Judy Connolly, mother of murdered teenager Shelley Connolly, spoke to the media after the Alaska State Troopers announced on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska, that Oregon resident Donald F. McQuade, 62, has been arrested and charged with murdering Shelley Connolly in the 1978 cold case. She noted it had been 41 years since Shelley’s death, which completely altered her family’s lives. Shelley’s younger brother James Connolly is at left. (Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News via AP)

Oregon man arrested in 1978 death of Alaska teenager

Police: ‘This guy was never on the radar’

  • Sep 3, 2019
  • By Rachel D’Oro Associated Press
Judy Connolly, mother of murdered teenager Shelley Connolly, spoke to the media after the Alaska State Troopers announced on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska, that Oregon resident Donald F. McQuade, 62, has been arrested and charged with murdering Shelley Connolly in the 1978 cold case. She noted it had been 41 years since Shelley’s death, which completely altered her family’s lives. Shelley’s younger brother James Connolly is at left. (Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
Ammo Can Coffee owner Jason Floyd, left, and his son Liam, right, are seen here at their coffee shop in Soldotna, Alaska on Aug. 16, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Coffee, blended well with a side of conservatism

Ammo Can Coffee aims to fill a niche for the ‘shotgun-carrying’ crowd

Ammo Can Coffee owner Jason Floyd, left, and his son Liam, right, are seen here at their coffee shop in Soldotna, Alaska on Aug. 16, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Chum salmon swim beneath the surface of Salmon Creek on Aug. 3, 2015. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Alaska Board of Fisheries to take new vote on finfish meeting

State ombudsman found the Board of Fisheries violated the act when they decided to relocate the meeting from the peninsula to Anchorage

Chum salmon swim beneath the surface of Salmon Creek on Aug. 3, 2015. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent John O’Brien. (Photo courtesy of the Pegge Erkeneff/Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)                                 Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent John O’Brien. (Photo courtesy of the Pegge Erkeneff/Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)

Superintendent: Plan for possible strike

O’Brien’s letter asks parents and guardians to prepare contingency plans for children.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent John O’Brien. (Photo courtesy of the Pegge Erkeneff/Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)                                 Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent John O’Brien. (Photo courtesy of the Pegge Erkeneff/Kenai Peninsula Borough School District)
Bruce Wall, a planner with the Kenai Peninsula Borough, answers Kalifornsky residents’ questions regarding the creation of a new advisory planning commission for the area, on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, at the Betty J. Glick Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Chambers in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly looks to establish Kalifornsky Advisory Planning Commission

Borough has active advisory planning commissions in Moose Pass, Cooper Landing, Anchor Point, Hope.

Bruce Wall, a planner with the Kenai Peninsula Borough, answers Kalifornsky residents’ questions regarding the creation of a new advisory planning commission for the area, on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, at the Betty J. Glick Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Chambers in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Public safety briefs for Sept. 2, 2019
Public safety briefs for Sept. 2, 2019
Court reports for Sept. 2, 2019
Court reports for Sept. 2, 2019
A map of the Swan Lake Fire as of Sept. 3, 2019. (Courtesy Great Basin Incident Management Team)

Continued rains lead to scaling back of evacuation statuses for Cooper Landing and Sterling

Normal highway operations have resumed without pilot cars

A map of the Swan Lake Fire as of Sept. 3, 2019. (Courtesy Great Basin Incident Management Team)
Local Anchor Point residents view the presentation and chat with Carrie Connaker from Solstice Alaska Consulting, Inc., at the open house for the Anchor River Bridge replacement project on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019 at the Anchor Point Senior Center in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Delcenia Cosman)

Anchor River Bridge replacement is on the horizon

Residents learn about proposed project at open house

Local Anchor Point residents view the presentation and chat with Carrie Connaker from Solstice Alaska Consulting, Inc., at the open house for the Anchor River Bridge replacement project on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019 at the Anchor Point Senior Center in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Delcenia Cosman)
A 5.0 magnitude earthquake occured at a depth of less than a kilometer 100km northwest of Juneau on August 31. (Screenshot from USGS)
A 5.0 magnitude earthquake occured at a depth of less than a kilometer 100km northwest of Juneau on August 31. (Screenshot from USGS)
Courtesy Ludy Link                                 Soldotna resident Richard Link and his prize-winning Armenian cucumber are seen here in this August 2019 photo. The 14-pound, 37 3/8-inch cucumber took home a grand prize at the 2019 Alaska State Fair.

Going the distance

Cucumber makes it past the Swan Lake Fire to break the Alaska State Fair record

Courtesy Ludy Link                                 Soldotna resident Richard Link and his prize-winning Armenian cucumber are seen here in this August 2019 photo. The 14-pound, 37 3/8-inch cucumber took home a grand prize at the 2019 Alaska State Fair.
A close look at the first batch of the Kenai River Brewery’s “Moose Gallop Ale” Tuesday, July 30, 2019, in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Brews for all seasons

Kenai River Brewing partners with Tsalteshi for new beer series

A close look at the first batch of the Kenai River Brewery’s “Moose Gallop Ale” Tuesday, July 30, 2019, in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion                                 Bobbi Jackson samples some of her fermented cauliflower and carrots at Jackson Gardens and Nursery, Monday, Aug. 26, near Soldotna.

Shop talk: In the business of growing

Bobbi Jackson’s 10-acre homestead has become a cornucopia of locally grown flowers and produce.

Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion                                 Bobbi Jackson samples some of her fermented cauliflower and carrots at Jackson Gardens and Nursery, Monday, Aug. 26, near Soldotna.
Trees burned by the Swan Lake Fire and knocked down by gusts of wind can be seen here along the Sterling Highway on Aug. 30, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Swan Lake Fire shows little weekend growth despite strong Sunday winds

Winds reached up to 45 mph along some isolated areas of the Sterling Highway

Trees burned by the Swan Lake Fire and knocked down by gusts of wind can be seen here along the Sterling Highway on Aug. 30, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign directs voters at Soldotna City Hall during the special Field House election on March 5, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly to consider changing service board elections to appointments

The borough has 12 service boards, of which seven boards include elected positions.

A sign directs voters at Soldotna City Hall during the special Field House election on March 5, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Schools briefs for the week of Sept. 2, 2019

Schools briefs for the week of Sept. 2, 2019

What’s happening this week

  • Aug 31, 2019
Schools briefs for the week of Sept. 2, 2019
Smoke from the Swan Lake Fire impairs visibility on the Sterling Highway on Aug. 20, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Hunters should be aware of fire conditions

Hunting season is already open, and more openings are scheduled soon for the Kenai Peninsula.

Smoke from the Swan Lake Fire impairs visibility on the Sterling Highway on Aug. 20, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Faces of the fire

Faces of the fire

On the line with firefighters battling the Swan Lake blaze

Faces of the fire
Rains help firefighting efforts

Rains help firefighting efforts

A low-pressure storm system arrived Friday and some areas of the fire received 1/4-inch of rain.

Rains help firefighting efforts
Cooper Landing man arrested after high-speed pursuit on Sterling Highway

Cooper Landing man arrested after high-speed pursuit on Sterling Highway

The vehicle allegedly stopped in a parking lot, rammed three patrol vehicles in an attempt to flee.

Cooper Landing man arrested after high-speed pursuit on Sterling Highway