Victoria Petersen

Matthew Martinelli, a volunteer at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank Spring Festival and Fundraiser, helps cook brats and hot dogs for the event’s free picnic, Friday, May 31, 2019, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

It’s a picnic

Food bank gives back to community

Matthew Martinelli, a volunteer at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank Spring Festival and Fundraiser, helps cook brats and hot dogs for the event’s free picnic, Friday, May 31, 2019, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Public to weigh in on bed tax

Public to weigh in on bed tax

The 12% bed tax would affect temporary lodging, which includes motels, hotels and B&Bs

Public to weigh in on bed tax
The Kenai Peninsula Borough building, pictured Sept. 12, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly considers repealing voter ratification on sales tax cap increase

Any increase in the maximum sales tax may not take effect until ratified by voters during borough elections.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough building, pictured Sept. 12, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Gray whale found dead in Clam Gulch, 4th in Alaska so far this year

Gray whale found dead in Clam Gulch, 4th in Alaska so far this year

Biologists have been waiting for a minus tide to reach the whale so they can perform a necropsy

Gray whale found dead in Clam Gulch, 4th in Alaska so far this year
Orange Poppy, one of several businesses that have improved their storefronts with the help of Soldotna’s Storefront Improvement Program, is photographed Wednesday, May 29, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. The improvement program awards grants to local businesses wanting to beautify their building’s exterior. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Sprucing up Soldotna

Applications for Soldotna storefront improvement grant due June 14

Orange Poppy, one of several businesses that have improved their storefronts with the help of Soldotna’s Storefront Improvement Program, is photographed Wednesday, May 29, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. The improvement program awards grants to local businesses wanting to beautify their building’s exterior. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kachemak-Selo Middle-High School building sits against a backdrop of the ridge separating the village from the Kenai Peninsula Borough road system Thursday, Aug. 30 in Kachemak-Selo. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Voters unlikely to see K-Selo bonds on the ballot again

Assembly looking to other options for funding

The Kachemak-Selo Middle-High School building sits against a backdrop of the ridge separating the village from the Kenai Peninsula Borough road system Thursday, Aug. 30 in Kachemak-Selo. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Families were invited to place flowers and wreaths in remembrance of fallen service members at Kenai’s Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 27, 2019, at Leif Hansen Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Remembering the fallen

Community gathers to observe Memorial Day

Families were invited to place flowers and wreaths in remembrance of fallen service members at Kenai’s Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 27, 2019, at Leif Hansen Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Molly Blakeley holds up one of her maple bacon cookies that comes in her Molly B’S Bingerz cookie subscription boxes, Thursday, May 16, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotnan’s booze-infused cookies go big

Local business owner turns cookie mogul

Molly Blakeley holds up one of her maple bacon cookies that comes in her Molly B’S Bingerz cookie subscription boxes, Thursday, May 16, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly fails to overturn mayor’s veto of education funds

The supplemental funding ordinance was an effort to keep some of the district’s non-tenured teachers.

Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Graduate Emerald Miller receives her high school diploma from her parents at the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Connections home school program graduation ceremony, Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)                                Graduate Emerald Miller receives her high school diploma from her parents at the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Connections home-school program graduation ceremony, Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Heading for new opportunities

Connections home-school graduates look to the future

Graduate Emerald Miller receives her high school diploma from her parents at the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Connections home school program graduation ceremony, Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)                                Graduate Emerald Miller receives her high school diploma from her parents at the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Connections home-school program graduation ceremony, Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna High School graduates wait to walk across the stage at Wednesday’s ceremony May 22, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi ‘remembers the moments’

‘There’s a lot of things about high school that I just loved’

Soldotna High School graduates wait to walk across the stage at Wednesday’s ceremony May 22, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Sarina Wilkinson stands with her current Microsoft Specialist certifications, Wilkinson is currently working toward her last one on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at Soldotna Prep School in Soldotna, Alaska.

District certifies hundreds in Microsoft Expert courses

The district became a Microsoft Certification Testing Center two years ago

Sarina Wilkinson stands with her current Microsoft Specialist certifications, Wilkinson is currently working toward her last one on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at Soldotna Prep School in Soldotna, Alaska.
Kenai peninsula Borough School District administration, members from the Kenai Peninsula Education Association and the Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association meet at a collective bargaining session to continue contract negotiations for employees who have been without contracts for a year, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

School district employees vote to strike

75% of certified staff voted “yes” on a walkout

Kenai peninsula Borough School District administration, members from the Kenai Peninsula Education Association and the Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association meet at a collective bargaining session to continue contract negotiations for employees who have been without contracts for a year, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula College supporters hold a sign in the back of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Chambers at Tuesday’s meeting, May 21, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough Assembly moves to boost KPC funding

‘Your dollars help us fund a place rich with education for these students so they don’t have to leave’

Kenai Peninsula College supporters hold a sign in the back of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Chambers at Tuesday’s meeting, May 21, 2019, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
John Wachtel, a former National Parks Service employee, places new cedar shingles on the roof of the Saint Nicholas Memorial Chapel as part of new restorative efforts, on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Old Town Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai’s historic chapel gets makeover

Restoration efforts underway at Saint Nicholas chapel

John Wachtel, a former National Parks Service employee, places new cedar shingles on the roof of the Saint Nicholas Memorial Chapel as part of new restorative efforts, on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, in Old Town Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District employees hold signs for a fair contract at Thursday’s special board of education meeting, May 16, 2019, In Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

District employees take vote on whether to strike

A majority vote would authorize the strike.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District employees hold signs for a fair contract at Thursday’s special board of education meeting, May 16, 2019, In Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Caroline Huber graduated from the IDEA Homeschool program, Saturday, May 18, 2019, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

A unique ceremony for a unique school

IDEA home-school students graduate

Caroline Huber graduated from the IDEA Homeschool program, Saturday, May 18, 2019, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District employees hold signs for a fair contract at Thursday’s special board of education meeting, May 16, 2019, In Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

School board approves some non-tenure teacher contracts

The jobs weren’t secure due to fiscal uncertainty around Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed budget

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District employees hold signs for a fair contract at Thursday’s special board of education meeting, May 16, 2019, In Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
(File photo)

Schools briefs for the week of May 20, 2019

What’s happening this week

(File photo)
Assembly members Kenn Carpenter and Brent Hibbert discuss Ordinance 2019-03 at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Meeting in Soldotna on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough to take public comment on FY 2020 budget

State fiscal uncertainty played a role in the borough’s proposed budget.

Assembly members Kenn Carpenter and Brent Hibbert discuss Ordinance 2019-03 at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Meeting in Soldotna on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)