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P E N I N S U L A
Tuesday, March 5, 2019 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 132
Iditarod Peninsula mushers’ progress as of 7 p.m. Monday: 11. Mitch Seavey, Seward, out of Rainy Pass 15. Travis Beals, Seward, in Rainy Pass 21. Sarah Stokey, Seward, in Rainy Pass 51. Ryan Santiago, Sterling, in Finger Lake Find more Iditarod coverage on Page A6.
In the news Troopers say 1 dead in Aniak residential fire
ANCHORAGE — Alaska State Troopers say a person has died in a residential fire in the western Alaska village of Aniak. Troopers were notified Sunday of the fire. According to troopers, a woman inside the home smelled smoke coming from a bedroom, and was injured and suffered smoke inhalation when she tried to put out the fire. A man related to the woman was believed to have been in the bedroom. Troopers said an adult’s remains were found after the fire was out. The home was destroyed in the blaze. Troopers say a deputy fire marshal will be traveling to the village to investigate the cause and origin of the fire.
Inside ‘These storms broke the ice up and pushed it north. Also some of the ice melted.’ ... See page A11
Index Local ...............A3 Opinion .......... A4 Police Report ..A5 Sports .............A6 Classifieds ..... A8 TV Guide ........A9 Comics........... A8 Pets.................A9 Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.
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Crime bill closes ‘Schneider Loophole’ By KEVIN BAIRD Juneau Empire
The Senate Judiciary Committee has completed its work on a bill that would close the “Schneider Loophole.� Senate Bill 12 now moves to Senate Finance Committee. “We really have caught all the loopholes,� Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, the bill’s sponsor said. “This bill redefines a sex crime.� “Schneider Loophole,� which refers to the Justin Schneider case in Anchorage. Schneider strangled a woman until she passed out and then he ejaculated on her. He was later caught by authorities, but pleaded guilty to a single felony
charge and served no additional jail time. His crime fell outside the criminal code’s definition of sexual assault and he walked out of court with no jail time. It ignited outrage throughout the state, prompting the presiding judge in the case to lose re-election and the creation of the grassroots political advocacy group “No More Free Passes.� SB 12 would make the following changes: r 1SF USJBM UJNF TFSWFE PO an ankle bracelet would not take time off a post-conviction sentence. r *G TUSBOHVMBUJPO JT QBSU of the sex crime, that person can be charged with sexual Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, left, and Sen. Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, listen to assault in the first degree. telephonic public testimony on SB 12 crime bill during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Monday, March 4. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire) See CRIME, page A11
Soldotna man’s nomination to control board in question By MOLLIE BARNES Juneau Empire
There’s concern from House representatives and marijuana industry professionals that a control board nominee might be influenced by the governor since he’s a state employee. Chris Jaime is one of two of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s nominees for the five-person control board in charge of regulating the marijuana industry. Jaime is an Alaska Wildlife Troopers lieutenant from Soldotna who’s served with the agency for 18 years. The House Labor & Commerce committee held a hearing Monday to question him. “You’re a current state
employee, so what would be your reaction or your concern, if as a current state employee you were contacted by the governor’s office, for example, when there was a regulation up for consideration, and the governor’s office had a certain perspective on things?� asked Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage. “Would you as a state employee be at all concerned if your position on that didn’t exactly jam with that of the administration?� Jaime said he thinks he can maintain his autonomy. LeDoux also pointed out that Jaime is a part of Alaska Public Employees Association, which she said eased her mind about concerns the candidate
No one was injured in a fire in Nikolaevsk on Friday Representatives question Chris Jaime’s nomination to the marijuana control board. (Clarion file photo)
could be influenced by the governor. She said it makes it harder for the governor to fire him, and provides a sort of firewall to help maintain impartiality.
Rep. Adam Wool, DFairbanks, asked if Jaime was involved in any political campaigns involving marijuana, and Jaime said See BOARD, page A11
Nikiski woman charged with arson By BRIAN MAZUREK Peninsula Clarion
A Nikiski woman is being charged with arson after a mobile home went up in flames last week, according to an affidavit filed at the Kenai Courthouse on March 2. On Feb. 27, Ivory Trenton, 27, was one of several people standing outside of unit #66 in the Nikiski Village mobile home park, watching the residence burn as troopers and fire-
fighters arrived on scene. According to the affidavit, other witnesses on scene indicated that Trenton allegedly started the fire. Trenton initially refused to answer questions from the troopers about the fire and was placed in the back of a patrol vehicle while the investigation continued. While troopers interviewed other witnesses, Trenton allegedly slipped her hands out of the handcuffs and removed the
backseat camera from the patrol vehicle. Troopers then handcuffed Trenton a second time and placed her in a second patrol vehicle. At that time, she allegedly slipped through her handcuffs again, removed her clothes, and lit them on fire in the back of the patrol vehicle. Troopers were able to extinguish the fire and transported Trenton to Central Peninsula Hospital, according to the affidavit. The fire marshal’s investigation determined that the
FEMA sets up Soldotna Disaster Recovery Center
By BRIAN MAZUREK Peninsula Clarion
As part of their ongoing earthquake recovery efforts, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has established a disaster recovery center in Soldotna at the United Methodist Church. The recovery center will be at the church from March 4 to March 9, with FEMA representatives present from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Two weeks ago, FEMA sent a Disaster Survivor Assistance Team to the Nikiski Community Recreation See FEMA, page A11
House fire prompts arrest
A crack runs through the center lane of the Kenai Spur Highway near Nikiski. The highway suffered minor damage after the Nov. 30, 2018, earthquake. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
fire was not accidental and was caused by a person setting the living room couch on fire. Trenton faces one count of second-degree arson, a class B felony, one count of third-degree arson, a class C felony, one count of third-degree assault, a class C felony, one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor, and one count of reporting false information, a class A misdemeanor.
By BRIAN MAZUREK Peninsula Clarion
A man has been arrested in relation to a fire in Nikolaevsk on Friday. State fire marshals are currently investigating a fire that occurred on Friday, March 1 in Nikolaevsk, and have arrested one man in relation to the incident, according to a press release from Anchor Point Emergency services. At 10:44 a.m. on Friday, Anchor Point Emergency Services responded to a house fire on Nikolaevsk Road. The fire had apparently engulfed the exterior porch and had started to spread inside of the house. Firefighters were able to successfully extinguish the flames before the fire had spread to any other structures. No injuries were reported and the residence was unoccupied at the time of See FIRE, page A11
Scientists record low ice levels in Bering Sea ANCHORAGE (AP) — Open water has replaced sea ice in much of the Bering Sea off Alaska’s west coast, leaving villages vulnerable to powerful winter storms and adding challenges to Alaska Native hunters seeking marine mammals, an expert said Monday. Rick Thoman of the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment & Policy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks said that winter storms over five weeks obliterated thin ice that had formed since December.
Wind blew ice to Russian beaches in the west and to the south side of Norton Sound south of Nome but left open water all the way to Chukchi Sea north of the Bering Strait. “You can take your sailboat from Dillingham to Diomede today,� he said. Sea ice historically covers much of the Bering Sea throughout the winter with maximum coverage through March. Kotzebue Sound, a great bay northeast of the Bering Strait, alSee ICE, page A11