The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s unemployment rate sits at 5.5 percent in the most recent report, which is the worst in the Gulf Coast Region. The Kenai also tops notable areas such as Anchorage, which is at 4.9 percent, Ketchikan at 4.8 percent, Fairbanks at 4.9 percent, and Juneau at 3.9 percent.

Today marks the first day of school for students in the Kenai Peninsula, though it feels a lot different than usual. For some, when they woke up for school, they merely turned on a laptop instead of hopping on a bus.

COVID-19 cases have taken center stage in the Central Kenai Peninsula, as the numbers have prompted area schools to enter High Risk, closing school buildings to students. To better educate Alaskans about the state of the COVID-19 emergency, state public health leaders are offering access to themselves for the public to ask questions.

A demonstration aiming to show support for re-opening Central Kenai Peninsula Borough School District schools took place on Friday morning in front of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Administration building. The building houses KPBSD offices as well as Borough administration.

DoubleUp, a Central Peninsula initiative launched in June, helps feed families in need by doubling the value of coupons for fresh produce distributed to income-qualified seniors and mothers with young children through the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and WIC.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District students who receive their education via 100% Remote Learning, or parents of students in schools shifting to 100% Remote Learning during COVID-19 High Risk, can order Get It & Go Meals. This ensures students still have access to meals while learning at home.

The two new Kenai cases marks a lower number for the area than the significant uptick that caused the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District to place the Central peninsula into High Risk category, forcing all Central peninsula schools into 100% remote learning.

The 17th Coast Guard District is scheduled to conduct maintenance on its VHF radio system on Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. During this time, the Coast Guard anticipates that there may be intermittent service outages throughout the state as the work is completed.