News

Kenai City Council members Henry Knackstedt, left, and James Baisden participate in a council meeting on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai mulls ending Zoom participation for city meetings

The service was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic

Kenai City Council members Henry Knackstedt, left, and James Baisden participate in a council meeting on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Gavel (Courtesy photo)

Kenai dentist charged with 84 counts of tax evasion, fraud

The indictment was made public April 28 for Glenn and Saray Lockwood

Gavel (Courtesy photo)
Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File A Carnival Cruise Lines vessel similar to one due in Juneau following a COVID outbreak aboard steams past Douglas in 2021.

City contacting ship on way to town following COVID outbreak

The ship, due to arrive here Saturday, experienced an outbreak enroute from Miami to Seattle.

Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire File A Carnival Cruise Lines vessel similar to one due in Juneau following a COVID outbreak aboard steams past Douglas in 2021.
Joe Spady as Algnernon Moncrieff, left, and Devin Boyle as Jack Worthing rehearse a scene from the Kenai Performers’ production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kalifornsky, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kenai Performers)

‘A trivial show for very serious people’

Kenai Performers takes on Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Joe Spady as Algnernon Moncrieff, left, and Devin Boyle as Jack Worthing rehearse a scene from the Kenai Performers’ production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Kalifornsky, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kenai Performers)
Assembly member Richard Derkevorkian (second from right) speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Voters to decide whether to add 2 seats to board of education, assembly

The goal of reapportionment is to get the population of each assembly and board of education district as close to a “target population” as possible

Assembly member Richard Derkevorkian (second from right) speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lawmakers held a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, to vote to confirm Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s appointments to state boards and commissions. All nominees were confirmed. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Lawmakers confirm Dunleavy appointees, work on PFD

Senate attempts to rework dividend formula

Lawmakers held a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, to vote to confirm Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s appointments to state boards and commissions. All nominees were confirmed. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander, left, speaks during a “State of the City” address while Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel looks on at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Officials: Kenai sees strong sales growth, business climate

City leaders gave their fourth “State of the City” address Wednesday

Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander, left, speaks during a “State of the City” address while Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel looks on at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sterling Elementary School Principal Denise Kelly speaks at a surprise assembly held at the school to celebrate her being named Alaska Elementary Principal of the Year on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Sterling, Alaska. On the right, Kelly’s daughter, Freya, attends. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Making a place where staff and students want to be

Sterling principal recognized in surprise ceremony

Sterling Elementary School Principal Denise Kelly speaks at a surprise assembly held at the school to celebrate her being named Alaska Elementary Principal of the Year on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Sterling, Alaska. On the right, Kelly’s daughter, Freya, attends. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Birders check out shorebirds on the outgoing tide on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at Mud Bay on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Put on your boots and grab your binoculars — It’s Shorebird Festival

This year is the 30th anniversary of the festival

Birders check out shorebirds on the outgoing tide on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at Mud Bay on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Lisa Denny wears “The Handmaid’s Tale”-inspired garb while holding a sign stating “I stand with Planned Parenthood” during a protest held near the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, May 3, following a leaked draft of a Supreme Court decision that would overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade.

What does the leaked Supreme Court draft mean for Alaska?

Abortion access would remain, but elections and appointments would be heated

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Lisa Denny wears “The Handmaid’s Tale”-inspired garb while holding a sign stating “I stand with Planned Parenthood” during a protest held near the Alaska State Capitol on Tuesday, May 3, following a leaked draft of a Supreme Court decision that would overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issues a community alert about the relationship between fentanyl and fatal drug overdoses at a press conference at the True North Recovery and Wellness Center in Wasilla, Alaska, on May 4, 2022. (Screenshot)

Dunleavy spotlights dangers of fentanyl

The governor calls for harsher punishments for dealers as overdose deaths rise

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issues a community alert about the relationship between fentanyl and fatal drug overdoses at a press conference at the True North Recovery and Wellness Center in Wasilla, Alaska, on May 4, 2022. (Screenshot)
A vintage Underwood typewriter sits on a table on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at the Homer News in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Peninsula media win Alaska Press Club awards

Awards include sweep of COVID-19 reporting category

A vintage Underwood typewriter sits on a table on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, at the Homer News in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
The Peninsula Community Health Center has a Mobile Mammography coming to Kenai on Thursday, May 5. (Promotional image)

Providence mammography unit coming to Kenai

The mobile unit will be at the Peninsula Community Health Services Kenai Clinic starting at 9 a.m. Thursday

The Peninsula Community Health Center has a Mobile Mammography coming to Kenai on Thursday, May 5. (Promotional image)
The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Board OKs raises for more district admin

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s coordinators and assistant superintendent will get raises

The logo for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is displayed inside the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Senate Judiciary Committee moved a bill that would ban transgender student athletes from competing on teams of the sex they identify with on Monday, May 2, 2022. The bill could go to a floor vote sometime this week. (Screenshot)

Transgender sports bill ready for Senate vote

Senate Bill was moved out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday

The Senate Judiciary Committee moved a bill that would ban transgender student athletes from competing on teams of the sex they identify with on Monday, May 2, 2022. The bill could go to a floor vote sometime this week. (Screenshot)
Teslas charge at Alaska’s first Tesla Supercharger station on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Tesla Supercharger brings high-speed EV charging to Soldotna

Teslas from around the state charged at the Soldotna station on Saturday

Teslas charge at Alaska’s first Tesla Supercharger station on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire From left to right: Willard Jackson, Dennis Jack and Bill Thomas, Alaska Native veterans from Southeast Alaska who met with lawmakers at the Alaska State Capitol on Friday, April 29, to discuss their issues getting land allotments from the federal government. Jackson and Thomas are veterans of the Vietnam War who are eligbile for land allotments, but no lands are available in Southeast Alaska, and veterans are frustrated by the lack of action.

Haaland’s visit stirs optimism for Alaska Natives, but tensions remain

Access to lands remains a critical issue

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire From left to right: Willard Jackson, Dennis Jack and Bill Thomas, Alaska Native veterans from Southeast Alaska who met with lawmakers at the Alaska State Capitol on Friday, April 29, to discuss their issues getting land allotments from the federal government. Jackson and Thomas are veterans of the Vietnam War who are eligbile for land allotments, but no lands are available in Southeast Alaska, and veterans are frustrated by the lack of action.
A phone screen displays a message warning that a suspicious email may be an attempt at stealing personal information. Cybercrime rose to new heights in 2021, according to FBI data, but there are some steps people can take to be safe, according to local law enforcement. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Cybercrime on rise nationwide

A few good practices can neutralize common scams and crimes

A phone screen displays a message warning that a suspicious email may be an attempt at stealing personal information. Cybercrime rose to new heights in 2021, according to FBI data, but there are some steps people can take to be safe, according to local law enforcement. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Soldotna City Council members convene for a work session to discuss how the city should use federal COVID-19 recovery funds on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna council brainstorms use of federal relief funds

Re-treeing and a boost for local arts programs were among the ideas floated Wednesday

Soldotna City Council members convene for a work session to discuss how the city should use federal COVID-19 recovery funds on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Spruce trees infested with beetles can be seen on July 2, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Beetle kill work to shut down Soldotna campgrounds beginning Sunday

Centennial and Swiftwater campgrounds will be closed to the public while hazard trees are removed

Spruce trees infested with beetles can be seen on July 2, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)