Over the last three years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has invested more than $153 million in at least 25 Southeast Alaska economic development projects.

Far from being one large lump of cash, the department and its agencies have distributed strategic sums to public-private projects as varied as a $2.75 million technical center in Ketchikan, a nearly half-million dollar biomass energy system at Alaska Brewing Co. in Juneau and $99,000 worth of oyster farmer training at OceansAlaska’s new $1 million mariculture research, training and development center in George Inlet.

During this season of giving, Shane Campbell has already received one of the greatest gifts of all: the love and support of his community.

Now he’s hoping for an equally amazing gift. The gift Campbell waits for might come next month when he visits the University of Washington Medical Center to see if he qualifies to go on the donor list to receive a liver.

A friendly competition between the Kenai’s District Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender Agency helped people in need this holiday season. 

The two offices, which generally compete toe-to-toe at the Kenai Courthouse, collected food last week as part of a private food drive. The public defenders won the competition, donating 1,547 pounds of canned and dried foods. The district attorneys donated 978 pounds of food.

Assistant district attorney Angela Garay started the food drive after speaking with her mother who volunteers at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank. 

Two vehicles collided Friday afternoon at milepost 16 of the Kenai Spur Highway. 

The collision involved two drivers, an Aaron Hawbold, 19, of Kenai and Elizabeth Brenegan, 52, of Nikinski. No passengers were inside the vehicles, according the Nikiski Fire Department. 

The fire department responded to the collision at 11:59 a.m., taking two motorists to Central Peninsula Hospital for injury evaluations.