Soldotna

Ruffridge picked to fill open Soldotna council seat

Soldotna narrows annexation options

The Soldotna City Council is refining controversial plans to expand the city limits as it prepares for a vote at its June 13 meeting whether… Continue reading

Ruffridge picked to fill open Soldotna council seat
Dogs trot around the 3 Friends Dog Park on Monday, May 21, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

A woof over their heads

A dog enjoys an off-leash romp at the 3 Friends Dog Park in Soldotna on Monday, May 21. The City of Soldotna recently installed a… Continue reading

Dogs trot around the 3 Friends Dog Park on Monday, May 21, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough and municipalities contest revenue changes

Editor's note: This story has been changed to correct Soldotna's yearly sales tax revenue.  City managers from around the Kenai Peninsula said Kenai Peninsula Borough… Continue reading

Harper Leck, 3, watches as her line and weight sink into the water at an Alaska Department of Fish and Game-stocked fish pond at the annual Sports and Rec Trade Show at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Sunday, April 29, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

A little skill, a lot of patience

Harper Leck, 3, watches as her line and weight sink into the water at an Alaska Department of Fish and Game-stocked fish pond at the… Continue reading

Harper Leck, 3, watches as her line and weight sink into the water at an Alaska Department of Fish and Game-stocked fish pond at the annual Sports and Rec Trade Show at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Sunday, April 29, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Youth Librarian Ali Jobe of the Joyce K. Carver Memorial Soldotna Public Library sits beside the canned goods and other nonperishable food items that library patrons have donated to the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank in lieu of late fees during the library’s food for fines collection drive on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. In addition to the two and a half bins of food at the library entrance, the Food Bank has already recieved 193 pounds of food since the library began collecting on April 9. Soldotna librarians will take food for fines — at an exchange rate of $1 per item — until April 14. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion).

Food for fines

Since the Joyce K. Carver Memorial Soldotna Public Library started accepting canned and other nonperishable food items in lieu of late fees on April 9,… Continue reading

Youth Librarian Ali Jobe of the Joyce K. Carver Memorial Soldotna Public Library sits beside the canned goods and other nonperishable food items that library patrons have donated to the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank in lieu of late fees during the library’s food for fines collection drive on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. In addition to the two and a half bins of food at the library entrance, the Food Bank has already recieved 193 pounds of food since the library began collecting on April 9. Soldotna librarians will take food for fines — at an exchange rate of $1 per item — until April 14. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion).

Road construction to tie up central peninsula this summer

The snow is melting, the aspens are budding and the construction contractors are gearing up to work on the Kenai Peninsula’s roads. This summer will… Continue reading

Scott Aleckson (left) clips wires to the ignition contacts of a model rocket while students at his model rocketry session observe in the parking lot of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska on Saturday, May 31, 2018. Aleckson said he made and launched his first plastic, balsa wood, and cardboard rocket as a 4th grade student at Soldotna Elementary School. Since then he’s built a custom launch system, he said, “with recycled electronics and a lot of soldering time.” Aleckson taught Saturday’s rocketry class through the Soldotna Community Schools program, and said he’d like to continue spreading the hobby. “If I could get a model rocket club going, that’d be great,” he said. “Stuff like this is much more fun in a group.” (Photo by Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

The right stuff

Soldotna Community Schools hosted a model rocketry class with instructor Scott Aleckson at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna on Saturday. Aleckson said he… Continue reading

Scott Aleckson (left) clips wires to the ignition contacts of a model rocket while students at his model rocketry session observe in the parking lot of the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska on Saturday, May 31, 2018. Aleckson said he made and launched his first plastic, balsa wood, and cardboard rocket as a 4th grade student at Soldotna Elementary School. Since then he’s built a custom launch system, he said, “with recycled electronics and a lot of soldering time.” Aleckson taught Saturday’s rocketry class through the Soldotna Community Schools program, and said he’d like to continue spreading the hobby. “If I could get a model rocket club going, that’d be great,” he said. “Stuff like this is much more fun in a group.” (Photo by Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)
Man dies after car wreck in Soldotna

Man dies after car wreck in Soldotna

A Soldotna man has died after a car wreck on the Sterling Highway near Fred Meyer on Tuesday morning. Jeffery Moore, 20, was pronounced dead at… Continue reading

Man dies after car wreck in Soldotna
As burial space decreases in Kenai’s cemetery — pictured here on March 17, 2017 — the Kenai City Council is taking steps on a long-planned expansion. On Wednesday council members voted unanomously to fund engineering plans for converting the vacant lot adjacent to the existing cemetery across Floatplane Road into new cemetery grounds. Construction of the expansion may begin this year. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai funds cemetery expansion plans

As burial space shrinks in the Kenai cemetery on Floatplane Road, the city government is taking steps toward the long-planned construction of new cemetery space… Continue reading

As burial space decreases in Kenai’s cemetery — pictured here on March 17, 2017 — the Kenai City Council is taking steps on a long-planned expansion. On Wednesday council members voted unanomously to fund engineering plans for converting the vacant lot adjacent to the existing cemetery across Floatplane Road into new cemetery grounds. Construction of the expansion may begin this year. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

Local governments try again for central peninsula fish board meeting

Editor's note: This story has been changed to clarify the Board of Fish's meeting location decision at their October 2017 worksession. Advocates are again seeking… Continue reading

Soccer players vie for the ball during a game of futsal hosted by the Soldotna Community Schools program on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. Futsal, a type of soccer, is a South American tradition in which players compete on a hard court rather than on turf for short games with five people on each team. Joel Todd, who coordinates the Community Schools program for the city of Soldotna, said the games on Wednesdays attract people of both genders and a variety of ages. Kids play from 6&

Square off

Soccer players vie for the ball during a game of futsal hosted by the Soldotna Community Schools program on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 in Soldotna,… Continue reading

Soccer players vie for the ball during a game of futsal hosted by the Soldotna Community Schools program on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 in Soldotna, Alaska. Futsal, a type of soccer, is a South American tradition in which players compete on a hard court rather than on turf for short games with five people on each team. Joel Todd, who coordinates the Community Schools program for the city of Soldotna, said the games on Wednesdays attract people of both genders and a variety of ages. Kids play from 6&

Soldotna opts for DIY with new flooring

The city of Soldotna has elected the ‘do-it-yourself’ fix to replace the damaged flooring used to cover the ice rink for events held at the… Continue reading

Queen offered role of Soldotna City Manager

The Soldotna City Council voted unanimously to offer Stephanie Queen, the city’s director of economic development and planning, the position of city manager. Queen has… Continue reading

Marching for justice, again

Marching for justice, again

As hundreds of thousands of people in cities around the world rallied this weekend on the anniversary of the 2017 presidential inauguration, local residents turned… Continue reading

Marching for justice, again
With the shop’s distinctive painted cieling panels above her, barrista Sarah Rawson steams milk to make a latte at Kaladi Brother’s Coffee during a busy evening on Saturday, Jan. 13 in Soldotna. Rawson and fellow barrista Hallie Riddall practiced latte art — creating designs by carefully and precisely pouring steamed milk into coffee — between serving customers Saturday evening. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

Kaladi’s Krew

With the shop’s distinctive painted ceiling panels above her, barista Sarah Rawson steams milk to make a latte at Kaladi Brother’s Coffee during a busy… Continue reading

With the shop’s distinctive painted cieling panels above her, barrista Sarah Rawson steams milk to make a latte at Kaladi Brother’s Coffee during a busy evening on Saturday, Jan. 13 in Soldotna. Rawson and fellow barrista Hallie Riddall practiced latte art — creating designs by carefully and precisely pouring steamed milk into coffee — between serving customers Saturday evening. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna to tackle annexation in the new year

Soldotna City Council has reached the end of the annexation process laid out by city administration more than two years ago and plan to make… Continue reading

Soldotna extends marijuana moratorium to February

Soldotna has a couple more months to figure out what the city’s rules and regulations in regards to marijuana will be. The moratorium on commercial… Continue reading

Soldotna to hear results of annexation report

At tonight’s work session on Soldotna’s annexation efforts, the city council will discuss the findings from a public engagement report based on the input of… Continue reading

Soldotna’s winter wonderland

Soldotna’s winter wonderland

There is no shortage of hot chocolate and Christmas trees on the Kenai Peninsula this holiday season, especially at Soldotna’s Christmas in the Park. On… Continue reading

Soldotna’s winter wonderland
Police warn of phone scam

Police warn of phone scam

The Soldotna Police Department is warning people to hang up the phone in light of a new scam circulating the area. Members of the public… Continue reading

Police warn of phone scam