Peninsula Clarion

04/07/2026

Evidence-based Neurofeedback therapy offers an effective medication-alternative with long-term results.

ND Systems Mental Health & Counseling

Neurofeedback therapy for children and adults offers an effective, alternative to traditional treatment For many people struggling with ADHD, poor focus, insomnia or emotional dysregulation, the path forward has typically […]

04/05/2026

When Dan Marshall first arrived in Alaska, he didn’t plan on becoming a cross country coach. After a 26-year career coaching at Seward High School, being inducted into the Alaska High School Hall of Fame wasn’t something he’d anticipated either. But, thanks to a successful nomination by other Seward coaches and former athletes, inducted he will be, alongside 13 other honorees in a ceremony to be held in Anchorage on April 26.

“I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to have played a role in the lives of so many during those 26 years of coaching at Seward High School,” Marshall wrote in an email to Homer News on March 20. “I am grateful.”

Dan Marshall coached cross country at Seward High School from 1992 to 2018, and is one of 14 honorees being inducted into the Alaska High School Hall of Fame on April 26.

03/30/2026

Explore how modern assisted living and memory care is being designed around dignity, connection and the moments that matter most in Kenai.
Forest Hills Senior Living

Assisted living and memory care designed around dignity, connection and the moments that matter most In the heart of Kenai, where life moves at a comfortable pace and neighbors greet […]

03/05/2026

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education held a series of work sessions and meetings over two days earlier this week to review, among regular business, proposed budget reduction scenarios for fiscal year 2027. The district is currently facing an $8.6 million deficit due in part to reductions in anticipated borough and state funding.

District administration presented to the board three budget scenarios for consideration. Scenario one, what district superintendent Clayton Holland called the “worst case scenario” and the reality that the district is staring down, assumes that the district will receive the level of FY27 funding currently being proposed by the state and borough — approximately $141.7 million together. Scenario two counts on the district receiving the same level of borough funding in FY27 as they did in FY26, after the assembly voted to fund schools to the cap. Total revenue would equal approximately $145 million, with $62.3 million coming from the borough. Scenario three includes the maximum allowable FY27 funding from the borough — about $68.6 million — and puts total revenue at $151.3 million.

During the board’s quarterly finance work session on Tuesday, board members gave consensus to move forward with scenario two as a starting point for balancing the budget. Some board members said that working off of this scenario, which includes an increase to current-level borough funding, would show a strong stance to the borough assembly of the district’s needs.

The proposed budget drafted following Tuesday’s work session will be presented again to the school board at the next meeting in April, with the intent that the board takes action on it at that time.

Find all budget materials and recordings of the March 2 and March 3 meetings on the KPBSD BoardDocs website.

The next regular KPBSD Board of Education meeting will be held April 6 in Homer.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education will review the budget again in April with the intent to take action.

03/05/2026

Nearly 100 people attended a vigil in Soldotna Sunday evening for Sonia Espinoza Arriaga and her three children who were deported last month by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. According to the Rev. Meredith Harber with Christ Lutheran Church in Soldotna, one attendee counted 93 people present at Soldotna Creek Park amidst below-freezing temperatures.

“There were moments of silence mixed in with three prayers — one prayer for the family, one prayer for our community, and one prayer for our government and for the politicians figuring out how to make the world make sense right now,” Harber said.

Arriaga’s husband, Alexander Sanchez-Ramos — a Soldotna resident and U.S. citizen — was also present during the vigil.

“He had Sonia on FaceTime the whole time so she could see the community showing up for her and her family,” Harber said.

More than 90 community members attended a vigil Sunday evening for a Soldotna family who has been deported.

03/05/2026

Freezing temperatures over the past week might have altered this year’s Snow Rondi schedule a bit, but they certainly didn’t halt the fun. Starting Feb. 24 and running through March 1, community members in Anchor Point turned out for a variety of events including the annual volleyball tournament, parade, community meals, talent show, and more.

This year’s festival saw a week of activities sponsored by multiple local businesses and organizations in Anchor Point.

02/19/2026

Out of Office column from reporter Chloe Anderson: For the past few months, my days have had a quiet consistency I’ve appreciated very much. I’ve driven to the office, opened up my laptop, and — often with a cup of coffee nearby — I’ve written. I’ve penned (or typed, really) hundreds of articles about high school sports, city council meetings, the school district’s budget, murder trials, community events and everything in between. I wrote about happenings on the Kenai Peninsula, an area I’ve never been, from my office in Juneau, where I’ve lived for close to a year now. This was only possible because of you.

I’m sorry to say I’ve accepted a new position, and I’m leaving the Clarion effective Feb. 20. This edition is the last paper that will have my byline on it.

Read more at: https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/2026/02/19/out-of-the-office-one-last-edition/

02/19/2026

Peninsula Clarion reporter Chloe Anderson bids farewell to the community in her final Out of the Office column:

For the past few months, my days have had a quiet consistency I’ve appreciated very much. I’ve driven to the office, opened up my laptop, and — often with a cup of coffee nearby — I’ve written. I’ve penned (or typed, really) hundreds of articles about high school sports, city council meetings, the school district’s budget, murder trials, community events and everything in between. I wrote about happenings on the Kenai Peninsula, an area I’ve never been, from my office in Juneau, where I’ve lived for close to a year now. This was only possible because of you.

I’m sorry to say I’ve accepted a new position, and I’m leaving the Clarion effective Feb. 20. This edition is the last paper that will have my byline on it. I’m not sure when I’ll be replaced, but I hope it’s soon.

Read the full story at peninsulaclarion.com.

The Feb. 20 edition of the Clarion is reporter Chloe Anderson’s last.

02/19/2026

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is facing an $8.6 million shortfall and is asking for community input in balancing the 2027 fiscal year budget.

KPBSD finance director Czarina Voivedich started the Central Peninsula community budget meeting Tuesday night at Kenai Central High Schoool with a summary of the district’s general fund. The district’s projected revenue for the 2027 fiscal year is almost $141 million, but district expenditures are just over $149 million.

Voivedich reminded meeting attendees about Balancing Act, an online tool parents and staff can use to provide input to the Board of Education.

“You can make choices and you can share your ideas,” Voivedich said. “It helps guide discussion about spending and cuts. It allows users or participants to share your ideas.”

She asked attendees to share the link to Balancing Act and provide input by Feb. 23. Feedback will be presented to the board during the March 2 meeting.

The meeting was recorded and is available to watch on the KPBSD Finance webpage.

The district held a second community budget meeting on Tuesday at Kenai Central High School.

02/19/2026

Community members are invited to the Central Peninsula Hospital Campus River Tower for an evening of “connection, storytelling and purpose” on Friday, Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. All proceeds from “Evening by the River,” the Central Peninsula Health Foundation’s annual fundraising event, will support the organization’s goal of expanding breast cancer screening services on the Kenai Peninsula.

The foundation’s goal is to raise enough money for a new mammography machine at CPH. The old unit will be relocated to the hospital’s Kenai clinic, significantly improving access to screenings for women throughout the Kenai Peninsula.

“Evening by the River” will support expanded mammography access.

02/19/2026

For the second year in a row, 10-year-old Laila Taylor will travel to Nampa, Idaho to compete in the semi-finals of the Elks National Hoop Shoot next month. Taylor, a student at Aurora Borealis Charter School, will compete against other athletes in her age group from throughout the northwest U.S. region, which includes Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Taylor scored 15 baskets out of 25 free throws during the local hoop shoot hosted by the Kenai Elks Lodge in December, beating the three others in her age group. If she wins the semi-final competition next month, she’ll continue to the national finals in Chicago in April.

Laila Taylor will compete in the Elks National Hoop Shoot semi-finals in Idaho next month.