News

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski takes a selfie with Rose Burke at the Kenai Municipal Airport in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Burke won the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest and will travel to Washington, D.C., in December to light the tree. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Connections student to light U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

Rose Burke, 9, won the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest and will travel to Washington D.C.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski takes a selfie with Rose Burke at the Kenai Municipal Airport in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Burke won the 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest and will travel to Washington, D.C., in December to light the tree. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Soldotna man arrested for possession of child sex abuse material

He was taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility

Alaska State Troopers logo.
A cruise ship is docked in Seward, Alaska on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward gets nearly $46 million for power upgrades at port

The funds are intended to transform Seward’s port into a “green port”

A cruise ship is docked in Seward, Alaska on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Troopers Joseph Miller Jr. and Jason Woodruff are seen in a screenshot from body camera footage taken in Kenai, Alaska, on May 24, 2024. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Law)

Grand jury indicts 2 troopers on felony assault charge

The complaint cites both audio and body camera footage

Troopers Joseph Miller Jr. and Jason Woodruff are seen in a screenshot from body camera footage taken in Kenai, Alaska, on May 24, 2024. (Photo provided by Alaska Department of Law)
Foliage surrounds the Soldotna Police Department sign on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Escott named new chief of Soldotna Police

Stace Escott has been promoted to chief of the Soldotna Police Department, according to a Wednesday press release from the City of Soldotna. Escott has… Continue reading

Foliage surrounds the Soldotna Police Department sign on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Campaign signs fill a wall near Paradisos Restaurant in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Candidates spend big on radio advertising, print mailers in final weeks of campaign

Only a week before the general election on Nov. 5, candidates are pouring their earnings into a variety of advertising means in the final days… Continue reading

Campaign signs fill a wall near Paradisos Restaurant in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
An Alaska Division of Elections Official Election Pamphlet rests on a desk in the Peninsula Clarion newsroom on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

When, where to vote in the 2024 general election

Tuesday is Election Day! Voters in the Kenai Peninsula Borough will head to polls to cast their ballots in the races for U.S. president, for… Continue reading

An Alaska Division of Elections Official Election Pamphlet rests on a desk in the Peninsula Clarion newsroom on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Photo by Jonas Oyoumick/Peninsula Clarion Probation Parole Officer Jodi Stuart speaks at Ideal Option’s open house on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Ideal Option holds open house at new location

Ideal Option hosted an open house at their new location on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The clinic, located at 416 Frontage Road in Kenai, is part… Continue reading

Photo by Jonas Oyoumick/Peninsula Clarion Probation Parole Officer Jodi Stuart speaks at Ideal Option’s open house on Wednesday, Oct. 23.
Aurora Borealis Charter School parents fill every seat and spill from the doorway during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Charter Oversight Committee in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

School board work sessions to tackle charters, 4-day week, cellphone policies

During work sessions Monday and Tuesday, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Board of Education will discuss several high-interest topics including a proposed four-day school… Continue reading

Aurora Borealis Charter School parents fill every seat and spill from the doorway during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Charter Oversight Committee in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A plow truck clears snow from the Sterling Highway near Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Season’s first winter storm closes central peninsula schools, drops over a dozen inches of snow

A winter storm dropped as much as 14 inches of snow in areas of the central Kenai Peninsula, closing schools and causing some small power… Continue reading

A plow truck clears snow from the Sterling Highway near Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
State House District 6 candidates Rep. Sarah Vance, Dawson Slaughter and Brent Johnson participate in a candidate forum hosted by the Peninsula Clarion and KBBI 890 AM at the Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

House District 6 candidates talk finance, schooling, fisheries

Candidates met Tuesday at the Homer Public Library for a candidate forum hosted by the Peninsula Clarion and KBBI 890 AM

State House District 6 candidates Rep. Sarah Vance, Dawson Slaughter and Brent Johnson participate in a candidate forum hosted by the Peninsula Clarion and KBBI 890 AM at the Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska House of Representatives District 8 candidates John Hillyer and Bill Elam shake answer questions during the Peninsula Clarion and KDLL 91.9 FM candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Hillyer, Elam debate issues in House District 8 forum

They met Monday at the Soldotna Public Library for a candidate forum hosted by the Peninsula Clarion and KDLL 91.9 FM.

Alaska House of Representatives District 8 candidates John Hillyer and Bill Elam shake answer questions during the Peninsula Clarion and KDLL 91.9 FM candidate forum at the Soldotna Public Library on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Teams assemble towers during the Spontaneous Challenge portion of the Mind-A-Mazes competition at Skyview Middle School near Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Putting their minds to the test

District youth compete in annual engineering, problem-solving competition

Teams assemble towers during the Spontaneous Challenge portion of the Mind-A-Mazes competition at Skyview Middle School near Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Parents and supporters of Aurora Borealis Charter School fill the Betty J. Glick Assembly Chambers during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Charter Oversight Committee in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Aurora Borealis Charter School renewal application advanced

They will next be heard during a Nov. 4 work session of the school board

Parents and supporters of Aurora Borealis Charter School fill the Betty J. Glick Assembly Chambers during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Charter Oversight Committee in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A banner at Homer City Hall identifies the building as a voting precinct. Early voting runs at city hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Friday and Monday in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Early voting for Nov. 5 general election open in Kenai, Soldotna and Homer

Voters will cast ballots for U.S. president and U.S. representative, state House and Senate and decide on two ballot measures

A banner at Homer City Hall identifies the building as a voting precinct. Early voting runs at city hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Friday and Monday in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
A pumpkin tumbles from a plane above the Kenai Airpark near Kenai, Alaska, during the Sixth Annual Kenai Aviation Pumpkin Drop on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Pumpkins dropped at annual aviation showcase

Kenai Aviation puts on 6th annual Pumpkin Drop

A pumpkin tumbles from a plane above the Kenai Airpark near Kenai, Alaska, during the Sixth Annual Kenai Aviation Pumpkin Drop on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Lilac Lane intersects with the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Lilac Lane resurfaced, council adds funds after project lands overbudget

Kenai’s Lilac Lane Roadway Project, completed last month, went nearly $50,000 over budget because of the extensive presence of bury pits — which required removal… Continue reading

Lilac Lane intersects with the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State House District 5 candidates Leighton Radner and Rep. Louise Stutes participate in a candidate forum hosted by the Peninsula Clarion and KBBI 890 AM at the Seward Community Library in Seward, Alaska, on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Stutes, Radner talk spending, housing, child care at Seward forum

The candidate forum was moderated by the Peninsula Clarion and KBBI 890 AM

Alaska State House District 5 candidates Leighton Radner and Rep. Louise Stutes participate in a candidate forum hosted by the Peninsula Clarion and KBBI 890 AM at the Seward Community Library in Seward, Alaska, on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer Public Library (Photo by Sarah Knapp)

Full state funding restored to libraries for FY25

A supplemental Public Library Assistance grant was awarded to Alaska libraries on Oct. 15

Homer Public Library (Photo by Sarah Knapp)
Kenai City Clerk Shelie Saner administers an oath of office to Sovala Kisena during a meeting of the Kenai City Council in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. Kisena won election to the council during the Oct. 1 municipal election. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai certifies election results

There were 673 total ballots cast, compared to 6,470 registered voters in Kenai

Kenai City Clerk Shelie Saner administers an oath of office to Sovala Kisena during a meeting of the Kenai City Council in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. Kisena won election to the council during the Oct. 1 municipal election. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)