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P E N I N S U L A
Friday-Saturday, November 23-24, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 47
In the news State seeks more residential recovery homes ANCHORAGE (AP) — Alaska is seeking to set up as many as 10 residential facilities across the state to support people recovering from opioid abuse. The state is expecting to receive more than $2 million in federal money over two years to fund peersupported homes for people in outpatient treatment or long-term recovery from addiction, Alaska Public Media reported this week. The funding is expected to serve up to 100 people over the two-year period. The state Department of Health and Social Services is asking for bids, targeting Anchorage, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Kenai Peninsula Borough, and the southeast and southwest regions. “What these funds are aiming to do is to really further develop the recovery support services that are needed across the state,” said Katie Chapman, who works on opioid treatment in the state Division of Behavioral Health. The funding can’t be directed for new construction or significant renovations, so the state is looking to expand existing treatment resources or establish new recovery houses by paying operating costs. A small number of these types of facilities are already operating in the state, but Alaska is hoping to increase capacity, Chapman said. “These types of programs are generally peer-run,” Chapman said. “There’s an emphasis on recovery support activities, and so they’re doing things that involve them in the community and building connection.”
Inside ‘(With) Thanksgiving coming so closely on the heels of the shooting, people feel the need to be around family more...’ ... See Religion A6
Index Opinion................... A4 Nation..................... A5 Religion................... A6 Sports......................A7 Classifieds............ A10 Comics.................. A14
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Trotting for a good cause By JEFF HELMINIAK Peninsula Clarion
It’s been a big Thanksgiving week for Freedom House, which operates faith-based recovery homes in Soldotna. Freedom House opened a women’s recovery home in May 2017 and this week got a $250,000 anonymous donation to purchase the building for a men’s recovery home. Then a Turkey Trot at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Thursday that benefits Freedom House went from about 60 racers in the inaugural race last year to 154 participants. The response was so overwhelming the race ran out of registration forms. “It’s a beautiful day with beautiful people on Thanksgiving,” said Jennifer Waller, Freedom House founder and director, of the sunny, blue skies and hoarfrost hanging on the trees. “My heart overflows already and I haven’t even gotten to the turkey yet.”
Borough considers Cook Inlet fisheries economic disaster declaration By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Racers bolt from the start of the Turkey Trot at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Thursday. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Waller was heartened because, even with the building purchased, Freedom House still must come up with $200,000 for renovations of the men’s recovery home.
The organization raised $500,000 for renovation of the women’s home, so Waller believes the community will come through again. For instance, Freedom
House didn’t even organize the Turkey Trot. Sterling’s Kurt and Tammy Strausbaugh like organizing races for good causes. See TROT, page A3
Borough assembly introduces resolution backing Nikiski LNG terminus project By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Solidifying Nikiski’s bid for the highly anticipated Alaska Liquefied Natural Gasline Project, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly introduced a resolution that would support the project’s plant and marine terminal in Nikiski. In September, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and last December, the city of Valdez, both submitted motions to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission supporting their properties and potential sites for the $45 billion project. The 800-mile pipeline would bring natural gas from the North Slope to a liquefac- The industrial area of Nikiski is photographed in this undated file photo. The Kenai Peninsula tion plant, with the intent to Borough Assembly introduced a resolution that would support the project’s plant and marine See LNG, page A2 terminal in Nikiski at Tuesday’s meeting. ( Photo/File/AJOC)
A resolution to declare a local economic disaster and request the governor to declare an economic disaster for the upper Cook Inlet fisheries region was introduced at Tuesday’s Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting. The resolution comes after the city of Kenai passed the same resolution at the end of last month. Both Kenai and the borough’s resolutions ask the state to assist in a recovery plan, which could come in many different forms such as low-interest loans. The resolution said as of Sept. 1, the upper Cook Inlet commercial salmon harvest took approximately 1,293,945 fish, “which is the lowest harvest of commercial salmon in the upper Cook Inlet commercial salmon harvest since 1971, and approximately 61 percent less than the recent 10-year average of 3.4 million fish.” The low harvest did not cover the costs of operating and maintaining a commercial drift, set net, processing and marketing businesses in the borough, the resolution said. Speaking in support of the resolution, Tim Dillon, executive director for the Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District, said the commercial industry was a key unit to the peninsula’s economy. “Our commercial fishing industry is a key piece to all of our economic drivers here on the peninsula,” Dillon said. “I’ve worked really closely with our friends from the fishing industry and this administration to make sure we have all See FISH, page A3
‘Forever Christmas’ ushers Interior to rewrite in holiday season with dance management plan
for petroleum reserve
By JOEY KLECKA Peninsula Clarion
When it comes to the Christmas season, it’s never too early to get in the holiday spirit. Next weekend, Forever Dance Alaska will help people get ready for that spirit with the three-day “Forever Christmas” Holiday Variety show. Forever Dance Alaska Director and studio owner Darcy Swanson said what makes the production attractive to audiences is the variety of styles, music and theatrical influences that the company uses to celebrate the holiday season. “It has everything from classical ballet to rocker style,” Swanson said. “It features our entire student body and staff, and they do all styles — ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary.” The show does not tell any particular story. Instead, it moves from one musical production to the next, often in rapid fire beat. Swanson, along with her husband Aaron, have turned the
A class of dancers practice choreographed moves Tuesday during rehearsel at the Forever Dance Alaska studios in Soldotna. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
studio into a blossoming show of artistry. “There isn’t much of a Christmas show on the Kenai,” she said. “There are a lot of school things, but no show like what we do, so it’s become a tradition for many families. They’re establishing it as the go-to event of the holiday sea-
son.” Forever Dance Alaska has attracted many dancers of all ages from around the central peninsula, from ages 3 to 18, and Swanson said the Christmas show will feature an astounding 276 dancers. Swanson said she hopes See DANCE, page A2
ANCHORAGE (AP) — The U.S. Department of Interior is seeking to boost oil and gas activity in northern Alaska by rolling back some leasing restrictions. Assistant Interior Secretary Joe Balash said the department will soon begin evaluating the 2013 management plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, looking for areas where it can be revised, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reported Tuesday. The Bureau of Land Management is scheduled to begin the 45-day scoping period this week to seek input on what should be considered when drafting the environmental impact statement, which will direct the work. “We’ll let the information that comes in and the comments we get from our stakeholders and cooperators help guide our decisions but we’re pretty excited about this,” Balash said.
Since the last plan was written, advances have been made in drilling technology and the Nanushuk geologic formation has emerged, Balash said. The formation is the primary source for two discoveries that have the potential to produce more than 100,000 barrels per day. Rewriting the plan should take about a year, he said. ConocoPhillips’ Willow prospect, one of the discoveries, is in the eastern part of the reserve. Conservation groups have urged caution when ConocoPhillips submitted its plan for the prospect, saying the nearby Teshekpuk Lake area is important waterfowl and caribou habitat and subsistence harvest areas. “Geologists believe that the area is extremely prospective. Now, that said, the lake is also home to a tremendous collection of waterfowl that migrate through there,” Balash said.