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P E N I N S U L A
Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 26
In the news
Hillary Clinton endorses Begich Hillary Clinton has endorsed Mark Begich for governor. In an announcement Monday morning on Twitter, Clinton announced her support for a slate of Democratic governor candidates across the United States. Among them was Mark Begich, the Democratic candidate for Alaska governor. “Governors set the tone and direction for their states. They’re also our last line of defense against some of the Trump administration’s worst policies. So pick a candidate— or two or three—and help flip one of these 17 races,” Clinton wrote. About Begich, she wrote, “(Mark Begich) is a dedicated public servant, business owner, and former U.S. senator who has a record of cutting through bureaucracy to get things done for Alaskans. In office, he’ll prioritize schools, jobs, and affordable health care.” Clinton’s endorsement follows a similar one by the winner of the 2016 election, President Donald Trump. Last week, Trump endorsed Republican governor candidate Mike Dunleavy. Support from Clinton is not expected to affect the race significantly. Clinton lost Alaska’s Democratic primary to Bernie Sanders, and she received only 36.55 percent of the vote in the 2016 general election. — Juneau Empire
North Slope Borough police: Searching for man in shooting ANCHORAGE — North Slope Borough police are searching for a man in connection with a shooting, saying he is considered armed and dangerous. Police have released few details of the Sunday morning shooting in Utqiagvik other than they are seeking Asiagin Dana Ahmaogak as a person of interest in the shooting. Borough police announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to Ahmaogak’s arrest. A release by the mayor’s office indicated there was more than one shooting, but did not provide further details. Police referred questions to the mayor’s office. Borough Mayor Harry Brower Jr. says in a statement released Monday that he was “deeply troubled to learn of the recent shootings.” — Associated Press
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Community weighs in League of Women Voters hosts forum on Ballot Measure 1 By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
The League of Women Voters hosted a forum last week to help inform voters on Alaska Ballot Measure 1. Kaitlin Vadla and Laura Rhyne from Cook Inletkeeper spoke in support of the Stand for Salmon campaign. Owen Phillips from Stand for Alaska and Linda Hutchings from Stand for the Kenai Peninsula spoke in opposition of Alaska Ballot Measure 1. In their opening statements, they told the crowd about their connection to Alaska and salmon. Vadla, who grew up in Clam Gulch, said she continues to live in Alaska because she loves it here. She said she wants development to be done responsibly. “I think this is just a common sense initiative. “I hunt, fish, spend a lot of time outside,” Vadla said. “I live here because of the incredible quality of life we have here.” Rhyne said she grew up in Alaska and left for college. She said she left for college and came back even more grateful for the state she calls home. “If we want to protect the things we love it’s not enough
Panelists Kaitlin Vadla, Laura Rhyne, Linda Hutchings and Owen Phillips present information about Alaska Ballot Measure 1 at an event hosted by the League of Women Voters on Thursday in Soldotna. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
to say we just care about salm- what I think this initiative is parents homestead in Soldotna. summer. on; we have to put some action about,” Rhyne said. She lived a subsistence lifestyle “We have worked hand in behind those words, and that’s Hutchings grew up on her and commercially fished in the See FORUM, page A3
Homer voters to decide on plastic bag ban By MICHAEL ARMSTRONG Homer News
A proposition on whether or not to prohibit Homer retailers from giving out single-use plastic bags will once again be on the ballot. The bag-ban vote came during Homer Mayor Ken Castner’s first time running a Homer City Council meeting at its regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 22. As a new mayor but with a council the same as the past year, Castner on several occasions ran into opposition with the council, losing on 6-0 votes on matters he’d proposed.
In the bag ban, the council passed a substitute ordinance, 18-43(S), that lets voters decide at the October 2019 regular election if they want to reinstate prohibiting use of the thin plastic bags commonly given out at grocery stores. The council in 2012 passed a ban, only to see it overturned by a vote put forth by citizen initiative. On Sept. 24, council member Caroline Venuti originally introduced an ordinance to ban bags outright by council action. “I think it’s important that it actually goes back to the voters,” said council member
Shelly Erickson. “The feedback I’ve gotten from many people is they’ve spoken on this. I think that they need to be given the opportunity to speak on it again.” In a 5-1 vote, with council member Tom Stroozas voting no, the council approved substituting the by-council ordinance with the by-voter ordinance. In a 4-2 vote, with council member Heath Smith voting no with Stroozas, the council then approved that substitute ordinance. According to the ordinances, the proposed ban would only prohibit sellers from pro-
Walker’s support for Begich ‘narrow’ By JAMES BROOKS Juneau Empire
When he gave a speech announcing his withdrawal from the election, Gov. Bill Walker told his audience that they should support Democratic candidate Mark Begich. On Monday, Walker’s campaign said the incumbent’s support of Begich has its limits. In a message to supporters, Walker campaign spokeswoman Lindsay Hobson wrote, “Independent expenditure groups are running advertisements that go far beyond the scope of these areas of alignment into areas where I am not necessarily aligned with Mr. Begich. I have asked that these ads be immediately edited or removed. However, anyone with questions as to where I stand on the issues of this election should look solely to my statement on October 19.” By phone, Hobson said the message refers to a minute-long radio ad that included Walker’s support for Begich and touched on Begich’s support for abortion
viding “single-use plastic carryout bags” that are less than 2.25 mills thick, sometimes called “T-shirt bags.” That means Homer stores will still be able to use any plastic bag as long as it’s thicker than 2.25 mils. The ban also would not apply to the small bags inside a store used to carry produce and other small items or to bags used to collect dog poop. During Homer’s first bag ban, thicker plastic bags were offered for sale at Safeway. Homer was the first city on the Kenai Peninsula to ban bags. Now, if it comes to fruition a second time, Homer
would be the second peninsula city to enact a bag ban after Soldotna, whose new policy takes effect Nov. 1. There have also been bans passed in several other Alaska cities and villages, including Anchorage, where all soft plastic bags are banned, and Wasilla, which only bans thin singleuse bags under 2.25 mils. In a second public hearing on the bag ban on Monday, most people spoke in favor of the ban, or at least of putting it to a citizen vote. “I hope we all can agree to respect this incredible planet,” See BAG, page A2
Dem senator denies endorsing Dunleavy By JAMES BROOKS Juneau Empire
A Democratic senator from Anchorage is asking a campaign backing Republican governor candidate Mike Dunleavy to stop using his voice and picture in proDunleavy ads. In a press release Monday, Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, said the Dunleavy for Alaska independent expenditure group “never asked my permission to use my name or image in In this Sept. 6 file photo, Democratic nominee for governor of its ads. In fact, I’ve specifically Alaska Mark Begich, right, speaks as Gov. Bill Walker listens told them they do not have my during a chamber of commerce gubernatorial candidate in Ju- permission.” “It’s deceptive. It’s against neau. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File) my wishes,” Wielechowski said went on to say that he believes when reached by phone. rights. The image and an audio clip That is “definitely not an area the Alaska Constitution’s privacy where they see eye to eye,” Hob- protections preserve abortion remains on the front page of the rights. group’s website, and in a press son said. Begich has said believes that release, the group says it will not Walker explained his views on abortion in a September opinion too, but he thinks the Alaska Leg- take it down. In the Alaska Senate, Wielcolumn in the Anchorage Daily islature can pass legislation to News, saying, “It is not secret “whittle away” at abortion rights, echowski has been the most arSee GOV, page A3 dent legislative defender of the that I am personally pro-life.” He
state’s traditional formula for distributing the Permanent Fund Dividends. For years, he has unsuccessfully attempted to garner legislative support for a constitutional amendment preserving the dividend. In 2016, he led a charge to overturn Gov. Bill Walker’s partial veto of the dividend, and after the Legislature declined to override that veto, he sued the state, arguing that the veto was unconstitutional. The Alaska Supreme Court disagreed with the interpretation offered by Wielechowski and upheld Walker’s veto. In the legislative session that followed, Dunleavy joined Wielechowski in support of constitutional protections for the dividend. Before the veto, Dunleavy had consistently voted in opposition. “He came around to my view. For five years, he didn’t have my view,” Wielechowski said, adding See DEM, page A2