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Robert C. Lewis photo courtesy of the Alaska Digital Archives 
Ready to go fishing, a pair of guests pose in front of the Russian River Rendezvous in the early 1940s.

Life

The Disappearing Lodge, Part 1

By the spring of 1931, a new two-story log building — the lodge’s third iteration — stood on…

Alaska Digital Archives
George W. Palmer (left), the namesake for the city in the Matanuska Valley and the creek near Hope, poses here with his family in 1898 in the Knik area. Palmer became a business partner of Bill Dawson in Kenai in the last years of Dawson’s life.

Life

Bill Dawson: The Price of Success, Part 5

Thus ended the sometimes tumultuous Alaska tenure of William N. Dawson.

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Life

Minister’s Message: Plenty

The Bible story of Joseph in Egypt preparing the harvest in the seven years of plenty teaches us…

This is the only known photo of Peter F. (“Frenchy”) Vian and William N. (“Bill”) Dawson together. They were photographed standing on the porch of their Kenai store in about 1911-12. (Photo courtesy of the Kenai Historical Society)

Life

Bill Dawson: The Price of Success, Part 4

One man who never seemed to get on Dawson’s bad side was Peter F. (“Frenchy”) Vian

Nick Varney

Life

Both the rain and Numnutz gotta go

Normally wintering moose amble through during cold stretches and trim our dormant rows, but not this time

Sisters Alice M. Brooks and Willietta E. Kuppler (both nee Dolan), seen here (center of photo) in a 1943 Los Angeles newspaper article, taught in Kenai from 1911 to 1914 and came to despise Bill Dawson, whom they referred to as “Old Bible Bill.” (Photo courtesy of Newspapers.com archive)

Life

Bill Dawson: The Price of Success, Part 3

“… If I were to designate the meanest character I ever met, I should name ‘Old Bible Bill,’…

Virginia Walters (Courtesy photo)

Life

Life in the Pedestrian Lane: Diversity for kids

“I was a little surprised to see a picture book with a solid lesson: Everyone is different; we…

This is how Kenai appeared in about 1919, when Bill Dawson was running a general store in the village. (Photo courtesy of the Kenai Historical Society)

Life

Bill Dawson: The Price of Success, Part 2

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Part One introduced William N. “Bill” Dawson as a spinner of yarns who came to the…

File

Life

Minister’s Message: Overcoming evil with good

Do we as a society know how to deal with our emotions in healthy ways?

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Life

Minister’s Message: What a Friend we have in Jesus

Can Jesus really be your friend? Jesus said so Himself.

People gather in Ninilchik, Alaska, on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, for Salmonfest, an annual event that raises awareness about salmon-related causes. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Life

Unhinged Alaska: Bones

Just as we approached Ninilchik, we remembered that the Salmonfest would be in high gear

Virginia Walters (Courtesy photo)

Life

Life in the Pedestrian Lane: Here we go again with another round of elections

We’re voting!

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Life

Minister’s Message: The power of small beginnings

Tiny accomplishments lead to mighty successes in all areas of life

P.F. “Frenchy” Vian poses with a cigar and some reading material, probably circa 1920, in an unspecified location. (Photo courtesy of the Viani Family Collection)

Life

Unraveling the story of Frenchy, Part 6

The many vital chapters in the story of Frenchy fell into place

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Life

Jesus, God of miracles, provides

When you are fishing or eating them, remember how Jesus of Nazareth used fish in some of his…

File

Life

Minister’s Message: What God wants you to know

Do you ever have those moments when you turn toward heaven and ask God, “What do You want…

Eventually, all but one of Frenchy’s siblings would live for a time in the United States. Carlo Viani, pictured here in the early 1900s, also spent some time in Alaska. (Photo courtesy of the Viani Family Collection)

Life

Unraveling the story of Frenchy, Part 5

By many accounts, P.F. “Frenchy” Vian appears to have been at least an adequate game warden for Kenai

Will Morrow (courtesy)

Life

Room for growth

Plants that require lots of watering, fertilizer, mulching for the winter, other constant care? The moose can have…

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Life

Minister’s Message: Making prayer the priority

Time with God is different than other time we spend.

Nick Varney

Life

Unhinged Alaska: Sometimes it takes a kick in your ego

“When we moved to Alaska, I naively assumed that I probably knew just about everything there was to…