Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander (left) and Kenai Finance Director Terry Eubank (right) moderate a city council work session discussing budget goals at Kenai City Hall on Monday, Jan. 10, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai developing budget goals

Officials aim to provide more transparency in the budget process

Kenai City Manager Paul Ostrander (left) and Kenai Finance Director Terry Eubank (right) moderate a city council work session discussing budget goals at Kenai City Hall on Monday, Jan. 10, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

School board works to highlight students’ voices

Within the first hour of the meeting students would have up to five minutes each to address the board about any issue

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lawmakers will return next week to the Alaska State Capitol building, seen here on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, for the next session of the Alaska State Legislature. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Local lawmakers prefile bills as session looms

COVID-19 health mandates, annexation and alcohol code reform on lawmakers’ agenda

Lawmakers will return next week to the Alaska State Capitol building, seen here on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, for the next session of the Alaska State Legislature. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
This 2014 photo shows the South Peninsula Hospital campus in Homer. (Photo courtesy South Peninsula Hospital)

South peninsula nursing home requests no visitors after COVID outbreak

The resident who tested positive Friday is the first resident to test positive since the pandemic began.

This 2014 photo shows the South Peninsula Hospital campus in Homer. (Photo courtesy South Peninsula Hospital)
The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Body found in burnt car in Kenai park

Kenai Fire and Police responded to a vehicle fire at Beaver Creek Park.

The Kenai Fire Department headquarters are photographed on Feb. 13, 2018, in Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Central Peninsula Hospital is seen in Soldotna on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

CPH remains below capacity, sees uptick in cases among staff

As of Friday, CPH had 12 COVID-positive staff members and 22 people at home quarantining.

Central Peninsula Hospital is seen in Soldotna on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska Association of Realtors President Dale Bagely presents a regional real estate update during the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District’s 2022 Industry Outlook Forum on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Forum brings industry leaders to Kenai

The annual event is hosted by the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District

Alaska Association of Realtors President Dale Bagely presents a regional real estate update during the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District’s 2022 Industry Outlook Forum on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Rep. Sarah Vance hosts a town hall meeting at Captain’s Coffee to discuss her priorities for the upcoming legislative session. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)

Stevens, Vance reach out to constituents

Sen. Stevens and Rep. Vance hold meetings before heading to Juneau for start of session.

Rep. Sarah Vance hosts a town hall meeting at Captain’s Coffee to discuss her priorities for the upcoming legislative session. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)
Fencing marks the boundaries of a planned dog park near Daubenspeck Park on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Dog park funding approved after debate

Opponents expressed concerns about lack of defined plans for the project

Fencing marks the boundaries of a planned dog park near Daubenspeck Park on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021 in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Eroding bluffs can be seen on Kenai North Beach in Kenai, Alaska, on June 3, 2021. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Kenai council thanks Dunleavy for proposed bluff funds

Gov. Mike Dunleavy including funding for Kenai bluff erosion in his proposed budget

Eroding bluffs can be seen on Kenai North Beach in Kenai, Alaska, on June 3, 2021. (Peninsula Clarion file)
A holds locker is seen at the Soldotna Public Library on Friday, Jan. 15 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai council approves library grants

Some funds will go toward buying a holds locker that allows material pickup when the library is closed

A holds locker is seen at the Soldotna Public Library on Friday, Jan. 15 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)

Amid steep rise in COVID-19 cases, officials see reasons for optimism

COVID cases increased 145% from this week to last week, according to state data.

COVID-19. (Image courtesy CDC)
Photo by Haley Ritchie/Yukon News
Birders Jenny Trapnell and Jim Hawkings participated in the annual Christmas Bird Count in downtown Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada, on Dec. 26 — part of the worldwide count that included Homer.

9,900 birds reported during Homer Christmas Bird Count

The count identified 71 species on Dec. 18, 2021.

Photo by Haley Ritchie/Yukon News
Birders Jenny Trapnell and Jim Hawkings participated in the annual Christmas Bird Count in downtown Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada, on Dec. 26 — part of the worldwide count that included Homer.
State Sen. Peter Micciche fields questions from constituents during a joint chamber luncheon on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Micciche briefs community ahead of session

Micciche seeks path forward on budget, looks to pass legislation on fishing permits, alcohol regulations

State Sen. Peter Micciche fields questions from constituents during a joint chamber luncheon on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Chairs at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly chambers are decorated with paper cutouts on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, at the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building in Soldotna, Alaska. The cutouts were intended to represent Central Peninsula Hospital patients who died of COVID-19. During public testimony given Tuesday, several members of the public expressed the desire for alternative treatments for COVID-19 and protested CPH’s treatment methods. (Photo courtesy Katherine Uei)

Assembly approves state health grant

The money was made available under a grant program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairs at the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly chambers are decorated with paper cutouts on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, at the George A. Navarre Borough Admin Building in Soldotna, Alaska. The cutouts were intended to represent Central Peninsula Hospital patients who died of COVID-19. During public testimony given Tuesday, several members of the public expressed the desire for alternative treatments for COVID-19 and protested CPH’s treatment methods. (Photo courtesy Katherine Uei)
A sign advertising testing for COVID-19 is seen at Capstone Clinic in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)

Testing ‘key component’ as COVID cases spike

There was a 145% increase in COVID cases from the week of Dec. 22 to the week of Dec. 29.

A sign advertising testing for COVID-19 is seen at Capstone Clinic in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion)
Cars drive along the Kenai Spur Highway near Eagle Rock Drive on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2021 near Kenai, Alaska. The highway will be widened under a state transportation project. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

2nd phase of project to widen Kenai Spur to start this summer

The first phase of the project widened the highway between Swires Road and Eagle Rock Drive

Cars drive along the Kenai Spur Highway near Eagle Rock Drive on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2021 near Kenai, Alaska. The highway will be widened under a state transportation project. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Internet cables (Peninsula Clarion file)

ACS outage restored after phones, internet go down

The company isolated a fiber issue between Kenai and Soldotna

Internet cables (Peninsula Clarion file)
Birds grow at Dana Armstrong’s farm in Nikiski, Alaska. Armstrong is the director of the Kenai Peninsula Poultry Project — a 501(c)3 organization with the goal of providing healthy poultry options for central peninsula residents in need. (Courtesy of Dana Armstrong)

Local farmer aims to donate poultry to residents in need

She said she will process and donate both live poultry and cuts of meat to the local food banks and church pantries.

Birds grow at Dana Armstrong’s farm in Nikiski, Alaska. Armstrong is the director of the Kenai Peninsula Poultry Project — a 501(c)3 organization with the goal of providing healthy poultry options for central peninsula residents in need. (Courtesy of Dana Armstrong)
A DHSS graphic shows most regions of Alaska to be at high alert level as of Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. (Screenshot)

2022 kicks off with a rush of COVID cases

More than 2,800 cases reported over last five days

A DHSS graphic shows most regions of Alaska to be at high alert level as of Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. (Screenshot)