Jamie Diep

The Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, will be held in March next year, returning to its original pre-pandemic timeframe. Fatal crashes have been notably high on Kenai Peninsula highways this fall. Four people are running to fill two seats on Homer’s city council this year. Rachel Lord is one of the incumbent members running in this year’s election.

Four people are running to fill two seats on Homer’s city council this year. Rachel Lord is one of the incumbent members running in this year’s election. Jamie Diep talked to Lord about her city council experience and her plans if she is re-elected.

Aleutian Airways began offering services between Homer Airport and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Tuesday. This year, for the first time, proceeds from the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby will go to management and improvement efforts along the Kenai River. Alaska State Troopers reported emergency services rescued four hikers near Paradise Lake on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan applauded an additional nearly 54 million dollars in grants under the federal Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. A Royal Caribbean cruise ship spent an extra four days stuck in Seward because of fall storms in Southeast Alaska.

Alaska State Troopers reported emergency services conducted search and rescue for four hikers at Upper Paradise Lake near Seward.

Summertime in Homer means berries are ripe for the picking. Unfortunately, this year’s cold, wet weather led to berry picking struggles for farmers and foragers alike. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced yesterday that the Tanner crab fisheries in Cook Inlet and the North Gulf Coast will open from October 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024. U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge visited Kenai Wednesday to announce a major federal grant for local tribes.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported that fishing is slowing down for king salmon and halibut, and remains good for other fish in Resurrection Bay. Homer City Council passed a new ordinance Monday, requiring conditional use permits to build additional housing on lots in the city. "All Things Recovery" is gearing up for this year’s Recovery Month, a dedicated time to celebrate and support the nation's efforts in addiction recovery. Kids are back to school in Kodiak, but budget cuts over the summer mean school – and parent spending – look a little different this year.

Freshwater and saltwater fishing has been good in the North Gulf Coast and Resurrection Bay. The Homer Farmers Market hosted Zucchini Fest, an afternoon of races and a parade centered around this summer squash. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has launched a commercial harvest season for washed-up kelp along Cook Inlet beaches. Lots of plants have been behind their regular growth schedule due to the cold, wet weather that has predominated this summer. But it’s looking more and more like the fireweed isn’t going to bloom at all.

South Kenai Peninsula medical staffing booms amid physician resignations in the central peninsula.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Wildlife announced changes to commercial fishing regulations along the Lower Cook Inlet. The driver in a Seward Highway crash last month that resulted in one death and other injuries has been charged with six counts, including second-degree murder and manslaughter. The 68th annual Seward Salmon Derby is in full swing this week. In response to ongoing flooding in a Kalifornsky Beach-area neighborhood, the Kenai Peninsula Borough will fund a study to find solutions.

Four people filed for candidacy for the Homer City Council election. An almost 60-year-old bus has just begun traveling Alaska with an unexpected mission: supporting people with brain injuries in rural parts of the state. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported fishing for coho salmon in Northern Kenai is improving, while sockeye salmon are slowing down in certain areas. The City of Homer will close part of the Homer Spit to install and test enhanced tsunami sirens. Trees decimated by the spruce bark beetle will be targeted in a new congressionally funded project on the Kenai.