Soldotna High School senior Josiah Burton testifies in opposition to the proposed cut of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District theater technicians while audience members look on during a board of education meeting on Monday, March 6, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Community makes plea to school board as pools, theaters face cuts

The cuts are just two of the budget reductions put forth for consideration by the board’s finance committee

Soldotna High School senior Josiah Burton testifies in opposition to the proposed cut of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District theater technicians while audience members look on during a board of education meeting on Monday, March 6, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Snow is cleared from a roof near the Copper Center Soldotna, Alaska on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. Several nearby businesses were closed after a roof collapse. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Fire chief addresses concerns about roof safety in wake of heavy snow

Fears are compounded by a string of reported building collapses this winter

Snow is cleared from a roof near the Copper Center Soldotna, Alaska on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. Several nearby businesses were closed after a roof collapse. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Dipnetters can be seen here fishing in the Kenai River on July 10, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)

Board of Fisheries to meet

March 10 through March 13, the board will meet at the Egan Civic Convention Center to discuss 19 proposals

Dipnetters can be seen here fishing in the Kenai River on July 10, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion file)
Information about SNAP benefit amounts is posted on a wall at the Alaska Division of Public Assistance’s Kenai office on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Food bank sees demand jump amid SNAP benefit backlog

About 9.5% of the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s roughly 22,800 households received SNAP benefits in 2021

Information about SNAP benefit amounts is posted on a wall at the Alaska Division of Public Assistance’s Kenai office on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A sign to Kenai National Wildlife Refuge trails is seen Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Fish and Wildlife Service withdraws Kenai Refuge proposal

The service received around 45,000 public comments regarding the proposal

A sign to Kenai National Wildlife Refuge trails is seen Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

Low king salmon forecasts spur fishing restrictions

Most of the orders concern closures of various fisheries

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 24, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna to review mini grant applications next week

Five groups are vying for one of the two $1,000 grants available for the current cycle

Soldotna City Hall is seen on Wednesday, June 24, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Snow coats an eroding bluff near the mouth of the Kenai River on Friday, March 3, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Bluff project moves ahead

Kenai to buy last land parcels needed for stabilization effort

Snow coats an eroding bluff near the mouth of the Kenai River on Friday, March 3, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Foreground, from left: Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank and Kenai City Clerk Shellie Saner watch as Kenai City Attorney Scott Bloom wordsmiths an amendment to an ordinance during a council meeting on Wednesday at Kenai City Hall, March 1, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. Background from left: Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, Deborah Sounart and Alex Douthit discuss the legislation, which allows more city residents to keep chickens on their property. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai OKs chickens for more city residents

Council debate on the issue lasted for roughly four hours

Foreground, from left: Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank and Kenai City Clerk Shellie Saner watch as Kenai City Attorney Scott Bloom wordsmiths an amendment to an ordinance during a council meeting on Wednesday at Kenai City Hall, March 1, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. Background from left: Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel, Deborah Sounart and Alex Douthit discuss the legislation, which allows more city residents to keep chickens on their property. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, (left) answers questions from attendees at a town hall event on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Bjorkman bill aims to expand local grading of lumber

The bill, if passed, would establish a lumber grade training program under the Alaska Division of Forestry

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, (left) answers questions from attendees at a town hall event on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire
Alaska residents with disabilities and advocates providing services intended to support self-sufficiency wave a banner and noisemakers during a noontime Wednesday rally in a blizzard on the steps of the Alaska State Capitol.

Rally for disability services held at Capitol

About 20 people made their way to Capitol to seek solutions for service shortages.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire
Alaska residents with disabilities and advocates providing services intended to support self-sufficiency wave a banner and noisemakers during a noontime Wednesday rally in a blizzard on the steps of the Alaska State Capitol.
Signage denotes the entrance to Central Emergency Services at the agency’s original entrance on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. A bond package passed by voters allows the borough to incur up to $16.5 million in debt for the replacement of Central Emergency Services’ Station 1 in Soldotna.(Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough bond projects take step forward

Assembly approval comes about four months after Kenai Peninsula voters approved two bond initiatives

Signage denotes the entrance to Central Emergency Services at the agency’s original entrance on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. A bond package passed by voters allows the borough to incur up to $16.5 million in debt for the replacement of Central Emergency Services’ Station 1 in Soldotna.(Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Snow surrounds playground equipment at the softball greenstrip on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. The structure is being replaced this year. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai to replace greenstrip playground

The park’s existing playground structure was installed in 1995 and has exceeded its usable lifespan

Snow surrounds playground equipment at the softball greenstrip on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Kenai, Alaska. The structure is being replaced this year. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Map showing the proposed boundary changes for Kenai Peninsula Borough districts 2 and 3. (Map via Kenai Peninsula Borough)

Assembly OKs new district boundaries

The affirmative vote marked the end of a lengthy reapportionment and redistricting process

Map showing the proposed boundary changes for Kenai Peninsula Borough districts 2 and 3. (Map via Kenai Peninsula Borough)
Promotional flyer for the Indigenous Language Film Festival (Image courtesy KPBSD Title VI)

Indigenous languages featured in school film festival

The festival was designed to promote and increase the visibility of Indigenous languages

Promotional flyer for the Indigenous Language Film Festival (Image courtesy KPBSD Title VI)
A grader moves down First Avenue in Kenai, Alaska, during a snow storm on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Snow pummels peninsula, with more to come

The advisory, in effect until 12 p.m. on Wednesday, warned of between 6 and 12 inches of snow

A grader moves down First Avenue in Kenai, Alaska, during a snow storm on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Peter Micciche (second from left) is sworn in as mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Micciche sworn in as borough mayor

Micciche received more than 50% of votes cast during the Feb. 14 special election

Peter Micciche (second from left) is sworn in as mayor of the Kenai Peninsula Borough on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
LaDawn Druce asks Sen. Jesse Bjorkman a question during a town hall event on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Bjorkman talks state finances, fishing permit buyback at Soldotna town hall

About 25 people filed into the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Saturday, where Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, held a town hall to brief residents… Continue reading

LaDawn Druce asks Sen. Jesse Bjorkman a question during a town hall event on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
David Lorring, left, helps Moriah Hodges, right, reel in her fish at Sport Lake in Soldotna as part of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s “Salmon in the Classroom” ice fishing educational program on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Fish education on ice

Nearly 700 local elementary school students are going to be out fishing next week in Soldotna and Homer. Students will be fishing at Sport Lake… Continue reading

David Lorring, left, helps Moriah Hodges, right, reel in her fish at Sport Lake in Soldotna as part of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s “Salmon in the Classroom” ice fishing educational program on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Tyonek Native Corporation CEO Stephen Peskosky testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in opposition to inclusion of Tyonek in the Nikiski Advisory Planning Commission during an assembly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Size of Nikiski planning group still unsettled after assembly delays action

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Tuesday voted 6-3 to delay action on legislation that would reduce the geographic footprint of Nikiski’s Advisory Planning Commission.… Continue reading

Tyonek Native Corporation CEO Stephen Peskosky testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in opposition to inclusion of Tyonek in the Nikiski Advisory Planning Commission during an assembly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)