Oil taxes debated on Senate floor

JUNEAU — The floor of the Alaska Senate broke into an impromptu debate over oil taxes Monday.Sen. Cathy Giessel sparked the discussion in a special… Continue reading

  • Feb 10, 2014
  • By Becky Bohrer
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Brent Johnson, a commercial setnetter from Clam Gulch, talks about his proposal to allow setnetters to fish an experimental type of setnet he calls special harvest modules, Thursday Feb. 8, 2014 during the triennial Board of Fisheries meeting on the Upper Cook Inlet.

Fishing for a change

Editor's note: This article was corrected to reflect the net length allowed to Cook Inlet setnetters.  ANCHORAGE — Change is hard. The evolution of commercial… Continue reading

  • Feb 9, 2014
  • By Rashah McChesney
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Brent Johnson, a commercial setnetter from Clam Gulch, talks about his proposal to allow setnetters to fish an experimental type of setnet he calls special harvest modules, Thursday Feb. 8, 2014 during the triennial Board of Fisheries meeting on the Upper Cook Inlet.

Kenai boy in ICU after swim accident

A 6-year-old Kenai boy remains in an Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital in Anchorage after a swimming accident at a hotel pool Friday night.… Continue reading

  • Feb 10, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER

Schools briefs

School board to meet The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets at 7 p.m. in the borough building at 148 N. Binkley… Continue reading

Changes in the works for Kachemak reserve

HOMER — Although Alaska Department of Fish and Game officials have been exploring a new state partner for the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve,… Continue reading

Photo by Dan Balmer Peninsula Clarion Kenai Fire Chief Mike Tilly is retiring after 23 years of service to the City of Kenai. On Wednesday the department held a retirement party and presented Tilly with an achievement award. His last day is Friday.

Kenai Fire Chief Tilly retires

After 23 years serving the City of Kenai, Fire Chief Mike Tilly hung his hat up for the last time Friday.The Kenai Fire Department celebrated… Continue reading

  • Feb 9, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Photo by Dan Balmer Peninsula Clarion Kenai Fire Chief Mike Tilly is retiring after 23 years of service to the City of Kenai. On Wednesday the department held a retirement party and presented Tilly with an achievement award. His last day is Friday.

Saving cash, better communication top DOT aviation priorities

In-step with Gov. Sean Parnell’s message of fiscal restraint, Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Deputy Commissioner John Binder said the Statewide Aviation division is… Continue reading

  • Feb 9, 2014
  • By ELWOOD BREHMER
Amara Ransom, 5, colors a paper Arctic Tern at the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska in Kenai during STEAM Ahead, a hands-on home-school program. Photo by Kaylee Osowski/Peninsula Clarion

Full steam ahead

Three students colored paper wings and bird bodies, cut out the pieces and glued them together creating camouflage, multi-color and brown paper Arctic Terns, which… Continue reading

  • Feb 9, 2014
  • By KAYLEE OSOWSKI
Amara Ransom, 5, colors a paper Arctic Tern at the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska in Kenai during STEAM Ahead, a hands-on home-school program. Photo by Kaylee Osowski/Peninsula Clarion
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Alaska Board of Fisheries members John Jensen and Tom Kluberton hear committee testimony during the triennial Upper Cook Inlet meeting Thursday Feb. 6, 2014 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Fish board debates permit stacking

Update: The Board of Fisheries convened Sunday at 8 a.m. and voted to approve a board generated proposal to restrict stacked setnet permit operations.  The… Continue reading

  • Feb 8, 2014
  • By Rashah McChesney
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion  Alaska Board of Fisheries members John Jensen and Tom Kluberton hear committee testimony during the triennial Upper Cook Inlet meeting Thursday Feb. 6, 2014 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Blumer: LNG project would boost Alaska job market

Alaska’s proposed liquefied natural gas line project would add between 9,000 and 15,000 jobs to the state market, said Dianne Blumer, state Department of Labor… Continue reading

  • Feb 8, 2014
  • By KATIE MORITZ Morris News Service-Alaska

Proposed amendment stirs debate

A ballot measure calling for a constitutional amendment to allow public funds to go to private schools has been a hotly contested issue in the… Continue reading

  • Feb 8, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER

Governor says he’s not threatening Ketchikan

JUNEAU — Gov. Sean Parnell said Friday that he wasn’t threatening the Ketchikan Gateway Borough when he said its lawsuit against the state over school… Continue reading

  • Feb 8, 2014
  • By Becky Bohrer

Flint Hills closure puts fuel market in flux

Flint Hills Resources will cease refining operations at its North Pole refinery near Fairbanks this spring, the company announced Feb. 4 in a press release.The… Continue reading

  • Feb 8, 2014
  • By TIM BRADNER Morris News Service-Alaska

LIO Schedule for Feb. 10-14

Monday 8:00 a.m.The House Education Committee will sponsor a public hearing to discuss HB 291 Stipend for Boarding Schools. Testimony will be taken.Monday 3:15 p.m.The… Continue reading

  • Feb 8, 2014

HEA responding to outages

Homer Electric Association crews are responding to numerous power outages across the Kenai Peninsula this morning as the area experiences high winds. According to updates… Continue reading

  • Feb 7, 2014
  • By Staff Report
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion The Alaska Board of Fisheries broke into committees Thursday Feb. 6, 2014 to discuss fisheries regulatory changes that could affect fisheries in the Upper Cook Inlet.

More protection for early run kings

The Alaska Board of Fisheries passed three measures Thursday, each restricting sportfishing on the Kenai River with the aim of conserving the early run of… Continue reading

  • Feb 6, 2014
  • By Rashah McChesney
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion The Alaska Board of Fisheries broke into committees Thursday Feb. 6, 2014 to discuss fisheries regulatory changes that could affect fisheries in the Upper Cook Inlet.

Kenai city council shows support for HB 141

The Kenai City Council voted to approve City Manager Rick Koch draft a letter, signed by mayor Pat Porter, in support of House Bill 141… Continue reading

  • Feb 6, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Photo by Dan Balmer Peninsula Clarion Alaska State Trooper Timothy Tefft fills out his report following a two-vehicle collison on Kalifornsky Beach Rd Wednesday morning. The driver of the truck collided with a sedan before hitting the tree in front of the Duck Inn. The driver of the sedan was ejected from his vehicle and was taken to CPH for facial lacerations before being released.

K-Beach Collision sends 1 to hospital

A man was ejected from his car after a collision with a truck Wednesday morning on Kalifornsky Beach Road. Kenai resident Robert Dolan, 80, suffered… Continue reading

  • Feb 5, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Photo by Dan Balmer Peninsula Clarion Alaska State Trooper Timothy Tefft fills out his report following a two-vehicle collison on Kalifornsky Beach Rd Wednesday morning. The driver of the truck collided with a sedan before hitting the tree in front of the Duck Inn. The driver of the sedan was ejected from his vehicle and was taken to CPH for facial lacerations before being released.

Bill would repeal local contribution to education

JUNEAU — A lawsuit filed by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough over Alaska’s education funding has prompted a House bill seeking to repeal the required local… Continue reading

  • Feb 5, 2014
  • By MIKE COPPOCK

Panel advances education amendment bill

JUNEAU — The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that supporters say could open the door to more choice in education… Continue reading

  • Feb 5, 2014
  • By Becky Bohrer