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P E N I N S U L A
Thursday, November 8, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 34
In the news Sitka police kill 2 bears that entered shed, scratched home SITKA — Sitka police killed two brown bears that entered a shed and menaced a home. The Daily Sitka Sentinel reports police just before 3 a.m. Tuesday took a call about the bears from a resident at a mobile home court. The caller said a sow and a cub were eating a deer he had hung inside a shed. The man called again soon afterward saying the bears were scratching on his house. Two officers unsuccessfully tried scaring the bears off with their patrol car’s lights and siren and non-lethal “hazing rounds.” After concluding that the bears could be killed under state law provisions for defense of life and property, the officers used a large-caliber hunting rifle and a 12-guage shotgun to kill both bears in an area away from homes.
GOP claims control of Alaska House ANCHORAGE — Republicans on Wednesday said they had regained control of the Alaska House, an announcement the current House speaker called premature. The state House has 40 members, and the GOP majority stood at the minimum of 21. Rep. Dave Talerico of Healy told reporters he was chosen to be the next speaker. He said the caucus was working out details, such as guiding principles and whether the caucus would require members to vote for the budget. But Edgmon, in a statement, said ballot counting continues and that there remains one tight House race whose outcome could split the House evenly. A Republican leads in that Fairbanks House race. If Republicans do take hold of the House, it would be significant. Republican Mike Dunleavy was elected governor, and Republicans are expected to hold the Senate. Republicans have spent the past two years in the House minority. The requirement for caucus members to vote for the budget has been a touchy subject. In 2017, two conservative Senate members — Dunleavy and Shelley Hughes — left the Senate’s GOP-led caucus over budget concerns.
How the peninsula voted A breakdown of Tuesday’s election results By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Peninsula voter turnout for this week’s midterm elections saw a major increase from August’s primary elections and a sharp decrease from other elections in years past, according to the Alaska Division of Elections. This week, 42.9 percent of registered voters in District, 29, 30 and 31, which cover central, southern and northern peninsula communities, came out to the polls, which is slightly above the state turnout at 41.5 percent. In August’s primaries, 25 percent of registered voters in District 29, 30, and 31 came out to vote. During the 2016 general election, 65.2 percent of peninsula voters came out to the polls, and in the 2014 general election, 58.9 percent of area voters cast a ballot. The peninsula opted for more Republican candidates
than Democrat or independent, following state trends. District O Republican Sen. Peter Micciche will serve another term as a state senator representing central and northern peninsula communities. He took 58.7 percent of the total District 29 and 30 votes, while write-in candidates took 30.6 percent of the vote. In District 29, Micciche held just over 60 percent of the vote, and in District 30, Micciche held 57.3 percent of the vote. Governor’s Race In District 29, which encompasses the northern peninsula and includes areas in Nikiski, Hope, Seward, Cooper Landing, Funny River and Sterling, 68.9 percent of voters cast a ballot for Mike Dunleavy, and only 26.2 percent voted for Mark Begich. In District 30, which in- Voter turnout on the entire peninsula, including Districts 29, 30 and 31 was 42.9 percent, which cludes the Kenai and Soldotna is slightly above the state voter turnout of 41.4 percent of registered voters, according to the See VOTE, page A3 Alaska Division of Elections, Wednesday. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
What happened to Stand for Salmon? By KEVIN GULLUFSEN Juneau Empire
A ballot measure aimed at protecting salmon habitat received a resounding defeat in the statewide general election Tuesday. With 98 percent of precincts reporting as of Wednesday afternoon, Ballot Measure 1, commonly known as Stand for Salmon, held only 35.2 percent of Alaska’s vote, with 61.6 percent voting against. In a state where everyone loves salmon, why did voters reject Ballot Measure 1 by such a large margin? Measure co-sponsor Mike Wood, a Mat-Su carpenter and set net fisherman, was in good spirits when reached by phone Wednesday. The measure started a conversation, Wood said. Alaskans now talk about updating fish habitat permitting law. The existence of that discourse means that, though the measure fell, it “fell forward,” Sarah Youngren and supporters of the “Stand for Salmon” Ballot Measure 1 hold signs at the inWood said. tersection of the Sterling and Kenai Spur Highways on Tuesday, in Soldotna. (Photo by Victoria See STAND, page A2 Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
By DAN JOLING Associated Press
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Anchorage teachers walk out of school board meeting ANCHORAGE (AP) — Hundreds of teachers in Alaska staged a walkout during a school board meeting to protest the board’s leadership. The Anchorage educators walked out Monday, the night before contract negotiations were scheduled to resume between the school district and teachers union, the Anchorage Daily News reported . “It was a statement of where they are, which is totally understandable,” Anchorage Schools Superintendent Deena Bishop said of the walkout. The union and district have a list of items to settle before they reach a three-year contract agreement, including major parts of the contract such as salary and health benefits. It also includes more intricate changes to contract language. The union’s contract proSee WALK, page A3
Fishermen sentenced for killing Citizens raise concern on parks management plan endangered Steller sea lions
— Associated Press
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ANCHORAGE — An Alaska salmon boat skipper who killed endangered Steller sea lions with a shotgun and hindered an investigation has been fined $20,000 in federal court. Jon Nichols, 31, of Cordova, was sentenced Tuesday to five years’ probation, three months of home confinement and 400 hours of community service. U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Smith also ordered Nichols to publicly apologize in a national commercial fishing magazine. One of Nichols’ crewmen, Theodore “Teddy” Turgeon, This 2016 photo provided by NOAA Fisheries, shows a harem 21, of Wasilla, also shot the en- of Steller sea lions with one large male, several females and dangered animals. He was sen- their pups on Gillon Point at Agattu Island. (Katie Sweeney/ See LIONS, page A3 NOAA Fisheries via AP, File)
By MICHAEL ARMSTRONG Homer News
With the public comment period ending in a week for the draft of the Kachemak Bay State Park and Wilderness Park Management Plan, Homer residents are taking a closer look at the guidebook for managing the two local state parks. From 6-8 p.m. tonight, Nov. 8, at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center, the Friends of the Kachemak Bay State Park holds a meeting to discuss issues in the plan. Alaska State Park Ranger Jason Okuly will attend. Last month on Oct. 29, Department of Natural Resources representatives also held an open house on the draft plan at the visitor center. Interested participants moved around tables with copies of the plan and maps and met with park
officials to ask questions about it. “State Parks, they came down,” said Mako Haggerty, president of the Friends of Kachemak Bay State Park. “I got the sense at the last meeting their ears were open and they were listening.” The draft management plan updates a plan adopted in 1995. It includes management guidance and recommendations for the two parks covering much of the lower Kenai Peninsula along Kachemak Bay and around the tip of the peninsula. The draft plan also includes the Diamond Creek State Recreation Site, Eveline State Recreation Site and Overlook Park State Recreation Site in the Homer area. The plan also includes a trail management plan with recommendations for trail sustainability, design and management criteria. See PARKS, page A2