Group: Pilot in Alaska crash took plane without permission

ANCHORAGE — A pilot who crashed a small Civil Air Patrol plane into office buildings in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, was using the search-and-rescue aircraft without… Continue reading

  • Jan 4, 2016
  • By Rachel D'oro

Aerospace corporation seeks to privatize

JUNEAU — The president and CEO of the Alaska Aerospace Corp. said Monday that the board of the state-owned corporation has recommended it pursue becoming… Continue reading

  • Jan 4, 2016
  • By Becky Bohrer
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  In this June 20, 2015 file photo (right) Travis Foreman, of Wasilla, passes another racer and lands a jumps during a state motocross meet at the Twin City Raceway in Kenai, Alaska. Seconds after he was photographed, Foreman lost control in a jump and broke his back.

Getting back on track

Travis Foreman, a 45-year-old Wasilla man, knew the wreck was going to hurt. The seasoned motocross racer slammed into an unexpected jump on June 20,… Continue reading

  • Jan 3, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  In this June 20, 2015 file photo (right) Travis Foreman, of Wasilla, passes another racer and lands a jumps during a state motocross meet at the Twin City Raceway in Kenai, Alaska. Seconds after he was photographed, Foreman lost control in a jump and broke his back.

Warm snow winters challenge some Alaskans

ANCHORAGE — When the early-season snow melted this winter and left Anchorage’s ski trails covered in ice, Lauren Fritz, a professional cross-country skier, went out… Continue reading

  • Jan 3, 2016
  • By NATHANIEL HERZ

UAF mining program takes students underground

FAIRBANKS — Entering an underground mine means leaving behind the topside world, its trees and natural light, and going into a dark, dirty environment with… Continue reading

  • Jan 3, 2016
  • By CASEY GROVE

Community rallies in wake of recent deaths

The deaths of three women over the course of one week has spurred some residents of the central Kenai Peninsula to reach out to support… Continue reading

Test aims to reduce rates of colorectal among Alaska Natives

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A new at-home test to screen for colorectal cancer is targeting Alaska Natives, who have high rates of the disease, and… Continue reading

  • Jan 3, 2016

Pool fee proposals

The price to use Kenai Peninsula Borough School District owned pools may rise soon. Administrators are developing a proposed list of fee increases that must… Continue reading

  • Jan 2, 2016
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion The majority of Jessica Burch and John Schreiber's roof is clad in a tarp on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015 in Sterling, Alaska, after a wind storm stripped a large section of their home's roof out of place.

Wind leaves Sterling home, business roofless

A severe windstorm on the Kenai Peninsula this week stole the roofs right off of a Sterling business and a house on its way through… Continue reading

Photo by Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion The majority of Jessica Burch and John Schreiber's roof is clad in a tarp on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015 in Sterling, Alaska, after a wind storm stripped a large section of their home's roof out of place.

Soldotna couple arrested following Spice bust

Three people were arrested and more than 6,000 packets of synthetic cannabis, or Spice, have been seized from a local tobacco shop and its operators… Continue reading

Missing Kenai woman’s body found near trail

The body of Iva “Mitzi” Berninger, who had been missing since Dec. 11, was found near a trail by two people riding ATVs on Friday.The… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Dr. Michael Merrick talks to a patient about her addiction as she comes in to get her perscription to Suboxone, a medicine used to treat opioid addictions, on Dec. 23, 2015 in Merrick's office in Kenai, Alaska. Kenai Peninsula doctors wrangle with access and treatment for opoid addicts.

Peninsula doctors wrangle with access, treatment for opioid addicts

Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on opioid addiction on the Kenai Peninsula. For the first part, check the Dec. 31… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Dr. Michael Merrick talks to a patient about her addiction as she comes in to get her perscription to Suboxone, a medicine used to treat opioid addictions, on Dec. 23, 2015 in Merrick's office in Kenai, Alaska. Kenai Peninsula doctors wrangle with access and treatment for opoid addicts.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion   In this July 9, 2014 file photo, commercial set gillnetters inthe Kenai and East Foreland sections of the east side setnet fishery in the Cook Inlet have their first opening of the season. A ballot initiative to ban setnetting in certain areas of the state - one that would have diproportionally affected Cook Inlet setnetters - has been ruled as unconstitutional by the Alaska Supreme Court.

Alaska Supreme Court rules setnet ban initiative unconstitutional

The Alaska Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling Thursday, declaring a ballot initiative to ban set nets in certain areas of the state unconstitutional.Calling… Continue reading

  • Dec 31, 2015
  • By DJ SUMMERS and RASHAH MCCHESNEY
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion   In this July 9, 2014 file photo, commercial set gillnetters inthe Kenai and East Foreland sections of the east side setnet fishery in the Cook Inlet have their first opening of the season. A ballot initiative to ban setnetting in certain areas of the state - one that would have diproportionally affected Cook Inlet setnetters - has been ruled as unconstitutional by the Alaska Supreme Court.
Contributed photo The Soldotna DMV office is operating at limited capacity on Thursday Dec. 31, 2015 after its internet connection failed.

Soldotna DMV partially disabled due to lack of internet

The Soldotna DMV and other state offices in Kenai and Soldotna are operating in a limited capacity after their internet connections failed. While the Soldotna… Continue reading

  • Dec 31, 2015
Contributed photo The Soldotna DMV office is operating at limited capacity on Thursday Dec. 31, 2015 after its internet connection failed.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Madison Skornik, of Anchorage, Marti Delimont, of Anchorage, Stephanie Huber, of Anchorage and  Kent Ployhar, of Mexico mourn the loss of Sterling resident Jon Ployhar during a memorial on Sunday Dec. 6, 2015 in Sterling, Alaska. Skornik and Huber are Jon Ployhar's neices, while Huber and Kent Ployhar are his siblings. Jon Ployhar was killed during a confrontation with an Alaska State Trooper in October.

More than 100 at memorial of man killed during fight with trooper

Those who knew Sterling resident Jon Ployhar remember his passion for used cars and conspiracy theories being surpassed by his strong sense of faith gained… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Madison Skornik, of Anchorage, Marti Delimont, of Anchorage, Stephanie Huber, of Anchorage and  Kent Ployhar, of Mexico mourn the loss of Sterling resident Jon Ployhar during a memorial on Sunday Dec. 6, 2015 in Sterling, Alaska. Skornik and Huber are Jon Ployhar's neices, while Huber and Kent Ployhar are his siblings. Jon Ployhar was killed during a confrontation with an Alaska State Trooper in October.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Kalifornsky Beach Road resident Dan Sterchi on Friday Sept. 4, 2015  stands near a drainage pipe on a piece of land the borough is considering trading to a private property owner. Sterchi is adamantly opposed to the trade which he says could severely limit the borough's options for mitigating floods in the area.

Conflict, controversy haunt K-Beach flooding solutions

With rubber boots up to his knees and only a gray sweatshirt to protect him from the cool drizzle, Dan Sterchi crashed through waist-high weeds… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Kalifornsky Beach Road resident Dan Sterchi on Friday Sept. 4, 2015  stands near a drainage pipe on a piece of land the borough is considering trading to a private property owner. Sterchi is adamantly opposed to the trade which he says could severely limit the borough's options for mitigating floods in the area.
Protestors critical of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association prepare to launch onto the Kenai River from Swiftwater Park in Soldotna Wednesday. (Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion)

Protest of Kenai River Sportfishing Association launched

A group of boats gathered in protest on the Kenai River at the riverfront home of a sport fishing activist Bob Penney Wednesday. As dozens… Continue reading

  • Aug 19, 2015
  • By Rashah McChesney
Protestors critical of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association prepare to launch onto the Kenai River from Swiftwater Park in Soldotna Wednesday. (Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion)
Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion The tail of a crashed plane sits the woods on Saturday, August 22 at a crash site near South Cohoe Loop Road.

Kasilof plane crash report describes final descent

Witness reports of what they saw and heard moments before an August plane crash that killed two Kasilof residents are included in a preliminary report… Continue reading

Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion The tail of a crashed plane sits the woods on Saturday, August 22 at a crash site near South Cohoe Loop Road.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion A Welsh Corgi talks a walk with its trainer on Saturday July 11, 2015 during the Kenai Kennel Club's annual dog show in Soldotna, Alaska.

Hundreds compete at Kenai Kennel Club dog show

It seems to rain at least once a weekend during every Kenai Kennel Club dog show, organizers and participants said. The 2015 show was no… Continue reading

  • Jul 12, 2015
  • By Rashah McChesney
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion A Welsh Corgi talks a walk with its trainer on Saturday July 11, 2015 during the Kenai Kennel Club's annual dog show in Soldotna, Alaska.

Birdsong returns after Card Street Fire

This article has been changed to correct the species of a bird and to identify the US Fish and Wildlife Service as the agency Mariah… Continue reading