the group has more fundraisers planned for the future, such as a show in September by the rock trio No Small Children.

Police put out firefighters

Putting out the fire With Central Emergency Services’ Shawn Killian playing catcher, Soldotna Police Department disapatcher Tammy Goggia swings at an oncoming ball during a… Continue reading

With Central Emergency Services’ Shawn Killian playing catcher, Soldotna Police Department disapatcher Tammy Goggia swings at an oncoming ball during a charity softball game for the Nikiski Children’s Fund between local law enforcers and firefighters on Thursday, August 18 at Kenai’s Oiler’s Field. Law enforcement won the game 17-7, but made no arrests for stolen bases. The Nikiski Children’s Fund, founded last year by Carlee Rizzo, makes money available to to teachers and other community members to fill needs they see for local children. Rizzo said the group has more fundraisers planned for the future, such as a show in September by the rock trio No Small Children.
South Peninsula Hospital CEO Robert Letson poses for a photo in front of the hospital’s Bartlett Street entrance on July 9, 2016, for SPH’s 60th Anniversary Party. (Homer News file photo, Anna Frost)

South Peninsula Hospital CEO will retire next summer

South Peninsula Hospital CEO Bob Letson is leaving Homer after nearly a decade. What he’ll remember most from his time here are all the expanded… Continue reading

South Peninsula Hospital CEO Robert Letson poses for a photo in front of the hospital’s Bartlett Street entrance on July 9, 2016, for SPH’s 60th Anniversary Party. (Homer News file photo, Anna Frost)
(Left to right) Kalista, Shaunzi and Kimbra Clements crouch in a patch of low bush cranberries Aug. 15, 2016 on Tsalteshi Trails’ Wolverine Trail in Soldotna, Alaska during the Harvest Moon Festival. (Clarion File Photo)

Celebrating on this harvest moon

The harvest moon marks the end of the growing season as the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox which marks the start of fall. This… Continue reading

(Left to right) Kalista, Shaunzi and Kimbra Clements crouch in a patch of low bush cranberries Aug. 15, 2016 on Tsalteshi Trails’ Wolverine Trail in Soldotna, Alaska during the Harvest Moon Festival. (Clarion File Photo)
Linda Hutchings (second from left), a candidate for Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor, answers a question during a forum with fellow candidates Dale Bagley (center) and Charlie Pierce (right) at the Funny River Community Center on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2017 in Funny River, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Mayoral candidates answer questions in forum

Education and the borough budget dominated the conversation at a forum for the three borough mayoral candidates in Funny River on Thursday. In October, Kenai… Continue reading

Linda Hutchings (second from left), a candidate for Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor, answers a question during a forum with fellow candidates Dale Bagley (center) and Charlie Pierce (right) at the Funny River Community Center on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2017 in Funny River, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
A blueberry bush on the Lost Lake Trail near Seward, Alaska is adorned with berries on Thursday, August 17, 2017. The Winterberry project is looking for volunteers to monitor the berries they see with a focus on lowbush cranberry, crowberry, prickly rose and highbush cranberry, although all berries, even blueberries, may be monitored. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Wanted: Berry pickers for new Winterberry project from UAF

Berry season is here, and so is an opportunity for local berry pickers to contribute information from their picking trips to the National Science Foundation’s… Continue reading

A blueberry bush on the Lost Lake Trail near Seward, Alaska is adorned with berries on Thursday, August 17, 2017. The Winterberry project is looking for volunteers to monitor the berries they see with a focus on lowbush cranberry, crowberry, prickly rose and highbush cranberry, although all berries, even blueberries, may be monitored. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

AGDC to answer long-running questions

Long lingering questions about Alaska’s North Slope gasline project should be answered eventually. The Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) has committed to providing more information… Continue reading

A look at the borough assembly and mayor races

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show that Dale Bagley represents District 4 on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly. Kenai Peninsula Borough voters… Continue reading

The arc of a clear rainbow with a faint second rainbow above it glows over the Kenai River as a group of kayakers pull into the mouth of Soldotna Creek on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. Spotty rain showers in the central Kenai Peninsula area made for a wet day Wednesday, but the clouds parted enough in the evening to allow a little sunshine through to light up the Wednesday Market in Soldotna Creek Park. More clouds descended Thursday morning, though, with occasional spurts of rain predicted for Friday through Sunday with highs in the upper 50s and lows in the high 40s. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Lynn)

Somewhere over the Kenai

The arc of a clear rainbow with a faint second rainbow above it glows over the Kenai River as a group of kayakers pull into… Continue reading

The arc of a clear rainbow with a faint second rainbow above it glows over the Kenai River as a group of kayakers pull into the mouth of Soldotna Creek on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. Spotty rain showers in the central Kenai Peninsula area made for a wet day Wednesday, but the clouds parted enough in the evening to allow a little sunshine through to light up the Wednesday Market in Soldotna Creek Park. More clouds descended Thursday morning, though, with occasional spurts of rain predicted for Friday through Sunday with highs in the upper 50s and lows in the high 40s. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Lynn)
Raindrops disturb the surface of the Kenai River as it riffles over a rock near Soldotna Creek Park on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017 near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Man charged with illegally guiding on Kenai River

A Soldotna-area man is facing charges relating to operating as a commercial sportfishing guide on the Kenai River without the proper permitting and licenses. Alaska… Continue reading

Raindrops disturb the surface of the Kenai River as it riffles over a rock near Soldotna Creek Park on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017 near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
Michele Vasquez memorializes Heather Heyer at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska on Wednesday, August 16, 2017. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Standing for love, peace and joy

More than 20 people gathered in Soldotna Creek Park on Wednesday night in memory of Heather Heyer. Heyer was killed Saturday when a man drove… Continue reading

Michele Vasquez memorializes Heather Heyer at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska on Wednesday, August 16, 2017. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

New school bus routes finalized, practice run Monday

To avoid any first day of school jitters, the Apple Bus Company will hold a practice run of the new bus routes on Monday in… Continue reading

Soldotna: Three seats, three candidates

Soldotna City Council elections are sure to bring change this October, although each of the three seats are running uncontested. Tyson Cox is running to… Continue reading

Three candidates for two Kenai council seats

Two incumbents and one challenger will be running in the October 3 election for two open seats on the seven-member Kenai City Council. Incumbents Henry… Continue reading

Bed tax fails, sales tax cap goes to ballot

Kenai Peninsula voters will consider an increase to the cap on taxable sales in the borough this fall. The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly approved a… Continue reading

Students run off some energy before taekwondo class begins at Challenge Martial Arts Studio on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 in Nikiski, Alaska. The studio, which opened in June, offers taekwondo and kickboxing classes in a renovated studio a few doors down from the M&M Supermarket on the Kenai Spur Highway. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Couple opens taekwondo studio in Nikiski

The theme of the day in the Challenge Martial Arts taekwondo class was self-control, and the students repeated the phrase in chorus while preparing for… Continue reading

Students run off some energy before taekwondo class begins at Challenge Martial Arts Studio on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 in Nikiski, Alaska. The studio, which opened in June, offers taekwondo and kickboxing classes in a renovated studio a few doors down from the M&M Supermarket on the Kenai Spur Highway. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
4-H club members guide their pigs around the barnyard during hog confirmation judging at the Kenai Peninsula State Fair in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)

Kenai Peninsula fair returns this weekend

The Kenai Peninsula racing pigs will be running through a “Tunnel of Fun” at this year’s Kenai Peninsula Fair in Ninilchik. The annual three-day event… Continue reading

4-H club members guide their pigs around the barnyard during hog confirmation judging at the Kenai Peninsula State Fair in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)
Commercial fishing boats sit anchored near the mouth of the Kenai River on Friday, July 28, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Commercialset gillnet fishermen and drift gillnet fishermen were able to go out for a fishing period Saturday after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game opened an additional period from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Most commercial fishing ends Monday

Most commercial fishing in Upper Cook Inlet ended Monday, with the set gillnet fishermen in the Kasilof section getting one extra day Tuesday. The east… Continue reading

Commercial fishing boats sit anchored near the mouth of the Kenai River on Friday, July 28, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Commercialset gillnet fishermen and drift gillnet fishermen were able to go out for a fishing period Saturday after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game opened an additional period from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Soldotna hires consultants to open annexation conversation

The city of Soldotna is continuing its research into the annexation of nearby areas currently outside of city boundaries by creating a forum for public… Continue reading

A trumpeter swan floats in the shallows of Tern Lake near the intersection of the Seward and Sterling highways Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2017 near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Midnight swim

A trumpeter swan floats in the shallows of Tern Lake near the intersection of the Seward and Sterling highways Wednesday near Cooper Landing. With the… Continue reading

A trumpeter swan floats in the shallows of Tern Lake near the intersection of the Seward and Sterling highways Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2017 near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Welles to resign from assembly

Assembly member Stan Welles has submitted his resignation from the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly. Welles submitted his resignation in a resolution to be considered by… Continue reading