Over the years, Salmonfest has become a Kenai Peninsula summertime staple The Ninilchik-based music festival aims to raise awareness about protecting Alaska's Bristol Bay salmon event organizers have put together a similar environmental-themed music festival in Seward aims to support the chinook salmon run in Resurrection Bay It also coincides with the Seward Mermaid Festival we're chatting with organizers of both events Two people died and another was seriously injured in the crash of a small commercial flight on the southern Kenai Peninsula on Monday afternoon The crash occurred near the community of Nanwalek All the people aboard the plane were adults Alaska State Troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel said The injured person was medevaced to an Anchorage hospital The single-engine Cessna 207 that took off from Homer crashed around 2 p.m. according to the National Transportation Safety Board Nanwalek is on the southern Kenai Peninsula near the mouth of Cook Inlet An NTSB investigator arrived in the community Monday afternoon The crash occurred near the community’s airport Search Tip: Use quotes to find results containing your phrase The Soldotna girls and boys track and field teams swept the 21-team… Continue reading The visiting Homer softball team split a pair of Northern Lights Conference… Continue reading The Kenai Central girls and Soldotna boys won matches against their Peninsula… Continue reading The visiting Soldotna baseball team defeated Grace Christian 16-1 in five innings… Continue reading The visiting Soldotna softball team swept Redington by scores of 14-2 and… Continue reading The visiting Kenai Central baseball team toppled Redington 15-2 in five innings… Continue reading The host Homer boys soccer team defeated Nikiski 15-0 on Friday in… Continue reading A pair of athletes from Top of the World Swimming, the area… Continue reading The visiting Kenai Central softball team swept a pair of Northern Lights… Continue reading The Kenai Central baseball team defeated Soldotna 4-3 on Monday in Northern… The Kenai boys soccer team defeated Nikiski 13-0 on Tuesday in Peninsula… The Soldotna girls and boys track and field teams swept the 21-team… The visiting Soldotna softball team swept Redington by scores of 14-2 and… The visiting Soldotna baseball team defeated Wasilla 8-5 on Thursday in nonconference… The visiting Kenai Central softball team swept a pair of Northern Lights… The Kenai Central girls and Soldotna boys won matches against their Peninsula… Pope Francis died last week at the age of 88 in Vatican City leaving the Catholic Church's most powerful position vacant During daily Mass Monday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Soldotna one priest remembered Francis' life and legacy In front of the altar at Soldotna's Catholic church a votive candle burned in front of a framed picture of the late pope The white wax was nearly gone – the flame having burned all the way to the bottom the midday Mass was business as usual for the church "We're in an extraordinary time right now – a period called sede vacante, which means 'empty chair," said Father Patrick Brosamer, who's been a priest for the Catholic churches in Soldotna and Kenai since 2019 It's estimated that more than a billion people practice Catholicism around the world. That includes roughly 15% of Alaska adults Monday's Mass paid special attention to the death of Pope Francis who Brosamer said was sometimes referred to as a pope "from the margins." Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina Brosamer says Pope Francis marked a breath of fresh air for the Church in a few ways he was the first pope from outside Europe in many centuries," Brosamer said He was the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere And his pontificate represented a new era in the Church." Brosamer remembers where he was when Pope Francis was named as head of the Catholic Church more than a decade ago and he was about to graduate from seminary in Oregon – the formal education men receive before becoming ordained priests we set up a big-screen TV in the main auditorium so that we all could see the new pope step out on the balcony," Brosamer said Conclave refers to the process for electing a new pope Catholic cardinals from around the world convene for secret meetings in the Sistine Chapel and cast ballots for their papal candidate of choice "They're sworn to secrecy about the proceedings and then the new pope will step out onto the balcony at St Peter's and introduce himself to the world they release black smoke from the conclave When they've come to an agreement on a new pope Brosamer remembers the last time the Cardinal College reached consensus "I remember middle of class word went out – white smoke," he said Everybody runs out and everybody goes to the nearest TV because they want to see who the new pope is going to be." Brosamer and about a dozen parishioners closed out Monday's Mass with a prayer for Rome "We pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis and let's pray that God may guide the cardinals as they gather in conclave which is a very rare thing," he said to parishioners "And let's remember that God is ultimately in control and that's something that should give us very great confidence and peace of heart and mind." Cardinals on Monday set the conclave start date for May 7 at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City May First Friday showcases work by Homer and Kenai Peninsula artists Project Awards are for short-term projects that clearly benefit the artist and their development Tuzroyluke spoke on her novel and writing process last week at the Homer Public Library The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced a series of closures and restrictions to protect king salmon fishing across Cook Inlet Forecasts predict some of the lowest returns in nearly four decades Bait and gear restrictions were also announced for the Kasilof and Ninilchik Rivers recreational fishing on the Anchor River and Deep Creek are closed.  Area management biologist Samantha Oslund said in a statement “King salmon runs in Cook Inlet are anticipated to be especially poor in 2025 Major king salmon fisheries in this area of Cook Inlet have been closed in regulation since 2011.” Kenai River kings were designated as a stock of management concern in 2023 leading to an action plan approved by the State Board of Fisheries earlier this year The goal for the late-run king salmon is a return of 14,250- 30,000 fish longer than 34 inches; however projections estimate only 8,742 large fish which is well below the escapement goal of 3,900 – 6,600 King salmon recreational fishing in the Kenai River is closed indefinitely until recovery targets are met King salmon fishing will be closed from May 1 to June 30 in West Cook Inlet and from May 1 to August 15 for Cook Inlet salt water north of Bluff Point As the ongoing salmon crisis continues to ripple through the commercial fishing industry, recreational closures have historically led to shutdowns of the east side set net fishery. According to Clarion, there has not been an unrestricted season since 2011 and it has been entirely shut down for the past two years The repeated losses have led to multiple disaster declarations for Upper Cook Inlet salmon fisheries with state and federal governments recognizing fishery disasters in 2018 Local governments are now pushing for another declaration for 2024 While the king salmon numbers remain critically low, ADF&G has projected excellent sockeye salmon runs, with an estimated 3.4 million fish returning to the Kenai River and 1.1 million to the Kailof River, offering potential relief to the region’s fishing communities. The challenges facing Cook Inlet’s king salmon remain a major concern. To learn more, visit the ADF&G website. send us your feedback around what we can do to improve this feature or further develop it check it out and let us know what you think via email or on social media Carli is a Content Specialist for National Fisherman She comes from a fourth-generation fishing family off the coast of Maine Her background consists of growing her own business within the marine community She resides on one of the islands off the coast of Maine while also supporting the lobster community she grew up in Become a Subscriber › You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street the nearly mile-long berm to be installed on the eroding Kenai River bluff means security Construction will begin before the month’s end It’s windy and gray at the mouth of the Kenai River on Thursday afternoon The sluggish water flows toward Cook Inlet while planes fly overhead and seals poke their heads above the surface barges will ferry in several tons of rock to the base of the Kenai River’s northern bluff That’s where crews will spend the summer building a 5,000-foot protective rock berm Erosion eats away about three feet of the bluff every year businesses and the city’s historic Old Town at risk And city officials have long said the crumbling cliff has stymied economic development in the area But at a community meeting in Kenai on Wednesday “The point of this project is to keep those houses on the bluff keep the sewer lines underground and not falling down the river Jerrod Stafford is a project manager with the company. He says the first barge of rocks will arrive in Kenai on May 16 from Sand Point, in the Aleutians. They’ve been crushing rock for the project out there since last summer’s ribbon cutting ceremony seven days a week until the project is done while barges yo-yo between the Aleutians and Kenai “It may not look like a lot of progress at the beginning it'll – I think somewhere in that 30- to 50-foot a day range,” he said The end of the berm is adjacent to local fish processors and the Port of Kenai Cook Inlet’s commercial salmon fishers will have to navigate around the project to access those facilities And the city’s popular personal use fishery draws hundreds of Alaska residents to the beach each July Norm Darch is the executive director of the Alaska Salmon Alliance That’s a fisheries trade group representing the Kenai Peninsula’s seafood processors and commercial fishermen He was one of multiple people at Wednesday’s meeting who’s concerned about how construction and summer fishing will interact “The main thing is communication between the construction project and the commercial fleet so they can adapt,” he said like knowing when the material barge is coming into the river and having a little bit of a time frame where we can accommodate and be able to work around that.” Both Darch and Kasilof driftnetter Dyer VanDevere are worried about boats running over barge mooring lines while going back and forth between the inlet and the processors at the mouth of the river That's one of the big things – that and as the barges and and the tugs come up the inlet not conflicting with our gear running over the gear out there,” he said Project Manager Jerrod Stafford says his team has adjusted its construction plans in response to some of the concerns he says crews were initially planning to start at the eastern end of the project and being up close to you was problematic,” he said and our plan is to start on the down river side and work our way up Hammes says work will wrap up around October Construction is planned around the tides and winter ice He says the berm comes with a one-year warranty from the Corps but that Kenai residents should expect to benefit from the resulting stability for decades to come A Homer pilot and passenger from Anchorage died Monday in a plane crash near the Kenai Peninsula community of Nanwalek after investigators say a landing attempt was aborted due to a dog on the runway The commercial flight operated by Homer-based Smokey Bay Air had been headed from Homer to Nanwalek at the time of the crash Alaska chief of the National Transportation Safety Board "Witnesses on the ground as well as another airplane in trail indicated that while the airplane was on approach to Nanwalek there was apparently a dog that was on the runway,” Johnson said “It appears that the pilot initiated a go-around and during that go-around there was a loss of control.” Johnson said the Cessna 207 didn’t touch down on the initial approach The plane crashed in a tide-line area near the north end of Nanwalek's runway Alaska State Troopers identified the two people killed as pilot Daniel Bunker Another passenger who has not been publicly identified was seriously injured in the crash and was transported to an Anchorage hospital Troopers reported receiving multiple 911 calls As they responded by helicopter with an NTSB investigator many local residents headed to the crash site to help The first responders included the local school principal and staff according to the superintendent of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District “Our principal and staff were involved with the immediate response to the wreck and we are thankful to them and all the other community members who responded to provide aide,” Holland said in a text message Troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel said residents found the plane on a beach near the runway The plane wasn't submerged at the time of the wreck "They were able to get one male passenger out of the aircraft bringing him to the medical clinic where he received medical treatment," McDaniel said Locals tried to provide lifesaving care for Bunker and Miller but the two were declared dead at the scene numerous other agencies also responded to the crash Coast Guard and the Alaska State Park Rangers Condolences poured in Tuesday for those impacted by the crash said the crash is a tragedy for the entire Nanwalek community and Homer as well and offered his thoughts and prayers for all involved Nanwalek is roughly 25 miles southwest of Homer and only reachable by boat or plane in an online video from earlier this year pilot Daniel Bunker said he regularly flew to three remote villages describing it as a rewarding job and a way to connect the residents there to the mainland Smokey Bay Air ran regular flights to Nanwalek "We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash involving Smokey Bay Air, and we mourn the loss of Daniel Bunker — a skilled pilot and kind soul who served our communities with dedication," said an online post from Seldovia Village Tribe staff and board members with the nonprofit Native Movement mourned Jenny Irene Miller’s sudden passing Miller was a board member at the nonprofit "Jenny was such a bright and kind human doing good work for the world a good friend who always reminded me to be thoughtful of others and caring even when it's hard to be,” said fellow board member and friend Tikaan Galbreath “Every time I had the chance to be with her it felt like the simple joys were more clearly present and laughter was easy to find Miller’s work has been displayed across the country and the globe "It was easy to love Jenny,” said Misty Nickoli Which is a hard thing to accomplish in the work and lives that we live She always made me feel special and beautiful said crews were working Tuesday to recover the plane before waters rose “Obviously we want to get it out of there as soon as possible,” Johnson said “We don't want to risk losing the wreckage.” The NTSB plans to transport the plane to Anchorage or Wasilla for a close inspection of the aircraft and its contents as it continues to investigate what caused the crash Johnson said that animals on runways in rural Alaska have been reported to the NTSB before Monday’s incident is the first he can recall in which one has been a potential factor in a fatal crash obviously that's going to be a peril that you have to contend with." which has an 1,850-foot curved runway with frequent high winds the same aircraft that crashed Monday had a rough landing there during a Smokey Bay Air flight in August 2016 reported encountering "a pretty rapid shift in the winds in both direction and velocity" just before touchdown Smokey Bay Air could not be reached for comment Tuesday The NTSB is asking anyone who witnessed the crash and has not already spoken with investigators to contact them by email at witness@ntsb.gov KDLL’s Ashlyn O’Hara contributed to this report 2025This photo provided by the Alaska National Guard shows an airplane partially submerged into the ice of Tustumena Lake at the toe of a glacier on Monday (Alaska National Guard via AP) A pilot rescued with two young family members after they survived a night on the wing of an airplane partially submerged in a Kenai Peninsula lake is a student pilot who was not authorized to fly with passengers The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday started disciplinary action against the pilot National Transportation Safety Board investigator Mark Ward told The Associated Press Morris has thus far not cooperated with federal investigators about what happened on the flight He has neither returned their calls nor reported the accident within the required 24-hour period “The FAA told me that he is a student pilot he had no application in for a pilot’s license and it appears he has a history of violating” the no passenger rule we don’t know whether he landed purposely or for an emergency procedure Morris did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press seeking comment [Pilot and 2 daughters survived night on wing after plane crashed on icy Kenai Peninsula lake] The plane was reported missing Sunday near Tustumena Lake One of about a dozen volunteer pilots who headed out in search of the plane Monday morning spotted it with the three survivors on the wing The Alaska Army National Guard launched a helicopter from Anchorage to rescue and deliver them to a nearby hospital for what officials said were non-life-threatening injuries Based on interviews with the helicopter’s pilot and rescue crew chief Ward said it appeared that the plane had landed near a glacier on the partially frozen lake broke through the ice as it rolled to a stop and then began to sink It wasn’t known if the pilot landed intentionally on the lake thinking the ice was more solid than it was or whether a mechanical issue forced the plane down The plane’s canvas- or fabric-covered wings acted as a flotation device and kept it from fully sinking Morris was able to get the girls out of the plane as it was slowly sinking and the girls’ clothes were dry when they were rescued But Morris got wet and was suffering from hypothermia by the time rescuers arrived The pilot’s cellphone also quit working after it got wet The Federal Aviation Administration conducted a conference call Tuesday with Ward and Morris’ wife Federal aviation records show that Morris received a student pilot license in 2018 Student pilots flying passengers is among the more common violations of FAA rules according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association The federal agency can suspend or revoke a student pilot’s license issue fines and seek the costs associated with the investigation Ward said it’s probable that if a student pilot was unlawfully flying passengers and suffered an accident leaving the pilot responsible for damage and recovering the aircraft from the lake Mark Thiessen is a reporter for the Associated Press based in Anchorage Kathy Waterbury and Tasha Dawson stand at their booths for Fireweed Stitches and Bear Mountain Designs during the 38th Annual Kenai Peninsula Sport Rec & Trade Show at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna heaps of trails and enough trophy fish to spawn “it was THIS big” stories for years to come: It’s easy to see why the Kenai Peninsula is sometimes referred to as “Alaska’s playground.” While there are oodles of worthwhile spots to visit Hope is a worthwhile detour for those zipping down to conquer the Kenai Peninsula The atmospheric downtown with stunning views of Turnagain Arm offers a good jumping-off point for a variety of hikes is a local favorite — it’s 5 miles one way with negligible elevation gain Hope Point is a strenuous climb following an alpine ridge that offers incredible views (and serious bragging rights) Those looking for an adrenaline rush can book a rafting trip down Sixmile Creek there are heaps of cabins with cozy porches ideal for cracking into a book the Dirty Skillet makes for a solid dinner spot and the Creekbend Company attracts some popular Alaska bands for nighttime entertainment Seward could make a nice day trip from Anchorage Access some by water in Kenai Fjords National Park or by land at Exit Glacier Want to see sweeping views of Resurrection Bay Meet Mount Marathon and marvel at how local and international athletes get to the top in an iconic Alaska footrace each year (traditionally held on the Fourth of July) Looking for something the whole family will enjoy Don’t miss the touch pool at the Alaska SeaLife Center and look for vessels with pun-inspired names in the harbor Complement your adventures with a meal at one of the local eateries many of which are housed in historic buildings Drive through these towns in the height of summer and you’ll notice many cars laden with big rods and reels with all the bells and whistles The salmon that return en masse to the Kenai River are legendary (Be advised: The area’s dipnet fishery is deservedly famous but open to Alaska residents only See our fishing guide for an overview of other great options and always make sure you have the correct permits; the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s We Fish AK site is a good place to start the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters & Visitors Center offers naturalist-led outdoor programs and Soldotna’s Homestead Museum showcases homesteaders’ cabins with free guided tours Visitors to Homer find there are many ways to explore “the end of the road.” Just 220 miles from Anchorage the town sits between the water and the mountains and extends out onto a skinny adventurers and beachcombers all feel at home It’s easy to while away a few days — tramp along the beautiful trail systems pick through the various art galleries and handicraft stores You can learn a bit more about the 49th state’s local ecosystem at the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies or the Exxon oil spill at the Pratt Museum tick off some bucket-list experiences: Get a bird’s-eye view of nearby glaciers and wildlife on a flightseeing tour; cruise around on a water taxi looking for sea creatures; try your hand at reeling in a “barn door”-sized halibut on a charter; or take a water taxi across the bay to Halibut Cove an artist enclave known for divine dishes at The Saltry Restaurant and stunning scenery Bailey Berg is a freelance writer in Anchorage On today’s episode of the Kenai Conversation we’re checking in with the central peninsula’s three representatives in the Alaska Legislature to get updates on everything from school funding Jesse Bjorkman and Justin Ruffridge for joining us this week Kenai City Council Member Sovala Kisena shares thoughts on Kenai’s parks and recreation facilities and programs during the kickoff for a development of a parks and recreation master plan in Kenai 2025The Piper PA-12 reported missing on the Kenai Peninsula Sunday (Photo provided by John Morris) Authorities say they rescued an adult pilot and two juvenile passengers from a plane originally reported missing late Sunday and located Monday morning A pilot and his daughters were in the Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser when it became clear they were overdue Sunday The Alaska State Troopers in an update Monday said a good Samaritan plane found the aircraft near the eastern side of Tustumena Lake on Monday morning The Alaska Army National Guard rescued the pilot and two passengers at about 10:30 a.m. They were taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries described as not life-threatening One passenger is elementary aged and the other is a middle schooler The three were spotted on top of the plane’s wing after it went through soft ice while landing Troopers initially said they received a report of the overdue plane at about 10:30 p.m The agency described the plane’s estimated location as Tustumena Lake and the Kenai Mountains east of Homer The Rescue Coordination Center and a Coast Guard AC-130 assisted in the search Shrubs grow outside of the Kenai Courthouse on Monday City of Kenai Public Works Director Scott Curtain; City of Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel; Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche; Sen Jeffrey Palazzini; Elaina Spraker; Adam Trombley; and Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank cut the ribbon to celebrate the start of work on the Kenai River Bluff Stabilization Project in Kenai The central Kenai Peninsula’s trio of state lawmakers fielded constituent questions for more than two hours during a town hall event over the weekend More than 100 people converged in Soldotna to talk about a litany of local issues it was standing room only for a joint town hall meeting in the Kenai Peninsula Borough assembly chambers All three of the central Kenai Peninsula’s state lawmakers were at the dais: Soldotna Reps who voiced thoughts on everything from ranked choice voting Attendees shared thoughts on boosting state funding for schools pension plans for teachers and how federal decisions may impact the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Duane Edelman didn’t support unconditionally increasing state funding for schools “I do not support an increase in the base student allocation without there being some safeguard rails to deal with the declining scholastic achievement of the students,” he said Edelman said the district should focus on converting families who use non-district programs to homeschool over to the school district’s homeschool program state funding for homeschooling would flow back through the school district The district estimates if all of the peninsula’s school-age children attending a non-district homeschool program transferred to the district’s, its state funding would go up by roughly $7.7 million Hannah Dolphin is the principal of Mountain View Elementary School in Kenai She was one district employee to say a BSA increase is needed for stability “It’s really hard at the school level for us to make decisions at the district level for us to make decisions when we’re waiting to find out how many cuts we’re going to have to make,” she said “We had an administrators meeting last week and we had to have some really tough conversations about our nontenured staff.” Bjorkman said the state needs to be clearer about what it wants from schools “Education is a series of inputs and outputs,” he said we have to deliver education that provides for quality inputs with clear standards and clear expectations of students understand and be able to do well in school.” Interwoven throughout multiple comments were concerns about how recent federal actions – including job cuts and funding uncertainty – could impact the Kenai Peninsula said the need may go up amid federal uncertainty King runs the district’s Students in Transition program which supports students experiencing homelessness It’s funded in part by legislation that wasn’t included in the federal budget passed in March in addition to others that our district relies on to support our students may not exist after June 30 of this year,” she said “That wraps around to the BSA because as these supportive programs are exiting the district our public school system is going to need a dependable education allotment more than ever.” Elam said Alaska’s congressional delegation is aware of state concerns over federal actions But he suggested he agrees with some federal efforts to cut government ‘This is a critical piece of Alaska that we need,’ they all already are aware of that,” he said And so we're trying to work through both sides of that.” Lawmakers also heard from multiple fishery user groups about threats to their respective industries Mike Dunleavy’s authority to appoint board members “I believe that’s completely counterproductive to having user groups appoint people that represent themselves “It gives him the ability to manipulate anything that he wants to within that.” Ruffridge was also concerned about board comments about set gillnets He said Alaska fisheries are subject to uniquely stringent state rules that other industries are not He tried to draw a comparison between fisheries and his work as a pharmacist “I cannot imagine if the state of Alaska came into my business and said ‘You are no longer allowed to do business this year because of the pills are too big or,’ I don’t know – it’s unacceptable,” he said “I don’t understand why we are telling people that they cannot fish.”  Ruffridge and Bjorkman encouraged anyone unable to attend Saturday’s town hall to reach out to their offices directly with questions or concerns Deputy Secretary Wayne Ogle and Director Erin McKittrick will all retain their seats West Homer Elementary students last month had their third annual tour to the Homer Senior Center which spans from Anchor Point to Baycrest Hill Feb 6, 2025 | Energy, News, Oil & Gas Harvest Alaska is acquiring the Kenai LNG Terminal with the goal of repurposing the idled export assets into a facility to import liquified natural gas for the Southcentral energy market In a joint announcement with Chugach Electric Association and Marathon Petroleum Corporation the parent company of the terminal’s current owner the first LNG could be delivered sometime next year operates pipeline systems in Cook Inlet and the North Slope including a 49 percent ownership stake in the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and Alyeska Pipeline Service Company acquired from BP in 2020 “Harvest has a long history of operating critical oil and gas infrastructure across the state and this announcement furthers our commitment to ensuring Alaska has the energy it needs,” says Harvest CEO Jason Rebrook “By repurposing Marathon’s existing LNG facility we aim to provide certainty to the Southcentral gas market while meeting the needs of Railbelt utilities and other Southcentral utilities to bring this project online to ensure the reliable delivery of natural gas in a timely and cost-efficient manner.” The project leverages legacy LNG export infrastructure including a dock capable of handling LNG vessels up to 2.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and onsite tankage with a storage capacity of 2.3 billion cubic feet Thanks to existing Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approvals allowing Chugach Electric and other Railbelt customers to secure additional natural gas supplies and affordable electric service is core to our values and mission We are pleased to have a potential solution to meet the gas needs of our members and at the right time,” says Chugach Electric CEO Arthur Miller “We’ve been looking at options to fill the gap left by our expiring Hilcorp contract This is a great opportunity to work with partners who have extensive experience and knowledge of gas operations in Alaska We look forward to ongoing discussions and analysis with Harvest Alaska as they progress the front-end engineering and design study over the next several months.” Marathon expressed strong support for the project and noted the benefits it can provide to the region “We believe the Kenai LNG terminal offers the quickest and lowest-cost solution to bring additional natural gas to Southcentral Alaska and beyond,” says Bruce Jackman Vice President of Marathon’s Kenai Refinery “Our Kenai refinery employees work around the clock to provide gasoline and a reliable supply of natural gas is critical to the refinery’s operations We’re excited about this partnership with Harvest and Chugach to work toward bringing new natural gas to the region.” The Kenai LNG terminal was one of the first in the United States when it began operating in 1969 when Cook Inlet gas supplies struggled to meet local demand May 5, 2025 | , Harvest is reversing the Kenai LNG Terminal for imports even as Alaska LNG moves closer to bringing North Slope gas to market May 1, 2025 | , , , Mat-Su Health Foundation awards $2.6 million in scholarships for residents pursuing health and human services training and degrees Apr 30, 2025 | , , Vitus family of fuel delivery companies secures $37 million in US Department of Agriculture loans for infrastructure expansion From the Digital Edition Spotlights By on Apr 30 (Kenai) – On April 24 pleaded guilty to a consolidated count of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree with an agreed upon sentence of 50 years imposed with 20 years suspended leaving an active initial term of imprisonment of 30 years Upon completion of his active term of imprisonment George will be on probation for a term of 25 years George further pleaded guilty to a consolidated count of Assault in the Third Degree with an agreed upon sentence of three additional years of active imprisonment George agreed to an initial term of imprisonment of 33 years In addition to his other conditions of probation that will be set at sentencing George will be required to register as a sex offender on his release from custody and to complete sex offender treatment George admitted to engaging in multiple acts of sexual assault and physical assault against his then-partner for incidents that occurred from June 2019 to Dec George further agreed to multiple aggravating factors including that he had engaged in repeated acts of assault against the same victim and other family members in the preceding decade This agreement provides closure and certainty to the victim and her family of the long-running case A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Aug The matter was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Julie Matucheski and Sam Scott with the assistance of Paralegal Julie Craig and Law Office Assistant Patrick Pilatti The matter was investigated by the Kenai Police Department with the primary investigating officer being Ofc Advocacy support was provided throughout the criminal prosecution by the Kenaitze Indian Tribe – Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Advocacy program   , , , present their “Bucket Trees” to a panel of judges in the 34th Annual Caring for the Kenai Competition at Kenai Central High School in Kenai A 2015 Ford Explorer that police say was stolen from the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center before crashing into a tree near Wells Fargo Bank is loaded onto a tow truck in Kenai Stone Ausman of Clarkston (Washington) tries to split Sawyer Vann and Zane James of Kenai Central on Monday at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion) April 11, 2025 by Two Alaska State Troopers facing assault charges over alleged conduct during their arrest of the wrong man in Kenai last year won’t go to trial until next February after a judge pushed the trial date back Wednesday Troopers later said they’d been attempting to arrest Tikka’s cousin for failing to appear for a 10-day jail sentence Miller and Woodruff were initially charged with, and pleaded not guilty to, a misdemeanor assault. Then a Kenai grand jury upped those charges to felony assault The troopers’ trial was originally scheduled for this June Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews scheduled a pretrial check-in hearing for later this year and a new tentative trial date of February 2026 it will be almost two years after the assault is alleged to have occurred there’s certainly emphasis on trying to get all cases to trial,” Matthews said “This one is not certainly the oldest one in the court system but I’m sensitive to the right of the victim to the desire to get these cases moving forward.” Thursday’s hearing comes amid a statewide backlog of trial cases and lengthy pretrial delays. An investigation published earlier this year by the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica found some cases delayed as long as a decade Shortly after, the Alaska Supreme Court put new limits on how long a criminal case can be postponed. The order takes effect May 12 and limits delays to 270 days for cases filed in or after 2022. Darryl Thompson, who’s representing Tikka in the case, said during the hearing he’s not surprised the delay was requested. “Well, we’ve been sad for the victim that he has to be out there even longer to get their day in court, to be heard and to have that justice be met,” Thompson said. “But as a defense attorney, I do understand that lots of things can happen.” Clint Campion, Woodruff’s attorney, said in response to Thompson that he and his client spent three full days reviewing case material. “This is not a matter where we haven’t been diligently working through discovery, but there’s a lot of material to discover,” Campion said. “It’s a relatively novel case for the state.” Matthews says he hopes to set a firm trial date at the August hearing. Matthews is based in Anchorage. He was assigned the case after all of Kenai’s three superior court judges recused themselves from the case. A trooper spokesperson said Wednesday via email that Miller is no longer employed by the state of Alaska. Woodruff is still employed by the state, but was taken out of service when the department learned about the Tikka arrest. The police dog deployed in the arrest is no longer with the department. Miller and Woodruff’s lawyers each said Thursday they’re preparing motions to dismiss their clients’ respective indictments. KTOO collaborates with partners across the state to cover important news and to share stories with our audiences Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week Copyright © 2025 KTOO Public Media Tlagóo! We\'re rolling out some improvements to the layout and design of KTOO.org. Read more The Kenai Municipal Airport is seen on Friday 2025Natural gas wells are spread out on a pad at the Cook Inlet Natural Gas Storage Alaska facility on Monday Hilcorp Alaska Gas Storage filed an application on Dec 30 with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska for permission to own and operate the storage facility at the Kenai Gas Field (Loren Holmes / ADN) A subsidiary of Hilcorp Alaska is asking state regulators to approve a gas storage facility in the Cook Inlet region that could help prevent a gas shortfall in winter in Southcentral Alaska A newly formed company, Hilcorp Alaska Gas Storage, filed an application on Monday with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska for permission to own and operate the storage facility at the Kenai Gas Field It would be the second commercial facility of its kind in the region, allowing utilities to store gas in a depleted gas field, similar to Cook Inlet Natural Gas Storage Alaska that’s also on the Kenai Peninsula The regulatory commission would regulate gas prices at the proposed facility “Hilcorp is happy to be collaborating with the utilities and regulatory agencies to make our gas storage assets available for commercial use,” said Matt Shuckerow The head of the Alaska House Resources Committee and an official with Chugach Electric Association said the extra storage is needed The 91-page filing says a second reservoir is in the public’s best interest It points out that utilities that are customers of Hilcorp Alaska have asked for additional gas storage options in the region The incident pushed the region close to running short of deliverable natural gas and entering a conservation status that would have called on residents to take specific measures to reduce energy use The filing also comes as utilities scramble to find new energy sources amid a looming long-term shortage of natural gas from Cook Inlet that surfaced in 2022 That’s when Hilcorp told utilities it lacked enough reserves to supply gas for new contracts in the coming years utilities are considering importing liquefied natural gas which is expected to lead to higher costs for heat and power [Regulators, advocates warn of utility inaction as Alaska gas shortfall looms] “Southcentral Alaska is facing a potential shortage of deliverable natural gas for heating and electric generation in the next few years or perhaps even sooner,” the filing says The gas-storage facility would provide “diversity in storage options additional capacity to provide a sufficient buffer against an extended cold snap and future capacity for the types of long-term solutions that will be needed including but not limited to supporting the potential future importation of liquified natural gas (LNG) This will support Alaska’s economy and benefit all residents and businesses of Southcentral Alaska and beyond,” the filing says The “near miss” in January 2024 shows that more than “one option for gas storage is needed to mitigate the risk of deliverability loss due to mechanical failure when deliverability is most critical,” the filing says a spokeswoman with Chugach Electric Association which provides power in Anchorage and other areas said the utility cannot comment on the regulatory filing But she said that additional natural-gas storage is needed in the region for operational challenges that can cause supply disruptions The gas capacity of CINGSA is fully booked by Chugach and other utilities Additional storage is also needed if utilities import liquefied natural gas combined with the need for continuous service requires sufficient storage to manage both local and imported gas effectively,” she said “Storage also allows utilities to store surplus gas during warmer months and release it when demand peaks it provides another mechanism to balance supply and demand.” chair of the state House Resources Committee praised the effort in an interview Tuesday He said the storage utility would provide a critical backup supply of gas to prevent a winter gas crisis He said two new wells have been drilled at CINGSA, which is owned by TriSummit Utilities. TriSummit owns Enstar, the natural gas utility for Anchorage and the surrounding region. But McKay, a petroleum engineer, said various problems can develop that hurt the gas deliverability of wells. That makes a second reservoir important, he said. “It’s just really good common sense,” McKay said. A second gas reservoir can also provide flexibility to help with the looming shortage of Cook Inlet gas, McKay said. If companies can turn the gas shortfall around and produce more gas than necessary, the storage facility could hold some of their excess gas, McKay said. If utilities import liquefied natural gas to resolve the long-term gas shortfall, the reservoir could also store that gas, he said. “The storage is one piece of the puzzle, but it’s a really strong one,” McKay said. Alex DeMarban is a longtime Alaska journalist who covers business, the oil and gas industries and general assignments. Reach him at 907-257-4317 or alex@adn.com. Opens in new windowADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTMost read by subscribers1 The Kenai Municipal Airport is a hub for many travelers to and from the Kenai Peninsula It serves two airlines that offer direct services to Anchorage the airport is seeking requests for proposals from concession vendors for the 2,200-square-foot restaurant space Their contract expired last year and the airport is looking for competitive bids “The space is great for restaurants that are already established or somebody looking to break into the restaurant business,” said Derek Ables Where else can you do that if you want to get started in the restaurant business?” are required to put out requests for proposals every three years with the option to extend for two more years The airport is looking for a restaurant that’s open seven days a week They say business hours should best serve terminal employees and passengers The restaurant that’s accepted should also be flexible with changing airline schedules which Ables says is an advantage for restaurants to generate revenue the airport saw over 70,000 passenger departures This doesn’t account for the airport’s arrivals or other visitors Ables says the restaurant's location brings in customers without advertising “There’s a lot of foot traffic in the airport so you don’t necessarily have to go out looking for it," he said "Passengers are coming and going all day.” Ables says customers seem to enjoy the atmosphere of the restaurant space It has large windows with views of the runway and nearby mountains which he says brings in travelers and locals who just want to drop by the airport for a quick meal “All the restaurants in Kenai are a big deal for the economy so this is just one of the restaurants that contributes to that,” Ables said the restaurant space in the airport grossed over $500,000 in revenue Applications for the request for proposals will be scored on restaurant experience operations plan and gross revenue expected Ables says no applications have been submitted but he’s excited to see what businesses apply Applications for the request for proposals are due at 4 p.m The winning restaurant will be contracted for the space until 2028 Kenai Parks and Recreation Director Tyler Best shows off a new inclusive seesaw at Kenai Municipal Park in Kenai Mar 3, 2025 | News, Tourism, Transportation A year after Grant Aviation stepped in to provide daily flight service between Anchorage and Kenai Aleutian Airways is adding its name to the roster of air companies serving the two communities The company says its initial schedule will offer two daily roundtrip flights on Saab 2000 aircraft for the 35-minute flight “Our team is excited to welcome the city of Kenai to the Aleutian Airways network connecting its community and visitors to the world via Anchorage through our partnerships with Alaska and Delta Air Lines,” says President and CEO Wayne Heller built on a foundation of unwavering commitment to safety and customer service will provide an unforgettable guest experience for those traveling to and from this popular Alaskan destination.” is a joint venture between Wexford Capital and McKinley Alaska Private Investment Ravn Alaska announced it was cutting service to Kenai Grant Aviation announced plans to add up to fifty additional flights per week between Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Kenai Municipal Airport a 30 percent increase in service over is previous levels Apr 30, 2025 | , , Homer-based Bay Welding Services’ new 58-foot seiner marks the company’s entry into full-service custom boat building Frank Richards is the president of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation The state agency is spearheading work on the $44 billion project which would move natural gas from the North Slope through an 800-mile pipeline to Nikiski Shane Croucher is a Breaking News Editor based in London Shane joined Newsweek in February 2018 from IBT UK where he held various editorial roles covering different beats He is a graduate of the University of Lincoln You can reach Shane by emailing s.croucher@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Two people were killed and one person was seriously injured in a plane crash in Alaska on Monday A Cessna 207 plane crashed near Nanwalek on the southern Kenai Peninsula on Monday afternoon according to local outlet Alaska's News Source Newsweek has contacted Alaska's Department of Transport and Public Facilities for comment outside of regular working hours The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have compiled dozens of flight safety incidents in just the first four months of this year Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk during its approach to Reagan Washington National Airport The collision resulted in the deaths of all 67 people on board both aircraft It is not yet clear how many people were on board the small commercial flight on Monday but the NTSB estimates there were between three or four The two victims killed in the crash were adults the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS) said It added that the injured person was transported to a hospital in the Anchorage area "It is unclear how many people are on board the cause and injuries," the department's spokesperson Austin McDaniel said The plane appears to belong to Smokey Bay Air a commercial air charter service based in Homer Newsweek has contacted Smokey Bay Air for comment outside of regular working hours Last month, a small plane crashed in Alaska's Kenai Peninsula but a family of three survived the incident Alaska Department of Safety told ABC News: "The Alaska State Troopers are on scene of a plane crash in Nanwalek Two adults were killed in the incident and one adult was seriously injured and medevaced to an Anchorage area hospital." Alaska's Department of Transport and Public Facilities wrote in a post on X formerly Twitter: "Our thoughts are with all those involved." Investigations into the incident are being carried out by the NTSB and DPS Authorities will update the public when more information becomes available Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all People can now view a livestream feed of Cook Inlet beluga whales swimming in the Kenai River The Alaska Wildlife Alliance and the City of Kenai launched two beluga monitoring webcams that went live last week Teresa Becher is the Kenai coordinator for the Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program which partners with the Alaska Wildlife Alliance She says the cameras are pointed at the mouth of the Kenai River and just past the Kenai city dock "We placed the two cameras in areas where we think the belugas are likely to be seen as they swim by certain areas,” Becher said The stream provides an aerial view of the two popular beluga monitoring sites The cameras were installed this summer next to the city’s existing dipnet camera infrastructure They were paid for by the Alaska Wildlife Alliance "It’s good for the city because we’re always trying to increase our coverage for dipnet fishery," Castimore said "That was one of the reasons this was a great opportunity and so it allowed us to add additional cameras at no cost to the city." While the livestream cameras provide a chance to view beluga whales remotely Becher says they also allow for research opportunities for students of Kenai Peninsula College the Alaska Wildlife Alliance hopes to add more beluga monitoring cameras to its fleet The Kenai River’s beluga monitoring season ends this month but will start back up in March. You can view a livestream from the beluga monitoring cameras by visiting the Alaska Wildlife Alliance’s YouTube channel To receive text notifications when beluga whales are spotted in the Kenai River The entrance to the Kenai Police Department (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion) roundtrip flights between Kenai and Anchorage starting June 6 According to a service schedule published by the company it will offer flights from Anchorage to Kenai at 6:35 a.m Flights from Kenai to Anchorage are scheduled for 7:40 a.m Aleutian Airways serves multiple towns along the Aleutian Chain, including Dutch Harbor, Cold Bay and Sand Point. And the company resumed air service in Homer last summer Tickets between Anchorage and Kenai are already being sold on the company’s booking website Flights from Kenai to Anchorage cost $134.88 The Saab 2000 planes can each seat 41 people This week, Ravn also announced it will end service between Anchorage and Homer starting Tuesday citing failure to reach an "equitable agreement" with the airport The company says customers should be refunded for trips booked after Mar The announcement also comes as the City of Kenai looks to boost flight service out of the airport the city applied for a federal grant to establish direct service between Kenai and Seattle That’s the final travel destination for nearly all passengers – 95% – flying out of Kenai The city learned in late 2024 it didn’t receive that grant but has said it plans to apply again this year the city of Kenai’s mayor and city manager gather municipal workers and community members for a speech It’s the annual state of the city address – this year is the seventh Looking out across the crowd at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center Mayor Brian Gabriel says it's basically a time to brag about the city’s accomplishments over the last year “I get the pleasure of going over the highlights of our departments that they've had for the last year,” he said Like the more 100,000 checkouts from the city library over 30,000 volunteer hours at the Kenai Senior Center and 15% bump in air traffic at the municipal airport But the address is also a sort-of check in on city finances The city’s more than doubled the money it gets from online sales tax since it started collecting that tax in 2021 And Gabriel says the city’s brick-and-mortar sales tax revenue trends are positive calendar quarter of 2 024 represented the 30th consecutive quarter of positive year over year sales tax growth in the city,” he said “So that helps us understand that people are continuing to come to the city of Kenai to spend money.” He dialed in on projects the city either completed or worked on And as the city gets ready to buckle down for budget season Eubank says officials are grappling with some pricey pursuits the city’s in the process of assessing its public safety building fire and 9-1-1 dispatchers and has been in service for more than half a century “We have millions of dollars in work to do to that building and roofs and the not real but we want to make sure before we spend that amount of money there that that building is going to meet our needs for the next 50 years,” he said That assessment comes as the city prepares to welcome the first shipment of rock for its long-awaited bluff stabilization project The city successfully rezoned land near the mouth of the Kenai River to better accommodate plans for a revitalized waterfront And city officials are working with the U.S Fish and Wildlife service to stabilize culverts Gabriel and Eubank were asked about how the proposed Alaska LNG Project would impact the city the project would move natural gas from the North Slope to a liquefaction facility in Nikiski and what we'd like to see is sort of a glide path for that happening The project has taken some steps forward since President Donald Trump took office Mike Dunleavy’s being travelling in Asia to rally support and has picked up at least one non-binding agreement along the way Eubank says the city’s preparing the best it can But he expects it to “drastically change” the community I've heard numbers of 10,000 construction jobs for three to five years,” Eubank said that's doubling the population of the city or this area The Kenai City Council on Wednesday scheduled their annual budget work session for May 3 The all-day event is a deep dive into each department with opportunities for questions and debate from the council Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel speaks during Kenai’s State of the City presentation at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in Kenai Match Expires at Midnight GIVE NOW marine diversity and abundant wildlife that distinguish “The Last Frontier” of the U.S Find inspiration in emerald old-growth rainforests Alaska Native cultures and a vast array of species alongside TNC experts Explore the place where millions of migrating wild salmon return each year to spawn Our journey narrows in on the territory of the Dena’ina people a wilderness located south of Anchorage that is home to iconic wildlife against a backdrop of glaciers snow-capped mountains and spectacular waters Trip specialists are maintaining a wait list We often have space open on our departures please call to add your name to the wait list if you have an interest in traveling on this Legacy Journey with The Legacy Club in 2025 Registration for each of the five Legacy Journeys opens on Wednesday PT and should be made directly with the trip specialist listed below Please leave a message and trip specialists will return calls in the order received. We recommend adding your name to the waiting list for the Journey if it fills up See the cancellation terms with our Frequently Asked Questions Alaska State Troopers arrested a Soldotna man after they say he led police on a high speed pursuit through Soldotna and Kenai the pursuit began on Kalifornsky Beach Road early Sunday morning after troopers tried to pull over a motorcyclist for speeding going as fast as 120 miles per hour while maneuvering around other vehicles The pursuit continued on Bridge Access Road to Kenai where troopers say Monyahan drove numerous times into the opposing traffic lane The pursuit continued east on the Sterling Highway until troopers say Monyahan stopped on Forest Lane Troopers say Monyahan told them at the time of his arrest he did not have a valid motorcycle license and that he reached speeds of 160 miles per hour Monyahan is charged with failure to stop at the direction of a peace officer and reckless driving Fire Marshal Jeremy Hamilton gives a tour to students during Job Shadow Day at Kenai Fire Department in Kenai A table used by parties to a case sits empty in Courtroom 4 of the Kenai Courthouse in Kenai displays and artifacts are seen during the grand reopening of the cultural center at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in Kenai