Soldotna

Kenai Peninsula Peace Crane Garden Trails Secretary Matthew Pyhala provides remarks at the grand opening and dedication of the trails on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Community celebrates opening of peace crane garden trails

The Kenai Peninsula Peace Crane Garden Trails are located on Marydale Avenue near Soldotna High School

Kenai Peninsula Peace Crane Garden Trails Secretary Matthew Pyhala provides remarks at the grand opening and dedication of the trails on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
From left, Soldotna City Council candidates Lisa Parker, Dave Carey, Garrett Dominick and Erick Hugarte participate in a candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna candidates talk city issues, council bids

The forum was the second of nine forums being hosted by The Peninsula Clarion and KDLL 91.9 FM

From left, Soldotna City Council candidates Lisa Parker, Dave Carey, Garrett Dominick and Erick Hugarte participate in a candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna Police Chief Dale “Gene” Meek stands in his office on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

‘Mugging’ with the chief

Soldotna’s new police head brings experience, enthusiam for community outreach

Soldotna Police Chief Dale “Gene” Meek stands in his office on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna City Attorney Brooks Chandler (center) discussess how Soldotna Creek Park can and cannot be used by members of the public during a meeting of the Soldotna City Council on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna drag debate heats up; city describes path forthward

Concerns over a June drag performance in Soldotna Creek Park escalated at Wednesday night’s meeting of the Soldotna City Council, where testimony on the performance… Continue reading

Soldotna City Attorney Brooks Chandler (center) discussess how Soldotna Creek Park can and cannot be used by members of the public during a meeting of the Soldotna City Council on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna City Council members convene for a work session to discuss how the city should use federal COVID-19 recovery funds on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna council to review mini grant applications next week

Soldotna City Council members will convene earlier than usual Wednesday to mull over applications submitted for the city’s mini grant program. Applications to that program,… Continue reading

Soldotna City Council members convene for a work session to discuss how the city should use federal COVID-19 recovery funds on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Central Emergency Services Fire Chief Roy Browning stands in the agency’s ambulance supply room on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

‘Maxed out’ CES seeks new Soldotna station

Voters to decide on $16.5 million bond question on the Oct. 4 municipal ballot

Central Emergency Services Fire Chief Roy Browning stands in the agency’s ambulance supply room on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Cars are seen at the intersection of the Kenai Spur and Sterling highways on Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. Motorists will be unable to turn from the Sterling Highway onto East Redoubt Avenue temporarily next week. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)

Construction to cause traffic detour in Soldotna next week

The work is related to a new Kendall dealership

Cars are seen at the intersection of the Kenai Spur and Sterling highways on Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. Motorists will be unable to turn from the Sterling Highway onto East Redoubt Avenue temporarily next week. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)
Vendors sell locally grown and crafted products at the Soldotna Saturday Farmers Market during the 2019 season. (Photo provided)

Soldotna to observe Farmers Market Week

The city’s market convenes every Saturday

Vendors sell locally grown and crafted products at the Soldotna Saturday Farmers Market during the 2019 season. (Photo provided)
Ashlyn O’Hara / Peninsula Clarion A construction crew works near the entrance of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on June 14.

Soldotna council puts field house on city’s Oct. 4 ballot

Voters will decide whether or not the city should incur up to $15 million in debt for the project

Ashlyn O’Hara / Peninsula Clarion A construction crew works near the entrance of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on June 14.
Riders with Alaska C&C Horse Adventures participate in the 65th annual Soldotna Progress Days Parade on Saturday, July 23, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Progress on parade

Community turns out for annual Soldotna celebration

Riders with Alaska C&C Horse Adventures participate in the 65th annual Soldotna Progress Days Parade on Saturday, July 23, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lilly Murray, left, and Stephen Lamm from the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank give a ceviche-making demonstration at Soldotna Creek Park on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Food bank kicks off Progress Days

This year’s fundraiser aims to raise 2 tons of food and fuel for the facility

Lilly Murray, left, and Stephen Lamm from the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank give a ceviche-making demonstration at Soldotna Creek Park on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
A construction crew works near the entrance of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna council to consider field house bond

The development of an indoor recreational facility has been decades in the making

A construction crew works near the entrance of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna moving forward with arts and culture plan

Arts and culture is a priority identified in Soldotna’s “Envision Soldotna 2030” plan

Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Isaac Kolesar testifies before the Soldotna City Council during a council meeting on Wednesday, July 12, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. Many attendees voiced their thoughts on a performance given by a drag queen in Soldotna Creek Park last month. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Community takes debate over drag performance to Soldotna council

Backlash has been building since late June over a video, about 10 seconds long, taken at the 2022 Soldotna Pride in the Park

Isaac Kolesar testifies before the Soldotna City Council during a council meeting on Wednesday, July 12, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. Many attendees voiced their thoughts on a performance given by a drag queen in Soldotna Creek Park last month. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Central Emergency Services staff wait to receive doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna, borough to continue 911 dispatch partnership

The assembly approved an agreement Tuesday

Central Emergency Services staff wait to receive doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A podium marks the beginning of a StoryWalk at Soldotna Creek Park on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

StoryWalk is back after vandalism

The installation was discontinued last September after someone damaged the poles and podium plexiglass

A podium marks the beginning of a StoryWalk at Soldotna Creek Park on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Central Emergency Services staff wait to receive doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly mulls bond for new CES fire station

Replacement of the current station is estimated to cost $16.5 million

Central Emergency Services staff wait to receive doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai River runs alongside a strip of land near the Sterling Highway on May 17, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. The City of Soldotna was awarded $360,000 from a federal grant program offered through the U.S. Economic Development Agency to start planning what’s been called a “main street” adjacent to the Kenai River. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna gets federal funds to plan revamped riverfront

The project, if completed, would address about 85 acres of land running along the Kenai River

The Kenai River runs alongside a strip of land near the Sterling Highway on May 17, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. The City of Soldotna was awarded $360,000 from a federal grant program offered through the U.S. Economic Development Agency to start planning what’s been called a “main street” adjacent to the Kenai River. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
A construction crew works near the entrance of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna revisits field house project

City council members and administrators convened last week to talk about the project

A construction crew works near the entrance of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Wood is piled near the entrance to Centennial Park on Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The campground was closed for most of May while the city worked with contractors to remove trees infested with spruce bark beetles from the property. Southcentral Alaska’s current spruce beetle outbreak has already affected 1.6 million acres of land, including 21,000 acres managed by the Kenai Peninsula Borough. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna beetle-kill efforts boosted by $150K grant

The city has focused recent mitigation efforts on city campgrounds

Wood is piled near the entrance to Centennial Park on Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The campground was closed for most of May while the city worked with contractors to remove trees infested with spruce bark beetles from the property. Southcentral Alaska’s current spruce beetle outbreak has already affected 1.6 million acres of land, including 21,000 acres managed by the Kenai Peninsula Borough. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)