The Trump administration last Thursday, Nov. 20, released a plan for offshore oil and gas leasing that would open up almost all Alaska marine waters to development, along with the entire Pacific coast and the Gulf of Mexico. The Alaska portion of the plan proposes 21 lease sales through 2031, five of them in Cook […]
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As urban Alaska’s electric utilities look to import natural gas to fill a looming supply gap, residents and businesses face a future surge in electricity and heating prices. Some of the price increase is unavoidable: Importing gas will require expensive infrastructure, and those construction costs will be paid by consumers. But observers of the state’s […]
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The Homer hockey team travelled to Kodiak last weekend for conference play. The Mariners lost both games against the Bears — 4-1 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday. They are now 0-2 overall. Head coach Spencer Warren said via text Monday that the start of a season “can be a grind,” with having only practices […]
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The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is allowing personal use firewood collection by permit as of Wednesday, Nov. 19. Permits allow collection of up to five cords — which the park service defines as four feet high by four feet wide, and eight feet long — of firewood for personal use per household. Cutting is limited […]
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The Kenai Central High School varsity volleyball team brought home the Class 3A state title following a 3-2 victory against Nikiski in the final championship bracket of the Alaska School Activities Association 3A/4A Volleyball State Championships, held Nov. 13-15 in Anchorage. This is the third state championship title that the Kards have brought home in […]
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When she was in grade three, Meriam Linder came up with the business name, “Wilderness Wonders” for a Yellow Pages ad activity in a class at school. In 1999, at the age of 17, she purchased that name as her official art business license and has been creating and selling her work as a full-time […]
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Soldotna High School wrestlers continued their winning streak at the Lancer Smith Memorial wrestling tournament in Wasilla last weekend. All schools from all divisions in Alaska were invited, making the tournament the largest in the state. Over 1,100 wrestlers participated in the two-day event, which is named after who SoHi head coach Pete Dickinson referred […]
Read MoreIf I were to tally up the hours I’ve spent trying to find the aurora borealis, they would likely add up to weeks. Searching for them is like trying to bake cookies with a pantry some invisible entity stocks at random. The recipe calls for just three ingredients: Geomagnetic activity powerful enough for the human […]
Read MoreA geologist, outdoor enthusiast, author and photographer, Taz Tally has been photographing the world around him for nearly the past 65 years. “Throughout the decades, I’ve used my photographic skills to capture and illustrate geologic and other natural history subjects, as well as to document my life,” he said. “Capturing my way through life encourages […]
Read MoreThe Trump administration on Monday outlined its plans to auction 1 million acres of federal offshore territory in what it has called the “Big Beautiful Cook Inlet Oil and Gas Lease Sale.” The lease sale, to be held early next year under terms detailed in a notice published Monday in the Federal Register, is to […]
Read MoreThe Homer High School varsity volleyball team took third place in the Southcentral Conference Tournament this past weekend, improving to 30-17-3 overall. However, the Lady Mariners will not travel to Anchorage this week for the state tournament. Homer defeated Mountain City Christian Academy 3-2 on Thursday, Nov. 6, but fell 3-1 to Nikiski. The Lady […]
Read MoreThe federal government issued an emergency order on Friday, Nov. 7 requiring Grant Aviation to cut 10% of its flights between Kenai and Anchorage by Nov. 14. The order doesn’t impact any other routes at this time, but it comes only days after Kenai Aviation owner Joel Caldwell announced the company is ceasing operations due […]
Read MoreDuring a meeting last Monday, Nov. 3, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education approved an increase to school meal prices, citing rising food and labor costs and reduced commodity support. The increase will go into effect in January for the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year. The meal prices haven’t increased since […]
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Kenai Peninsula College will establish a student support services program for first-generation college students following the receipt of a $1.4 million federal grant. KPC announced in an Oct. 30 press release that they were recently awarded a competitive five-year federal TRIO grant to fund comprehensive services “designed to enhance academic success, retention and graduation rates” […]
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When a young Sealaska intern walking a beach in July 2022 found the first evidence of European green crab presence in Alaska – a discarded shell on a beach on Annette Island in the state’s far southeast corner – it was an ominous sign about the invasive species’ northward spread. Since then, the Metlakatla Indian […]
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Enjoy a stroll downtown and into Homer’s galleries and public art spaces during First Friday where you can meet the artists and enjoy the wide variety of mediums on display. Art Shop Gallery 202 W. Pioneer Ave. Color and black-and-white photography by Taz Tally Opening Reception, 5-7 p.m. Art Shop Gallery hosts an exhibit of […]
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Salted Roots Alaska, a Seward-based lodging business open year-round and with a second location in Anchorage, was one of eight award recipients at the Alaska Travel Industry Association’s recent annual convention. According to an Oct. 28 press release, ATIA is a nonprofit trade membership organization for the travel and tourism businesses in Alaska. ATIA also […]
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Dinosaurs roamed the streets of downtown Homer, as did princesses, cowboys, minions and more, on Halloween last Friday. Pioneer Avenue trick-or-treating, organized by the Homer Chamber of Commerce, returned for another successful year, along with several other events that came through with a frighteningly good time. Homer residents on Mountain View Drive and Bayview Avenue […]
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The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly gathered with five new members Tuesday night to discuss amendments to a recent city ordinance and appropriate funds for upcoming projects. Reorganization The assembly reorganized at the beginning of the meeting. Ryan Tunseth, who represents Kenai, was unanimously named the new assembly president, replacing Peter Ribbens of Nikiski. Kelly Cooper […]
Read More The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly gathered with five new members Tuesday night to discuss amendments to a recent city ordinance and appropriate funds for upcoming projects. Reorganization The assembly reorganized at the beginning of the meeting. Ryan Tunseth, who represents Kenai, was unanimously named the new assembly president, replacing Peter Ribbens of Nikiski. Kelly Cooper […]
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The Alaska Department of Fish and Game released its preliminary summary of the 2025 Upper Cook Inlet salmon fishery season. The report found that although numbers of all salmon species besides sockeye were down, the 2025 cumulative yield of fish was 57% greater than the previous 20-year average annual exvessel exchange. The total exvessel value […]
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The Homer High School varsity football team took first place in the silver bracket of last weekend’s Dimond/Service Tourney, held in Anchorage. Head coach Brenna Dornellas said that Homer made it into the silver bracket on Saturday based on results of their pool play Friday. Teams could be placed in gold, silver or bronze brackets. […]
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Players on the Homer High School Mariners varsity football team were selected for Division III football awards last week. The Mariners took their second straight Division III state title earlier this month in the championship game against Barrow. Homer High senior and quarterback CJ Burns was named Offensive Player of the Year. Head football coach […]
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Homer metalsmith Carley Conemac is the creative force behind Stregas Moon Metal. Her latest body of work, “Kachemak Bay in Metal Clay: A Coastal Alchemy of Object and Wearable Arts” is currently on display at Homer Council on the Arts and showcases ocean-inspired silver adornments, natural items preserved in metal clay and transformed into jewelry. […]
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The largest gas company in Japan has signed a letter of intent signifying that it would buy up to 1 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year from the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline. The development moves the project closer to a financial finish line that would allow the borrowing needed to build the […]
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The story of Uki, a walrus who was rehabilitated at the Alaska SeaLife Center in August 2024, was featured on the season premiere of “Nature” by PBS on Wednesday. According to a press release from the Alaska SeaLife Center, the episode, “Walrus: Life on Thin Ice,” follows a paleontologist studying the challenges walruses face as […]
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In June, the Alaska SeaLife Center admitted a male spotted seal pup to its Wildlife Response Program. According to an Oct. 16 press release from ASLC, fewer than 10 spotted seals have ever been admitted to the facility. A community member called the ASLC’s Stranded Marine Animal Hotline after spotting the malnourished and lethargic seal […]
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Animal care team members from Shedd Aquarium in Chicago recently collaborated with the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward to help rehabilitate a stranded three-month-old sea otter pup. Six weeks ago, a community member called ASLC’s Stranded Marine Mammal Hotline after noticing a lone seal pup unusually far from the water in Homer. After hours of […]
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President Donald Trump granted the State of Alaska’s request for a federal disaster declaration on Wednesday, unlocking federal disaster aid to support the ongoing relief and recovery effort in the aftermath of ex-Typhoon Halong throughout Western Alaska. Gov. Mike Dunleavy formally submitted the request on Oct. 16, and applauded the announcement on social media on […]
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On display at the Art Shop Gallery through October, “Currents” is an exhibit of acrylic water studies by Homer artist Pam Fraley. A wife, mother of five and member of the School of Visual Storytelling, Fraley works as a writer and illustrator. In addition to her literary creativity, she also works in the visual arts […]
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Halloween is almost here, but the festivities have already begun. Local businesses and organizations continue planning multiple events with costumes, treats and fun for community members and kids to enjoy. Keep reading for a non-exhaustive list of activities taking place through the end of the month on the lower Kenai Peninsula. Homer Planet Youth Homer […]
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