Peninsula Clarion

12/30/2025

Anchorage-based singer and songwriter Keeley Boyle received a $10,000 grant through the Rasmuson Foundation earlier this month. Boyle will use the funds to create an album of songs about her grandparents’ home in Nikiski, where she spent much of her childhood.

Boyle, who describes her music as a blend of “folk and jazz and Americana,” will in her upcoming album aim to paint a picture of memories of swimming, canoeing and playing on the lake behind her grandparents’ home. She said she’s also hoping to paint a picture of her grandparents, who she describes as “beautiful people, very kind, intelligent and thoughtful.”

Read more at peninsulaclarion.com.

12/19/2025

Soldotna Senior Citizens, Inc. aims to further enhance the quality of life for Soldotna’s senior citizens with the recent purchase of a new 15-passenger van. The nonprofit organization announced in a press release Wednesday, Dec. 17, that they were able to acquire the vehicle thanks to a grant awarded by the Rasmuson Foundation, as well as community-wide donations to their capital campaign.

“This new van represents more than just a vehicle — it’s a lifeline for our senior community members,” Soldotna Senior Citizens, Inc. Executive Director Lisa Riley, said in the press release. “Transportation is often one of the biggest barriers elders face in staying connected and active. This van will help us ensure that no elder in our community is isolated or without access to nutritious meals and social engagement.”

Soldotna Senior Citizens, Inc., recently purchased a 15-passenger van using funds donated by the Rasmuson Foundation and several local businesses.

12/19/2025

Senator Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, and Representatives Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, and Bill Elam, R-Nikiski, hosted a legislative town hall on Saturday, Dec. 13, in the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Chambers and virtually via Zoom. Bjorkman said he and the other lawmakers wanted to hear constituents’ ideas before the second regular session of the Alaska Legislature begins on Jan. 20.

The lawmakers wanted to hear from constituents before the legislative session begins.

12/19/2025

The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce fought a battle against the elements last weekend. Although frigid temperatures and a high wind advisory ultimately led to the chamber’s decision to cancel the annual Christmas in the Park event, originally scheduled for Dec. 6, hundreds of folks gathered at the visitor center Friday, Dec. 12 for the Holiday Christmas Tree Lighting.

Heidi Sorrell, executive director of the chamber, said it was the first time the city has held a “Christmas at the Chamber” event like this one.

The festivities began Friday afternoon in the Soldotna Visitor Center, where folks munched on complimentary cookies and hot chocolate and gathered to take photos with Santa and his reindeer. Later that afternoon, dozens braved the cold to gather outside, where Diamond Dance Project performed a flash mob. Folks sang Christmas carols and eagerly waited for the 70-foot-tall tree on the chamber’s property to light up.

Hundreds of folks gathered at the visitor center for the Holiday Christmas Tree Lighting last week.

12/19/2025

Homer’s KBBI AM 890 and Kenai’s KDLL 91.9 FM are two among 74 organizations nationwide who recently were awarded “stabilization” grants through the Public Media Bridge Fund. The fund is a “strategic philanthropic initiative” begun earlier this year by the Public Media Company, a nonpartisan national nonprofit organization established in 2001 by an association of public radio station leaders.

The Public Media Company established the fund in August, in direct response to the federal government’s defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the subsequent loss of federal funding for public media. According to the release, PMC projects that more than 115 stations — who primarily serve rural and underserved areas and often operate as the only outlet for local news and storytelling for those communities — are “likely to close by mid-2026 without immediate aid.” This initial round of funding was focused on stations facing “the greatest financial challenges” and endeavors to help ensure the continuation of local news, civic information, cultural programming and emergency alerts.

The Public Media Bridge Fund awarded an “initial” round of stabilization grants equaling $26 million to 74 organizations nationwide impacted by the loss of federal funding.

12/19/2025

Over a dozen people attended a virtual meeting the Alaska Department of Natural Resources hosted last Thursday evening, Dec. 11. DNR is asking for the community’s input on the potential establishment of a Kenai Peninsula State Forest, and Thursday’s meeting was the last of four held throughout the Kenai Peninsula.

Area forester Diane Campbell began the meeting by clarifying that there’s no written proposal for a Kenai Peninsula State Forest.

“This is strictly an outreach to get community interest and to inform the community of what we’re thinking, what a forest is, how it operates and why we think it would be important for the Kenai,” she said.

The potential proposal would expand the Tanana Valley State Forest by 600,000 acres.

12/19/2025

The Nikiski Senior Center and the Kenai Peninsula Homeless Coalition both recently received grants from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. According to a Dec. 10 press release, the trust awarded over $7.2 million in grants to organizations throughout the state during the second quarter of fiscal year 2026.

The Nikiski Senior Center received $150,000 to support its Kenai Peninsula Family Support Program. According to program coordinator Dani Kebschull and outreach specialist Nicole Lockner, the senior center will use the funds for everything from respite services to consumable supplies and medical equipment.

The Kenai Peninsula Homeless Coalition received $5,000 to support Project Homeless Connect, a one-day event on Jan. 27. Kathy Gensel, who serves as co-chair of the organization alongside Leslie Rohr, said the coalition will use the funds to purchase essential items like hand warmers, hygiene products, coats and snacks to hand out during the event.

Organizations in Nikiski and Kenai received funding from the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority.

12/19/2025

SoHi’s girls and boys wrestling teams both captured the Region III championship title during the Northern Lights Conference in Wasilla last weekend. The Stars sent 31 athletes to compete at the state tournament in Anchorage this weekend, Dec. 19-20.

22 boys and nine girls will compete in the state tournament this weekend.

12/19/2025

SoHi claimed their third consecutive Carlin Cup victory against Homer on Saturday at Kevin Bell Arena, scoring nine points to the Mariners’ one. Despite the overwhelming win, both team coaches acknowledged that Homer fought hard throughout the game.

Homer head coach Spencer Warren texted later Saturday afternoon that the Mariners played “two solid periods of hockey” that day.

SoHi head coach Anthony Zurfluh said that he was proud of the way the Stars played.

The Carlin Cup is named for former Soldotna and Homer hockey coach John Carlin. Carlin coached at SoHi for nearly 10 years in the 1990s, then at Homer High School from 2013-2016. Carlin passed away in March following a 19-month battle with pancreatic cancer. As in previous games, both SoHi and Homer players wore purple socks, and some fans wore purple as well. Purple lights were also strung above the rink on Saturday.

The Carlin Cup is also a fundraiser for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, or PanCAN. Homer manager Matt Stineff said via text Saturday that $1,500 was raised during the game for the organization.

The Soldotna varsity hockey team defeated Homer 9-1 Saturday at Kevin Bell Arena.

12/19/2025

More than 130 athletes from eight schools came together for the tournament, hosted by Homer High School on Dec. 13.

The Mariner girls were named regional champions at the Kachemak Conference Wrestling Championships on Saturday, securing their victory with 125 points. The Seward girls’ team was the runner-up with 116 points. Kenai placed third with 105, Nikiski fourth with 48 and Ninilchik fifth with 14.

The Grace Christian boys’ team took first place with 194 points. Mountain City Christian Academy placed second with 183, Kenai third with 178, Homer fourth with 176.5 and Nikiski fifth with 158.5.

Homer, Seward, Kenai and Nikiski all sent wrestlers to the state championships, held at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage Friday and Saturday, Dec. 19-20.

Kenai boys, girls both placed third overall in the Kachemak Conference Wrestling Championships on Saturday.

12/19/2025

Most mornings I wake up, take my vitamin D supplement and drive to the office or plop down at the desk in my living room. When I get up from my laptop to refill whatever warm beverage I’m sipping on and look out the window, it’s usually grey outside and there’s usually something falling from the sky.

Usually.

Last Wednesday was an exception. The sun tickled the tips of the mountains, slowly painting them pink, then meandered above the horizon, bathing the channel in a soft golden light. Folks skated on the frozen lake I pass on the way to work. Everyone in town seemed to collectively wake up, shake the flurries off and turn their faces to the sun.

Read the full column by reporter Chloe Anderson at peninsulaclarion.com.

There’s a learning curve to every new season and every new sport.

12/12/2025

Soldotna artist Lester Nelson-Gacal was recently named one of 50 Alaskan artists to receive a $10,000 grant through the Rasmuson Foundation, a private family foundation based in Anchorage.

The grant will support the creation of a handmade illustrated book telling the story of Nelson-Gacal’s father’s final year. In May of 2024, Jerald Nelson fell down a flight of stairs three days after receiving heart surgery. He suffered a head injury and memory problems from the fall, and Nelson-Gacal was his primarily caregiver until Nelson passed away this April.

Read more at peninsulaclarion.com

Photo courtesy of Jessie Gacal-Nelson | Illustrations by Lester Nelson-Gacal