Elections

Linda Hutchings (standing), a candidate for Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor, answers a question during a forum with fellow candidates Dale Bagley (center) and Charlie Pierce (right) at the Funny River Community Center on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2017 in Funny River, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Voters to choose new mayor on Oct. 3

Next week will bring not only five new assembly members and a draft of new service area board members and city council members in the… Continue reading

Linda Hutchings (standing), a candidate for Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor, answers a question during a forum with fellow candidates Dale Bagley (center) and Charlie Pierce (right) at the Funny River Community Center on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2017 in Funny River, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
Leif Abel, co-owner of standard cannabis cultivation facility Greatland Ganja and a former member of the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Marijuana Task Force, advocates for voters to oppose Proposition 1 in the borough’s Oct. 3 municipal regular election during a debate with former assembly president Blaine Gilman on the topic hosted by the Central Peninsula League of Women Voters on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. Proposition 1 would ban commercial cannabis operations in the borough outside city limits. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Fate of borough’s cannabis industry before voters

It’s down to the wire for Kenai Peninsula Borough voters outside the cities to decide whether they want to prohibit commercial cannabis operations. Proposition 1,… Continue reading

Leif Abel, co-owner of standard cannabis cultivation facility Greatland Ganja and a former member of the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Marijuana Task Force, advocates for voters to oppose Proposition 1 in the borough’s Oct. 3 municipal regular election during a debate with former assembly president Blaine Gilman on the topic hosted by the Central Peninsula League of Women Voters on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. Proposition 1 would ban commercial cannabis operations in the borough outside city limits. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Dan Castimore answers a question during a forum for Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidates Wednesday at a joint meeting of the Kenai and Soldotna Chambers of Commerce on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. Castimore is running for the District 1-Kalifornsky seat. (Photo by Will Morrow/Peninsula Clarion)

One challenges incumbent for District 1 assembly seat

Voters in the Kalifornsky Beach area and part of Ridgeway have two choices for their Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly representative on Oct. 3 — one… Continue reading

Dan Castimore answers a question during a forum for Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidates Wednesday at a joint meeting of the Kenai and Soldotna Chambers of Commerce on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. Castimore is running for the District 1-Kalifornsky seat. (Photo by Will Morrow/Peninsula Clarion)
Norm Blakeley of Sterling, a candidate for the District 5 seat on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, speaks during a forum hosted by the Central Peninsula League of Women Voters at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly chambers Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

2 vie for District 5 assembly seat

Two candidates want to fill a Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly seat representing a sprawling district that includes Sterling, Funny River, part of Kalifornsky Beach Road… Continue reading

Norm Blakeley of Sterling, a candidate for the District 5 seat on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, speaks during a forum hosted by the Central Peninsula League of Women Voters at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly chambers Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Prop 2 asks voters to support HVAC repairs to borough building

Prop 2 asks voters to support HVAC repairs to borough building

A set of round dials mounted on a monitoring box in a cramped maintenance room are supposed to measure air pressure through the pneumatic system… Continue reading

Prop 2 asks voters to support HVAC repairs to borough building

Keep Cannabis Legal group leads pack for campaign spending

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show that the Kenai Peninsula Republic Women donated to Linda Hutchings' mayoral campaign in February 2017. With… Continue reading

An attendee at the Central Kenai Peninsula League of Women Voters’ forum asks a question to the panel of candidates for Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly and borough mayor Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Candidates tackle social issues in packed forum

Most of the conversation among the candidates for Kenai Peninsul Borough Assembly and borough mayor has been about the budget so far, but a forum… Continue reading

An attendee at the Central Kenai Peninsula League of Women Voters’ forum asks a question to the panel of candidates for Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly and borough mayor Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Mallott rejects salmon habitat ballot initiative

Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott denied an application on Sept. 12 to put a voter initiative on the 2018 statewide ballot that would have tightened the… Continue reading

In this Sept. 9, 2016 photo, Rep. Mike Chenault (R-Nikiski) speaks at a flagpole dedication ceremony at the Nikiski Senior Center in Nikiski, Alaska. Chenault filed a letter of intent Tuesday to seek office in October 2018 and said he was gauging statewide support for a run for governor. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Chenault tests waters for gubernatorial bid

Nikiski’s state legislator is looking for support for a run for state governor. Rep. Mike Chenault (R-Nikiski) announced his intention to run in October 2018 in… Continue reading

In this Sept. 9, 2016 photo, Rep. Mike Chenault (R-Nikiski) speaks at a flagpole dedication ceremony at the Nikiski Senior Center in Nikiski, Alaska. Chenault filed a letter of intent Tuesday to seek office in October 2018 and said he was gauging statewide support for a run for governor. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Ordinance would exempt freight hauling from sales tax

If the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly approves an ordinance amending the sales tax code, freight haulers will again be exempt from paying. Freight haulers like… Continue reading

Dale Bagley, Linda Hutchings and Charlie Pierce listen to a question during a forum for borough mayoral candidates Wednesday at a joint meeting of the Kenai and Soldotna Chambers of Commerce at the Kenai Visitors Center. (Photo by Will Morrow/Peninsula Clarion)

Mayoral candidates tout experience at forum

The three candidates for borough mayor are leaning hard on their past experience to garner votes in next month’s election. With less than a month… Continue reading

Dale Bagley, Linda Hutchings and Charlie Pierce listen to a question during a forum for borough mayoral candidates Wednesday at a joint meeting of the Kenai and Soldotna Chambers of Commerce at the Kenai Visitors Center. (Photo by Will Morrow/Peninsula Clarion)

Schaefer withdraws from assembly race

One of the candidates for District 2 on the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly is withdrawing from the race. Jill Schaefer, who currently represents District 2… Continue reading

Cannabis proposition pro- and con- take different approaches

Editor's note: This story has been changed to remove an incorrect statistic about the outcome of the 2014 statewide vote to legalize marijuana in the Kenai… Continue reading

Assembly candidates discuss Soldotna annexation

Two Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidates — incumbent Brett Hibbert and challenger Dan Castimore, both running to represent District 1, the Kalifornsky Beach area —… Continue reading

Mayor advocates for ballot props to increase revenue

Kenai Peninsula voters will get to reconsider a tax measure that failed at the ballot box last year in the upcoming Oct. 3 election. The… Continue reading

Candidate withdraws from borough assembly race

The three-way race to fill the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly’s District 1 seat — representing the Kalifornsky area — in the Oct. 3 election will… Continue reading

In this April 2014 file photo, Sen. Mike Dunleavy, R-Wasilla, left, speaks with Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, before their Senate Finanace Committee meeting at the Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Meet Gov. Walker’s first big challenger

Five years ago, Mike Dunleavy ran for Alaska Senate and asked residents of the Mat-Su to kindly not shoot him. “Mike Dunleavy knows that Alaska… Continue reading

In this April 2014 file photo, Sen. Mike Dunleavy, R-Wasilla, left, speaks with Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, before their Senate Finanace Committee meeting at the Capitol. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Four seats on the school board ballot in October

Some Kenai Peninsula Borough School District students will be braving the halls of high school for the first time this year, or greeting a new… Continue reading

Linda Hutchings (second from left), a candidate for Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor, answers a question during a forum with fellow candidates Dale Bagley (center) and Charlie Pierce (right) at the Funny River Community Center on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2017 in Funny River, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Mayoral candidates answer questions in forum

Education and the borough budget dominated the conversation at a forum for the three borough mayoral candidates in Funny River on Thursday. In October, Kenai… Continue reading

Linda Hutchings (second from left), a candidate for Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor, answers a question during a forum with fellow candidates Dale Bagley (center) and Charlie Pierce (right) at the Funny River Community Center on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2017 in Funny River, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna: Three seats, three candidates

Soldotna City Council elections are sure to bring change this October, although each of the three seats are running uncontested. Tyson Cox is running to… Continue reading