A new train car is hooked to a massive crane in preparation for placement on Whistle Hill in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A new train car is hooked to a massive crane in preparation for placement on Whistle Hill in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Candidates for Alaska State Senate District C Gary Stevens, on screen, left, and Heath Smith, on screen, right, participate remotely in a forum held at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Southern peninsula State Senate candidates face off in Monday forum

Incumbent Gary Stevens and challengers Heath Smith and Walter Jones are all running for the seat

Candidates for Alaska State Senate District C Gary Stevens, on screen, left, and Heath Smith, on screen, right, participate remotely in a forum held at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A plow truck clears snow as it moves down the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A plow truck clears snow as it moves down the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

More snow forecast for central peninsula

The snow was expected to start Tuesday night

A plow truck clears snow as it moves down the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A plow truck clears snow as it moves down the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula residents eat inside Kenai River Brewing Company in Soldotna, Alaska. on May 8, 2020. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Fossils focus of upcoming fireside chat

Kenai Watershed Forum is hosting the talks through November

Kenai Peninsula residents eat inside Kenai River Brewing Company in Soldotna, Alaska. on May 8, 2020. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Signage points the way to the Swan Lake Cabin in the Chugach National Forest on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Users weigh in on plan for public use cabin

As the U.S. Forest Service prepares to expand the quality and quantity of Alaska’s public use cabins, cabin users are asking for a balance of… Continue reading

Signage points the way to the Swan Lake Cabin in the Chugach National Forest on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A girl dressed as Snow White takes candy from a witch at the Orca Theater’s Trunk or Treat in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Candy and costumes

Kids get dressed up and peninsula trick-or-treating

A girl dressed as Snow White takes candy from a witch at the Orca Theater’s Trunk or Treat in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Patrick Simpson speaks about his recycled plastic lumber project while holding a sample of the finished product at a Kenai Peninsula College Showcase on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Recovery effort turns plastic into lumber

Entrepreneur Patrick Simpson, of Alaska Plastic Recovery, has worked for much of the year with local advocacy groups like Cook Inletkeeper, Regroup, and Sustainable Seward… Continue reading

Patrick Simpson speaks about his recycled plastic lumber project while holding a sample of the finished product at a Kenai Peninsula College Showcase on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Homer hockey team celebrates the Division II state championship Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at the Curtis Mendard Sports Complex in Wasilla, Alaska. (Photo by Tim Rockey/Frontiersman)
The Homer hockey team celebrates the Division II state championship Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at the Curtis Mendard Sports Complex in Wasilla, Alaska. (Photo by Tim Rockey/Frontiersman)
The drop-off bay is seen at the Soldotna Landfill on June 27, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Assembly approves more money for borough transfer facility contracts

The Kenai Peninsula Borough needs about $654,000 more than it thought it needed

The drop-off bay is seen at the Soldotna Landfill on June 27, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Consular Masaru Aniya bestows Yasuko Lehtinen with the Foreign Minister Commendation on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, at Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Friendship, goodwill and cultural understanding

KPC professor honored for fostering relationship between Kenai Peninsula and Japan

Consular Masaru Aniya bestows Yasuko Lehtinen with the Foreign Minister Commendation on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, at Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Martha Story and David Story cruise down a hill in the Fat Freddie’s Bike Race and Ramble on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, in the Caribou Hills near Freddie’s Roadhouse. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Snomads to maintain more of Watermelon Trail

The group applied for an easement with the State of Alaska

Martha Story and David Story cruise down a hill in the Fat Freddie’s Bike Race and Ramble on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, in the Caribou Hills near Freddie’s Roadhouse. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Foliage surrounds the Soldotna Police Department sign on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The building will be the Central Peninsula site for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Drug Take Back Day to take place Saturday

The purpose is to“safely dispose of unneeded medications to prevent misuse and addiction

Foliage surrounds the Soldotna Police Department sign on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The building will be the Central Peninsula site for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Qilak the otter pup looks at the camera after a feeding session at the Alaska SeaLife Center. The otter pup was admitted as a patient on Sept. 7, 2022, after being found on top of his moribund mother. (Photo Credit: Alaska SeaLife Center)

Rescued otter pup finds new home in Chicago

Qilak was rescued by the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Wildlife Response program in early September

Qilak the otter pup looks at the camera after a feeding session at the Alaska SeaLife Center. The otter pup was admitted as a patient on Sept. 7, 2022, after being found on top of his moribund mother. (Photo Credit: Alaska SeaLife Center)
Gary Anderson fills out an early voting ballot on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, at Kenai City Hall in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Thousands of borough voters have already voted in Nov. 8 election

Federal and state races and constitutional convention question are all on the ballot

Gary Anderson fills out an early voting ballot on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, at Kenai City Hall in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Assembly members participate in a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Special mayoral election will be Feb. 14

Kenai Peninsula Borough voters will get to cast their ballots for the next borough mayor on Feb. 14 following a vote by assembly members Tuesday… Continue reading

Assembly members participate in a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Snow is cleared from the parking lot at Kenai Cinema in Kenai, Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Winter storm brings heavier, more snow than expected

Heavy snowfall hit the Central Peninsula on Tuesday, following a weather advisory by the National Weather Service that warned of up to 5 inches of… Continue reading

Snow is cleared from the parking lot at Kenai Cinema in Kenai, Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough Clerk Johni Blankenship collects ballots from assembly members during a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly retains Johnson as president, makes Cox vice president

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly voted Tuesday to retain Brent Johnson and elect Tyson Cox as president and vice president, respectively. The body’s reorganization process… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula Borough Clerk Johni Blankenship collects ballots from assembly members during a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A Homer Youth Orchestra Club rehearsal is conducted by Abimael Melendez. (Photo Courtesy Kim Fine)

Youth orchestra to bring the sounds of Halloween to costume concert

Homer OPUS’s Homer Youth String Orchestra Club will bring seasonal sounds and storytelling to the city on Sunday with Spooky Strings, a costume concert at… Continue reading

A Homer Youth Orchestra Club rehearsal is conducted by Abimael Melendez. (Photo Courtesy Kim Fine)
Alaska Gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce selects Edie Grunwald to be his running mate at a campaign event at Paradisos restaurant in Kenai on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Grunwald announced Tuesday that she was withdrawing as his running mate in response to allegations of harassment made against Pierce. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Citing Pierce harassment allegations, Grunwald suspends lieutenant governor bid

The announcement came days after Pierce and the Kenai Peninsula Borough were named as defendants in a lawsuit

Alaska Gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce selects Edie Grunwald to be his running mate at a campaign event at Paradisos restaurant in Kenai on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Grunwald announced Tuesday that she was withdrawing as his running mate in response to allegations of harassment made against Pierce. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Anchorage man dies in Sterling Highway crash

Troopers say they’re still investigating the cause and circumstances

Alaska State Troopers logo.