NATO
Rink
Ukraine asks for naval backup
Kenai, South battle in hockey game
Nation/A5
Sports/A7
CLARION
Afternoon snow 32/26 More weather on Page A2
P E N I N S U L A
Vol. 49, Issue 53
In the news Alaska musher banned from Iditarod sled race next year ANCHORAGE — Officials have banned a longtime musher from competing in Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race next year, citing concerns about his care of dogs. Officials announced Wednesday that the race’s Qualifying Review Board has denied musher Hugh Neff’s application to compete in the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the Anchorage Daily News reported . “Musher Hugh Neff’s entry application to compete in the 2019 race has been denied by the QRB due to concerns over his lack of dog care during the 2018 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race,” the Iditarod Trail Committee said. “The Iditarod Trail Committee believes that the highest level of dog care must be achieved not only in its event but throughout the year.” The newspaper couldn’t reach Neff for comment Wednesday. Yukon Quest officials banned the two-time champion from competing in the 2019 race after his dog Boppy died this year near the race’s halfway point between Fairbanks and Whitehorse, Yukon. A necropsy found the dog died from aspiration pneumonia caused by inhaling vomited stomach contents. Race veterinarians said the dog also had other health problems believed to be preventable, including stomach ulcers, a whipworm infestation and severe weight loss. The examination suggested that the dog was not given proper deworming medication or medicine to prevent stomach ulcers. Neff appealed the Yukon Quest ban, but a third-party review board upheld it. Neff has competed in 14 Iditarod races and 18 Yukon Quests. — Associated Press
Inside ‘Michael Cohen is lying and he’s trying to get a reduced sentence...’ ... See Nation A5
Index Local........................A3 Opinion................... A4 Nation......................A5 Religion....................A6 Sports......................A7 Classifieds............ A10 Comics.................. A14
Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.
Friday-Saturday, November 30-December 1, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
$1 newsstands daily/$1.50 Sunday
‘Christmas in the Park’ returns By JOEY KLECKA Peninsula Clarion
Santa Claus is coming to town this weekend in Soldotna. The annual “Christmas in the Park” tradition is returning for another year — with a twist. The event begins Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Soldotna Creek Park, with a new, live spruce coming to life during the official lighting of the Christmas tree near the end of the evening, Andrew Heuiser, Soldotna Chamber of Commerce events and programs director, said. For years, the city of Soldotna’s official community Christmas tree was a metallic structure sponsored by ConocoPhillips. Heuiser said Conoco pulling its sponsorship, combined with the task of moving the The community gathers beneath a Christmas tree during Soldotna’s tree lighting event Dec. 2, See PARK, page A3 2017, at Soldotna Creek Park. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)
Credit Union 1 to serve marijuana businesses By RACHEL D’ORO Associated Press
ANCHORAGE — A credit union will launch a pilot program to begin serving marijuana businesses in Alaska, giving the cash-reliant industry a financial option after banks shunned the industry. Most banks and credit card processors in the U.S. won’t service marijuana businesses because of the federal prohibition on marijuana. Credit Union 1 announced its decision Thursday and said See CREDIT, page A2
Soldotna sees small dip in summer visitors By KAT SORENSEN Peninsula Clarion
From July to September, Soldotna saw only a small decrease in visitors despite a poor salmon run. “We had almost 19,000 visitors come the the visi-
tor’s center during that period,” said Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Shannon Davis in her third-quarter report to Soldotna City Council at Wednesday night’s meeting. “That number was only slightly down from last year despite the low
return of red salmon to the Kenai River.” Visitor numbers have been steadily declining for several years, but Davis points to a change in busing for the drop. “We used to get buses in almost daily,” she said. “They don’t stop at the visitor’s cen-
ter anymore.” The low salmon run did impact the city in other ways, Davis said. “Know that Soldotna wasn’t unaffected by the bad fishery this year,” she said. “While the city saw an increase in taxable sales in the
first and second quarter, third quarter was down 7 percent over last year.” The overall picture, Davis said, remains healthy with just a 1 percent drop in taxable sales across the first three quarters. See VISIT, page A3
Nikiski seniors perform mock trial By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Senior students from Nikiski High School’s American government class spent Wednesday and Thursday afternoon performing mock murder trials at the Kenai Courthouse. With the help of local attorneys Peter Erhardt and Paul Morin, who acted as the judges during the mock trial, the students filled the roles of the jury, prosecution, defense, witnesses and the accused. Joe Rizzo, Nikiski High’s government teacher, said Thursday’s case was a murder trial about a woman who had serious gambling issues, got involved with organized crime and was eventually murdered. “Her business partner is the one being accused of the crime,” Rizzo said. He said Wednesday’s mock trial was a manslaughter case
with a focus on texting and driving. The cases were designed by law students in Oregon as mock trial events for high school students. This is the second year Rizzo had his student perform mock trials. “Last year went really, really well,” Rizzo said. “We only did one day here in the Kenai Court. I ran four trials, which was too many. It took too much class time. So, we have it down to two trials and that seems to be perfect.” At Thursday’s mock trial, students Hannah Young and Gabriel Smith played prosecutors. After the trial, Young said the event went all right, and not how she expected. “It was very difficult due to the limited amount of time we had to prepare,” Young said. Hannah Young, who played a prosecutor, questions a witness during Nikiski High’s Thursday Smith also said the exercise mock murder trial at the Kenai Courthouse on Thursday. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula See TRIAL, page A2 Clarion)
Mystery ballot could sway control Logs made on Prince of Wales Island hit stores of Alaska state government By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
JUNEAU — It’s a sign that every vote does count. A single mystery ballot found on a precinct table on Election Day but not counted then could decide a tied Alaska state House race and thwart Republican efforts to control the chamber and all of state government. The ballot arrived in Juneau last Friday in a secrecy sleeve in a bin with other ballot materials. Officials were investigating its origins and handling before deciding
whether to tally it. “People kept calling it close,” Democrat candidate Kathryn Dodge said of the race for the House seat in Fairbanks. “I just didn’t know it was going to be squeaky.” A recount is scheduled for Friday after the race between Dodge and Republican Bart LeBon was previously certified as a tie, at 2,661 votes apiece. The uncounted ballot appears to be marked for Dodge. The outcome will have big political implications. If LeBon wins, Republicans will control the state House in ad-
dition to the state Senate and the governor’s office. If Dodge wins, the House would be split 20-20, between Republicans and the remnant of a coalition that is largely comprised of Democrats but includes two Republicans. For the candidates, it’s been a three-week rollercoaster ride marked by lead changes before the tie was declared and by the appearance of the mystery ballot. Elections director Josie Bahnke said she wants to ensure that every vote cast by an eligible voter is counted. See BALLOT, page A2
KETCHIKAN (AP) — An Alaska-made product that aims to be an environmentally friendly alternative to regular wood logs will be sold for the first time across the state. Viking Firelogs made on Prince of Wales Island are being shipped to the nine Walmart stores in the state, the Ketchikan Daily News reported Wednesday. The 3-pound logs are made from the compressed trimmings and waste from Viking Lumber’s two sawmills. No adhesives or binders are used in the making of the logs, the company said.
Don Reed and DJ Hansen created Tongass Wholesale Distribution to distribute and market the product, which has previously been sold only on the island. “It’s basically a byproduct, something renewable, sustainable, green,” Hansen said. Each store will get two 2,000-pound pallets of the logs to sell. These shipments of logs will serve in part to test the product’s commercial performance, Hansen said. “So every Walmart store in Alaska now has two pallets, and we’ll cross our fingers See LOGS, page A3