News

Kenai rearranges funding to prepare for new budget

Kenai got a head start on its upcoming budget by rearranging its funds via an ordinance that moves $124,303 budgeted this year for planned projects… Continue reading

Airplane lands without landing gear at Aleutians airport

UNALASKA (AP) — Three people escaped injury when a commercial airplane landed without landing gear at an airport on the Aleutian Islands. Alaska State Troopers… Continue reading

  • Feb 15, 2017

Report: Pebble shares are ‘worthless’

A New York investment firm tore apart claims by the owners of the Pebble mine project that developing the prospect is economically viable in a… Continue reading

  • Feb 15, 2017
  • By ELWOOD BREHMER
Chunks of frozen ice and sand line the beach at the mouth of the Kenai River on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Kenai has been in a warm spell this week, with a high near 36 degrees on Wednesday afternoon. Warm weather is expected to continue, with highs in the 30s through Friday, according to the National Weather Service. (Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion)

Photos: Heat wave

By Megan Pacer Peninsula Clarion… Continue reading

Chunks of frozen ice and sand line the beach at the mouth of the Kenai River on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Kenai has been in a warm spell this week, with a high near 36 degrees on Wednesday afternoon. Warm weather is expected to continue, with highs in the 30s through Friday, according to the National Weather Service. (Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion)

Juneau assembly to homeless: sleep in the wrong place, pay a fine

The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly sent a message to the town’s unsheltered at a Monday meeting: Go to sleep in the wrong place… Continue reading

Assembly votes to introduce invocation elimination ordinance

The public will finally get a formal chance to weigh in on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly’s invocation practice in March. In a narrow 5-4… Continue reading

Anchorage apartment complex fire kills 2, injures 16

By MARK THIESSEN Associated Press ANCHORAGE — A pre-dawn fire that swept through an apartment complex in Alaska’s largest city and burned for hours killed… Continue reading

  • Feb 15, 2017
Dollynda Phelps, co-owner of limited marijuana cultivator Peace Frog Botanicals, speaks to the Kenai Chamber of Commerce during a luncheon about the impact of the local marijuana industry Wednesday in Kenai, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Peninsula cannabis entrepreneurs estimate $5.3M contribution to economy

Some of the Kenai Peninsula’s marijuana operations are up, running and trying to integrate themselves into the business community at large. Since last summer, eight… Continue reading

Dollynda Phelps, co-owner of limited marijuana cultivator Peace Frog Botanicals, speaks to the Kenai Chamber of Commerce during a luncheon about the impact of the local marijuana industry Wednesday in Kenai, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Assembly selects Schaefer to represent Kenai

Jill Schaefer is taking over the job representing District 2 on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly after being elected by secret ballot. The assembly selected… Continue reading

Retired paramedic Teresa Gray presents images from her aid work in refugee camps on the Greek island of Lesbos to Kenai Central High School juniors and seniors on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

Bringing the world home

Like many, retired paramedic and Anchorage resident Teresa Gray had experienced the Syrian refugee crisis through casual news consumption. “I didn’t know the scope and… Continue reading

Retired paramedic Teresa Gray presents images from her aid work in refugee camps on the Greek island of Lesbos to Kenai Central High School juniors and seniors on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)
Gas line group leader pledges openness with lawmakers

Gas line group leader pledges openness with lawmakers

JUNEAU — The president of a state-sponsored gas pipeline corporation on Tuesday pledged greater openness with Alaska lawmakers, many of whom have grown increasingly skeptical… Continue reading

  • Feb 14, 2017
  • By Becky Bohrer
Gas line group leader pledges openness with lawmakers
Dale Wade, the vice president of marketing and customer service for the Alaska Railroad Corporation, speaks to the joint Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce during a luncheon Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. Though the passenger service line of business is doing well, freight is not — on what Wade called “a fairly busy slide, but not a pretty slide,” bars depicted the steadily falling revenue in freight shipping, the railroad’s largest source of revenue. Most of the decline is due to decreased oil and gas activity, he said. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Alaska Railroad looks forward to 2017

Like most of the state, Alaska’s only railroad operator is coping with a steep drop in revenue in the wake of a decline in oil… Continue reading

Dale Wade, the vice president of marketing and customer service for the Alaska Railroad Corporation, speaks to the joint Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce during a luncheon Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. Though the passenger service line of business is doing well, freight is not — on what Wade called “a fairly busy slide, but not a pretty slide,” bars depicted the steadily falling revenue in freight shipping, the railroad’s largest source of revenue. Most of the decline is due to decreased oil and gas activity, he said. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
This 2014 photo provided by Dylan Hatfield shows Hatfield, left, and his brother Darrik Seibold in Sand Point, Alaska. Hatfield said his 36-year-old brother was one of six men missing and presumed drowned when a crabbing vessel Destination went missing Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, near St. George, Alaska. (Courtesy of Dylan Hatfield via AP)

Ex-crewman mourns loss of brother, friends in boat disaster

ANCHORAGE — Dylan Hatfield got one last chance to see his brother and five other crewmen on the Destination, a 98-foot crab boat missing and… Continue reading

  • Feb 14, 2017
  • By Dan Joling
This 2014 photo provided by Dylan Hatfield shows Hatfield, left, and his brother Darrik Seibold in Sand Point, Alaska. Hatfield said his 36-year-old brother was one of six men missing and presumed drowned when a crabbing vessel Destination went missing Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, near St. George, Alaska. (Courtesy of Dylan Hatfield via AP)

Soldotna releases annual financial report

Soldotna residents can take a look at how their tax dollars were spent during the last fiscal year in two reports put together by the… Continue reading

Soldotna sign code revision moves forward

Soldotna’s revision of its ordinance that regulates the many shapes, styles and sizes for signs is progressing as city staff attempt to make it clearer… Continue reading

In this July 2016 photo, anglers cast their lines into the Kenai River from the bank above the Sterling Highway Bridge in Soldotna, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Issues to watch at the Board of Fisheries

Editor's note: The original version of this article accidentally omitted the final escapement number for Kenai River late-run kings. It has been updated to show… Continue reading

In this July 2016 photo, anglers cast their lines into the Kenai River from the bank above the Sterling Highway Bridge in Soldotna, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Senate approves bill to raise millions for state, while House signs energy efficiency program

A bill to raise as much as $37 million for the state of Alaska through the sale of its royalty oil has been approved by… Continue reading

Deep-pocketed organizations litigate borough’s prayer issue

One of the biggest complaints members of the public have had about the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly’s invocation policy lawsuit is the cost. As it… Continue reading

6 fishermen on crab boat go missing; owners hope for best

ANCHORAGE — Six veteran fishermen aboard a crabbing boat have gone missing in the icy, turbulent Bering Sea, and their employers are clinging to hope… Continue reading

  • Feb 13, 2017
  • By Dan Joling
Equipment operator Terry Russ drives a broom machine up and down the runway of the Kenai Municipal Airport on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Russ had been at work since 4 a.m doing what he called “probably the most monotonous job on the airport” to keep the runway clear of snow that could soldify into ice. On heavy snow days, two broom machines drive down each side of the runway centerline, whirling away snow with heavy rotary brushes while a plow truck scrapes off packed snow and ice. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)

Snow, ice makes travel difficult on Kenai peninsula

With whirls of fat, wet snowflakes mixing with cold rain around Southcentral Alaska, “you can’t ask for poorer conditions for traveling,” said spokesperson Shannon McCarthy… Continue reading

Equipment operator Terry Russ drives a broom machine up and down the runway of the Kenai Municipal Airport on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Russ had been at work since 4 a.m doing what he called “probably the most monotonous job on the airport” to keep the runway clear of snow that could soldify into ice. On heavy snow days, two broom machines drive down each side of the runway centerline, whirling away snow with heavy rotary brushes while a plow truck scrapes off packed snow and ice. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion)