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Nicole Schmitt (in yellow), director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, points out belugas for attendees of Belugas Count! on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Belugas make a splash at annual count

The belugas were close enough that they could be spotted even without using cameras or binoculars

Nicole Schmitt (in yellow), director of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, points out belugas for attendees of Belugas Count! on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
In this image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, an aerial view taken during a search and rescue and damage assessment in Deering, Alaska, shows the damage caused by Typhoon Merbok, on Sept. 18, 2022. Authorities are making contact with some of the most remote villages in the United States to determine the need for food and water and assess damage from a massive weekend storm that flooded communities dotting Alaska’s vast western coast. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Ian Gray/U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

Damage assessments begin in flooded remote Alaska villages

No one has been reported injured or killed during the massive storm

  • Sep 19, 2022
  • By Mark Thiessen Associted Press
  • State News
In this image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, an aerial view taken during a search and rescue and damage assessment in Deering, Alaska, shows the damage caused by Typhoon Merbok, on Sept. 18, 2022. Authorities are making contact with some of the most remote villages in the United States to determine the need for food and water and assess damage from a massive weekend storm that flooded communities dotting Alaska’s vast western coast. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Ian Gray/U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
Registered pharmacist Sapana Patel holds a bottle of Monkeypox vaccine at a Pop-Up Monkeypox vaccination site on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in West Hollywood, Calif. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

State expands monkeypox vaccine eligibility

More than 450 first doses of the vaccine have been administered in Alaska as of Monday

Registered pharmacist Sapana Patel holds a bottle of Monkeypox vaccine at a Pop-Up Monkeypox vaccination site on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in West Hollywood, Calif. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)
Tyler Cordes. (Photo courtesy Homer Police)

Man charged in 2021 vehicle death

Police seek whereabouts of Tyler Cordes, charged with murder, manslaughter in death of Drew Brown.

Tyler Cordes. (Photo courtesy Homer Police)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Nikiski man charged with mother’s murder

The 20-year-old could face as many as 104 years in prison if convicted

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Fishing season wraps up

Waters in the Kenai River are high and cloudy

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Rep. Mary Peltola is followed by her staff and members of the media at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Monday, a day before she was sworn in after winning Alaska’s special election in August. As as result of her win she has since far outraised the two Republican challengers she will again face in the November general election. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)

Peltola nets huge financial catch

Filings show $1.5M raised for most recent period , Palin $250K, Begich $118K

Rep. Mary Peltola is followed by her staff and members of the media at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Monday, a day before she was sworn in after winning Alaska’s special election in August. As as result of her win she has since far outraised the two Republican challengers she will again face in the November general election. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
Kenai Peninsula College Advancement Programs Manager Alasha Brito unveils a new framed photo that hangs at the entryway of the newly dedicated Alan ‘Tiqutsex’ Boraas Anthropology Lab at KPC on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. A new plaque and a piece of artwork to commemorate Boraas also hang by the entryway. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Remembering a ‘trailblazer’

Anthropology lab dedicated to late professor Alan Boraas

Kenai Peninsula College Advancement Programs Manager Alasha Brito unveils a new framed photo that hangs at the entryway of the newly dedicated Alan ‘Tiqutsex’ Boraas Anthropology Lab at KPC on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. A new plaque and a piece of artwork to commemorate Boraas also hang by the entryway. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Seadrone photo showing stone fish trap found in Shakan Bay on the west side of Prince of Wales could potentially be oldest ever found in the world. The structure was first discovered in 2010 and officially confirmed as a stone weir earlier this year. (Courtesy Photo / Sealaska Heritage)

Ancient weir sheds new light on Alaska Native history

Stone fish trap dates to at least 11,100 years ago, according to scientists.

Seadrone photo showing stone fish trap found in Shakan Bay on the west side of Prince of Wales could potentially be oldest ever found in the world. The structure was first discovered in 2010 and officially confirmed as a stone weir earlier this year. (Courtesy Photo / Sealaska Heritage)
Nurse Tracy Silta draws a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the walk-in clinic at the intersection of the Kenai Spur and Sterling Highways in Soldotna, Alaska on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Updated COVID booster now available around peninsula

The bivalent vaccine contains targets both the original COVID-19 strain and the current BA.4 and BA.5 sub variants of Omicron

Nurse Tracy Silta draws a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the walk-in clinic at the intersection of the Kenai Spur and Sterling Highways in Soldotna, Alaska on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Wood is piled near the entrance to Centennial Park on Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

More state money rolls in for Soldotna spruce bark beetle mitigation

The $200,000 accepted by council members Wednesday comes from the Alaska Division of Forestry

Wood is piled near the entrance to Centennial Park on Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Republican Nick Begich, left, responds to a question at Thursday's candidate forum for Alaska's U.S. House candidates, hosted by Southeast Conference in Ketchikan. Republican Sarah Palin participated in the forum by teleconference. Southeast Conference Executive Director Robert Venables, right, acted as the moderator of the forum. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola was unable to participate in the forum but briefly provided an update to conference attendees remotely later in the day. (Sam Stockbridge / Ketchikan Daily News)

U.S. House candidates positive — to a point

Republicans Nick Begich III and Sarah Palin participate in a candidate forum focusing on Southeast Alaska

Republican Nick Begich, left, responds to a question at Thursday's candidate forum for Alaska's U.S. House candidates, hosted by Southeast Conference in Ketchikan. Republican Sarah Palin participated in the forum by teleconference. Southeast Conference Executive Director Robert Venables, right, acted as the moderator of the forum. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola was unable to participate in the forum but briefly provided an update to conference attendees remotely later in the day. (Sam Stockbridge / Ketchikan Daily News)
Joel Caldwell shows off the new Tecnam Traveller on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Aviation ready to take off

The local airline begins scheduled commuter service Oct. 3

Joel Caldwell shows off the new Tecnam Traveller on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
This image provided by the National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows a satellite view over Alaska, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. A vast swath of western Alaska could see flooding and high winds as the remnants of Typhoon Merbok move toward the Bering Sea region. The National Weather Service had in place coastal flood warnings, beginning Friday, spanning from parts of the Yukon Delta in southwest Alaska up to St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea and to the Bering Strait coast. (NOAA via AP)

Western Alaska braces for strong storm, possible floods

The agency warned Thursday that water levels in Nome could be up to 11 feet above the normal high tide line

  • Sep 15, 2022
  • By Becky Bohrer Associated Press
  • State News
This image provided by the National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows a satellite view over Alaska, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. A vast swath of western Alaska could see flooding and high winds as the remnants of Typhoon Merbok move toward the Bering Sea region. The National Weather Service had in place coastal flood warnings, beginning Friday, spanning from parts of the Yukon Delta in southwest Alaska up to St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea and to the Bering Strait coast. (NOAA via AP)
Pollworkers Carol Louthan, center, and Harmony Bolden work at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Absentee in-person voting starts Monday for Oct. 4 election

The Soldotna Prep School building has ballot styles for all Kenai Peninsula Borough precincts

Pollworkers Carol Louthan, center, and Harmony Bolden work at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
As about 200 people watch, the 19th annual Burning Basket, "Breathe," catches fire on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, at Mariner Park on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Just breathe

Annual Homer Burning Basket lights up the Spit on Sunday night

As about 200 people watch, the 19th annual Burning Basket, "Breathe," catches fire on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, at Mariner Park on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
This combination photo shows gubernatorial candidates Les Gara and Bill Walker. Gara, a former Democratic state lawmaker, and Walker, former independent governor of Alaska, took questions Wednesday during a forum held as part of the annual Southeast Conference meeting in Ketchikan. Both candidates noted the absence of incumbent Gov, Mike Dunleavy, who has been a no-show at several recent forums. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Walker, Gara largely agree on Southeast issues — and governor’s absence

Dunleavy again absent at candidate forum as two other contenders talk ferries, fish and finances

This combination photo shows gubernatorial candidates Les Gara and Bill Walker. Gara, a former Democratic state lawmaker, and Walker, former independent governor of Alaska, took questions Wednesday during a forum held as part of the annual Southeast Conference meeting in Ketchikan. Both candidates noted the absence of incumbent Gov, Mike Dunleavy, who has been a no-show at several recent forums. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
Alaska lieutenant governor candidates Jessica Cook (left) and Edie Grunwald (right) participate in a forum at the Kenai Chamber of Commberce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Grunwald, Cook split on state issues at Wednesday forum

Lieutenant governor candidates Heidi Drygas and Nancy Dahlstrom did not attend Wednesday’s forum

Alaska lieutenant governor candidates Jessica Cook (left) and Edie Grunwald (right) participate in a forum at the Kenai Chamber of Commberce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

State reports 25 additional deaths, 66 hospitalizations

For the period of Sept. 7 to Sept. 13, 1,494 new COVID-19 cases were reported

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Soldotna Public Works Director Kyle Kornelis, right, answers questions from Jeff Dolifka, left, regarding the Soldotna Field House on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Supporters look to boost field house project ahead of vote

A different bond proposition to fund the field house failed by 18 votes

Soldotna Public Works Director Kyle Kornelis, right, answers questions from Jeff Dolifka, left, regarding the Soldotna Field House on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)