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The distillery of the Kenai River Brewing Company in Soldotna, Alaska, is seen in April 2018. Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed into law Senate Bill 9 on Thursday, June 16, 2022. Sponsored by Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, the bill overhauls state’s alcohol regulations, including creating several new retail license types, such as for breweries, wineries and distilleries, and allowing those businesses to stay open later. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Comprehensive alcohol bill signed into law

The bill, 10 years in the making, was sponsored by Sen. Peter Micciche

The distillery of the Kenai River Brewing Company in Soldotna, Alaska, is seen in April 2018. Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed into law Senate Bill 9 on Thursday, June 16, 2022. Sponsored by Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, the bill overhauls state’s alcohol regulations, including creating several new retail license types, such as for breweries, wineries and distilleries, and allowing those businesses to stay open later. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
An area cleared to make way for the Cooper Landing bypass project can be seen above the intersection of the Kenai River and Kenai Lake in Cooper Landing, Alaska, on Sept. 6, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Preservation efforts advance along Cooper Landing highway project

67 acres of wetland habitat was conserved around the Sterling Highway Milepost 45-60 project

An area cleared to make way for the Cooper Landing bypass project can be seen above the intersection of the Kenai River and Kenai Lake in Cooper Landing, Alaska, on Sept. 6, 2021. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Mary Peltola, a Democrat seeking the sole U.S. House seat in Alaska, speaks during a forum for candidates, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska.Voters are whittling down the list of 48 candidates running for Alaska’s only U.S. House seat, with the top four vote-getters in a special primary on Saturday, June 11, advancing to an August special election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)

AP calls 4th primary spot for Peltola; Palin still leads

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Republican Nick Begich and Al Gross fill the other three spots

Mary Peltola, a Democrat seeking the sole U.S. House seat in Alaska, speaks during a forum for candidates, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska.Voters are whittling down the list of 48 candidates running for Alaska’s only U.S. House seat, with the top four vote-getters in a special primary on Saturday, June 11, advancing to an August special election. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)
A video exhibit plays as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol continues to reveal its findings of a year-long investigation, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, June 13, 2022. The 1/6 committee is set to plunge into Donald Trump’s last-ditch effort to salvage the 2020 election by pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject the electoral count — a highly unusual and potentially illegal strategy that was set in motion in the run-up to the Capitol riot. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Panel sharpens focus on Trump’s ‘crazy’ Jan. 6 plan

Trump’s closest advisers viewed his last-ditch efforts to halt congressional certification of his loss as “nuts,” “crazy” and even likely to incite riots if Pence followed through

  • Jun 16, 2022
  • By LISA MASCARO and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
  • State News
A video exhibit plays as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol continues to reveal its findings of a year-long investigation, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, June 13, 2022. The 1/6 committee is set to plunge into Donald Trump’s last-ditch effort to salvage the 2020 election by pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject the electoral count — a highly unusual and potentially illegal strategy that was set in motion in the run-up to the Capitol riot. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Signage marks the entrance of the City of Kenai’s slash disposal site on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai slash site up and running

The site gives locals a place to get rid of their personal slash, including trees killed by spruce bark beetles

Signage marks the entrance of the City of Kenai’s slash disposal site on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

Large portion of unexpected Alaska deaths in 2020 and 2021 directly tied to COVID-19

Pandemic increased premature deaths among non-elderly adults, report says

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Mary Peltola, a Democrat seeking the sole U.S. House seat in Alaska, speaks during a forum for candidates, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. Christopher Constant plans to withdraw as a candidate for the August primary for Alaska’s U.S. House seat and support Peltola. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)

Constant plans to withdraw as House candidate, back Peltola

Peltola currently sits in fourth place in last Saturday’s special primary, several thousand votes ahead of Republican Tara Sweeney

Mary Peltola, a Democrat seeking the sole U.S. House seat in Alaska, speaks during a forum for candidates, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska. Christopher Constant plans to withdraw as a candidate for the August primary for Alaska’s U.S. House seat and support Peltola. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)
The entrance to the Kenai Municipal Cemetery is seen on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai cemetery expansion complete; moratorium on plot sales lifted

Council members approved sweeping changes to city code about cemeteries on Wednesday

The entrance to the Kenai Municipal Cemetery is seen on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Artwork up for auction is displayed at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank as part of its Spring Festival celebration on Thursday, June 16, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Solstice brings celebration to peninsula

The Kenai Peninsula Food Bank is hosting its Spring Festival fundraiser on Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Artwork up for auction is displayed at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank as part of its Spring Festival celebration on Thursday, June 16, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
From left: Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander and Kenai Vice Mayor Jim Glendening discuss legislation during an at-ease at a council meeting on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council OKs comprehensive inventory of city land

The “City of Kenai Land Management Inventory and Recommendations” is meant to be a “city-wide approach” to managing land owned by the city

From left: Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander and Kenai Vice Mayor Jim Glendening discuss legislation during an at-ease at a council meeting on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Salmon dries on a traditional rack on the beach in the Seward Peninsula village of Teller on Sept. 2, 2021. Salmon is a dietary staple for Indigenous residents of Western Alaska, and poor runs have created hardship. (Photo and caption by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Fishery managers call for deeper look at salmon bycatch, but decline to tighten rules

Incidental catches of salmon in nets harvesting pollock have skyrocketed, but scientists say that is not the driver of poor returns

Salmon dries on a traditional rack on the beach in the Seward Peninsula village of Teller on Sept. 2, 2021. Salmon is a dietary staple for Indigenous residents of Western Alaska, and poor runs have created hardship. (Photo and caption by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Tyson Cox, left, speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly approves annual budget, mill rate decrease

The budget was unanimously approved last week

Tyson Cox, left, speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire This photo shows Sít’ Eetí Shaanáx - Glacier Valley School on Tuesday evening. The school is one of three sites of the Juneau School District’s RALLY program. On Tuesday, children were served floor sealant instead of milk during breakfast at the school’s RALLY site.

Pouches of milk, chemicals delivered side-by-side

12 kids drink toxic fluid after supplies mistakenly delivered to school district on same pallet

Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire This photo shows Sít’ Eetí Shaanáx - Glacier Valley School on Tuesday evening. The school is one of three sites of the Juneau School District’s RALLY program. On Tuesday, children were served floor sealant instead of milk during breakfast at the school’s RALLY site.
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

New COVID cases down from last week

Nationally, the 14-day change rate of newly reported COVID cases has increased by 7%

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
People visit at the Loved & Lost Memorial Bench on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, for a memorial for Anesha “Duffy” Murnane and the dedication of the bench. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Memorial honors Murnane, other missing and murdered people

Event also included dedication of Loved Lost Memorial Bench

People visit at the Loved & Lost Memorial Bench on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, for a memorial for Anesha “Duffy” Murnane and the dedication of the bench. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
A health care professional prepares to administer a COVID-19 test outside Capstone Clinic in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. Capstone announced Wednesday it will end public COVID-19 testing at the end of the month. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Capstone to discontinue public COVID testing

The public COVID-19 testing program will end at the end of the month

A health care professional prepares to administer a COVID-19 test outside Capstone Clinic in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. Capstone announced Wednesday it will end public COVID-19 testing at the end of the month. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Former Alaska Governor and current Congressional hopeful Sarah Palin speaks with attendees at a meet and greet event outside of Ginger’s Restaurant on Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

AP: Palin, Begich and Gross to head to special election

The candidate order has not changed since Saturday, though Palin’s share of votes dropped slightly

Former Alaska Governor and current Congressional hopeful Sarah Palin speaks with attendees at a meet and greet event outside of Ginger’s Restaurant on Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Traffic passes through the “Y” intersection of the Kenai Spur and Sterling highways on Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Kenaitze Indian Tribe this week announced plans for its fixed-route bus service, which would run between Nikiski and Sterling. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenaitze announces plans for public bus route

Kahtnu Area Transit will offer service between Nikiski and Sterling

Traffic passes through the “Y” intersection of the Kenai Spur and Sterling highways on Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Kenaitze Indian Tribe this week announced plans for its fixed-route bus service, which would run between Nikiski and Sterling. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion file)
Hazy skies are seen as the sun sets on Cook Inlet, seen from South Kenai Beach, on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Wildfires in western Alaska pushed smoke to the Southcentral area over the weekend. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Lower Yukon River wildfire is among Alaska’s largest tundra fires on record

It is also part of a trend of increasingly frequent tundra fires in that region

  • Jun 14, 2022
  • By Yereth Rosen Alaska Beacon
  • State News
Hazy skies are seen as the sun sets on Cook Inlet, seen from South Kenai Beach, on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Wildfires in western Alaska pushed smoke to the Southcentral area over the weekend. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
A group spanning the length of five blocks marches in downtown Soldotna, Alaska, to celebrate Pride Month on Saturday, June 12, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Pride coming to Soldotna on Friday

The event will begin at 5:45 p.m. on Friday with a march from the Sports Complex to Soldotna Creek Park

A group spanning the length of five blocks marches in downtown Soldotna, Alaska, to celebrate Pride Month on Saturday, June 12, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)