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P E N I N S U L A
Friday-Saturday, December 7-8, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 59
In the news U.S. Forest Service Chief announces new Regional Forester for Alaska Region The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Chief announced David Schmid as the new regional forester for the Alaska region. Schmid replaces Beth Pendleton in overseeing management of the more than 22 million acres of National Forest System lands in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska, according to a Nov. 30 press release announcing the news. Schmid has been acting as regional forester for the last eight months since Pendleton retired in April. “David’s more than 30 years of experience and his commitment to maintaining strong relationships with people, stakeholders and communities make him exceptionally well qualified for this job,” U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen said in the press release. “I’m also pleased that he’s bringing both his leadership skills and 23 years of experience on the Chugach and Tongass National Forests to this role.” Schmid previously worked as a fisheries and watershed program leader on the Chugach National Forest and as a district ranger on the Tongass National Forest. For the past four years he has served as the Deputy Regional Forester in the Northern Region based in Missoula, Montana. — Juneau Empire
Groups to Dunleavy: Fight violence against indigenous women ANCHORAGE — A coalition of Alaska Native groups is urging Gov. Mike Dunleavy to push for funding to investigate the death and disappearance of indigenous women. The groups sent a letter Thursday to Dunleavy, who was sworn into office Monday. The letter says “it is imperative that we have a collective effort to address the safety of our people.” The call for funding comes amid a national crisis — the disappearances of hundreds of Native American and Alaska Native women and girls from across the country. Native women experience some of the highest rates of murder, sexual violence and domestic abuse. Dunleavy spokesman Jeff Turner says the governor received the letter. Turner says the state Department of Public Safety will submit a recommendation on the issue at some point. — Associated Press
Index Local........................A3 Opinion................... A4 Nation/World............A5 Religion....................A6 Sports......................A7 Classifieds............ A10 Comics.................. A14
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School board advances efforts for new Aurora high school By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Parents and students wanting to expand Aurora Borealis Charter School into a high school are one step closer to their goal after the Kenai Peninsula Borough School
District Board of Education approved their application to establish a high school Monday evening. Several conditions were added to the application, including that a separate building meeting occupancy requirements be obtained
within two years of the opening; there must be student transportation services and student nutrition services, and lottery preferences for current Aurora Borealis Charter students must be removed. In their application, they state they desire to establish
the high school “to continue the research-based preparatory education of Aurora Borealis Charter School, grades K-8, through whole group, subject-centered direct instruction.” The curriculum differs from other educational See SCHOOL, page A3
Edible architecture Kenai Chamber hosts gingerbread house contest By JOEY KLECKA Peninsula Clarion
Thatched roofs made of almond slices. Lights streaming through the colored windows of Jolly Ranchers. Sugercoated gummies for stepping stones. Candy cane light posts. These are the sweet ideas that have sprung from the minds of youth contestants entered in the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center’s sixth annual gingerbread house contest. An assortment of 22 carefully crafted gingerbread houses currently sit against the outer walls of the conference room at the visitors center, which is open for the viewing public every day until 5 p.m. until Dec. 21, when the houses will be reclaimed by their owners. The spirit of the event, said Kenai Chamber President Johna Beech, is based in the creativity that abounds from the tasty creations. “Creativity is always a plus,” Beech said. “We like to see how much originality goes into it, and we favor ginger- A gingerbread house entry by Abigail Youngberg sits on display at the Kenai Chamber of Combread designs, although we’ve merce and Visitor Center as part of its gingerbread house contest. The gingerbread houses will See HOUSE, page A3 be on display until Dec. 21. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Education board introduces policy to limit unhealthy snacks in schools By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
In an effort to reduce childhood obesity, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Education Board’s Wellness Committee introduced an updated nutrition and physical activity policy at Monday’s school board
meeting. The policy could prohibit teachers from using food as a reward, and keep staff from taking away recess as a punishment. Attached to Monday’s agenda, policy AR 5040 states “all foods available in district schools during the school day shall be offered to
students with consideration for promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.” “Just be aware of how much, I don’t want to say it, junk food is in our schools,” school board member Mike Illg said at Monday’s board meeting. “We need to curtail it. Child obesity and health
issues related to poor nutrition is a serious concern in our school district.” Part of the proposed policy includes guidelines for foods sold for fundraisers. Food sold in a fundraiser that meets nutrition requirements will not be limited in any way, however, food that does
See FOOD, page A15
Kenai City Council unanimously supports Alaska LNG in Nikiski By KAT SORENSEN Peninsula Clarion
The City of Kenai has joined the Kenai Peninsula Borough in supporting Nikiski as the location for Alaska Gasline Development Corporation’s (AGDC) liquefaction plant and marine terminal. The Kenai City Council passed a resolution unanimously Wednesday night fully supporting AGDC’s application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that would put the liquefied natural gas terminal in Nikiski. “Right now, the Nikiski plan is the preferred location,” said Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel at Wednesday’s council meeting. “There’s been a lot of property acquisition and a lot of work out there in support of this project, to this plan.” The AGDC filed its application to FERC in April 2017 with Nikiski as their top choice, after an exhaustive engineering effort considering locations across the state, according to city documents. Gabriel said, though, that cities like Matanuska Borough and Valdez have expressed interest in seeing the Alaska LNG Project in their community. “I think it’s important for us to make sure that we, as part of this process, emphasize the point that we do support this in our community,” Gabriel said. “I think that’s important for the process.” The resolution was sponsored by Gabriel, but after an amendment from Council Member Tim Navarre, each council member’s name and signature was attached to the approved resolution. A copy of the approved resolution will be sent to several key figures in the project, including U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and representatives from FERC. “I hope that we as a city fully support this,” Navarre said. “It’s in the city’s best interest and the state of Alaska’s best interest,” Navarre said. The resolution is meant only to show support, though, See LNG, page A15
Iditarod clears Tribes allege human rights violation over mine pollution 4-time champion in
dog-doping scandal
By MOLLIE BARNES Juneau Empire
Fifteen Southeast Alaska sovereign tribal nations petitioned an international commission for human rights to take action against Canada regarding violations by six mines in British Columbia, Canada. The petition was filed on Wednesday by the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC), which consists of representatives from 15 prominent Alaska Native tribes. Among those tribes are the Central Council of Tlingit and See MINE, page A15
The proposed KSM Mine is located in the upper Unuk River watershed. (Courtesy Photo/Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission)
ANCHORAGE (AP) — Iditarod officials have cleared a four-time champion of any wrongdoing in a dog-doping scandal that followed the sled dog race last year. Officials for the 1,000mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race issued a statement this week absolving musher Dallas Seavey of any involvement in the drugging of his dogs, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Four of Seavey’s dogs tested positive for tramadol, an opioid painkiller and banned substance, following his sec-
ond-place finish in March 2017. Some Alaska veterinarians have questioned why anyone would administer the drug during the race because it may cause drowsiness. Jeanne Olson, an Alaska veterinarian who treats sled dogs, sees no benefit in administering tramadol during a race because it causes drowsiness. Olson, who was the head veterinarian in the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in the 1990s, prescribes it mostly for profound pain relief. See DOG, page A2