News

AMP delayed again, technical troubles persist

The Alaska Measures of Progress and Alaska Alternate assessments have been suspended indefinitely.The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development will wait for word from… Continue reading

  • Mar 31, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan

Healthcare Task Force moves toward alignment model

The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Healthcare Task Force is asking the boards of the peninsula’s three hospitals to look at ways they can share services to… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion A commercial drift gillnetting boat leaves the mouth of the Kasilof River at about 1 a.m. Thursday morning July 17, 2014 during an overnight fishing period in Kasilof, Alaska.

Larger expected king run loosens restrictions on setnets, drifters

Editor's note: This article has been edited to clarify that the 36-hour mandatory window for the 2016 Upper Subdistrict set gillnet commercial fishing season will… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion A commercial drift gillnetting boat leaves the mouth of the Kasilof River at about 1 a.m. Thursday morning July 17, 2014 during an overnight fishing period in Kasilof, Alaska.
U.S Senator Lisa Murkowski speaks to an audience at the Kenai and Soldotna Joint Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Wednesday, March 30 at the Kenai Visitors Center.

Murkowski: Progress being made in D.C.

Alaska’s Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said that although the nation’s capital has earned a reputation for dysfunction, congress has recently managed to consider and occasionally… Continue reading

U.S Senator Lisa Murkowski speaks to an audience at the Kenai and Soldotna Joint Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Wednesday, March 30 at the Kenai Visitors Center.

Cooper Landing murder trial begins Monday

An Anchorage man accused of murder in the 2013 death of Genghis Muskox will go to trial starting Monday at the Kenai Courthouse.District Attorney Scot… Continue reading

Air traffic resumes as volcano eruptions wane

ANCHORAGE — A remote Alaska volcano rumbled and sputtered Wednesday but was no longer spewing the massive ash clouds that disrupted airline traffic earlier in… Continue reading

  • Mar 30, 2016
  • By Dan Joling

Bill seeks to address rising health insurance rates

JUNEAU — State officials in Alaska are proposing a program to address high-cost health insurance claims in hopes of stabilizing rising rates on the individual… Continue reading

System down, school testing delayed

Students statewide were unable to start the Alaska Measures of Progress and Alaska Alternate assessments Tuesday, the first day scheduled for this year’s round of… Continue reading

  • Mar 29, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo contributed by J&J Smart Charters Clammers work the Polly Creek beach on the west side of the Cook Inlet during a June 26, 2013 trip with J&J Smart Charters operating out of Ninilchik. Biologists from the Alaska Department of Fish & Game are planning to survey the razor clam population near Polly Creek as concerns about additional harvest arise.

Fish & Game to survey west side razor clams

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game plans to study the razor clams on the west side of Cook Inlet this summer. Razor clams are… Continue reading

Photo contributed by J&J Smart Charters Clammers work the Polly Creek beach on the west side of the Cook Inlet during a June 26, 2013 trip with J&J Smart Charters operating out of Ninilchik. Biologists from the Alaska Department of Fish & Game are planning to survey the razor clam population near Polly Creek as concerns about additional harvest arise.
Photo courtesy Gabe Fletcher This photo from Alaska Brewing Company owner Gabe Fletcher shows a King Fisher boat named "Celestial Dawn" that was taken from outside the brewing company in Anchorage and found in Soldotna on Monday, March 28, 2016.

Stolen boat leads police to group storing drugs, firearms

Residents from Alaska and California have been arrested in Soldotna on drug and firearm charges after being connected to a stolen boat from Anchorage. Gabe… Continue reading

Photo courtesy Gabe Fletcher This photo from Alaska Brewing Company owner Gabe Fletcher shows a King Fisher boat named "Celestial Dawn" that was taken from outside the brewing company in Anchorage and found in Soldotna on Monday, March 28, 2016.
This Monday, March 28, 2016, photo provided by LJ Taylor shows volcanic ash on a vehicle at Nelson Lagoon, Alaska. The Alaska Volcano Observatory says minor amounts of volcanic ash from Pavlof Volcano are being reported on the ground by several Alaska communities. Geologist Kristi Wallace of the U.S. Geological Survey says the most significant fallout was in Nelson Lagoon. (LJ Taylor via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

Pavlof spews smaller amounts of ash at lower levels

ANCHORAGE — An Alaska volcano kept pumping out new ash Tuesday that could threaten aircraft, but it came in smaller amounts at lower heights, according… Continue reading

  • Mar 29, 2016
  • By Dan Joling
This Monday, March 28, 2016, photo provided by LJ Taylor shows volcanic ash on a vehicle at Nelson Lagoon, Alaska. The Alaska Volcano Observatory says minor amounts of volcanic ash from Pavlof Volcano are being reported on the ground by several Alaska communities. Geologist Kristi Wallace of the U.S. Geological Survey says the most significant fallout was in Nelson Lagoon. (LJ Taylor via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

Associations, school district to meet again

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will respond to the Kenai Peninsula Education and Kenai Peninsula Education Support associations’ most recent health care proposal Wednesday.… Continue reading

  • Mar 29, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan

Bill aims to keep criminals from returning to jail

JUNEAU — Alaska lawmakers are considering a bill aimed at preventing criminals from repeatedly returning to jail.The measure is part of a sweeping criminal justice… Continue reading

AMP is out

The State of Alaska is throwing out the Alaska Measures of Progress and Alaska Alternate assessments, its method for gauging student performance in the third… Continue reading

  • Jan 27, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan

Education associations’ proposal shakes up health care issue

The Kenai Peninsula Education and Kenai Peninsula Education Support associations’ newest proposal would void all previous health care plans discussed with the Kenai Peninsula Borough… Continue reading

  • Feb 27, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
In this June 27, 2013 file photo sockeye salmon tumble into a tote at a receiving station south of Clam Gulch, Alaska.

Trends 2016: Strong sockeye for Upper Cook Inlet, weaker run for Lower Cook Inlet

The Upper Cook Inlet commercial fishing industry will see a spike in sockeye salmon harvest this year, if the Alaska Department of Fish & Game’s… Continue reading

In this June 27, 2013 file photo sockeye salmon tumble into a tote at a receiving station south of Clam Gulch, Alaska.
This Feb. 1, 2016 photo provided by Val Kreil, shows jars of seal oil served during a potluck at a nursing home in Kotzebue, Alaska. The Alaska Native organization that operates the home is hoping to regularly serve its nursing home residents the nutrient-rich oil, a traditional staple that's banned in public settings because of its high risk for botulism if not properly processed. (Val Kreil via AP)

Alaska nursing home asks to serve seal oil to Native clients

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska regulators are working with an Alaska Native organization that wants to serve its nursing home residents nutrient-rich seal oil, a traditional… Continue reading

  • Mar 28, 2016
  • By Rachel D'oro
This Feb. 1, 2016 photo provided by Val Kreil, shows jars of seal oil served during a potluck at a nursing home in Kotzebue, Alaska. The Alaska Native organization that operates the home is hoping to regularly serve its nursing home residents the nutrient-rich oil, a traditional staple that's banned in public settings because of its high risk for botulism if not properly processed. (Val Kreil via AP)
In this Sunday, March 27, 2016, photo, Pavlof Volcano, one of Alaska's most active volcanoes, erupts, sending a plume of volcanic ash into the air. The Alaska Volcano Observatory says activity continued Monday. Pavlof Volcano is 625 miles southwest of Anchorage on the Alaska Peninsula, the finger of land that sticks out from mainland Alaska toward the Aleutian Islands. (Colt Snapp via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

Alaska volcano ash cloud covers 400 miles, cancels flights

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Strong winds Monday pushed an ash cloud from an Alaska volcano into the heart of the state, grounding flights and limiting travel… Continue reading

  • Mar 28, 2016
  • By Dan Joling
In this Sunday, March 27, 2016, photo, Pavlof Volcano, one of Alaska's most active volcanoes, erupts, sending a plume of volcanic ash into the air. The Alaska Volcano Observatory says activity continued Monday. Pavlof Volcano is 625 miles southwest of Anchorage on the Alaska Peninsula, the finger of land that sticks out from mainland Alaska toward the Aleutian Islands. (Colt Snapp via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

Students start second, final round of AMP testing

Starting Tuesday, all third through 10th grade students statewide will start their last round of the Alaska Measures of Progress and Alaska Alternate assessments. State… Continue reading

  • Mar 28, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan

Bills propose increased local contributions to pension plans

JUNEAU, Alaska — Bills calling for increased local contributions to two state pension programs and an overhaul of a community assistance program have been proposed… Continue reading

  • Mar 28, 2016
  • By Becky Bohrer