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P E N I N S U L A
Monday, November 19, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 43
In the news Department of Transportation seeks to adapt amid climate change JUNEAU — The Alaska transportation department is changing how it maintains roads as the state feels the effects of climate change. Alaska’s Energy Desk reports climate change has made it harder and more expensive to keep up. There are issues like freezing rain and damage to roads built on thawing permafrost. Dan Schacher, with the department in Fairbanks, recalls spending $750,000 more than usual during a long stretch of winter with measureable rainfall. He says the department is changing its methods to respond, such as using trucks to distribute a watery solution called salt brine that’s meant to help with slippery pavement. The Fairbanks region was the pilot project for the salt brine trucks now also being used in Anchorage. The brine has been in common use in the Lower 48.
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Food bank gets ready for Turkey Day By JOEY KLECKA Peninsula Clarion
With the Thanksgiving holiday just days ahead, the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank is gearing up for one of its busiest times of the year. The food bank is in the midst of benefiting from a bevy of food drives organized by local businesses, and will be open Wednesday for Thanksgiving dinner hosted in its Fireweed Diner Soup Kitchen. Brenda Dunn, who has spent over 18 years as head chef at the food bank, estimates that the diner serves about 75 people on a daily basis, but she expects more than 100 people for Wednesday’s Thanksgiving meal. “It is a social thing for people,” said executive director Greg Meyer. “It’s more than just getting a meal, it gets them out of the house and socializing.” The food bank, which served more than 20,000 meals in 2017, or an average of 1,700 meals per month at its diner, also administers an emergency direct food service program, Worker Kyle Wrate shows off tomatoes that will be used in this week’s Thanksgiving meal at the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank. See FOOD, page A3 (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
— Associated Press
Dunleavy requests resignations of all at-will state workers Alaska’s soon-to-be governor Mike Dunleavy has asked all state employees who serve at the will of the governor to resign and reapply for positions, according to a Nov. 16 press release issued by the Dunleavy transition team. “The State of Alaska benefits from the hard work of hundreds of highly qualified, talented employees,” Tuckerman Babcock, Dunleavy’s chief of staff, said in the release. “But with the change in leadership, it is appropriate to ask each atwill employee if they want to work for the Dunleavy administration.” Bobcock said in the release that the Dunleavy campaign had “made it clear where the new administration is headed” and included a link to a web access portal where employees could reapply for their positions. — Staff report
Seward Summit gathers world’s fluent Alaska Native language speakers nudges BY BEN HOHENSTATT Capital City Weekly
Centennial Hall in Juneau echoed Tuesday with the sound of centuries-old languages. The first-ever Voices of Our Ancestors language summit brought together dozens of speakers fluent in Lingít, Xaad Kíl and Sm’algyax — the respective languages of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people — for three days of focus on Alaska Native languages. “Our Native languages define us as a people and a culture,” said Sealaska Heritage Institute President Rosita Worl. “Our languages contain our history, our way of living, our ancient knowledge and Tlingit Culture Language and Literacy Dance Group instructors Joshua Jackson, left, and Hans values.” Chester from Harborview Elementary School dance with their students during the Voices of Worl spoke passionately Our Ancestors Language Summit at Centennial Hall on Tuesday in Juneau. (Michael Penn | See FLUENT, page A2 Juneau Empire)
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By DELCENIA COSMAN For the Homer News
If you’ve driven through Anchor Point at any time within the past few weeks, you may have noticed a change on the Anchor River Inn’s message board: “New Management.” Locals Kyle and Brittnay Akee, along with their business partners Billy and Mamie Walker, took over from former managers Jesse and Jennifer Clutts on Oct. 19. The Akees are in the process of purchasing the Anchor River Inn, but the sale has not yet been finalized. They signed a management agreement to refrain from shutting
the business down for several months while still operating under the original banking and liquor licenses until they can be purchased as well. Most of the original staff has also stayed on, though the Akees hired a new cook, prep cook and dishwasher for the restaurant. The business was temporarily closed during the transfer process, but the Akees quickly reopened one department at a time. The grocery and liquor stores reopened on Oct. 19, the same day they signed the management agreement. The lounge held a soft opening on Wednesday, Oct. 24, in preparation for a See ANCHOR, page A3
By CRISTY FRY For the Homer News
The halibut season closed last week under stormy skies with a handful of boats making it into Homer harbor just under the wire for the noon closure on Wednesday, Nov. 7. The flurry of activity was in contrast to previous weeks which often saw two to four deliveries, few buyers and a price that had dropped to the $5 to $5.50 per pound range. Fishing rebounded slightly at the very end, similar to last season, ending up around $6 per pound. Prices never did reach the highs of last season, which saw some buyers paying up to $7.50 per pound, partly due to managers in eastern Canadian waters setting a 7-millionpound quota which made it harder for buyers in Alaska to compete in lucrative East Coast markets, and partly due to substantial inventory in freezers in Japan and elsewhere. Last winter the two countries represented by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, Canada and the U.S., could not come to an agreement over quotas, with Canada objecting to proposed cuts on what they viewed as improving stocks, while U.S. commissioners saw a lack of smaller fish growing into harvestable size and the continued trend of fish growing at reduced rates, or size at age, The Anchor River Inn sign overlooks the Sterling Highway on as signs that the quotas needNov. 10 in Anchor Point announcing that the business is under ed to go down. See 1ST, page A2 new management. (Photo by Delcenia Cosman)
Anchor Point landmark stays open under new management Index
Homer out of 1st in halibut landings