Clarion file photo Paul Vass and Julie Wendt drive down Bore Tide Drive during an October 2013 tour of the Kalifornsky area subdivision in which they live and raise livestock on a small farm. The couple suffered and estimated $30,000 in damage to their livestock and home during the month's long groundwater-flooding event that peaked from weekend rains

K-Beach flooding area sees slow progress

Next month will mark a year since the Kalifornsky flooding was declared a federal disaster and many impacted residents are still feeling the effects of… Continue reading

  • Dec 25, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Clarion file photo Paul Vass and Julie Wendt drive down Bore Tide Drive during an October 2013 tour of the Kalifornsky area subdivision in which they live and raise livestock on a small farm. The couple suffered and estimated $30,000 in damage to their livestock and home during the month's long groundwater-flooding event that peaked from weekend rains

Soldotna man charged with posession of child pornography and online solicitation of a minor

State troopers arrested a Soldotna man after he was accused of exchanging explicit text and photo messages with a 14-year-old girl. He told officers that… Continue reading

Audit: Systemic problems in Alaska’s Corrections Department

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An audit of the Alaska Department of Corrections has identified systemic problems, including an inadequate mechanism for reviewing inmate deaths and… Continue reading

  • Dec 24, 2014
  • By The Associated Press

State employee’s title called into question during Wednesday’s APOC hearing

It’s all semantics when it comes to one state employee’s defense against being required to file certain financial disclosure forms required of public officials with… Continue reading

  • Nov 19, 2014
  • By Rashah McChesney
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Rich Bartolowits does some shopping for himself in the days before Christmas on Dec. 23, 2014 at Dan's TV and Appliance in Kenai, Alaska.

Area merchants ready for last shopping day before Christmas

With a day left before Christmas, businesses and shoppers alike are geared up for the final shopping opportunities. While some expect everything to be calm,… Continue reading

  • Dec 23, 2014
  • By IAN FOLEY
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Rich Bartolowits does some shopping for himself in the days before Christmas on Dec. 23, 2014 at Dan's TV and Appliance in Kenai, Alaska.

Driveway widths back in front of Soldotna council

Soldotna’s Planning and Zoning Commission has opposed modifying city code to allow for wider than 24-foot driveways within city limits, but this time around the… Continue reading

  • Dec 23, 2014
  • By Kelly Sullivan

Fairbanks to form marijuana working group

FAIRBANKS (AP) — A working group will be created in the Fairbanks North Star Borough to guide development of local rules governing commercial marijuana enterprises.Borough… Continue reading

  • Dec 23, 2014

Walker signs LNG agreement with Japanese company

ANCHORAGE (AP) — Alaska Gov. Bill Walker has signed an agreement with a Japanese energy company formally declaring a commitment to form a partnership in… Continue reading

  • Dec 23, 2014

Young to take lead on Magnuson-Stevens reauthorization

Alaska’s fishing interests will still be well represented in Washington, D.C., despite a recent shuffling of the legislative deck after former Sen. Mark Begich lost… Continue reading

  • Dec 23, 2014
  • By DJ SUMMERS
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Compassionate Friends of the Kenai Peninsula steering committee members discuss details of the first candle lighting vigil the group hosted at Christ Lutheran Church Sunday evening on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014 at the Joyce K. Carver Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska. The committee normally sits in an open circle so nothing is standing between each other when they have their discussions, member Brenda Zuck said.

Among friends: Group forms to support those who have lost a child

Sitting in the Joyce K. Carver Memorial Library conference room Saturday afternoon, five of the six Compassionate Friends of the Kenai Peninsula chapter steering committee… Continue reading

  • Dec 20, 2014
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Compassionate Friends of the Kenai Peninsula steering committee members discuss details of the first candle lighting vigil the group hosted at Christ Lutheran Church Sunday evening on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014 at the Joyce K. Carver Soldotna Public Library in Soldotna, Alaska. The committee normally sits in an open circle so nothing is standing between each other when they have their discussions, member Brenda Zuck said.
Members of the Briat Elohim congregation gather to celebrate Hanukkah. (Submitted photo)

Local congregation celebrates Hanukkah

This Hanukkah, members of the Briat Elohim Reform Jewish congregation are meeting to celebrate the holiday with friends and family. While the congregation is still… Continue reading

  • Dec 22, 2014
  • By IAN FOLEY
Members of the Briat Elohim congregation gather to celebrate Hanukkah. (Submitted photo)
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Tara Chipman said it takes her family about three hours to complete their annual Christmas decorations, shown here on  Monday, Dec. 22, 2014, on Rogers Road in Kenai, Alaska. Halloween and Christmas are the two holidays Chipman "decks out" the house for, she said. The interior of the home receives attention as well, she said.
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Tara Chipman said it takes her family about three hours to complete their annual Christmas decorations, shown here on  Monday, Dec. 22, 2014, on Rogers Road in Kenai, Alaska. Halloween and Christmas are the two holidays Chipman "decks out" the house for, she said. The interior of the home receives attention as well, she said.
By IAN FOLEY/ Peninsula Clarion Betsy Laws and her daughter Kiowa Richardson look through pictures of their old cabin on December 22, 2014 in Soldotna.

Mother, daughter find success after adversity

Soldotna residents Kiowa Richardson and her mother, Betsy Laws, are no strangers to adversity. Despite years of hardship that included an abusive relationship, a life-threatening… Continue reading

  • Dec 22, 2014
  • By IAN FOLEY
By IAN FOLEY/ Peninsula Clarion Betsy Laws and her daughter Kiowa Richardson look through pictures of their old cabin on December 22, 2014 in Soldotna.

Walker continues to fill cabinet

JUNEAU (AP) — Gov. Bill Walker is continuing to fill out his Cabinet, naming Heidi Drygas to be state labor commissioner.Drygas previously served as general… Continue reading

  • Dec 22, 2014

Business news

■ The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce meets at 11:30 a.m. today at Froso’s Restaurant in Soldotna for a holiday luncheon. RSVP to 262-9814. ■ The… Continue reading

  • Dec 22, 2014
Christmas lights adorn a new gate to the playground at the Kenai Municipal Park on Forest Drive in Kenai. (Photo by Will Morrow/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council OK’s funds to begin playground upgrade

Kenai’s Enchanted Forest playground project took another step closer to reality on Wednesday evening. Two of the four components of the plan created by the… Continue reading

Christmas lights adorn a new gate to the playground at the Kenai Municipal Park on Forest Drive in Kenai. (Photo by Will Morrow/Peninsula Clarion)

HEA rates to decrease in January

Homer Electric Association members will likely see a rate decrease beginning Jan. 1, 2015, the electric cooperative announced in a press release Friday.According to the… Continue reading

  • Dec 21, 2014

Fish tech program has in-state focus

KETCHIKAN (AP) — More than half a dozen fish-centric University of Alaska community campuses around the state are educating an upcoming generation of fisheries technology… Continue reading

  • Dec 21, 2014
  • By MEGAN PETERSEN
Mallory Story, a University of Alaska Southeast 2014 Outstanding Graduate in social sciences, sings "Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes" in Tlingit as students in a free Tlingit language workshop sing along. Story, Will Geiger, and Richard Radford are Tlingit students leading the workshop at Juneau's downtown library each Monday. (AP Photo/Capital City Weekly, Mary Catharine Martin)

Workshops perpetuate Tlingit language

JUNEAU (AP) — Mallory Story, Will Geiger, Andrew Williams and Richard Radford show respect for the people who have lived in Southeast Alaska since time… Continue reading

  • Dec 21, 2014
  • By MARY CATHARINE MARTIN
Mallory Story, a University of Alaska Southeast 2014 Outstanding Graduate in social sciences, sings "Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes" in Tlingit as students in a free Tlingit language workshop sing along. Story, Will Geiger, and Richard Radford are Tlingit students leading the workshop at Juneau's downtown library each Monday. (AP Photo/Capital City Weekly, Mary Catharine Martin)

Walker: Alaska will weather fiscal storm

Gov. Bill Walker is reaching out to community and business leaders to help guide him through some tough times with the state budget.In a speech… Continue reading

  • Dec 21, 2014
  • By Tim Bradner