Kenai Peninsula

Homer planners approve cabins and commercial buildings with stormwater plans required

Homer planners OK'd eight Lake Street cabins and two Ocean Drive buildings, with stormwater plans required. A neighbor says a planned ditch was never built.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Kenai Peninsula school board votes Monday on 10-year renewal of Fireweed Academy charter

Kenai school board votes Monday on a 10 year charter renewal for Homer's Fireweed Academy, through 2037. • Same meeting, district leaders recommend denying a proposed Soldotna Elementary charter over budget and compliance issues.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Kenai Peninsula district leaders urge school board to reject Soldotna Elementary charter

District leaders urge the school board to reject turning Soldotna Elementary into a charter school. They cite a $1.1 million budget gap and no secured building. Board votes Monday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Follows: Soldotna Elementary parents and staff propose a charter that keeps neighborhood enrollment

Appeals send both Woodland Subdivision short-term rental permits to Kenai City Council

Both Woodland Subdivision short-term rental permits, approved by Kenai planners Oct. 14, face appeals heading to City Council.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Follows: Kenai planners approve two Woodland Subdivision short-term rentals, one 3-2

Citizen board that advises on Kachemak Bay State Park meets Nov. 10 in Homer

The citizen board advising on Kachemak Bay State Park meets Nov. 10 in Homer. In March it backed a bill rewriting state habitat laws, Kachemak Bay's included.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Citizen board that advises the state on the Kenai River meets Nov. 12 in Soldotna

The citizen board that advises the state on the Kenai River, on everything but who gets the fish, meets Nov. 12 in Soldotna and online and takes comments.

by Maggie AlaskaNews1w ago2 min read

Seward moves toward transferring Jesse Lee orphanage cemetery to the Qutekcak Native Tribe

Seward takes a first step Tuesday toward transferring the Jesse Lee Cemetery, which holds burials from a former orphanage, to the Qutekcak Native Tribe.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readFrom Apr 13

Sales Copilot takes first place at Techstars Startup Weekend in Seward

Sales Copilot won Techstars Startup Weekend in Seward, where six teams got about 50 hours to shape an idea, test it on locals and pitch it to judges.

by Melinda Communities.News1w ago2 min read

Seward police seek tips after political signs destroyed near Tony's Bar

Someone wrecked political signs across from Tony's Bar in Seward overnight Wednesday. Police want help finding them and say "we are better than this."

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Multiple crashes in Turnagain Pass slow Seward Highway traffic Friday

Several crashes and poor road conditions in Turnagain Pass on the Seward Highway brought emergency crews and delays Friday afternoon, Alaska 511 said.

by Walter AlaskaNews1w ago1 min read

Kenai Peninsula graduates 84.1% of Class of 2026, but slides use last year's state rates

Kenai Peninsula schools graduated 84.1% of its Class of 2026, topping the state's 80.52% rate. Its presentation compares district data to last year's state rates, not this year's.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Alaska's state farmland auction draws 55 bids on 19 parcels

Bidders offered $1.17 million for 17 state farm parcels near Nenana and Anchor Point. Now they have five years to make half the cropland farmable, or no title.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Seward budget would add a second police sergeant using a job from the closed jail

Seward's budget would give police a second patrol sergeant by moving a job left over from the closed jail. Right now one sergeant oversees eight officers.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Seward council member asks for $75,000 to start making beach fishing spots accessible

A Seward council member wants $75,000 to start building beach access so anglers in wheelchairs and older anglers can get over the rocks to snag salmon.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Kenai parks commission to weigh dropping park status from Ahlstrom Park lot

Kenai wants to drop the park label from a 2.32-acre lot to help redraw a 1955 subdivision with largely unbuilt roads for homes. Parks panel weighs in Nov. 5.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Kenai Peninsula school board votes Monday on $78.3 million busing deal

Kenai Peninsula school buses would cost about $10 million in a new contract's first year. The district's whole busing budget this year is $7.75 million.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Kenai planners approve Beaver Loop day care and give it two years to open

Kenai planners approved a therapeutic day care on Beaver Loop Road for young children, including kids with disabilities, and gave it two years to open.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Soldotna council kills disruptive-conduct rules at city manager's request

Soldotna's city manager proposed rules for barring disruptive people from city property, then asked the council to vote them down. It did, 6-0.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Seward's harbor proposes higher travel lift rates and passing card fees to customers

Seward's harbormaster wants travel lift rates up 10% plus inflation in 2027 and 2028 and card fees passed to customers. One lift cable went from $12K to $35K.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Seward city manager floats cutting electric rates instead of property taxes in 2028

Seward's city manager pitched cutting everyone's electric rates in 2028 instead of property taxes, by dropping a $678,000 fee. It came to her that day.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: Seward proposes a 6% summer-only sales tax and a property tax cut for fiscal 2028

Federal board opens a late-fall subsistence moose hunt on the eastern Kenai Peninsula

The Federal Subsistence Board opened a late-fall Unit 7 moose hunt by email poll, since the rule putting it into effect didn't arrive until a week in.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readFrom Oct 15

Seward under flood watch as atmospheric river brings 3 to 4 inches of rain

Weather service issued a flood watch for Seward, Thursday evening to 4 pm Friday, with 3 to 4 inches of rain likely. It is at least the third such watch since July.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Seward council members question proposed property tax cut, float exemptions instead

Seward's council poked at a $500,000 property tax cut tied to a summer-only sales tax. Some want the money for year-round residents or young families.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

State lenders want Seward's first water and sewer rate study since 1993 finished

Seward hasn't studied its water and sewer rates since 1993. A state loan program wants one done, and depreciation puts the utility funds' costs over revenue.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Preliminary magnitude 3.5 earthquake west of Hope is felt in Anchorage

A preliminary magnitude 3.5 quake hit west of Hope Tuesday and was felt in Anchorage. It is the third quake near Hope this year, after a 4.2 in June and a 3.9 in August.

by Alaska News2w ago1 min read

Missing child found unharmed on family's Sterling property after evening search

A child reported missing in Sterling on Monday was found unharmed on the family's own property after a search that included a thermal drone.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Fish board to weigh how Ninilchik River's kings are counted and caught

Six fish board proposals target Ninilchik kings. Some want anglers keeping more hatchery fish; one wants hatchery hens spawning and only big fish counted.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Follows: Board of Fisheries to weigh closing Homer Spit waters to commercial fishing

Kenai Peninsula kindergartners gain on reading, but third grade stays flat near 59%

Kenai Peninsula kindergartners went from 49% to 72% at the reading benchmark in three years. Third grade, the Alaska Reads Act's target year, stayed near 59%.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readFrom Oct 5

Seward moves city elections to November to share ballot day with borough and state

Seward's City Council voted to move city elections from October to November starting in 2027, putting them on the same ballot day as the borough and state.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: Seward council takes up moving city elections to November, starting in 2027

Tree cutting along Kenai Peninsula salmon streams falls to fewest since 2018

Tree cutting along Kenai Peninsula salmon streams is down to 391 so far this year from 2,772 in 2022, and restoration credit requests hit 32, the borough says.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Homer mayor's budget code proposal drops off Monday's council agendas

Homer's mayor has proposed changing the city's budget code. It isn't on either of Monday's final City Council agendas, and the agendas don't say why.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

Seward proposes a 6% summer-only sales tax and a property tax cut for fiscal 2028

Seward's proposed fiscal 2028 budget would swap the year-round 4% sales tax for 6% in summer, none in winter, and cut property tax by 1 mill.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Soldotna opens a student seat on its Planning and Zoning Commission

Soldotna wants a student on its Planning and Zoning Commission. The student gets a vote that's recorded but doesn't count, and can't make motions.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Homer's Fireweed Academy asks Kenai Peninsula school district to renew its charter for 10 years

Fireweed Academy asked the Kenai Peninsula school district to renew its charter for 10 years, through 2037. The district board and state board of education must still approve it.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Homer may ask the federal government to review its air service as boardings drop

Homer's mayor wants the city to ask the feds to review its air service. Boardings there have fallen by more than a third in two years. Valdez did the same in 2024.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Kenai nonprofit seeks permit to open a therapeutic daycare on Beaver Loop Road

A Kenai nonprofit wants to turn an empty former group home into a daycare for up to 20 kids, including kids with disabilities. The city takes it up Wednesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

BBNC hosts youth and young adult event on careers and scholarships in Kenai

BBNC and the Bristol Bay Foundation are hosting shareholders and descendants ages 14 to 26 in Kenai on Nov. 21 to talk careers and scholarships, with pizza.

by Alaska News2w ago1 min read

Troopers arrest man, 52, after exhuming two stabbed dogs in Anchor Point

Troopers arrested a 52 year old Anchor Point man Friday after exhuming two buried dogs with stab wounds to the head and neck.

by Maggie AlaskaNews2w ago1 min read

State lets seismic survey near Beluga reach across the Castle Mountain Fault

The state let a Houston seismic company redraw its lines in the Susitna Flats refuge so one reaches across the Castle Mountain Fault. Nobody commented.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Follows: State takes comment on expanding Western Cook Inlet geophysical survey near Beluga

Alaska Supreme Court upholds borough's denial of Anchor Point gravel pit permit

The Alaska Supreme Court upheld the denial of an Anchor Point gravel pit after an eight-year fight, saying the owner's must-approve reading defies common sense.

by Bill AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read