Jake Dye
@jakecdye.bsky.social
Freelance News Reporter in Kenai, Alaska. Previously at the Peninsula Clarion, and published by KDLL 91.9, Homer News, Juneau Empire, Chilkat Valley News, Wrangell Sentinel, Homer Independent Press and Juneau Independent. jakecdye@gmail.com | he/him
The Kenai Performers are debuting a new show this weekend. The production, “Mystery at the Black Dog Tavern,” is being staged for the first time, making its world premiere in Soldotna as part of the American Association of Community Theater’s 2026 NewPlayFest. #aknews
Kenai Performers stage world premiere murder mystery
Local company one of six organizations around the country debuting a new show through American Association of Community Theater’s 2026 NewPlayFest.
kdll.org
An Anchorage couple say reckless behavior on a Kenai beach is responsible for the death of their service dog, who was hit by a speeding ATV last week. Daniel Charlie Cortes had traveled from Anchorage to dipnet when two-year old Juana was struck. #aknews
Owners urge caution after speeding ATV strikes, kills service dog
Tragedy on Kenai beach raises discussion about safety, reckless behavior during busy dipnet fishery
kdll.org
The department initially projected another strong run for 2026, but so far the stock is well below projections. Department officials said it's not certain when or if the salmon are going to show up.
Sockeye slow to arrive on Kenai River, according to Fish and Game
State fishery officials say they're not sure why Kenai River sockeye salmon runs are so low this season.
alaskapublic.org
Spent an hour on the beach last week and saw *zero* salmon caught. It's a stark contrast to last year's wacky, 4-million strong run. #aknews www.kdll.org/local-news/2...
Sockeye slow to arrive on Kenai River
State fishery officials say they're not sure why Kenai River sockeye runs are so low this season.
kdll.org
Saw The Odyssey yesterday and it ROCKS. People in the theater applauded. Missing my old film review column a little extra today because the way Nolan advances the themes of the poem from a contemporary lens swept me away. Kicking myself for not making the trek up to Anchorage to see it in IMAX.
In which Seward’s school board member says it’s kinda weird, actually, that the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District district is eager to bring gen AI into the classroom as a tool students can use to develop “original thought and material.” #aknews homerindependentpress.com/2026/07/09/s...
School board looks at AI policies
By Jake Dye Special to the Homer Independent Press Nearly two years after Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent Clayton Holland said an internal committee would draft guidelines fo…
homerindependentpress.com
A Soldotna swimmer brought home silver after landing a 35-second finish in the 50-yard freestyle at the Special Olympics USA Games last month in Minnesota. Thirty-seven-year-old Jason Criss showed off his medal during Kenai’s Fourth of July parade last weekend. #aknews www.kdll.org/local-news/2...
Criss takes silver at national Special Olympics
A Soldotna swimmer brought home a silver medal after landing a 35-second finish in the 50-yard freestyle at the Special Olympics USA Games last month in Minnesota.
kdll.org
Taco Bell AI told me at the drive through today that they were out of Baja Blast but then the guy had to come on and tell me “she’s lying, we have it,” so that seems good.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough will give Nikolaevsk School to the nonprofit group behind the new Nikolaevsk Charter School under a deal that waives the cost of a sale if the organization both operates a school on the property and invests in maintenance and other related costs. #aknews
Assembly approves Nikolaevsk School deal
Charter school will purchase building, but cost will be deferred and forgiven if it spends $2 million over 10 years on maintenance and operation. By Jake DyeSpecial to the Homer Independent PressTh…
homerindependentpress.com
Firefighters have significantly slowed the spread of a wildfire that broke out Wednesday night on the Kenai Peninsula in Sterling.
Sterling wildfire not fully contained but bounded, after multi-agency response
The wildfire had decreased in activity late Wednesday evening, after growing to 50 acres.
akpub.io
Multiple agencies are responding to a 30-acre wildfire near the intersection of Swanson River Road and Jacobsen Avenue in Sterling. Alaska Wildland Fire Information reports the fire is about 10 miles east of Soldotna and burning in grass, brush and black spruce trees. #aknews
Sterling wildfire grows to 30 acres
The cause of the fire and its direction of movement was unknown as of 6:00 p.m. according to the Division of Forestry, which describes the current level of fire danger as “very high.”
kdll.org
The Peninsula Oilers won four of five games in a series against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots last week that marked the Oilers' comeback from a year-long hiatus. #aknews www.kdll.org/local-news/2...
Peninsula Oilers make ballfield comeback
Kenai’s Alaska Baseball Club team, the Peninsula Oilers, won four of five games in a series against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots that marked the Oilers’ comeback from a year-long hiatus. Their opening...
kdll.org
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly next week will consider giving Nikolaevsk School to the non-profit group behind the new Nikolaevsk Charter School, under a deal that waives the cost of a sale if the organization both operates a school on the property and invests in maintenance costs. #aknews
Assembly to consider Nikolaevsk School deal
By Jake Dye Special to the Homer Independent PressThe Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly next week will consider giving Nikolaevsk School to the non-profit group behind the new Nikolaevsk Charter Sch…
homerindependentpress.com
Went to the first all-hands gathering of the Homer Independent Press yesterday and, y’all, journalism might just be alive and well in Homer. I’m so jealous.
Attendees remembered former Kenai Peninsula College director Gary Turner as a mentor, colleague and friend during a memorial service held by the college last weekend in Soldotna. Turner helmed the University of Alaska affiliate for decades. #aknews www.kdll.org/local-news/2...
Former Kenai Peninsula College director remembered as friend, colleague, mentor and rival
More than 100 attendees gathered on May 31 to celebrate the life of Kenai Peninsula College’s longest serving director, Gary Turner, who died in April. Speakers celebrated Turner as a champion for the...
kdll.org
Alaskans: I'm working on a story on the unprecedented 12 schools closed last month across Alaska, due to budget cuts. If you are a student, parent, or teacher affected I'd love to speak with you about the experience, and your plans for next year. DMs open or email csmith@alaskabeacon.com
The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s budget for next year looks much like this year’s — the borough-wide mill rate will remain flat, and the borough will both take in and spend about the same amount of money that it did last year. #aknews homerindependentpress.com/2026/06/04/b...
Borough budget remains flat
By Jake Dye Special to the Homer Independent Press The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s budget for next year looks much like this year’s — the borough-wide mill rate will remain flat, and the borough will…
homerindependentpress.com
Waking up to the news that my former boss Josh O’Connor — who jumped from Carpenter Media to the former Frontiersman owner Wick Communications before things went from bad to worse — has been exorcised from Alaska journalism was *sublime*.
Matt Acuña Buxton@matt.akmemo.com · 2mo agoDang! The Mat-Su Sentinel, the plucky local news start-up, just took over the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, the area's long-neglected legacy newspaper. Editor/Founder Amy Bushatz: "I just couldn’t stomach the idea of letting that legacy disappear or watching it pass to another outside owner."
I’m working to double check this stat now but I don’t think the movie theater in Kenai has sold out a show in 7 years, since the premiere of Star Wars IX. I was just turned away at the door trying to see A24’s The Backrooms 🙃.
This weekend only, Triumvirate Theatre is staging “Anastasia: The Musical” at its Kenai playhouse. Two dozen middle school actors sing and dance their way through a tale of a lost duchess finding her place, all against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution. #aknews www.kdll.org/local-news/2...
Young actors chase identity, belonging in ‘Anastasia’
New Triumvirate Theatre musical “Anastasia” features two dozen middle school actors singing and dancing their way through a tale of a lost duchess finding her place, against the backdrop of the Russia...
kdll.org
Local veterans and service members observed Memorial Day, a remembrance for fallen U.S. soldiers, in Kenai on Monday. #aknews www.kdll.org/local-news/2...
Memorial Day marked with wreaths, poppies
Kenai’s American Legion Post 20 organized a remembrance for fallen U.S. soldiers in Leif Hansen Memorial Park. Speakers called Memorial Day an opportunity to remember ordinary people who showed extrao...
kdll.org
This month, the Kenai Art Center is displaying work by Moira Ireland in an exhibit called “Lights and Perfections.” The artist’s solo show features mixed media work rooted in the artist’s faith and centered on transition. www.kdll.org/local-news/2...
‘Lights and Perfections’ brings movement, faith to Kenai Art Center
The solo show by Moira Ireland runs through May 29 and features mixed media artwork made in a time of transition. The show features biblical images and also a sheep watching an iPad.
kdll.org
Forgot to share this hour long conversation I got to be part of with the KDLL crew last week about local journalism and AI use in the news (spoilers: we think AI is bad and shouldn’t be used). www.kdll.org/podcast/kena...
Kenai Conversation: News in the news
KDLL's staff talk about journalism, the station's outlook and the 2026 Spring Membership Drive
kdll.org
Carpenter Media Group, as of today, employs 0 reporters at its three Alaska newspapers.
Out of the office: Watch what happens - Homer News
Robert W. Service, the poet often referred to as “the bard of the Yukon,” creates in his fifth volume of verse a narrative persona of an impoverished writer sequestered away in his lonely garret as he...
homernews.com
A new festival and event space, a revamped Kenai sports complex (real ones know that's the big soccer field north of town), pickleball courts, year-round ice skating, new trashcans and somehow even more are in the City of Kenai's draft master plan for parks and recreation. #aknews
Kenai City Council hears parks master plan
The plan describes twenty years of development for Kenai’s parks. It ranges from rezoning to development of a new festival and event space. The council will vote next month whether to adopt the plan.
kdll.org
Nothing beats coming home from a long day of watching Gavel Alaska to *checks notes* watch Gavel Alaska.
It’s pledge drive! You should support public media near you especially if near you KDLL 91.9 FM Kenai Soldotna! Call 907-513-1996 or visit the website to donate — and maybe make that donation on Saturday between 2-4 when *I* can thank you on the air!!
Concerned for the future of news media in my hometown as the largest “news” outlet, an overtly partisan commercial radio station, today ran a story citing public testimony to city council given *by the reporter* yesterday with no disclosure. Then, he encourages readers to unseat council members.
