Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters alongside, from left, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., during a press conference regarding the Democratic party’s shift to focus on voting rights at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)

Big voting bill faces defeat as 2 Dems won’t stop filibuster

This is the fifth time the Senate will try to pass voting legislation this Congress

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters alongside, from left, Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., during a press conference regarding the Democratic party’s shift to focus on voting rights at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)
Members of the Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce listen to a briefing by Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan during a joint luncheon at the Soldotna Sports Complex on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Sullivan reports in from D.C.

The senator touched on infrastructure, voting rights, defense spending and the pandemic

Members of the Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce listen to a briefing by Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan during a joint luncheon at the Soldotna Sports Complex on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
The Alaska State Capitol building seen on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022 in Juneau, Alaska. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

State lawmakers face proposed salary hike, allowance limits

A commission voted 3-1 to raise the base salary from $50,400 a year to $64,000

The Alaska State Capitol building seen on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022 in Juneau, Alaska. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire
House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, gave a stern warning about decorum to members of the Alaska House of Representatives on the first day of the legislative session on Tuesday, Jan 18, 2022. Last year the Legislature was so divided it took a full regular session and four special sessions before work was completed.

1st day of session brings familiar tensions to Legislature

The session opened with calls for bipartisanship, but tensions were evident

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire
House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, gave a stern warning about decorum to members of the Alaska House of Representatives on the first day of the legislative session on Tuesday, Jan 18, 2022. Last year the Legislature was so divided it took a full regular session and four special sessions before work was completed.
Image via Alaska Board of Fisheries

Statewide shellfish meeting rescheduled

This comes after the board bumped back its Southeast and Yakutat shellfish meeting

Image via Alaska Board of Fisheries
A State of Alaska epidemiology bulletin can be found at https://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Epi/pages/default.aspx.

State updates STI protocol after reported drop

The state has been experiencing an outbreak since 2017

A State of Alaska epidemiology bulletin can be found at https://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Epi/pages/default.aspx.
The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Police identify remains found in burned car

Kenai Police and Fire departments responded to a car fire at Beaver Creek in Kenai on Jan. 7

The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy addresses members of the press on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. (Screenshot)

Dunleavy talks upcoming session, lambasts media

In a press conference Monday, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy discussed his goals for the upcoming legislative session and took aim at what he claimed was… Continue reading

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy addresses members of the press on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Juneau, Alaska. (Screenshot)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire
Chair of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. Board of Trustees Craig Richards answers questions from the members of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee on Monday. The committee called Richards and other members of the board to answer questions about the December firing of former APFC CEO Angela Rodell, who has claimed her termination was politically motivated.
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire
Chair of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. Board of Trustees Craig Richards answers questions from the members of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee on Monday. The committee called Richards and other members of the board to answer questions about the December firing of former APFC CEO Angela Rodell, who has claimed her termination was politically motivated.
Terri Carter’s class celebrates the National Blue Ribbon award after their assembly at Soldotna Montessori Charter School on Friday, Jan 14, 2022. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

A ‘pathway to a brighter and fulfilling future’

Soldotna Montessori Charter School celebrates national achievement

Terri Carter’s class celebrates the National Blue Ribbon award after their assembly at Soldotna Montessori Charter School on Friday, Jan 14, 2022. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Courtesy photo / Juneau Raptor Center
This golden eagle was rescued by the Juneau Raptor Center over the summer after being found weak and thin.

Rescue center, birdwatchers look back on 2021

Juneau Christmas bird count was way down this year.

Courtesy photo / Juneau Raptor Center
This golden eagle was rescued by the Juneau Raptor Center over the summer after being found weak and thin.
This satellite image taken by Himawari-8, a Japanese weather satellite operated by Japan Meteorological Agency and released by National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), shows an undersea volcano eruption at the Pacific nation of Tonga Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. (NICT via AP)

Tsunami advisory issued after eruption

An undersea volcano erupted Friday near the South Pacific island of Tonga, triggering concerns of damaging waves across Pacific coastlines

This satellite image taken by Himawari-8, a Japanese weather satellite operated by Japan Meteorological Agency and released by National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), shows an undersea volcano eruption at the Pacific nation of Tonga Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. (NICT via AP)
Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Multiple public works projects underway in Soldotna

Soldotna City Council received an update on eight different projects

Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

Hospitalizations rise as state reports increase in COVID cases

There were a total of 112 COVID-related hospitalizations in Alaska as of Friday

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Homer City Council member Rachel Lord discusses her concerns with funding the Alaska Small Business Development Center Homer Business Advisory position during the Jan. 10 council meeting. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)

Council says ‘yes to small businesses’

Homer City Council votes 4-2 in favor of partially funding the Homer Business Advisory position.

Homer City Council member Rachel Lord discusses her concerns with funding the Alaska Small Business Development Center Homer Business Advisory position during the Jan. 10 council meeting. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)
AP Photo / Becky Bohrer
Sightseeing buses and tourists are seen at a pullout popular for taking in views of North America’s tallest peak, Denali, in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, on Aug. 26, 2016.

Bridge proposed along section of slumping Denali park road

Landslides in the area go back decades but usually required maintenance every two to three years

  • Jan 13, 2022
  • By Becky Bohrer Associated Press
  • State News
AP Photo / Becky Bohrer
Sightseeing buses and tourists are seen at a pullout popular for taking in views of North America’s tallest peak, Denali, in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, on Aug. 26, 2016.
A sign directs voters at Soldotna City Hall on March 5, 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Locals to join national voting rights march Saturday

The march in Soldotna is part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Action

A sign directs voters at Soldotna City Hall on March 5, 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna approves $32,000 federal grant for airport

The funds were made available through the American Rescue Plan Act for improvement projects at the Soldotna Municipal Airport

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
From left: Yvette Tappana, Rob Lewis, Allen Auxier, Donna Shirnberg and Terri Zopf-Schoessler perform in the Kenai Performers production “The Old People Are Revolting” on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Donna Shirnberg)

Never too old for revolution

Kenai Performers’ ‘The Old People Are Revolting’ debuts

From left: Yvette Tappana, Rob Lewis, Allen Auxier, Donna Shirnberg and Terri Zopf-Schoessler perform in the Kenai Performers production “The Old People Are Revolting” on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Donna Shirnberg)
Demonstrators gather outside Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and advocate for alternative treatments on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Hospital to require employees to get COVID shot

The Supreme Court OK’d the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for facilities that receive federal Medicaid and Medicare funding

Demonstrators gather outside Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and advocate for alternative treatments on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)