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Hurricane dumps foot of rain on Hawaii
Kenai moves to 3A league in volleyball
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CLARION
Some sun 60/47 More weather on Page A2
P E N I N S U L A
Friday–Saturday, August 24–25, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 48, Issue 280
$1 newsstands daily/$1.50 Sunday
A new face for the force
In the news State investigates cauase of oil found at old spill site ANCHORAGE (AP) — Alaska regulators are investigating after crude oil was discovered along a buried section of the trans-Alaska pipeline north of Fairbanks. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. has recovered 10 gallons (39 liters) of crude oil discovered Sunday following an excavation at the site south of Atigun Pass, the Anchorage Daily News reported . The oil was discovered in the soil as crews were inspecting a mainline valve, said Michelle Egan, an Alyeska Pipeline spokeswoman. An excavation at the site is continuing, she said Tuesday. “Engineering and field personnel are assessing the situation and developing plans to safely excavate the valve and to determine the cause of crude oil in the excavated area,” Egan said. The oil could have been overlooked from the 2013 oil release, which occurred at the same site, said Ashley Adamczak, an environmental program specialist with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. That release of 21 gallons (79 liters) was linked to soil movement that occurs as tundra freezes and thaws, she said. Inspection crews had expected to find some trace of oil left from that release, but the amount found was more than expected, Adamczak said. “We’re working through Alyeska to develop a cleanup plan, and to figure out if this is contamination left from the 2013 release or whether it is indicative of a new issue at the valve,” Adamczak said.
Magnitude 6.3 quake strikes Aleutians, no damage reported ADAK (AP) — A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Wednesday night in Alaska. The Alaska Earthquake Center says the quake occurred in the remote Andreanof Islands region of Alaska, but was felt almost 70 miles (115 km) away in Adak. It had a depth of about 7 miles (11 km). There were no immediate reports of any injuries or damages.
State rebrands in an effort to recruit more troopers By ERIN THOMPSON Peninsula Clarion
(From left) Alaska Salmon Fellows Mary Sattler Peltola and Ben Stevens, Sen. Peter Micciche (R-Soldotna) and Cook Inlet east side setnetter Ken Coleman listen as North Pacific Fishery Management Council member and charter captain Andy Mezirow talks during a panel at the Kenai River Sportfishing Association’s Classic Roundtable event on Wednesday in Soldotna. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
The fish that drive Alaska Roundtable discussion focuses on salmon sustainability, culture By ELIZABETH EARL Peninsula Clarion
With participants from a broad swathe of the salmon spectrum, the Kenai River Sportfishing Association’s Classic Roundtable discussion Wednesday fo-
cused on new research and management tools to preserve troubled salmon returns in the state. Part of the Soldotna-based sportfishing association’s annual Classic event, the roundtable discussions invite experts and stakeholders to address various is-
sues related to fishing and fisheries management. This year, the panelists focused on science related to recent changes in salmon size and age, the cultural and economic impacts of the declines and market-based strategies to change
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See BRAND, page A8
Industry Appreciation Day celebrates area businesses By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
The community is invited to feast on a roasted pig from the local 4-H club, 360 pounds of salmon fillets, hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon and more at this year’s Industry Appreciation Day. The event that began as an opportunity to honor industries important to the Kenai Peninsula economy — which still includes booths from a variety of companies and organizations across the peninsula — has turned into a large community picnic. “It’s one opportunity to come out and have a nice family picnic,” Tim Dillon, executive director of Kenai Penin-
sula Economic Development District Inc., said. “Leave your wallet at home.” When the event began 27 years ago, the oil and gas industries were the main highlight. Since then, commercial fishing and tourism have joined in. Last year, the health care industry was also added to the list. “This is an opportunity to say thank you to the industries that help Kenai run,” Dillon said. The frozen T-Shirt contest, an Industry Appreciation Day mainstay for the children, will be expanded this year with an adult contest. There’s still plenty for kids Cody Schaefer, left, and Shayla Smith compete against each other in a net pull at Industry Apto do. With a variety of games preciation Day on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 in Kenai. (Clarion file photo) See DAY, page A8
Erosion increases on Homer Spit Index
See FISH, page A8
Alaska needs more troopers, and public safety officials are ramping up efforts to fill the positions. On Wednesday, Alaska State Troopers unveiled a new logo and slogan — “Guardians of the 49th” — aimed at drawing in recruits. The agency also took the rebranding efforts to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, where on Thursday they showed off two new police vehicles. The recruitment effort comes in the wake of a 2018 study showing a need for an increase in the trooper workforce. The study — the Detachment Patrol Staffing Study and Description of Dispatched Police Incidents — looked at the B Detachment area between 2009 and 2015, and found that the staffing level was “barely adequate” to meet minimum safety requirements. B Detachment includes part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and portions of the
By MICHAEL ARMSTRONG Homer News
A series of storms and high tides last week sucked tons of sand and gravel out into Kachemak Bay from the middle of the Homer Spit.The erosion threatens a landmark Homer restaurant, the Glacier Drive-In, and other buildings on the outer bay side of the Spit. The erosion started Monday, Aug. 13, when big waves swept down the Spit along rock riprap that runs from Mariner Park to west of the Glacier Drive-In. Restaurant owner Lee Pedersen said the boardwalk there takes the brunt of the waves. “We’re the first in line,” he said. “Now there’s nothing to stop it.” Standing by a newly cut section parallel to the edge of the beach on Thursday Aug.
State, borough may swap some roads By ELIZABETH EARL Peninsula Clarion
John Wise, left, and Nathan Wise, right, in backhoe, make repairs of the Glacier Drive-In on the Homer Spit, on Aug. 16, 2018, after a series of storms that eroded the beach last week during high tides in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
16, Pedersen held out his arm to show the height of the old beach. He said he estimated a a section running along the beach that was 25 feet deep and 6 feet high got washed away in storms last week.
After Monday’s storm, Wise Services repaired the erosion. Then another storm came in on the next tide and washed away the repairs. “We went from heroes to See SPIT, page A8
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and the Kenai Peninsula Borough are talking about swapping a few roads. The roads on the Kenai Peninsula are a mixture of borough-maintained, city-maintained, state-maintained, federally maintained and unmaintained. For the most part, the borough’s roads are gravel, with only about 5 percent of the 630 miles of road being paved. The state maintains more of the major, paved roads like the Kenai Spur Highway. Recently, the Department of Transportation approached the borough about exchanging some of the borough’s roads for state roads. One major road on that list is the Escape Route, a back road linking the neighborhoods of Nikiski to Kenai without having to take the Kenai Spur Highway. The Escape Route is a long gravel road running between Marathon Road, which traverses the marsh lands north of Kenai, to Holt Lamplight Road. It got its name because it See ROADS, page A8