Agency: Eagle hit plane before crash that killed 4

ANCHORAGE (AP) — A small airplane hit a bald eagle before it crashed and burst into flames just north of Anchorage last month, killing all… Continue reading

  • May 4, 2016
Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, right, chats with a colleague after a state Senate floor session, Wednesday, May 4, 2016, in Juneau, Alaska. Coghill championed a massive criminal justice overhaul bill this session but its prospects for passing seem increasingly slim as lawmakers continue to amend and add new provisions to the bill. (AP Photo/Rashah McChesney)

Prospects diminish for criminal justice overhaul

JUNEAU — An Alaska lawmaker’s efforts to halt the rapid growth of the state’s prison population may not come to fruition.When it was introduced, North… Continue reading

Sen. John Coghill, R-North Pole, right, chats with a colleague after a state Senate floor session, Wednesday, May 4, 2016, in Juneau, Alaska. Coghill championed a massive criminal justice overhaul bill this session but its prospects for passing seem increasingly slim as lawmakers continue to amend and add new provisions to the bill. (AP Photo/Rashah McChesney)

Effort to revive stalled bill with sex ed provisions falters

JUNEAU — An effort to revive a stalled education bill that limits who can teach sex education in public schools faltered in the Alaska House… Continue reading

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Kenai City Manager Rick Koch speaks about the benefits of belonging to a home-rule community to residents gathered at a Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska.

Charter commission candidates talk home rule

Candidates running for a seat on the charter commission that could be formed after Soldotna’s special election are urging city residents to vote for a… Continue reading

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Kenai City Manager Rick Koch speaks about the benefits of belonging to a home-rule community to residents gathered at a Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska.

State cancels Cook Inlet, Alaska Peninsula oi lease sale

With no stated interest from oil companies, the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas announced Tuesday that it would cancel its 2016 lease sale bid… Continue reading

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a primary night news conference, Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Trump virtually clinches Republican presidential nomination

INDIANAPOLIS — In a stunning triumph for a political outsider, Donald Trump all but clinched the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday with a resounding victory in… Continue reading

  • May 3, 2016
  • By JULIE PACE and SCOTT BAUER
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a primary night news conference, Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Negotiators advance bill with sex education provisions

JUNEAU — Legislative negotiators on Tuesday adopted a state Senate rewrite of Rep. Wes Keller’s bill dealing with parental involvement in education and student testing… Continue reading

  • May 3, 2016
  • By Becky Bohrer

Oil tax credit negotiations continue

It has been three weeks since legislation to scale back Alaska’s oil and gas tax credit program took a big step backward to the House… Continue reading

Soldotna voters to readdress home rule

Editor's note: This story has bee updated to correct the spelling of Roberta O’Neill's name. Soldotna voters will revisit the idea of home rule during the… Continue reading

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Hazel George opens a present - side-by-side photos of her as a baby and in the present - during a birthday party Sunday, April 24, 2016 at Heritage Place in Soldotna, Alaska. George joined the other centenarians in the state when she turned 100 Sunday.

A kid at heart

The dining hall and patio of Heritage Place in Soldotna looked ready to entertain scores of young children Sunday, with bright streamers and confetti, cupcakes,… Continue reading

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion Hazel George opens a present - side-by-side photos of her as a baby and in the present - during a birthday party Sunday, April 24, 2016 at Heritage Place in Soldotna, Alaska. George joined the other centenarians in the state when she turned 100 Sunday.

School District, Voznesenka agree on lease

Voznesenka School will remain open next fall. After nearly two years of talks, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and the Voznesenka Community Council Inc.,… Continue reading

  • May 2, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
  • Schools

Soldotna, police union at odds over cop’s firing

The city of Soldotna is engaged in a legal struggle with the union representing its police officers over whether it unfairly fired a police officer… Continue reading

Coghill says he’s recommending lawmakers drop Medicaid suit

JUNEAU — Alaska Senate Majority Leader John Coghill said Monday he has recommended that lawmakers drop their lawsuit challenging Gov. Bill Walker’s authority to expand… Continue reading

Business Briefs

■ The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce meets at noon today at Froso’s Restaurant in Soldotna. A presentation on Soldotna’s charter commission special election is planned.… Continue reading

  • May 2, 2016

Around the District

School board to meet The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. in the borough building at 148 N. Binkley… Continue reading

  • May 1, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
  • Schools

KPC commencement this week

The 46th annual KRC graduation ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 5 at Kenai Central High School’s Renée C. Henderson Auditorium. The… Continue reading

Federal regulations close Alaska’s only residential detox facilities

JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska’s only residential detox facilities for opiate addiction have closed due to a federal regulation change. The 14-bed Ernie Turner Center in… Continue reading

  • May 1, 2016

Hiker found dead in Denali National Park and Preserve

DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE — A hiker has been found dead in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, and authorities believe he fell and… Continue reading

  • May 1, 2016
  • By The Associated Press
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Kenai Middle School student Jaiden Burdick tries out a construction simulator during Alaska Construction Career Days Friday, April 28, 2016 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Hands on: construction career day gives students new tools

State and local agencies convened Friday to bridge the gap between up-and-coming members of Alaska’s workforce and one of the state’s critical sectors. The Alaska… Continue reading

  • May 1, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Kenai Middle School student Jaiden Burdick tries out a construction simulator during Alaska Construction Career Days Friday, April 28, 2016 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion  Chloe Wendelschafer reads her Frog Important Poem Thursday, April 28, 2016, at Kalifornsky Beach Elementary, in Soldotna, Alaska.

Blended learning: students use various methods for research project

Kelly Brewer’s first graders ditched traditional prose for poetry to present their most recent research projects. Students read their Important Poems aloud before classmates, and… Continue reading

  • May 1, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion  Chloe Wendelschafer reads her Frog Important Poem Thursday, April 28, 2016, at Kalifornsky Beach Elementary, in Soldotna, Alaska.