From Space Camp to NASA Mission Control: Soldotna woman helps send astronauts to space

Dr. Tess Caswell is a Soldotna High School graduate who works as a lead capsule communicator for NASA’s Artemis II mission. The four-member crew is scheduled to return to earth Friday evening.

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ICE took this mom and her kids from Soldotna. Shock, outrage and sadness came next.

Federal immigration officials detained and deported Sonia Espinoza Arriaga and two of her three sons, ages 5 and 16. As of Thursday, her oldest son remains in custody at an ICE detention center in Washington.

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ICE takes mother and children including 5-year-old into custody in Soldotna, lawyer says

A group of clergy held a hastily convened media briefing Tuesday afternoon in support of the family and to publicize their apparent detention.

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A proposed mine in Lake Clark National Park faces growing opposition from nearby businesses

A group of businesses that call the pristine wilderness home is mobilizing against the mine, with the goal of keeping the coast wild.

akpub.io

Erfurth appeals criminal conviction

In December, a Kenai superior court judge sentenced 37-year-old Nathaniel Erfurth to 77 years and one month in prison, with most of that suspended.

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Kenai Conversation: Glacier sediment study with two scientists

On today’s episode of the Kenai Conversation, we’re joined by Dr. Kiefer Forsch and Sarah Aarons to hear more about their study of two glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park.

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Soldotna enacts public naming policy for city buildings, parks

Anyone can propose a new name for an eligible city asset. Preference is given to names that reflect local geography, indigenous heritage or community history and that consider the facility’s location ...

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State closes Kenai River sport king fishery, limits Kasilof king sport fishery

Under a new restriction this year, any Kasilof angler who catches a hatchery king may not fish for the rest of that day — for any fish species — on the Kasilof River between the Sterling Highway bridg...

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Kenai student to advise state education board

Josh Bolling, 17, is a junior at Kenai Central High School. Alaska’s state school board is a group created by state law to head up the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.

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Man pleads guilty to second-degree murder in Murnane case

Thirty-six-year-old Kirby Calderwood has accepted a plea deal through which he would serve 87 years in prison. This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Soldotna to launch library card design contest

The library will accept designs Feb. 17 through the end of March. Then, a jury of library board members will review the submissions and winnow them down to three in each category. The public will vote...

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School board OKs Kenai charter high school program

Aurora Borealis Charter School will welcome ninth and tenth graders to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s first charter high school program next school year.

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Soldotna protest opposes federal immigration operations

Sunday’s protest came almost three weeks after immigration officers shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a nurse with a Minneapolis veteran’s hospital. Pretti’s death was captured on cell phone vi...

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Homer Rep. Vance faces ethics probe over official letter pressuring newspaper

On her official social media page, Vance accused the Homer News of bias and "partisan spin." State law bars legislators from using public resources for “nonlegislative” or partisan political purposes.

alaskapublic.org

Johnson Tract officials brief Kenai on metal mine status

Owners say the project, which would be at the base of Mount Iliamna in Lake Clark National Park, continues to gather momentum as they prepare to conduct more site work this year.

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Project Homeless Connect returns to Soldotna with resources, more space

Attendees at the annual homeless outreach event can learn about local housing options, get their haircut, take a shower and leave with a backpack full of supplies and winter clothing, among other thin...

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Kenai Conversation: State foresters on the decline of spruce bark beetle activity

On today’s episode of the Kenai Conversation, we’re joined by Jason Moan and Diane Campbell, with the Alaska Division of Forestry to talk about all things spruce bark beetles.

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Nikolaevsk Charter School gets final OK

Approval from the Alaska Board of Education came roughly two months after Kenai Peninsula school board members also signed off.

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Separate Kenai hotel fires leave one dead, Cannery Lodge damaged

Kenai Fire Chief Jay Teague says structure fire risk tends to increase during the winter months, but the two recent hotel fires are anomalies.

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Facing deficit, school board revisits school closures, pool operations

Early estimates put the district about $8.5 million in the red if it maintained the same staffing and programs next school year.

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Peninsula-raised musician, designer among Rasmuson artist awardees

Keeley Boyle and Lester Nelson-Gacal both explore family in their respective projects, for which they each received a $10,000 grant.

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Kenai Conversation: Kenai Watershed Forum's "Save the King" initiative

The initiative aims to raise awareness about declining king salmon runs within the Kenai watershed.

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Sullivan talks bycatch, gasline project, Venezuela in KDLL interview

Alaska’s junior senator says he was part of a top secret briefing with Trump officials, who outlined a three-phase plan for the United States’ “next steps” in the country: stabilization, economic reco...

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Homer Independent Press Launches Today – Homer Independent Press

By Karen Wuestenfeld Homer Independent Press Today, NZP4H, a nonprofit corporation, launches the Homer Independent Press. This online news outlet will provide unbiased and factual weekly reporting foc...

homerindependentpress.com

Kenai Conversation: Alaska Legislature preview with local lawmakers

On today’s episode of the Kenai Conversation, we’re joined by the central Kenai Peninsula’s Alaska State Legislative delegation – Reps. Bill Elam and Justin Ruffridge, and Sen. Jesse Bjorkman.

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For one woman, jail death of former Kenai church leader leaves void of accountability

Alaska State Troopers say 45-year-old Aaron “Scott” Merritt was found unresponsive in his Anchorage cell on Nov. 21 and was pronounced dead five days later. A Kenai Grand Jury indicted Merritt on 20 f...

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Strong 2025 sockeye run roughly doubles value of local commercial fisheries

Fishermen caught more than $40 million worth of salmon across all species in both Upper and Lower Cook Inlet, according to preliminary harvest data released earlier this month.

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