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The Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center hosts the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai on Nov. 28<ins>, 2025</ins>. The beloved event began over 40 years ago, and this year over 1,000 attendees enjoyed hot chocolate, fireworks, pictures with Santa and shopping. Photo courtesy of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce Photo courtesy of the Kenai Chamber of Commerce The Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center hosted the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai on Nov. 28. The beloved event began over 40 years ago, and this year over 1,000 attendees enjoyed hot chocolate, fireworks, pictures with Santa and shopping.

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Kicking off a month of holiday festivities

Last weekend’s holiday events, including the annual Christmas Comes to Kenai and the Soldotna Turkey Trot, drew folks…

Starting Dec. 2, Aleutian Airways will offer roundtrip flights between Anchorage and Unalakleet every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

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Aleutian Airways to offer roundtrip flights between Anchorage and Unalakleet

Starting Dec. 2, Aleutian Airways will offer three roundtrip flights per week.

The Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” act requires the Bureau of Ocean Energy management to hold at least six offshore oil and gas lease sales in Alaska between 2026-2028 and 2030-2032. The first of these sales — known as “Big Beautiful Cook Inlet 1,” or BBC1— is scheduled for March 2026. Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

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Cook Inletkeeper launches petition against federal government

The organization is calling for transparency in Cook Inlet offshore oil and gas sales.

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Kenai man sentenced for sexual abuse of a minor

Jeremiah Barton was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty.

State of Alaska Department of Law logo. Photo courtesy of the State of Alaska Department of Law

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Soldotna man sentenced for sexual abuse of a minor

Kris Overlander will serve 25 years in prison, followed by 20 years on felony probation.

Clayton Whisamore stands in the remnants of his Kasilof home after a wood stove fire on Nov. 10, 2025. Whisamore couldn’t afford home insurance due to limited disability income, and his friends have organized a GoFundMe to help with the rebuild. Photo courtesy of GoFundMe

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Kasilof community supports man who lost home in fire

Longtime Kasilof resident Clayton Whisamore’s home burned down on Nov. 10.

The research vessel Sikuliaq navigates Resurrection Bay on the way to its homeport at the Seward Marine Center in 2020. Photo courtesy of Sarah Spanos

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Seward-based research vessel sets sail for Antarctica

The Sikuliaq will support three research projects starting in early January.

A decorated gingerbread house awaits judgment in the Kenai Chamber of Commerce on Monday<ins>, Nov. 24, 2025</ins>. This year marks the 13th annual gingerbread house contest, and submissions are open until Dec. 8.

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Kenai chamber extends gingerbread house contest deadline

Submissions to the Kenai Chamber of Commerce gingerbread house contest are now due by Dec. 8.

Glenese Pettey speaks during a meeting of the Kenai City Council on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 in Kenai, Alaksa. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

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Kenai City Council appoints new member

Glenese Pettey was appointed to fulfill a vacant seat on the council.

The varsity wrestling team is pictured after the Robin Hervey individual tournament in Kodiak on Nov. 22, 2025. Photo courtesy of Pete Dickinson

Sports

Sports briefs: Soldotna hockey, wrestling teams secure wins at weekend tournaments

SoHi hockey won the End of the Road tournament in Homer and the wrestling team gained 20 individual…

Santa Claus greets Gemma Germann during Christmas Comes to Kenai at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

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‘The most wonderful time of the year ‘

Christmas is coming to the Kenai Peninsula. Here’s a roundup of upcoming festivities.

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks during a joint luncheon of the Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

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Ruffridge receives national bipartisanship award

The award highlights what’s possible when leaders prioritize their communities over politics.

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

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Soldotna council streamlines city election process

The Soldotna City Council last week voted to align city and state election dates and seek additional means…

The Kenai Central High School varsity volleyball team is named the 2025 3A Volleyball State Championship Tournament, held Nov. 13-15, 2025, at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. The Kardinals defeated the Nikiski Bulldogs 3-2 in a "rematch" championship game on Saturday, Nov. 15, securing their third state title in the last four years. Photo courtesy of the Kenai Volleyball Booster Club

Sports

Kenai Central takes home 3rd volleyball state title

The Kards defeated Nikiski in a rematch championship game on Saturday during the state tournament in Anchorage.

Soldotna High School wrestlers won six individual championships during the Lancer Smith Memorial wrestling tournament in Wasilla Nov. 14-15. Photo courtesy of SoHi Stars Wrestling on Facebook

Sports

SoHi wrestling sweeps Lancer Smith tourney, eyes state title

SoHi girls and boys took first and second place as teams, respectively.

The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on Monday released maps showing areas open to woodcutting by permit beginning on Nov. 19, 2025.

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Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to allow permitted firewood collection

Permitted individuals may gather up to five cords of wood beginning Nov. 19.

An orphaned sea otter pup is pictured in the Alaska SeaLife Center. Photo courtesy of Kaiti Grant | Alaska SeaLife Center

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Alaska SeaLife Center admits two rescued sea otter pups

The rescues mark an uptick in orphaned, injured and deceased sea otter reports across the state.

The aurora borealis is seen from Mendenhall Lake in Juneau on Nov. 12, 2025. A series of solar flares caused unusually bright displays of the northern lights across Alaska Tuesday and Wednesday nights. (Chloe Anderson/Peninsula Clarion)

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Out of the Office: Aurora’s performance was worth the wait

A series of solar flares caused an unusually bright display of the northern lights Wednesday night.

Volunteers gather around a captured salmon during one of Cook Inletkeeper’s Mapping Salmon Habitat Solution field days in August<ins> 2025</ins>. Every year, Cook Inletkeeper creates programs designed to get community members involved with mapping salmon habitat.

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Cook Inletkeeper program promotes community engagement

Backyard Salmonscapes aims to map undocumented salmon habitat with the help of volunteers.

Soldotna’s Gracelyn Altobelli attacks against Nikiski’s Addison Perkins on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Sports

Sports briefs: Soldotna volleyball claims third Northern Lights Region III title

The SoHi Stars will compete at the state tournament this weekend.