News

First Lady Michelle Obama takes the stage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , Monday, July 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

After turmoil, Sanders, Mrs Obama, Warren thrill convention

PHILADELPHIA — First lady Michelle Obama stepped into the presidential election Monday with a forceful, impassioned defense of Hillary Clinton, casting her as the only… Continue reading

  • Jul 25, 2016
  • By JULIE PACE and KEN THOMAS
First Lady Michelle Obama takes the stage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , Monday, July 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion Kalani Ross, the owner of Ol' Boy Cuisine, mans his food truck on the north Kenai Beach on Friday, July 15, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. Ross is among a number of vendors serving the personal use dipnet fishery at the mouth of the Kenai River.

Vendors take businesses straight to the beach

Rattling along the deep ruts of the sand on the Kenai River’s south beach in a side-by-side, Jason Floyd took orders for mochas. He wheeled… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion Kalani Ross, the owner of Ol' Boy Cuisine, mans his food truck on the north Kenai Beach on Friday, July 15, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. Ross is among a number of vendors serving the personal use dipnet fishery at the mouth of the Kenai River.

First Student attempts to block pupil transportation contract award

The Kenai Superior Court lifted a stay filed by First Student, Alaska’s largest pupil transportation provider, to bar the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District from… Continue reading

  • Jul 21, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Michelle LaVigueur, O'Brien Garden and Trees manager, chats with Edna Gerke who is tastes one of the many cherry-based treats baked for the Cherry Tasting Party that dozens braved midsummer showers to show up for Sunday, July 24, 2016 in Nikiski, Alaska.

Fruits of labor

… Continue reading

  • Jul 24, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Michelle LaVigueur, O'Brien Garden and Trees manager, chats with Edna Gerke who is tastes one of the many cherry-based treats baked for the Cherry Tasting Party that dozens braved midsummer showers to show up for Sunday, July 24, 2016 in Nikiski, Alaska.

Silver Alert cancelled, man found

The Silver Alert activated for Oscar Rookard, 81, has been cancelled. According to Lt. Ben Langham of the Kenai Police Department, the elderly man was… Continue reading

  • Jul 24, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan

BOEM releases draft plan for Lower Cook Inlet oil leasing

Residents of Anchor Point, Homer and Seldovia could see drilling rigs off their coasts in the future if the federal Department of the Interior gives… Continue reading

Kenai council discusses land sales; delays comprehensive plan introduction

On its Wednesday meeting agenda the Kenai City Council had one ordinance, one resolution and three closed-door executive sessions regarding deals for the city to… Continue reading

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Fire Battalion Chief Tony Prior checks in with Temporary Enforcement Officer Morgan Wensley and Kenai Police Officer Morgan Ezell during the first no-wake patrol of the personal-use dipnet season Tuesday, July 19, 2016 on the Kenai River. The fire and police departments work together to enforce the no-wake rules during high tides when banks are susceptible to erosion.

Slow down for safety, bank protection

Freshly outfitted with a hose for firefighting capabilities, the Kenai Fire Department’s 22-foot, rigid-hull patrol boat handles well while zipping through the waters of the… Continue reading

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Kenai Fire Battalion Chief Tony Prior checks in with Temporary Enforcement Officer Morgan Wensley and Kenai Police Officer Morgan Ezell during the first no-wake patrol of the personal-use dipnet season Tuesday, July 19, 2016 on the Kenai River. The fire and police departments work together to enforce the no-wake rules during high tides when banks are susceptible to erosion.
Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Carmen West, of Hatchers Pass, takes a quick coffee break while carving up her masterpiece creation during this year's Sawfest Competition during Progress Days on Saturday, July 23, 2016 outside Stanley Chrysler in Soldotna, Alaska.

Keep progressing: Soldotna celebration mixes it up

Soldotna’s annual Progress Days festival held true to its name this year, with individual events keeping things fresh by making some changes from years past.… Continue reading

  • Jul 23, 2016
  • By MEGAN PACER and BEN BOETTGER
Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Carmen West, of Hatchers Pass, takes a quick coffee break while carving up her masterpiece creation during this year's Sawfest Competition during Progress Days on Saturday, July 23, 2016 outside Stanley Chrysler in Soldotna, Alaska.

Peninsula burn permit suspension lifted

The general burn permit suspension has been lifted on the Kenai Peninsula.The Alaska Division of Forestry Kenai-Kodiak office lifted the suspension effective noon Friday, according… Continue reading

Alaska court strikes down parental notice for abortions

JUNEAU — The Alaska Supreme Court on Friday struck down a state law requiring parental notification of a minor seeking an abortion.The court found the… Continue reading

  • Jul 22, 2016
  • By Becky Bohrer

OMB director: State personnel reduced by 1,700 in last two years

State budget cuts are beginning to hit home, in terms of jobs and economic impact.Office of Management and Budget Director Pat Pitney said state employee… Continue reading

  • Jul 23, 2016
  • By Tim Bradner

Silver Alert activated for man in Kenai

Update 1 p.m.:The search is still on for an 81-year old man in the Kenai area after a Silver Alert was activated Saturday.Lt. Ben Langham… Continue reading

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Members of the Kenai Fire Department and Kenai Police Department tow two boats behind them - one that capsized and another that came to the rescue - while passengers work to bail out the capsized boat Friday, July 22, 2016 on the Kenai River in Kenai, Alaska. The three people in the capsized vessel were all saved from the water, and no one was harmed.

Boaters rescued near Kenai City Dock

Three people were rescued unhurt from the Kenai River after their boat took on water Friday. The Kenai Police Department, Kenai Fire Department and the… Continue reading

  • Jul 22, 2016
  • By Staff reports
Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Members of the Kenai Fire Department and Kenai Police Department tow two boats behind them - one that capsized and another that came to the rescue - while passengers work to bail out the capsized boat Friday, July 22, 2016 on the Kenai River in Kenai, Alaska. The three people in the capsized vessel were all saved from the water, and no one was harmed.

Two saved from commercial vessel fire

A commercial fishing vessel caught fire and burned down Thursday morning in the Cook Inlet. The U.S. Coast Guard got a report of the accident,… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion Sockeye salmon fall onto the sorting belt at Pacific Star Seafoods on Wednesday, July 21, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. Upper Cook Inlet commercial fishermen have brought in more than 1.6 million sockeye salmon this season as of July 19, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Upper Cook Inlet commercial fishermen near 2M salmon harvest

Salmon are rolling into Upper Cook Inlet’s commercial fishery. The drift fleet and setnetters in Cook Inlet have been out frequently in the past two… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion Sockeye salmon fall onto the sorting belt at Pacific Star Seafoods on Wednesday, July 21, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. Upper Cook Inlet commercial fishermen have brought in more than 1.6 million sockeye salmon this season as of July 19, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion A dipnetters hauls in a sockeye salmon he caught at the Kenai beach in Kenai, Alaska on Sunday, July 10, 2016. The popular Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery opened Sunday at 6 a.m. and will be open until July 31.

Dipnet extended to 24 hours

Dipnetters in the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery will be able to fish around the clock starting Friday after 11 p.m. until July 31.The… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion A dipnetters hauls in a sockeye salmon he caught at the Kenai beach in Kenai, Alaska on Sunday, July 10, 2016. The popular Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery opened Sunday at 6 a.m. and will be open until July 31.
Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion RAW Welding employee Laron Hagan burns the paint off a steel buoy while owner Donnelle Scott sketches a "Nightmare Before Christmas"-inspired landscape at the RAW Welding workshop on Monday, July 18 outside Soldotna. The company will be plasma-cutting images into the buoy on Thursday at the Artzy Junkin craft market in Soldotna.

RAW Welders cut metal artistically

Work is by definition practical, while art isn’t necessarily so. A local welding company has found a way to make the two coexist while embellishing… Continue reading

Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion RAW Welding employee Laron Hagan burns the paint off a steel buoy while owner Donnelle Scott sketches a "Nightmare Before Christmas"-inspired landscape at the RAW Welding workshop on Monday, July 18 outside Soldotna. The company will be plasma-cutting images into the buoy on Thursday at the Artzy Junkin craft market in Soldotna.
Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion Candidates for the U.S. Senate Edgar Blatchford (left), Bob Lochner (center) and Margaret Stock (right) speak to the joint Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce at a luncheon held Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at the Kenai Visitor's and Cultural Center in Kenai, Alaska.

Senate candidates visit Kenai

With the primary election less than a month away, three U.S. Senate candidates made their cases in Kenai Wednesday. There are currently 13 active or… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion Candidates for the U.S. Senate Edgar Blatchford (left), Bob Lochner (center) and Margaret Stock (right) speak to the joint Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce at a luncheon held Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at the Kenai Visitor's and Cultural Center in Kenai, Alaska.
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Richard Repper disbuds plants Echo Lake Peonies, the operation he runs with wife Irene Repper on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 in Soldotna, Alaska.

Peony growers bogged down by early blooms

Across the Kenai Peninsula, peonies were out in full bloom —long before their planters expected them. With another sporadically freezing winter, followed by a warm… Continue reading

  • Jul 20, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Richard Repper disbuds plants Echo Lake Peonies, the operation he runs with wife Irene Repper on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 in Soldotna, Alaska.