Even as COVID-19 cases have started to once again level off in each day’s report and the talk of vaccinations begin gaining steam, state public health leaders are offering access to themselves for the public to ask questions.

In a release issued by the University of Alaska on Friday, they noted that Turner helped Kenai Peninsula College launch academic programs while also being a leader in the state for online education. The University also lauded his advocacy efforts for having construction approved for the Kenai River Campus’ residence hall and the Career and Technical Education Center in 2013.

As schools in the Central portion of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District are finally set to open on Tuesday, September 8, parents and students alike should be reminded that many schools throughout the district have adjusted their opening and closing times.

City Manager Ostrander noted that the funds can be divided into three categories. First, he discussed the small business component: “First, is it established a second round of small business grants. The first round actually was a combination of small business grants and non-profits. This second round will be small businesses only. The intent is to start this program on October 1.”

City Manager Paul Ostrander said the most important reason to extend the declaration is to allow the city to continue to utilize CARES Act money: “This extends our ability to utilize federal grant funds and, in particular, it allows us to continue to use CARES Act dollars to cover payroll expenses for our first responders. Without the emergency declaration, we wouldn’t be able to do that.”

This is a non-regulatory meeting. The board will not take oral public testimony during the teleconference. A live audio stream of the meeting is intended to be available on the Board’s website, which can be accessed online. Listen-only teleconference sites will not be provided given the need to social distance and avoid large gatherings.

An action proposed during Wednesday night’s Kenai City Council meeting aimed to allow the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Kenai to receive a special use permit for temporary use of the second floor of the Alaska Regional Fire Training Facility. The purpose was to give them more opportunity to serve kids of the Kenai after-school.

Project Homeless Connect was discussed during the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting on Tuesday, September 1. Janice Nightingale provided an update about the status of the project, as well as the state of homelessness on the Kenai.

The mayor also expressed his pride in his March announcement that the Kenai Peninsula was “open for business.” He said that the Kenai was open then, and is open now, and he feels that this attitude has helped the area: “We’ve been open since March! I, as your mayor, said we are open for business and I want to say to you today that the message made a difference.”