News

Shoppers make book purchases during the busy holiday shopping season at River City Books in Soldotna on Friday. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

A reader’s guide to local holiday gift shopping

Whether it be poetry, adventure, nonfiction or cookbooks, local writers cover a variety of genres. The gift of books and reading can be appreciated by… Continue reading

Shoppers make book purchases during the busy holiday shopping season at River City Books in Soldotna on Friday. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai police offer security checks on unattended homes

Kenai Police Department is offering free vacation checks to city residents leaving their homes vacant for the holiday season. Lt. Ben Langham said the service… Continue reading

Clouds and smoke curl around the top of Augustine Volcano on Sunday, June 4, 2017 on Augustine Island, Alaska. The remote island in Cook Inlet is composed of little more than the volcano and its surrounding debris. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai’s tsunami risk is low, but not impossible

On the morning of Nov. 30, many residents on the Kenai Peninsula received automated tsunami warnings on their cell phones following the magnitude 7.0 earthquake.… Continue reading

Clouds and smoke curl around the top of Augustine Volcano on Sunday, June 4, 2017 on Augustine Island, Alaska. The remote island in Cook Inlet is composed of little more than the volcano and its surrounding debris. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Manni Guillen, whose family moved to Juneau from Mexico when he was a baby, speaks at the Love Knows No Borders rally in Juneau on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Guillen spoke about his experiences growing up in Juneau and working with the Border Angels nonprofit. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)

Rally attendees brave weather to support migrants near, far

Around 200 people showed up.

Manni Guillen, whose family moved to Juneau from Mexico when he was a baby, speaks at the Love Knows No Borders rally in Juneau on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Guillen spoke about his experiences growing up in Juneau and working with the Border Angels nonprofit. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)
A rendering of the proposed Soldotna Regional Sports Complex field house. The Soldotna City Council will introduce legislation Wednesday to ask the voters if the city should borrow $10 million in the form of a bond to build the field house. (City of Soldotna)

Soldotna to vote on bond proposal for field house

Correction: This article has been edited to reflect the correct date of the special election, March 5, 2019. The Clarion regrets the error. Soldotna will… Continue reading

A rendering of the proposed Soldotna Regional Sports Complex field house. The Soldotna City Council will introduce legislation Wednesday to ask the voters if the city should borrow $10 million in the form of a bond to build the field house. (City of Soldotna)
Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce gives a borough update at a joint Soldotna and Kenai Chamber of Commerce luncheon event on Dec. 5 at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough reduced deficit by nearly $4 million

The borough had nearly $4 million less in deficit spending than projected, according to Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce, who was speaking at a Dec. 5… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce gives a borough update at a joint Soldotna and Kenai Chamber of Commerce luncheon event on Dec. 5 at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
A long crack stretches along a length of road in Nikiski, Alaska on Friday, Nov. 30 due to a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that shook the Kenai Peninsula, along with the Anchorage, Wasilla and Palmer areas. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Mayor: Borough needed more prep for quake

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District was praised for their quick response following the Nov. 30, 7.0 magnitude earthquake, however, borough Mayor Charlie Pierce said… Continue reading

A long crack stretches along a length of road in Nikiski, Alaska on Friday, Nov. 30 due to a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that shook the Kenai Peninsula, along with the Anchorage, Wasilla and Palmer areas. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Freedom House founder Jennifer Waller is photographed at the women’s recovery home in March 2018. Waller is hoping to open a men’s recovery facility in early 2019. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Work begins on Freedom House for men

Jennifer Waller and a team of volunteers have begun the renovations to the Soldotna home that will be used as the men’s Freedom House location.… Continue reading

Freedom House founder Jennifer Waller is photographed at the women’s recovery home in March 2018. Waller is hoping to open a men’s recovery facility in early 2019. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Seat C, Jordan Chilson, unopposed for Soldotna City Council

Soldotna to consider school zone cellphone ban 

Soldotna City Council member Jordan Chilson is looking to amend the Soldotna Municipal Code to prohibit the use of hand-held electronic devices, like cellphones, while… Continue reading

Seat C, Jordan Chilson, unopposed for Soldotna City Council

School Briefs 12/10-12/16

Soldotna High School The Winter Concert will be on Tuesday, December 18, at 7:00 pm. This is a free concert with music performed by the… Continue reading

A student in April Kaufman’s K-Beach Elementary kindergartner class practices introducing himself to residents at Heritage Place on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Students work on dignity, kindness with Heritage Place residents

On Friday, kindergartners from K-Beach Elementary School visited residents at Heritage Place, a continuing care facility for seniors and the disabled, for a Dignity Mission.… Continue reading

A student in April Kaufman’s K-Beach Elementary kindergartner class practices introducing himself to residents at Heritage Place on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Laurie Daniel, left, and Alaska State Parks specialist Eric Clarke, right, discuss the Diamond Creek trails portion of the Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness Park draft management plan at an open house on the plan on Oct. 29, 2018, at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

DNR commissioner rescinds adoption of new Kachemak Bay parks management plan

The new Department of Natural Resources commissioner on Friday rescinded a last-minute adoption of the Kachemak Bay State Park and Kachemak Bay State Park Management… Continue reading

Laurie Daniel, left, and Alaska State Parks specialist Eric Clarke, right, discuss the Diamond Creek trails portion of the Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness Park draft management plan at an open house on the plan on Oct. 29, 2018, at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus in the snow, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

KPC Campus Corner

Give a gift that keeps on giving: The gift of education! For some families, part of the upcoming the holiday involves exchanging gifts. KPC invites… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus in the snow, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, near Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
A building stands close to the edge of the Kenai River bluffs in February 2017. The bluffs are eroding at roughly 3 feet per year. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion file photo)

Kenai bluff stabilization project moves forward

A project seeking to stabilize Kenai’s bluff has seen development in the last month. On Nov. 16, a director’s report was finalized by the Alaska… Continue reading

A building stands close to the edge of the Kenai River bluffs in February 2017. The bluffs are eroding at roughly 3 feet per year. (Ben Boettger/Peninsula Clarion file photo)
A drill rig works in the Colville Delta operations in 2014. (Photo/Courtesy/Repsol)

Hilcorp contractor employee dies on North Slope

An employee of Hilcorp Alaska drilling contractor, Kuukpik Drilling, was fatally injured at Milne Point on Alaska’s North Slope on Thursday night, Lori Nelson, manager… Continue reading

A drill rig works in the Colville Delta operations in 2014. (Photo/Courtesy/Repsol)
A beer from St. Elias Brewing Company is photographed on Friday in Soldotna. St. Elias has several seasonal beers this winter, including a chocolate raspberry porter and a currant flavored lambic. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Local brewers roll out holiday specials

Doug Hogue, the owner of Kenai River Brewing Company, said he has always hated pumpkin beers. Two local home brewers recently changed his mind with… Continue reading

A beer from St. Elias Brewing Company is photographed on Friday in Soldotna. St. Elias has several seasonal beers this winter, including a chocolate raspberry porter and a currant flavored lambic. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
FILE – In this Dec. 2, 2010, file photo, a child pays for a lunch consisting of fruits and vegetables during a school lunch program at Fairmeadow Elementary School in Palo Alto, Calif. California and Pennsylvania both passed laws in 2017 to outlaw "lunch shaming" of children for unpaid meals, with the Pennsylvania measure that became law in November requiring communication about money owed on meal accounts to be done between school officials and parents, and not involve the student. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

School board introduces wellness policy at Monday’s meeting

In an effort to reduce childhood obesity, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Education Board’s Wellness Committee introduced an updated nutrition and physical activity policy… Continue reading

FILE – In this Dec. 2, 2010, file photo, a child pays for a lunch consisting of fruits and vegetables during a school lunch program at Fairmeadow Elementary School in Palo Alto, Calif. California and Pennsylvania both passed laws in 2017 to outlaw "lunch shaming" of children for unpaid meals, with the Pennsylvania measure that became law in November requiring communication about money owed on meal accounts to be done between school officials and parents, and not involve the student. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

School board advances efforts for new Aurora high school

Parents and students wanting to expand Aurora Borealis Charter School into a high school are one step closer to their goal after the Kenai Peninsula… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce gives a borough update at a joint Soldotna and Kenai Chamber of Commerce luncheon event on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, at the Kenai Visitors Center in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Mayor Charlie Pierce gives borough update

Wednesday, Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce gave an update at a Joint Kenai/Soldotna Chamber Luncheon, where he spoke about various borough projects his administration… Continue reading

Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce gives a borough update at a joint Soldotna and Kenai Chamber of Commerce luncheon event on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, at the Kenai Visitors Center in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly stands in silence while Assembly President Wayne Ogle offers an invocation before the meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough has openings for next year’s invocation providers

At Tuesday’s Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting, President Wayne Ogle announced there were eight openings to give invocations next calendar year. “We have 12 assigned… Continue reading

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly stands in silence while Assembly President Wayne Ogle offers an invocation before the meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Soldotna, AK. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
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