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P E N I N S U L A
Thursday, February 28, 2019 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 128
In the news Fairbanks adds equal rights protections for LGBTQ residents FAIRBANKS (AP) — The city of Fairbanks has passed sweeping new equal rights protections for the LGBTQ community. The Fairbanks City Council this week approved an ordinance that extends anti-discrimination protections for employment, housing and public accommodations to people based on sexual orientation and gender identity, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported. The measure also provides a means for people to challenge in court the practices they believe are discriminatory. “We’ve crafted something that’s not perfect for any of us, but I think will do well for the city,” Councilwoman Kathryn Ottersten said after the vote Monday night. Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, also has protections for LGBTQ residents. The Alaska Municipal League did not have a count on how many other Alaska cities might have similar protections. The topic in Fairbanks was contentious. Members of the public began signing up to comment at 10:30 a.m. for the Monday evening meeting. The council chambers filled to capacity of 103 people, and others listened by live stream from hallways on both floors of City Hall. Three extra officers from the Fairbanks Police Department were on hand for crowd control. Approximately 35 people testified, with a small majority voicing opposition. Ottersten unsuccessfully tried to remove two possible exemptions of the Federal Fair Housing Act, including one known informally known as “Mrs. Murphy’s Exemption.” It allows people to deny housing in residences up to a fourplex if the owner occupies one of the apartments. Mayor Jim Matherly broke a tie and voted to keep the exemption. With Matherly again breaking a tie, the council adopted dress code language. The measure See LGBTQ, page A3
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Unions rally against job cuts By KEVIN BAIRD Juneau Empire
Union employees and supporters gathered in front of the Alaska State Capitol to let the Dunleavy administration and Legislature know they oppose the proposed cuts to the operating budget that would eliminate hundreds of jobs. Many state workers belong to unions. “2-4-6-8, We need to save our state,” the group of about 150 people chanted at noon Wednesday. The ferry system is facing a $97 million cut that could eliminate 253 union jobs, prompting the Inland Boatman’s Union to participate in the rally too. Most union members who
Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau, speaks during a rally of state union workers in front of the Alaska Capitol in Juneau on Wednesday. (Michael Penn/Juneau Empire)
were approached were apprehensive to speak to the Empire, and others would only do so off-record. But they made their
voices heard with their signs in front of the Capitol. Conan Leegard, an IBU member who stands 6-foot, 11-inches tall, held
a sign that read, “Stand Tall for Ferries.” Another IBU member carried a sign that read, “Alaskans for the Ferries, Ferries for Alaskans.” IBU member Robb Arnold, who has worked for the ferry system since 2006, said he has never seen better turnout from the local IBU members. “I was very impressed by the turnout,” Arnold said. “The Inland Boatman’s Union really cares. People are seeing the importance of what it means to the community.” “We want to work with the governor. It’s one of our main messages,” Arnold added. Among the rally’s speakers was Sen. Jesse See UNION, page A2
Cohen assails Trump before Congress Former lawyer calls president ‘racist,’ ‘con man’ By MARY CLARE JALONICK, ERIC TUCKER and MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press
WASHINGTON — In a damning depiction of Donald Trump, the president’s former lawyer on Wednesday cast him as a racist and a con man who used his inner circle to cover up politically damaging allegations about sex, and who lied throughout the 2016 election campaign about his business interests in Russia. Michael Cohen, who previously pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, told lawmakers that Trump had advance knowledge and embraced the news that emails damaging to Hillary Clinton would be released during the See COHEN, page A3
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, is sworn in to testify before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Damaged section of Kenai Spur Highway to remain unpaved for now By BRIAN MAZUREK Peninsula Clarion
A damaged section of the Kenai Spur Highway in Nikiski likely won’t see repairs until spring. Most residents of Nikiski have become wellacquainted with the rough section of roadway, which is located just south of Miller Loop Road, near Mile 19. The approximately 200 feet of road was damaged by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Southcentral on Nov. 30, 2018. Following the quake, the Department of Transportation removed the damaged asphalt and replaced it with ground asphalt, but several months of winter weather and daily commutes have left the area riddled with potholes. Drivers are forced to slow down significantly while going over the roadway to avoid damaging their vehicles or making the road worse. Brian Gabriel, Soldotna Station foreman with DOT, has said that fixing the section of road is the first project on their list, but repaving the section will likely have to wait until May at the earliest. The local asphalt production plants cannot start operating until winter is over, which means that DOT must wait for spring to begin repairs. See ROAD, page A3
Kenai estimates 6-figure revenues Cinderella’s Closet seeking donations of formal wear from new Amazon sales taxes By KAT SORENSEN Peninsula Clarion
Amazon has started charging sales tax in the Kenai Peninsula Borough and municipalities are struggling to work out the logistics. Earlier this month, Amazon filed to start collecting and paying sales taxes but
zip codes in the borough overlap between borough and cities, making it difficult to separate purchases made inside and outside of city limits. At last week’s Kenai City Council meeting, the mayor and council discussed the online retailers taxation policies. “I’m for a fair playing
field,” said Mayor Brian Gabirel. “I think by working toward taxing products bought online but originate here, point of sale within our community, that we are at least leveling the playing field and being more fair to our brick and mortar stores that have come here, invested in the comSee TAX, page A3
Getting ready for disaster By BRIAN MAZUREK Peninsula Clarion
Between the flooding that occurred in Seward last October to the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck last November, the Kenai Peninsula has seen its fair share of natural disasters recently.
In an effort to help residents prepare for the worst, the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Office of Emergency Management is holding a Community Resilience Fair on Saturday at the Peninsula Center Mall. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature 17
different local organizations, including the Red Cross, the Independent Living Center and Central Emergency Services. These organizations will offer skills training, emergency supplies, and information about disaster preparedness. See READY, page A3
By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Soldotna High School is collecting formal wear and accessories for the district’s Cinderella’s Closet program. The program, which provides free dresses, shoes and accessories to district area high school students, is also looking for a new home, a Soldotna High School news brief states. The program has provided formal wear to more than 850 people in the last 11 years. Last year, 145 people were provided outfits for both prom and homecoming. Donations of gently used prom dresses, suits of all sizes, dress shirts, men’s dress shoes and accessories are accepted year-round at Soldotna High School or Soldotna Prep between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations
outside of the central peninsula can be dropped by the closest school in the district. All sizes are welcome, but dresses sized 12 to 18 are particularly needed, the brief said. A new location is needed for the opening of Cinderella’s Closet. Finding a space that can also be used to store donations year-round is also needed. “We really care about this project because we see year after year how many students we have been able to help,” the brief said. “We confide in the support of our community for finding a suitable location for hosting the Cinderella’s Closet of our school district.” Questions can be directed to epokryfky@kpbsd.org. More information can be found on the Cinderella’s Closet Facebook page.
Homer general store told resident cat violates code By MEGAN PACER Homer News
A beloved cat that has long been a fixture of a general store near Homer just got served an eviction notice by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and many locals aren’t happy about it. Stormy, a black, slightly
overweight female cat, has called the Fritz Creek General Store home since being relocated there in 2012. She can often be seen lounging around on one of the large, wooden chairs in the center of the store, or tottering up to a customer for a pat or two on the head. Kady-Lee Hackett is the cat’s original owner. She got
Stormy from the animal shelter along with her sister, Rain, when they were both kittens. Hackett said she re-homed Stormy to the general store in 2012 because she was having problems being over dominating with the other cat. Fritz Creek General Store is owned and operated by Sean Maryott and Diana Carbonell. The Alaska DEC’s
Food Safety and Sanitation Program gave the owners notice that having Stormy in the store violates the state’s food safety code. “We did receive a complaint (about the cat),” said Jeremy Ayers, section manager for the DEC’s Food Safety and Sanitation Program. The owners of Fritz Creek General Store didn’t
return a call for comment by press time. Bridget Maryott, Sean’s sister, said her family will be taking Stormy in and that she can live out the rest of her days with them. One argument local residents have been making over social media is that Stormy’s eviction isn’t fair considering the long reign Mayor Stubbs, See CAT page A2