News

Kenai council debates legislative process

An ordinance that would have changed how the Kenai City Council and city administration handle the legislative process failed at Tuesday’s meeting. With no public… Continue reading

  • May 21, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Kai Lamprecht tests reels at Trustworthy Hardware after breaking his own on a lake fishing trip Wednesday May 21, 2014 in Soldotna, Alaska. Lamprecht said he was fishing for trout on Kelly Lake in Soldotna when he hooked something larger, he thinks it was a pike, and managed to damage his reel.

King season starts slow

The season is starting off slow, but anglers targeting king salmon are making their way down the Kenai Peninsula for a Memorial Day weekend of… Continue reading

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Kai Lamprecht tests reels at Trustworthy Hardware after breaking his own on a lake fishing trip Wednesday May 21, 2014 in Soldotna, Alaska. Lamprecht said he was fishing for trout on Kelly Lake in Soldotna when he hooked something larger, he thinks it was a pike, and managed to damage his reel.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion The sky above many portions of Kasilof glowed orange Wednesday May 21, 2014 as the Funny River Fire continued to burn a more than 10 mile strip of land stretching from Funny River Road in Soldotna down to Tustumena Lake. Firefighters estimate that more than 20,000 acres have been burned in the blaze.

Funny River wildfire doubles to 44,000-acres

It has been three days since the first report of a five acre wildfire on a horse trail off of Funny River Road. The blaze… Continue reading

  • May 21, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER and RASHAH McCHESNEY
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion The sky above many portions of Kasilof glowed orange Wednesday May 21, 2014 as the Funny River Fire continued to burn a more than 10 mile strip of land stretching from Funny River Road in Soldotna down to Tustumena Lake. Firefighters estimate that more than 20,000 acres have been burned in the blaze.

Tyonek fire burns 3 structures

Firefighters have determined the 1,500-acre Tyonek fire had consumed, officials reported on Wednesday. The fire destroyed a cabin and two outbuildings, fire spokesman Pete Buist… Continue reading

  • May 21, 2014
  • By The Associated Press

Residents ask for action

A discussion about high groundwater issues flooded the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting Tuesday night.Public comment about non-agenda topics sparked a conversation about the affects… Continue reading

  • May 21, 2014
  • By KAYLEE OSOWSKI

Graduates take Wings

Salena Pena was not done with school just yet. Included in her graduation ceremony, was her final assignment for speech class. It was about a… Continue reading

  • May 20, 2014
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Kalee Brusven "just did it," graduated from Kenai Alternative High School in Kenai on Monday, as her mortarboard says. Photo by Kaylee Osowski/PeninsulaClarion

Graduating class is ‘family’

Forty-two students sat together with their family Monday evening in the Kenai Alternative High School gym in Kenai. Well, they sat with one of their… Continue reading

  • May 20, 2014
  • By KAYLEE OSOWSKI
Kalee Brusven "just did it," graduated from Kenai Alternative High School in Kenai on Monday, as her mortarboard says. Photo by Kaylee Osowski/PeninsulaClarion

Man arrested for shooting gun out of moving vehicle

An Anchorage man is in jail after Alaska State Troopers allege he fired gunshots from a moving vehicle in the direction of houses while intoxicated… Continue reading

  • May 19, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Emergency crews stage at the end of the runway in Tyonek Monday afternoon. The blaze grew to 80 acres by Monday evening.

Crews see progress as Tyonek fire moves west

Update: 12:20 p.m. The wildfire in Tyonek spread to 350 acres as of Tuesday morning but fire crews made progress in building a fire line… Continue reading

  • May 19, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Emergency crews stage at the end of the runway in Tyonek Monday afternoon. The blaze grew to 80 acres by Monday evening.

Temporary wiring sparks shop fire on K-Beach

An electrical problem triggered an early morning fire in a detached garage on Kalifornsky Beach Road Monday, said Central Emergency Services Health and Safety Officer… Continue reading

  • May 19, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Photo courtesy Alaska Division of Forestry This Division of Forestry photo shows smoke from the Funny River Horse Trail fire Monday evening.

Fire advances toward Tustumena Lake

Crews battled a wildland blaze near the Funny River Horse Trail, located at Mile 7 of Funny River Road, Monday evening.The fire had grown to… Continue reading

  • May 19, 2014
  • By Clarion staff report
Photo courtesy Alaska Division of Forestry This Division of Forestry photo shows smoke from the Funny River Horse Trail fire Monday evening.
Photo courtesy of Tom Bearup. Adele Bearup stands next to a commercial-sized dumpster, which was pushed over by bears. The Bearups live on Mile 91 of the Sterling Highway.

Bears out, but reports fewer than previous years

The local office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has only received a handful of bear reports so far this spring.While reports number… Continue reading

  • May 19, 2014
  • By KAYLEE OSOWSKI
Photo courtesy of Tom Bearup. Adele Bearup stands next to a commercial-sized dumpster, which was pushed over by bears. The Bearups live on Mile 91 of the Sterling Highway.
Photo courtesy Pam Howard Emergency crews stage at the end of the runway in Tyonek Monday afternoon. The blaze grew to 80 acres by Monday evening.

WIldfire threatens village of Tyonek

A 5-acre wildfire near the village of Tyonek grew to 80 acres by 7:15 p.m. Monday.Just after 8:30 p.m., Sam Harrel, information officer with the… Continue reading

  • May 19, 2014
  • By DAN BALMER
Photo courtesy Pam Howard Emergency crews stage at the end of the runway in Tyonek Monday afternoon. The blaze grew to 80 acres by Monday evening.

Woman walks for help after bear attack

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON — Bloodied and dazed after being slashed by the claws of a brown bear, a woman struggled to walk 2 miles along… Continue reading

  • May 19, 2014
  • By Mark Thiessen

School 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

Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Sen. Peter Micciche sat with the winners during lunch and asked them if they would continue reading over the summer, Friday, May 9, at Soldotna Elementary School.

Soldotna Elementary School improves reading levels

Trent Boots walked straight to the fiction section directly beneath the inflated solar system hanging from the ceiling. “The Penderwicks at Point Mouette” by Jeanne… Continue reading

  • May 18, 2014
  • By Kelly Sullivan
  • Schools
Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion Sen. Peter Micciche sat with the winners during lunch and asked them if they would continue reading over the summer, Friday, May 9, at Soldotna Elementary School.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Ted Nichols, 12, of Chugiak, goes digging for clams at the Whiskey Gulch beach access Saturday May 18, 2014 in Anchor Point, Alaska.

Photos: Clamoring for razors

… Continue reading

  • May 18, 2014
  • By Rashah McChesney
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion Ted Nichols, 12, of Chugiak, goes digging for clams at the Whiskey Gulch beach access Saturday May 18, 2014 in Anchor Point, Alaska.
Photo courtesy Michelle Glaves The base of the Les Anderson was found to have been hacked at with an axe, Saturday, May 9, at the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce.

Statue defaced, to be replaced

Damage to the vandalized Les Anderson statue is so extensive it will need to be replaced. Soldotna Chamber of Commerce executive director Michelle Glaves originally… Continue reading

  • May 18, 2014
  • By Kelly Sullivan
Photo courtesy Michelle Glaves The base of the Les Anderson was found to have been hacked at with an axe, Saturday, May 9, at the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce.

Lawsuit over school funding heads to court in June

JUNEAU — A borough that sued the state over public school funding says municipalities are “coerced” into contributing to local districts, but Alaska compares it… Continue reading

  • May 18, 2014
  • By Becky Bohrer
ADVANCE FOR SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2014 Bill Wolfe Jr., an apprentice at Hoonah's soon-to-be oyster farm; Rodger Painter, aquaculture specialist and a longtime shellfish farmer; and John Hillman, Hoonah Indian Association's Director of Natural Resources, look over oysters pulled from the Kake, Alaska nursery on May 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Capital City Weekly, Mary Catherine Martin)

Kake pins hopes on oyster farming

KAKE — Timber, construction and commercial fisheries are down, the cannery closed decades ago, and the salmon hatchery here is closing next month. The Organized… Continue reading

  • May 18, 2014
  • By MARY CATHARINE MARTIN
ADVANCE FOR SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2014 Bill Wolfe Jr., an apprentice at Hoonah's soon-to-be oyster farm; Rodger Painter, aquaculture specialist and a longtime shellfish farmer; and John Hillman, Hoonah Indian Association's Director of Natural Resources, look over oysters pulled from the Kake, Alaska nursery on May 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Capital City Weekly, Mary Catherine Martin)