Snowmelt and sunshine typically herald the arrival of spring – but for the Kenai Peninsula’s public employees, it’s also budget season; and the Kenai Peninsula Borough won’t ask state lawmakers to expand its taxing powers – for now.

Last week, the state transportation department issued an open call for contractors to provide “Eminent Domain Appraisal Review Services” for an 11-mile section of the Seward Highway, and a Kenai Peninsula environmental nonprofit has been hosting “Shark Tank”-style events to solicit and help the community pick small-scale projects to back.

The Coast Guard decommissioned the cutter Mustang in Seward on Tuesday after nearly 40 years of service. Last week, the state transportation department issued an open call for contractors to provide “Eminent Domain Appraisal Review Services” for an 11-mile section of the Seward Highway. History and education go hand in hand. That’s why the Kenai cultural center is highlighting the history of education on the Kenai Peninsula in a new exhibit.

April is Homer’s month to celebrate local youth in the arts.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly approved a series of budget items, resolutions and student commendations during its meeting in Seward last night. Every year Homer Council on the Arts hosts a gallery exhibit starting on First Friday to display visual arts from students in the community and the annual stage performance will take place this Friday at the Mariner Theatre.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly approved a series of budget items, resolutions and student commendations during its meeting in Seward last night, and the City of Soldotna is nearing the finish line on its new field house facility, which is scheduled to open its doors this summer.

The City of Homer is moving forward with a long-planned road and water project in Old Town. But at last night’s city council meeting, the project drew opposition from area business owners and residents, who said the timeline could hurt their operations during the summer season; and Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration released a long-delayed study on state worker salaries last week.

KBBI's Simon Lopez has a recap of Monday night's Homer City Council meeting. And, from Emilie Springer, a report on Saturday's virtual town hall with District 6 Representative Sarah Vance of Homer.

A Town Hall meeting, with District 6 Representative Sarah Vance attending remotely, took place on Saturday morning at the Kenai Peninsula College, Kachemak Bay Campus, with the anticipation of an overflow crowd; and if countries want to keep the Trump administration from imposing tariffs on their exports to the United States, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggests they invest in Alaska’s Liquified Natural Gas project.

On Wednesday April 9, the Pratt Museum administrative staff received an email notification that the Institute of Museum and Library Services was immediately terminating the remainder of a grant that was awarded in 2022. The Kenai Peninsula’s largest energy cooperative wants to try and save a Nikiski solar farm that stalled earlier this year.