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A Pacific walrus pup rests his head on the lap of an ASLC staff member after being admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center Wildlife Response Program on Aug. 1, 2023. Walruses are highly tactile and social animals, receiving near-constant care from their mothers during the first two years of life. To emulate this maternal closeness, round-the-clock “cuddling” is being provided to ensure the calf remains calm and develops in a healthy manner. (Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)

Pacific walrus calf rescued, presents ‘rare opportunity’

He was spotted on the North Slope around 4 miles inland

A Pacific walrus pup rests his head on the lap of an ASLC staff member after being admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center Wildlife Response Program on Aug. 1, 2023. Walruses are highly tactile and social animals, receiving near-constant care from their mothers during the first two years of life. To emulate this maternal closeness, round-the-clock “cuddling” is being provided to ensure the calf remains calm and develops in a healthy manner. (Photo courtesy Kaiti Grant/Alaska SeaLife Center)
Outlaw Body and Paint’s Wesley Jackson (center) testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly about the affects of calcium chloride brine on vehicles he treats during a meeting on Tuesday in Soldotna. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

DOT to review salt brine use on peninsula roads

Multiple people, including automotive workers, testified in opposition to the use of the salt brine

Outlaw Body and Paint’s Wesley Jackson (center) testifies before the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly about the affects of calcium chloride brine on vehicles he treats during a meeting on Tuesday in Soldotna. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A painting by Susan Watkins hangs at the Kenai Art Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, as part of “Up Close and Far Away — My View,” the center’s August exhibit. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Alaska through the eyes of an artist

Kenai Art Center’s August show features the perspective of artist Susan Watkins

A painting by Susan Watkins hangs at the Kenai Art Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, as part of “Up Close and Far Away — My View,” the center’s August exhibit. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion Silas Jones performs on the Inlet Stage at the Kenai Peninsula Fair on Aug. 12, 2022, in Ninilchik.

Kenai Peninsula Fair to bring music, food, games to Ninilchik

The event will take place Friday, Aug. 11 to Sunday, Aug. 13

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion Silas Jones performs on the Inlet Stage at the Kenai Peninsula Fair on Aug. 12, 2022, in Ninilchik.
Foliage surrounds the Soldotna Police Department sign on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna police offer arrested on domestic violence assault charge

The officer has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation

Foliage surrounds the Soldotna Police Department sign on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Thomas Smith, a high school student from Kenai who recently completed a year-long exchange program in France, speaks to the Soldotna Rotary Club about his experience at Addie Camp in Soldotna, Alaska, on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Broadening their horizons

Local students report back from year spent overseas

Thomas Smith, a high school student from Kenai who recently completed a year-long exchange program in France, speaks to the Soldotna Rotary Club about his experience at Addie Camp in Soldotna, Alaska, on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Fishing good on Kenai River, improving on Russian River

Northern Kenai Fishing Report for Aug. 3, 2023

A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
From left, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members Bill Elam, Brent Johnson, Tyson Cox and Brent Hibbert attend an assembly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Election issues tackled at assembly

The body created a voter turnout working group and approved other changes to borough election code

From left, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members Bill Elam, Brent Johnson, Tyson Cox and Brent Hibbert attend an assembly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski attends a joint Soldotna and Kenai Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Murkowski talks LNG, local projects in Soldotna

Murkowski caught up the Clarion on oil and gas resources and what it looks like to collaborate with local government to get things done

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski attends a joint Soldotna and Kenai Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Trail River cabin is already under construction. (Photo courtesy Harvey Hergett/United States Forest Service)

Construction of new public use cabins begins in Moose Pass

Two other cabins are being constructed at the Porcupine Campground in Hope and by Meridian Lake in Seward

Trail River cabin is already under construction. (Photo courtesy Harvey Hergett/United States Forest Service)
A Mackey Lake voter fills out a special mayoral ballot at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Candidate filing period for local offices now open

Aspiring candidates will have until Aug. 15 to file their candidacy

A Mackey Lake voter fills out a special mayoral ballot at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lena Wissner, Brian Gabriel, and Tyler Best cut the ribbon at a grand opening ceremony for the Kenai Bark Park in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, July 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Bark Park welcomes 1st pawed patrons

The grand opening came roughly five years after the project was first approved

Lena Wissner, Brian Gabriel, and Tyler Best cut the ribbon at a grand opening ceremony for the Kenai Bark Park in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, July 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Sockeye salmon carcasses line the shore at North Kenai Beach, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. The daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River dipnetting ends Monday, reporting due by Aug. 15

As of Thursday, around 906,000 sockeye have been counted in the Kenai River’s late run

Sockeye salmon carcasses line the shore at North Kenai Beach, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. The daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Rayna Reynolds tends to her cow at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

4-H Agriculture Expo set for Aug. 4-6

The annual expo is a weekend to focus on agriculture and 4-H in the community and in Alaska

Rayna Reynolds tends to her cow at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Tuesday collision results in 2 arrests, 1 hospitalized

The collision took place near Mile 115 of the highway, between Kasilof and Clam Gulch

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna approves capital budget

The budget will pay for multiple big city projects over the next 11 months

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

Fishing gear restricted on Kenai River starting Tuesday

The use of gear on the Kenai River will be restricted to one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure starting next week, the State Department of Fish… Continue reading

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River sockeye salmon fishing ‘has picked up’

Northern Kenai fishing report

A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Sockeye salmon carcasses line the shore at North Kenai Beach, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. The daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River sees 1st day with more than 100,000 sockeye counted

Daily counts jump from 18,000 to 120,000 in three days

Sockeye salmon carcasses line the shore at North Kenai Beach, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. The daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Gary Hollier pulls a sockeye salmon from a set gillnet at a test site for selective harvest setnet gear in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Setnetters see opportunity in shallower nets

State targets sockeye in Kenai test of selective harvest gear

Gary Hollier pulls a sockeye salmon from a set gillnet at a test site for selective harvest setnet gear in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)