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P E N I N S U L A
Wednesday, November 14, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 39
In the news Driver, sled dogs injured in collision near Wasilla ANCHORAGE — A driver was injured and two dogs in a sled dog team were hurt in a collision near Wasilla. Anchorage television station KTVA reports a crash between an SUV and a pickup sent the truck into a dog team being trained by Iditarod musher Kristy Berington. Berington was training dogs belonging to musher Tom Knolmayer, who was ahead of her with other dogs. Alaska State Troopers say the sport utility vehicle rearended a pickup. The truck rolled twice and struck two dogs in the team with Berington. The SUV driver suffered injuries and was transported from the scene. Berington says the injured dogs will need surgery for shoulder injuries but should recover.
Driver in fatal crash says he spoke to victim before leaving ANCHORAGE — An Anchorage man charged in a fatal hit-and-run crash told police he spoke to the woman he hit and she said she was fine. The Anchorage Daily News reports 71-year-old Ruti Malietufa (ROO-tee mal-ee-eh-TOO-fah) was arraigned Monday on a felony count of leaving an accident scene without assisting an injured person. Police have not released the victim’s name. Police investigating the crash early Saturday night found the woman dead on Third Avenue just east of the Anchorage jail. She was surrounded by debris from a broken headlight and her shoe was in the westbound lane. Malietufa told police he was driving east and hit something. He told police he turned around, saw the woman and she told him she was fine. Malietufa was arrested Sunday. He remained jailed Tuesday. — Associated Press
Inside “I am really worried about them. They have common sense, I’m sure, but I’d hate to find out later that they burned up...” ... See page A2
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‘The Ballad of Kenai’ makes comeback By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Kenai Performers are reviving “The Ballad of Kenai” for the play’s 50th anniversary. The historic play explores Kenai’s change and progress through the years, beginning with the area’s original inhabitants, the Dena’ina. Don Nickel is one of the founding members of Kenai Performers and was an original cast member of “The Ballad of Kenai.” He said the play has evolved since it was first conceived in the late 1960s by director Lance Petersen and his mother Jean McMaster, who was a dance instructor and choreographed the show. Bob Richardson composed the original music, and came on to conduct the orchestra for the 50th anniversary revival. Nickel said the upcoming show will be the fifth time “The Ballad of Kenai” has been performed. “This show is a much richer show, although the older productions were great shows, it has evolved into a richer play,” Nickel said. Nickel is playing grandfather Joe. He and the character of the grandson are the only people in the show that are in the present. All of the other
Actors rehearse “The Ballad of Kenai” for their upcoming show at Kenai Central High School in Kenai on Monday. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
“It’s a historical story with Terri Zopf-Schoessler will cal theater productions over characters explore the history of Kenai, from the stories of dancing and music,” Nickel be performing in the play as the last 30 years, it’s Zopfthe Dena’ina creation of man said. “The music really for- Ms. Kitty. Despite starring Schoessler’s first time perSee BALLAD, page A7 wards the plot.” and participating in many loto the oil boom days.
Spring Creek holds town hall By KAT SORENSEN Peninsula Clarion
On Monday night, the Spring Creek Correctional Center opened its doors to the public, inviting them to the maximum security prison for an open discussion about the center’s restorative justice initiative, criminal justice and how these issues affect the surrounding community. “Things like this are scary to a superintendent,” said Spring Creek’s Superintendent Bill Lapinskas. “To open your doors and have people come in and judge what you’re doing — but we’ve been putting more and more of the people first. What are we doing at Spring Creek? Whatever we have to turn out a better person.” Last year, Lapinskas and the inmates worked to create the Restorative Justice Initiative, to fight high recidivism rates and
This photo, courtesy of the Alaska Department of Corrections, shows the Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward. (Courtesy Alaska Department of Corrections)
help the inmates become better people. Restorative justice focuses on restoring those impacted by crime and behavior rather than retribution for the crime itself. By working with the victim, the offender and the community, restorative justice hopes to heal victims while helping
the offender return to society as a contributing member of the community. “It’s asking what role does the community play,” said prisoner Matt Moore, one of the Restorative Justice Initiative’s three co-chairs. “Because no person is left untouched by this See SPRING, page A7
Diminished sea ice affects temperatures in Utqiagvik UTQIAGVIK (AP) — Changing sea ice patterns are affecting fall temperatures in the far northern Alaska city of Utqiagvik, scientists say. Temperatures in the town formerly known as Barrow have increased in October more than any other month over the last five decades, Alaska’s Energy Desk reported. The lack of ice is both the effect of warming in the Arctic and a primary driver for the town’s warmer Octobers, said Rick Thoman, climate specialist at the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “When you’ve got that water right off shore that’s staying at 28 (degrees) or warmer, that greatly limits how cool the air can get,” Thoman said. “Even a thin layer of ice with a little bit of snow on it, the air right above that can cool much more.”
Pack ice that stays frozen on the Arctic Ocean through the summer had usually started floating to shore in October. That ice would cool the land and water around it, helping new sea ice to form along the coast. Pack ice has been steadily retreating north. It’s now typically hundreds of miles offshore in October, but two decades ago it was rare for the ice to be more than 50 miles from the coast. With the pack ice absent, new ice takes longer to form, Thoman said. The ice now forms in November or December, said Billy Adams, a lifelong resident of Utqiagvik. When he was growing up, there was almost always ice attached to the shore in October, he said. “We could have been walking out there and hunting ringed seals,” Adams said last month. “But we’re on land right now.”
Former Kenai residents arrested in Ohio slaying of 8 By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A family of four arrested Tuesday in the gruesome slayings of eight people from another family in rural Ohio two years ago carefully planned the killings for months in a crime prosecutors vaguely explained as a custody dispute, authorities said. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said a grand jury indicted the four on aggravated murder charges and that they could be sentenced to death if convicted. DeWine gave scant detail about why they were killed, but did say the custody of young child played a role. Arrested were four members of the Wagner family, who lived near the scenes of the killing about 60 miles south of
These undated images released by the Ohio Attorney General’s office, show from left, George “Billy” Wagner III, Angela Wagner, George Wagner IV and Edward “Jake” Wagner. Authorities announced Tuesday that the family of four has been arrested in the slayings of eight members of one family in rural Ohio two years ago. (Ohio Attorney General’s office via AP)
Columbus. One of those arrested was Edward “Jake” Wagner, 26, who was a long-time former
boyfriend of 19-year-old Han- the massacre. 48-year-old Angela Wagner; na Rhoden, one of the eight The others arrested were and George Wagner, 27. victims, and shared custody Wagner’s father, George “BilThe Wagners had moved to See ARRESTS, page A7 of their daughter at the time of ly” Wagner III, 47; his wife,