The Sterling Highway crosses the Kenai River near the Russian River Campground on March 15, 2020 near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Russian River Road and campground to close for 1 year

Construction will limit access to the road and associated recreation.

The Sterling Highway crosses the Kenai River near the Russian River Campground on March 15, 2020 near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Joseph Lee, of Idaho, backed by Ivan Zarate, of Arizona, and Abiud Zarate, of Baja California, Mexico, arrange fish so their heads can be chopped off by a guillotine-style machine Tuesday, July 14, 2020, at Pacific Star Seafoods in Kenai, Alaska. Not only were seafood jobs lost due to COVID restrictions, infections among industry personnel affected the fishing season. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Seafood industry hit hard by pandemic

Overall fish harvesting jobs in Alaska dropped by the widest margin since 2000 — 14.1% — in 2020.

Joseph Lee, of Idaho, backed by Ivan Zarate, of Arizona, and Abiud Zarate, of Baja California, Mexico, arrange fish so their heads can be chopped off by a guillotine-style machine Tuesday, July 14, 2020, at Pacific Star Seafoods in Kenai, Alaska. Not only were seafood jobs lost due to COVID restrictions, infections among industry personnel affected the fishing season. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Sterling Highway crash kills 2

A passenger with injuries was medevaced to a hospital in the Anchorage area.

Alaska State Troopers logo.
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

New COVID cases continue downward trend

Alaska remained at a high COVID transmission alert level Monday.

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Tim Navarre stands in a bedroom at a cold weather shelter set to open next month on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Shelter prepares to open doors

Efforts to establish a cold weather shelter on the peninsula have been in the works for years.

Tim Navarre stands in a bedroom at a cold weather shelter set to open next month on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021 in Nikiski, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion 
Homer Electric Association Director of Strategic Services David Thomas testifies during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Oct. 12 in Soldotna.

Changing tides

Peninsula turns attention to renewable energy sources

Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion 
Homer Electric Association Director of Strategic Services David Thomas testifies during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Oct. 12 in Soldotna.
Demonstrators gather outside of Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and advocate for alternative treatments on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Competing demonstrations held outside Central Peninsula Hospital

Two different demonstrations — one to show support for hospital workers and one calling for alternative COVID-19 treatments — took place outside the hospital.

Demonstrators gather outside of Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and advocate for alternative treatments on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Michelle Ravenmoon sews a beaded artisan product at the Soldotna Holiday Bazaar at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Art from home

From furs to dreamcatchers, local artisans show off ingenuity at holiday bazaar

Michelle Ravenmoon sews a beaded artisan product at the Soldotna Holiday Bazaar at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Downtown Seward, Alaska is seen on Saturday, July 24, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Seward to promote shop small Thanksgiving weekend

The weekend aims to support local businesses by offering different promotions.

Downtown Seward, Alaska is seen on Saturday, July 24, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Randy Wells

Wells to fill Seward council vacancy

He was appointed after the council reached a standstill on another candidate.

Randy Wells
Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai to build boardwalk with grant funds

The funds were made available by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services

Kenai City Hall on Feb. 20, 2020, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Snow and debris from an avalanche can be seen near Mile 45 on the Seward Highway on Monday, March 29, 2021. (Photo courtesy Goldie Shealy)

Center promotes avalanche awareness

The Chugach Avalanche Center in Girdwood will begin its daily forecasts Saturday.

Snow and debris from an avalanche can be seen near Mile 45 on the Seward Highway on Monday, March 29, 2021. (Photo courtesy Goldie Shealy)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

‘It takes active work from Alaskans’

As cases trend downward, health officials encourage vaccines, boosters.

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
A map of Kachemak Bay State Park showing proposed land additions A, B and C in House Bill 52 and the Tutka Bay Lagoon Hatchery. (Map courtesy of Alaska State Parks)

‘Cure’ sought for Tutka Bay hatchery land issue

HB 52 would take hatchery out of Kachemak State Park and add also lands to park.

A map of Kachemak Bay State Park showing proposed land additions A, B and C in House Bill 52 and the Tutka Bay Lagoon Hatchery. (Map courtesy of Alaska State Parks)
Bethany Wortham, under the Twitter handle @petuniawings, posts that Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, blocked her account on Oct. 23, 2021. Wortham sued Micciche for blocking her account but has now decided to drop the lawsuit. (Screenshot)

Micciche constituent drops lawsuit over Twitter dispute

The constituent sued Micciche after he blocked her on Twitter.

Bethany Wortham, under the Twitter handle @petuniawings, posts that Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, blocked her account on Oct. 23, 2021. Wortham sued Micciche for blocking her account but has now decided to drop the lawsuit. (Screenshot)
A little library at La Baleine on the Homer Spit is one of several around town, as seen here in July 2015. (Homer News file photo)

New little libraries up for discussion at Homer council meeting

If passed, five new little free libraries will be installed next spring at popular local spots.

A little library at La Baleine on the Homer Spit is one of several around town, as seen here in July 2015. (Homer News file photo)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

2 new COVID deaths reported as cases decline

The deaths pushed the total number of statewide deaths to 812 since the pandemic began.

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
The intersection of Willow Street and the Kenai Spur Highway shows the stoplights were out Wednesday night as approximately 2,700 people experienced a Homer Electric Association power outage. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Outage knocks out power to much of Kenai

Power had been restored by about 9 p.m.

The intersection of Willow Street and the Kenai Spur Highway shows the stoplights were out Wednesday night as approximately 2,700 people experienced a Homer Electric Association power outage. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Justin Ruffridge and Dave Carrey attend a meeting of the Soldotna City Council on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna tweaks mini grant program

The council limited who can participate and what programs are eligible.

Justin Ruffridge and Dave Carrey attend a meeting of the Soldotna City Council on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

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