News

Snow and debris from an avalanche can be seen near Mile 45 on the Seward Highway on Monday, March 29, 2021. An avalanche shut down traffic on both sides Monday afternoon. (Photo courtesy Goldie Shealy)

Avalanche shuts down section of Seward Highway

The avalanche took place at Mile 45, cutting off peninsula residents’ route to Anchorage.

Snow and debris from an avalanche can be seen near Mile 45 on the Seward Highway on Monday, March 29, 2021. An avalanche shut down traffic on both sides Monday afternoon. (Photo courtesy Goldie Shealy)
Eric Pederson, principal of Paul Banks Elementary School, stands with his family outside the school in this undated photo in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Eric Pederson)

Local principals promoted to school district leadership positions

Kari Dendurent will be the next assistant superintendent

Eric Pederson, principal of Paul Banks Elementary School, stands with his family outside the school in this undated photo in Homer, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Eric Pederson)
Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce presents local advocate Nona Safra with an exemplary service award Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at the Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Local senior advocate honored for her work

Nona Safra sits on the board of the Alaska Commission on Aging.

Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce presents local advocate Nona Safra with an exemplary service award Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at the Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Members of the community give public testimony about a Homer City Council resolution dealing with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s proposal to repeal the ban on personal watercraft in critical habitat areas of Kachemak Bay during the Monday, Jan. 13, 2020 council meeting at Homer City Hall in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Conservation groups question Jet Ski regulation process in letter

Environmentalists allege Jet Ski ban repeal was tarnished.

Members of the community give public testimony about a Homer City Council resolution dealing with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s proposal to repeal the ban on personal watercraft in critical habitat areas of Kachemak Bay during the Monday, Jan. 13, 2020 council meeting at Homer City Hall in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Courtesy photo / CCFR J.D. McComas, a wildlife specialist with Juneau International Airport, climbs a Capital City Fire/Rescue ladder truck to rescue a bald eagle trapped in a tree on March 1, 2021.

Despite high-climbing rescue, eagle euthanized for injuries

Firefighters, the raptor center and airport personnel worked together to help the bird.

Courtesy photo / CCFR J.D. McComas, a wildlife specialist with Juneau International Airport, climbs a Capital City Fire/Rescue ladder truck to rescue a bald eagle trapped in a tree on March 1, 2021.
A statue of Brother Asaiah rests under a protective wooden structure on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 outside KBBI Public Radio in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Statue of famed Homer local finds new home at public radio station

Brother Asaiah Bates statue had to move after previous location changed ownership

A statue of Brother Asaiah rests under a protective wooden structure on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 outside KBBI Public Radio in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
This undated photo shows a section of Deep Creek near Ninilchik, Alalska recently acquired by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game with the assistance of the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust to protect hunting and fishing in the area. (Photo courtesy of Kachemak Heritage Land Trust)

State, feds and land trust work together to acquire 93.5 acres for conservation

Oil spill trust fund used to buy fish habitat on valuable salmon stream

This undated photo shows a section of Deep Creek near Ninilchik, Alalska recently acquired by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game with the assistance of the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust to protect hunting and fishing in the area. (Photo courtesy of Kachemak Heritage Land Trust)
Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members Richard Derkevorkian (left) and Jesse Bjorkman (right) participate in the assembly’s Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021 meeting at the borough assembly chambers in Soldotna, Alaska. The assembly voted Tuesday to fund 13 new positions for four fire and EMS service areas. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Fire and EMS service areas get additional personnel

This includes the 5 positions already slated for the new Western Emergency Services

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members Richard Derkevorkian (left) and Jesse Bjorkman (right) participate in the assembly’s Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021 meeting at the borough assembly chambers in Soldotna, Alaska. The assembly voted Tuesday to fund 13 new positions for four fire and EMS service areas. (Photo by Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
This map shows a proposed road and gravel pad that are part of Hilcorp Alaska’s application to drill gas exploration wells near Anchor Point, Alaska. (Image courtesy Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas)

Hilcorp seeks to drill gas exploration wells near Anchor Point

Public comments accepted through March 4

This map shows a proposed road and gravel pad that are part of Hilcorp Alaska’s application to drill gas exploration wells near Anchor Point, Alaska. (Image courtesy Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas)
The George A. Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough building. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)

Borough assembly to consider adding 15 fire and EMS positions

The resolution would allow the assembly to use available Fiscal Year 2021 funds to add a total of 15 positions.

The George A. Navarre Kenai Peninsula Borough building. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)
A boarding team member from Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur holds up an allegedly illegally-retained halibut aboard vessel Currency about 12 miles west of Cape Barnabas, Alaska, on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. Chandeleur’s boarding team discovered a total of eight allegedly illegally-retained halibut aboard the boat, seized them, and handed them over to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration representative in Kodiak. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Cutter Chandeleur)

Coast Guard issues violation to Homer fishermen for catching halibut out of season

Homer boat was fishing for Pacific cod when Coast Guard patrol found halibut on board

A boarding team member from Coast Guard Cutter Chandeleur holds up an allegedly illegally-retained halibut aboard vessel Currency about 12 miles west of Cape Barnabas, Alaska, on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. Chandeleur’s boarding team discovered a total of eight allegedly illegally-retained halibut aboard the boat, seized them, and handed them over to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration representative in Kodiak. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Cutter Chandeleur)
The Endeavour-Spirit of Independence jack up rig is seen here in early April 2013, at the Cosmopolitan site in lower Cook Inlet near Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Smith/Peninsula Clarion)

Comment period, public meetings for oil and gas lease sale are canceled

With Biden’s order pausing oil and gas lease sales, lower Cook Inlet sale is on hold

The Endeavour-Spirit of Independence jack up rig is seen here in early April 2013, at the Cosmopolitan site in lower Cook Inlet near Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Smith/Peninsula Clarion)
Kachemak Bay State Park logo. (Image provided)

Applicants sought for state park citizen advisory board vacancies

The boards usually meet once a month from September through May.

Kachemak Bay State Park logo. (Image provided)
The Endeavour-Spirit of Independence jack up rig is seen here in early April 2013, at the Cosmopolitan site in lower Cook Inlet near Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Smith/Peninsula Clarion)

Feds release draft Environmental Impact Statement for Cook Inlet oil and gas leases

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management moved forward a proposed oil and gas lease sale in lower Cook Inlet last Friday when it announced the… Continue reading

The Endeavour-Spirit of Independence jack up rig is seen here in early April 2013, at the Cosmopolitan site in lower Cook Inlet near Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Brian Smith/Peninsula Clarion)
Lady Baltimore, seen here, was injured by gunfire in 2006 and rescued by the Juneau Raptor Center. The Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a reward for information on the shooter of another bald eagle, found on Dec. 22, which had to be euthanized due to its injuries. (Courtesy photo / Juneau Raptor Center)

Authorities investigate fatal shooting of bald eagle

The otherwise healthy, adult bird had to be euthanized for its injuries.

Lady Baltimore, seen here, was injured by gunfire in 2006 and rescued by the Juneau Raptor Center. The Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a reward for information on the shooter of another bald eagle, found on Dec. 22, which had to be euthanized due to its injuries. (Courtesy photo / Juneau Raptor Center)
Tim Quinn looks for birds in Kachemak Bay during the Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Jim Herbert)

Annual Christmas Bird Counts log 4 new species, falls one short of record

Despit COVID-19 restrictions, birders show up for annual December tradition to count birds in Homer.

Tim Quinn looks for birds in Kachemak Bay during the Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Jim Herbert)
The Juneau School District prepares hundreds of meals each weekday to feed children in Juneau as seen here at Thunder Mountain High School on Dec. 21.

Juneau union pays off school district meal balances

The union donated more than $7,000 to clear the ledgers.

The Juneau School District prepares hundreds of meals each weekday to feed children in Juneau as seen here at Thunder Mountain High School on Dec. 21.

Over 1,000 vaccinated on Kenai Peninsula

Statewide, 8,918 vaccines had been administered as of Dec. 22

A tractor with the Anchor Point Tractor Launch pulls a fishing boat out of the water on Saturday, June 20, 2020, at the beach in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

State seeks proposals for local campground management

State Parks extends deadline for bids to provide boat launch service at Deep Creek, Anchor River

A tractor with the Anchor Point Tractor Launch pulls a fishing boat out of the water on Saturday, June 20, 2020, at the beach in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Ben Blue, a graduate of Homer High School and a doctoral student at University of Washington, shows Homer High biology students the results of a research project they helped him with during their second quarter. (Image courtesy Vicki Lowe)

Homer High students help alum with research remotely

Biology students at Homer High School recently proved meaningful research can be completed whether the participants are gathered in one room or not.

Ben Blue, a graduate of Homer High School and a doctoral student at University of Washington, shows Homer High biology students the results of a research project they helped him with during their second quarter. (Image courtesy Vicki Lowe)