Life

Alex Rydlinski holds one of his pieces in an Instagram photo from July 18, 2020. (Alex Rydlinski) Alex Rydlinski holds one of his pieces in an Instagram photo from July 18, 2020. (Alex Rydlinski)

Art Guild welcomes self-taught artist as new executive director

Originally from Fairbanks, Rydlinski was looking for a place “off the grid”

Alex Rydlinski holds one of his pieces in an Instagram photo from July 18, 2020. (Alex Rydlinski) Alex Rydlinski holds one of his pieces in an Instagram photo from July 18, 2020. (Alex Rydlinski)
Foreground, from left to right: Kenai Middle School seventh grader Cooper Tallent-Darling and eighth grader Gavin Hunt perform as their “Lion King” characters, Simba and Mufasa, while the rest of the cast acts in the background. The school drama department recorded and filmed a rendition of the Disney movie and premiered it in May 2021. (Photo provided by Kenai Middle School drama)

Kenai Middle School produces movie musical rendition of ‘The Lion King Jr.’

The film is available to stream online this weekend.

Foreground, from left to right: Kenai Middle School seventh grader Cooper Tallent-Darling and eighth grader Gavin Hunt perform as their “Lion King” characters, Simba and Mufasa, while the rest of the cast acts in the background. The school drama department recorded and filmed a rendition of the Disney movie and premiered it in May 2021. (Photo provided by Kenai Middle School drama)
Camry Ellis (left) and Braeden Porter sing onstage as their characters Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton in the Nikiski Middle/High School’s spring production of “High School Musical” in Nikiski, Alaska, on Wednesday May 5, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

‘We’re all in this together’

Nikiski students bring high school theater back with “High School Musical”

Camry Ellis (left) and Braeden Porter sing onstage as their characters Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton in the Nikiski Middle/High School’s spring production of “High School Musical” in Nikiski, Alaska, on Wednesday May 5, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Photos courtesy John Schoen Mary Beth Schoen admires a large-tree old-growth stand in Saook Bay on northeastern Baranof Island. Some individual trees were over 6 feet in diameter and many centuries old. This riparian area was adjacent to a salmon stream and was full of bear trails. Large-tree old growth stands are rare on the Tongass.

‘Tongass Odyssey’ explores decades of research, politics and change

‘What we learned is that old growth forest is very important’

Photos courtesy John Schoen Mary Beth Schoen admires a large-tree old-growth stand in Saook Bay on northeastern Baranof Island. Some individual trees were over 6 feet in diameter and many centuries old. This riparian area was adjacent to a salmon stream and was full of bear trails. Large-tree old growth stands are rare on the Tongass.
Local author Larry Johansen has written a book about the history of baseball in Alaska during the Gold Rush. The book, called "The Golden Days of Baseball, The Story of Baseball Played in Frontier Alaska and the Klondike” is the first about this previously unexplored topic. The book is available for purchase beginning May 5. (Courtesy image/Larry Johansen)

Baseball in the Land of the Midnight Sun

Alaska author shares untold story of frontier baseball in a new book

Local author Larry Johansen has written a book about the history of baseball in Alaska during the Gold Rush. The book, called "The Golden Days of Baseball, The Story of Baseball Played in Frontier Alaska and the Klondike” is the first about this previously unexplored topic. The book is available for purchase beginning May 5. (Courtesy image/Larry Johansen)
Handmade ceramics are on display at the Kenai Potters Guild on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion

Back at the wheel

Potters Guild to host Mother’s Day sale

Handmade ceramics are on display at the Kenai Potters Guild on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion
AnnMarie Rudstrom portrays The Pilot during a rehearsal of "Grounded" at the Kenai Performers' black box theater on Monday, March 15 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

‘Alone in the blue’: Kenai Performers’ one-woman show “Grounded” takes flight Friday

A single chair and one spotlighted actor will tell a story of feminism, war and family beginning this weekend in the Kenai Performers’ production of… Continue reading

AnnMarie Rudstrom portrays The Pilot during a rehearsal of "Grounded" at the Kenai Performers' black box theater on Monday, March 15 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Triumvirate Theatre is seen on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. The building burned in a fire on Feb. 20. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion) Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion Triumvirate Theatre is seen on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. The building burned in a fire on Feb. 20.

Triumvirate relief fund goes live

The theater burned down on Feb. 20

Triumvirate Theatre is seen on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. The building burned in a fire on Feb. 20. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion) Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion Triumvirate Theatre is seen on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. The building burned in a fire on Feb. 20.
Triumvirate Theatre is seen on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. The building burned in a fire on Feb. 20. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Rebuilding a ‘community asset’

Triumvirate Theatre receives outpouring of support following fire

Triumvirate Theatre is seen on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. The building burned in a fire on Feb. 20. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The collapsed remnants of the Triumvirate Theatre can be seen on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. The building burned down in an early morning fire on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Joe Rizzo)

Triumvirate Theatre burns down

The building is a total loss.

The collapsed remnants of the Triumvirate Theatre can be seen on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. The building burned down in an early morning fire on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Joe Rizzo)
Mike Chihuly and Crosson look for a good place to cross open water during a ptarmigan hunt in the Kenai Mountains. (courtesy)

Ninilchik author explores bird dog hunting in latest work

The book features photos and recollections of more than 40 years hunting Alaska game birds with dogs.

Mike Chihuly and Crosson look for a good place to cross open water during a ptarmigan hunt in the Kenai Mountains. (courtesy)
Actors portraying the Chorus of the Women of Canterbury rehearse on Monday, Feb. 15 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Poetry, history and murder

Kenai Performers takes on T.S. Eliot in its latest show

Actors portraying the Chorus of the Women of Canterbury rehearse on Monday, Feb. 15 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Marion Nelson, vice president of the Peninsula Art Guild, explains some of the renovations that will be taking place at the Kenai Fine Art Center on Sept. 1, 2020 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Fine Art Center gets pandemic makeover

Shuttered due to pandemic, Kenai Fine Art Center gets makeover

Marion Nelson, vice president of the Peninsula Art Guild, explains some of the renovations that will be taking place at the Kenai Fine Art Center on Sept. 1, 2020 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Pratt Museum Curator Savanna Bradley discusses “Entangled: Exploring Natural History Collections from Kachemak Bay,” on July 13, 2020, at the Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Pratt Museum unveils new ‘Entangled’ exhibit

Last month, the Pratt Museum reopened on a scaled-back basis with its summer show, “Entangled: Exploring Natural History Collections from Kachemak Bay.” Put together by… Continue reading

Pratt Museum Curator Savanna Bradley discusses “Entangled: Exploring Natural History Collections from Kachemak Bay,” on July 13, 2020, at the Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Courtesy Photo / Kevin Myers Kevin Myers is the author of the new book “Hidden Falls.” In the novel, which is available at Amazon and will be available at Hearthside Books, a newspaper columnist finds himself embroiled in the world of organized crime. Myers was previously the editor of the Capital City Weekly.

‘Goodfellas’ meets ‘Goodwill Hunting’: Ex-Juneauite’s novel introduces columnist to organized crime

Author would be here on a book tour, but, y’know.

Courtesy Photo / Kevin Myers Kevin Myers is the author of the new book “Hidden Falls.” In the novel, which is available at Amazon and will be available at Hearthside Books, a newspaper columnist finds himself embroiled in the world of organized crime. Myers was previously the editor of the Capital City Weekly.
Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion Forever Dance Alaska performs for the crowd during the 2019 Fourth of July parade in Kenai. The team will not be performing in the parade this year due to the new coronavirus pandemic. They will instead perform during an outside July 4 production hosted by Kenai Performers.

The show must go on

American icons to take stage in outdoor July 4 performance

Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion Forever Dance Alaska performs for the crowd during the 2019 Fourth of July parade in Kenai. The team will not be performing in the parade this year due to the new coronavirus pandemic. They will instead perform during an outside July 4 production hosted by Kenai Performers.
The poster for the upcoming Summer Solstice Festival at Diamond M Ranch and Resort is seen here. (Blair Martin/Diamond M Ranch and Resort)

Solstice at the ranch

Diamond M hosts annual summer festival

The poster for the upcoming Summer Solstice Festival at Diamond M Ranch and Resort is seen here. (Blair Martin/Diamond M Ranch and Resort)
Photos by Megan Pacer / Homer News Music lovers listen to a performance on the River Stage at Salmonfest on Aug. 4, 2018, in Ninilchik.

Salmonfest music festival canceled for 2020

Salmonfest director confident next year’s festival will go ahead as planned.

Photos by Megan Pacer / Homer News Music lovers listen to a performance on the River Stage at Salmonfest on Aug. 4, 2018, in Ninilchik.
Members of the Kenai Watershed Forum sing an educational tune promoting the Stream Watch program during a break between bands on the Ocean Stage at Salmonfest on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018 at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Ani DiFranco to headline Salmonfest

Annual festival returns with increased camping space, costume contest and more

Members of the Kenai Watershed Forum sing an educational tune promoting the Stream Watch program during a break between bands on the Ocean Stage at Salmonfest on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018 at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Local business owner Kylee Swircenski poses in front of the logo of her store, Positive Vibe, on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 in Kenai. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Local crystal shop doubles as gallery for artists in the community

When Kylee Swircenski moved to Kenai two years ago, she had no intention of starting her own business. As someone who regularly uses various forms… Continue reading

Local business owner Kylee Swircenski poses in front of the logo of her store, Positive Vibe, on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019 in Kenai. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)