Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel and Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander speak at the Kenai City Council meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai plans to hire new manager by end of month

Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander announced he will not be renewing his contract with the city

Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel and Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander speak at the Kenai City Council meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
From left, Alaska State House candidates Ron Gillham, Ben Carpenter and Justin Ruffridge participate in a candidate forum on Monday, Oct. 10, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Babcock, Ruffridge bring in most cash in state Senate, House races

Candidates for Legislature report financial support ahead of Tuesday

From left, Alaska State House candidates Ron Gillham, Ben Carpenter and Justin Ruffridge participate in a candidate forum on Monday, Oct. 10, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A map showing tracts available as part of an upcoming state oil and gas lease sale in Cook Inlet. (Map via Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas)
A map showing tracts available as part of an upcoming state oil and gas lease sale in Cook Inlet. (Map via Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Candidates for Alaska State House District 6 Ginger Bryant, on screen, left, and Louie Flora, 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 House candidates Zoom into Monday forum

Nonpartisan candidates Ginger Bryant and Louie Flora participated

Candidates for Alaska State House District 6 Ginger Bryant, on screen, left, and Louie Flora, 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)
Charlie Pierce, a Republican candidate for Alaska governor, answers a question during a debate, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. A lawsuit filed a day earlier by an employee when he was mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough accuses Pierce of “constant unwanted physical touching, sexual remarks and sexual advances.” Pierce declined comment on the lawsuit to The Associated Press, and said he didn’t plan to suspend his gubernatorial campaign. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)

Lawsuit details allegations of sexual harassment by former borough mayor

The suit was filed by Charlie Pierce’s former executive assistant

Charlie Pierce, a Republican candidate for Alaska governor, answers a question during a debate, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. A lawsuit filed a day earlier by an employee when he was mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough accuses Pierce of “constant unwanted physical touching, sexual remarks and sexual advances.” Pierce declined comment on the lawsuit to The Associated Press, and said he didn’t plan to suspend his gubernatorial campaign. (AP Photo / Mark Thiessen)
Graphic by Ashlyn O'Hara.

State minimum wage to increase $0.51 in January

The federal minimum wage has not increased since 2009

Graphic by Ashlyn O'Hara.
Voting booths are set up at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Voting kicks off Monday

Early, absentee in-person voting begins Monday for November election

Voting booths are set up at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
In this Aug. 25, 2017, file photo, provided by NOAA Fisheries, a newborn beluga whale calf sticks its head out of the water in upper Cook Inlet, Alaska. (NOAA Fisheries via AP, File)

BOEM proposes changes to Cook Inlet lease sale for wildlife, gillnet fishery

Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the sale must take place before the end of the year

In this Aug. 25, 2017, file photo, provided by NOAA Fisheries, a newborn beluga whale calf sticks its head out of the water in upper Cook Inlet, Alaska. (NOAA Fisheries via AP, File)
Kenai City Clerk Shellie Saner, right, swears in Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel during a Kenai City Council meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai swears in 2 new council members, Mayor Gabriel

Alex Douthit and Victoria Askin will take seats on the council

Kenai City Clerk Shellie Saner, right, swears in Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel during a Kenai City Council meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign warning residents of of bluff erosion is seen here at the end of Spur View Drive in Kenai, Alaska, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai looks to bid bluff project in April

The project, when completed, will mark the end of decadeslong efforts by the city to stabilize about 5,000 feet of bluff

A sign warning residents of of bluff erosion is seen here at the end of Spur View Drive in Kenai, Alaska, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)
Alaska State Troopers logo.
Alaska State Troopers logo.
Alaskan Republican candidates pose for a group photo at a “Get Out the Vote” rally at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. From left: Alaska Senate candidate Heath Smith; gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce; U.S. House candidate Nick Begich III; U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka; Alaska House Reps. Sarah Vance and Ron Gillham; and Alaska Senate candidate Tuckerman Babcock. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Republican political candidates rally in Soldotna

Tuesday’s lineup included Kelly Tshibaka, Nick Begich III, Charlie Pierce, Tuckerman Babcock, Heath Smith, Sarah Vance, Ron Gillham and Ben Carpenter

Alaskan Republican candidates pose for a group photo at a “Get Out the Vote” rally at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. From left: Alaska Senate candidate Heath Smith; gubernatorial candidate Charlie Pierce; U.S. House candidate Nick Begich III; U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka; Alaska House Reps. Sarah Vance and Ron Gillham; and Alaska Senate candidate Tuckerman Babcock. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)