Jacob Dye

The Spot Arcade Games is seen in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

4 arrested in connection to alleged illegal gambling operations

Troopers executed search warrants on The Spot in Kenai and The Arctic Spot in Soldotna

The Spot Arcade Games is seen in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Bear 128 Grazer, with her recognizable blonde ears, wades through the water of the Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Felicia Jimenez/National Park Service)

Grazer named weighty winner of Fat Bear Week

Over the course of six days of voting, she proved herself the fattest bear of Katmai National Park

Bear 128 Grazer, with her recognizable blonde ears, wades through the water of the Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Felicia Jimenez/National Park Service)
The Kenai Public Health Center is seen on a cloudy Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Syphilis cases remained high in 2022

Last year, 424 cases of syphilis were reported

The Kenai Public Health Center is seen on a cloudy Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign indicates the turn for Jim’s Landing on Skilak Lake Road on Sunday, June 13, 2021, near Skilak Lake on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Refuge opens for firewood collection Friday

Cutting is limited to trees already dead and down within the designated areas

A sign indicates the turn for Jim’s Landing on Skilak Lake Road on Sunday, June 13, 2021, near Skilak Lake on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Halloween lights and iconography decorate the corridors of the Haunted Chamber at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

‘Haunted Chamber’ debuts this week

In the maze on Monday were lights, skeletons, spiders and tombstones

Halloween lights and iconography decorate the corridors of the Haunted Chamber at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Allen Burkett presents Kenai Fire Department’s Pete Coots with an award at the Kenai Elks Lodge in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Elks honor Kenai Fire Department

Receiving medals were Captain Pete Coots and Fire Marshal Jeremy Hamilton

Kenai Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Allen Burkett presents Kenai Fire Department’s Pete Coots with an award at the Kenai Elks Lodge in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai’s Spencer Maw is embraced by Logan Myers after recovering an onside kick to keep the Kardinals in the game with less than a minute on the clock during a Division III playoff game at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kardinals shock Mariners with wild comeback in final minute of DIII semi

Top seed Kenai Central defeated No. 4 Homer 21-16 on Saturday in a thrilling last-minute twist of the Division III semifinal match, after trailing for… Continue reading

Kenai’s Spencer Maw is embraced by Logan Myers after recovering an onside kick to keep the Kardinals in the game with less than a minute on the clock during a Division III playoff game at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Gehret Medcoff lands a touchdown during a Division II playoff game at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna shuts out Chugiak to make DII semis

Top seed Soldotna opened its Division II playoff run with a 56-0 victory over No. 8 Chugiak on Saturday at Justin Maile Field at Soldotna… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Gehret Medcoff lands a touchdown during a Division II playoff game at Justin Maile Field in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River’s Joe Manning moves with the puck, pursued by Anchorage’s Taisetsu Ushio during a hockey game at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Wolverines notch weekend sweep of Brown Bears

The Anchorage Wolverines swept the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday and Saturday in North American Hockey League play. Host Anchorage won 3-2 in overtime… Continue reading

Kenai River’s Joe Manning moves with the puck, pursued by Anchorage’s Taisetsu Ushio during a hockey game at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Municipal Airport is seen on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Ravn to end service in Kenai

Ravn Alaska and the Kenai Municipal Airport confirmed Friday that the airline will discontinue its Kenai service starting later this month, with the last flights… Continue reading

The Kenai Municipal Airport is seen on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Bill Holt tells a fishing tale at Odie’s Deli on Friday, June 2, 2017, in Soldotna, Alaska. Holt was among the seven storytellers in the True Tales Told Live, an occasional storytelling event co-founded by Pegge Erkeneff, Jenny Nyman and Kaitlin Vadla. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion file)
Bill Holt tells a fishing tale at Odie’s Deli on Friday, June 2, 2017, in Soldotna, Alaska. Holt was among the seven storytellers in the True Tales Told Live, an occasional storytelling event co-founded by Pegge Erkeneff, Jenny Nyman and Kaitlin Vadla. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion file)
An angler holds up a massive fish in “Jacks: A Film by Jako Lucas & Ra Beattie.” (Photo courtesy International Fly Fishing Festival)

Fishing film fest to return

The International Fly Fishing Film Festival, or IF4, will return to the Kenai Peninsula on Monday

An angler holds up a massive fish in “Jacks: A Film by Jako Lucas & Ra Beattie.” (Photo courtesy International Fly Fishing Festival)
Madeleine Yuna Voyles portrays Alphie in “The Creator.” (Photo courtesy 20th Century Studios)

On the Screen: ‘Creator’ a visual delight, thematically light

The film shows off a thought-provoking and vividly realized original setting, even if it fails to capitalize on its own ideas

Madeleine Yuna Voyles portrays Alphie in “The Creator.” (Photo courtesy 20th Century Studios)
Several pieces included in the Biennial Judged Show are seen at Kenai Art Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Art Center opens Biennial Judged Show on Friday

The show features art across a variety of mediums, including photography, painting, watercolor, sculpture and metalwork

Several pieces included in the Biennial Judged Show are seen at Kenai Art Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Some of the pumpkins submitted to the pumpkin-decorating contest are seen here during the 5th annual Kenai Fall Pumpkin Festival in Kenai, Alaska, on Oct. 10, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai’s Fall Pumpkin Fest set for Saturday

The fun actually starts early, as a central element of the festival is a pumpkin decorating contest already underway

Some of the pumpkins submitted to the pumpkin-decorating contest are seen here during the 5th annual Kenai Fall Pumpkin Festival in Kenai, Alaska, on Oct. 10, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)
Bear 747, defending Fat Bear Week Champion, stands on the bank of the Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. The winner of a Thursday matchup between Bear 128 Grazer and Bear 151 Walker will meet 747 in Fat Bear Week competition on Saturday. (Photo courtesy C. Cravatta/National Park Service)

Survival of the fattest

Paunchy ursine competitors go head-to-head in annual Fat Bear Week

Bear 747, defending Fat Bear Week Champion, stands on the bank of the Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. The winner of a Thursday matchup between Bear 128 Grazer and Bear 151 Walker will meet 747 in Fat Bear Week competition on Saturday. (Photo courtesy C. Cravatta/National Park Service)
(City of Seward)

Police standoff closes Seward Highway

Police say standoff was with ‘barricaded individual,’ not escaped inmate

(City of Seward)
A copy of "People, Paths, and Places: The Frontier History of Moose Pass, Alaska" stands in sunlight in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Moose Pass to receive award for community historical effort

“People, Paths, and Places: The Frontier History of Moose Pass, Alaska” was a collaboration among community members

A copy of "People, Paths, and Places: The Frontier History of Moose Pass, Alaska" stands in sunlight in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Dr. Tara Riemer is seen in this provided photo. (Photo courtesy Alaska SeaLife Center)

SeaLife Center president resigns

Riemer worked with the center for 20 years

Dr. Tara Riemer is seen in this provided photo. (Photo courtesy Alaska SeaLife Center)
A girl dressed as Snow White takes candy from a witch at the Orca Theater’s Trunk or Treat in Soldotna, Alaska on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

October packed with Halloween events

October brings with it fall festivities, trick-or-treating opportunities and other seasonal celebrations

A girl dressed as Snow White takes candy from a witch at the Orca Theater’s Trunk or Treat in Soldotna, Alaska on Monday, Oct. 31, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)