31.0°

With the recent cool temperatures, the Kenai Peninsula is on the cusp of having its first snowfall of the season. When it comes, winter recreationists will head to the outdoors to pursue their pastime of choice.

When Les Anderson caught the world record king salmon in 1985, he put the town once popularly known as Slowdotna on the map. Anderson landed the fish near The Pillars, a fishing spot inside the Kenai city limits, but he lived in Soldotna, so Soldotna grabbed the credit. The city put a king salmon on its logo, and its chamber of commerce began hyping the town as "Home of the World Record King Salmon." From less than 200 in 1985, Kenai River guide numbers more than doubled. Soldotna, at least for a month or two each summer, bustled.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation is implementing changes to the permit hunt application system.

"Nearly all our scientific understanding stems from observing and interrogating nature at some level. Nature as a teacher does not lecture or provide study guides. Instead, natural systems appeal to our innate curiosity, with the awesome and strangely beautiful compelling us to learn as best we can."