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P E N I N S U L A
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 48, Issue 277
In the news Body of man found floating off Southeast island JUNEAU (AP) — An Alaska fisherman found the body of a man floating off Yakobi Island. Alaska State Troopers say the state medical examiner will conduct an autopsy and attempt to identify the remains. The Coast Guard on Saturday night took a call from a fishing vessel saying the body was floating about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) off shore near Cape Cross on the west side of Yakobi Island. Yakobi Island is off the northwest corner of Chichagof Island. Alaska Wildlife Troopers on fisheries patrol recovered the body. Troopers say the victim was an older white man. They could not make an initial identification.
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Voters take to ballots boxes in primary By ELIZABETH EARL Peninsula Clarion
Tuesday ushers in the election season in earnest in Alaska with the primary election for state and national offices. Voters registered in one of Alaska’s official political parties get to cast their first ballot of the season Tuesday. On the Kenai Peninsula, the major races are for the three districts in the state House of Representatives and Senate, lieutenant governor, governor and for Alaska’s sole seat in the U.S. House of Representa-
tives.
Governor For Democrats, there’s only one candidate on the ballot — Mark Begich. After Begich entered the race just before the registration deadline, incumbent governor Bill Walker withdrew from the Democratic primary and chose to run in the general as an Independent on a joint ticket with incumbent lieutenant governor Byron Mallott. Republicans have a choice of seven candidates for governor — Darin Colbry of Anchor-
age, Mike Dunleavy of Wasilla, Thomas Gordon of Wasilla, Gerald Heikes of Palmer, Merica Hlatcu of Anchorage, Michael Sheldon of Petersburg and Mead Treadwell of Anchorage. Treadwell and Dunleavy have emerged as the leaders in the Republican race, vying for votes on the peninsula with appearances at most of the major summer events on the Kenai Peninsula and both earning support the area’s Republicans. The peninsula could go either way, and the candidates have put in a lot of face time to win votes
in the area, said Alaska Republican Party chairman Tuckerman Babcock. “I think there’s not going to be a very tight race here for Begich, but I think it could be a very tight race for the Republicans.” Dunleavy’s campaign has been gathering support across Southcentral in the days leading up to the race. Voters remain focused on crime and the Permanent Fund Dividend as major issues, said Kristie Babcock, the co-chair for Dunleavy’s campaign in the state.
Lieutenant Governor
Fish counts Estimated late run kings in the Kenai River: n Sunday: 242 n So far: 16,672 Estimated Kenai River reds: n Sunday: 28,742 n So far: 899,130 Russian River reds weir count: n Sunday: 1,528 n So far: 51,399
Alaska Natives believed whale hunt was legal By RACHEL D’ORO Associated Press
ANCHORAGE — Indigenous hunters in Alaska initially believed they were legally hunting a beluga whale when they unlawfully killed a protected gray whale with harpoons and guns after the massive animal strayed into a river last year, a federal investigative report said. After the shooting began, the hunters then believed the whale to be a bowhead, according to the report released to The Associated Press last week through a public records request. “The hunters also believed that if they were the first ones to shoot or harpoon the whale, the kill would be theirs,” it states. “This comes with a large amount of community pride.” Federal law prohibits killing gray whales, though Alaska Natives are allowed to kill other whales. The hunt underscores He’s swallowed all of the tension between animal them at some point. rights activists who want to “This is the one that alsafeguard at-risk species and most killed me in June,” he indigenous residents who desays casually, holding up the pend on subsistence fishing and sword with the cupped hilt. hunting as part of their ancient It’s longer than a dagger but culture and traditions. shorter than Excalibur, about The whale strayed into the two feet total. He cleans it Kuskokwim River near the expertly and replaces it with TOP: Sword swallower Dan Meyer demonstrates the technique Yup’ik village of Napaskiak the others, some of which during a show at the Kenai Peninsula Fair on Saturday in Ninion July 27, 2017. The 37-foot have also nearly killed him. lchik. (Photos courtesy Ben Boettger) whale was cut up, with about “I just swallowed it yester- ABOVE: Sword swallower Dan Meyer shows a sword to his audience during a show at the Kenai Peninsula Fair on Saturday 20,000 pounds (9,100 kiloday.” grams) of meat and blubber See FAIR, page A2 in Ninilchik. reportedly distributed among Alaska Natives in more than five communities. U.S. officials didn’t prosecute the hunters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sent letters to officials in three communities advising Native leaders about the law and limits to subsistence whaling. ily of the Year. They will receive NOAA officials had dea plaque in a ceremony at the clined to say which communiAlaska State Fair in Palmer later ties received the March 2018 this month. The award was creletters, which also warned that ated in 2000 as a way to honor a future offenses would be dealt farming family. The recipient is with more severely. The docuchosen by an award committee ments show the letters were that from the Alaska Division of sent to tribal leaders in Bethel, Agriculture. Napaskiak and Oscarville. Their wine received four Vivian Korthuis, CEO of the medals from the NorthWest wine Bethel-based Association of summit this spring as well. Their Village Council Presidents, got blueberry, red currant, goosea letter and said in a statement berry and rhubarb wine won two Monday that the organization silver and two bronze medals. respects national laws and inAt the 2017 NorthWest Wine ternational treaties to protect Summit, they won gold and silLaurie and Brian Olson at their farm on Wednesday, near Solwhales. ver medals for their haskap and dotna. The couple was recently named Farm Family of the Year “We have provided edublack currant wines. The summit focuses on wines, ciders, by the Alaska State Fair. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula cational presentations about Clarion) See TALK, page A2 See HUNT, page A2
On the edge Learning to overcome fears and swallow swords By ELIZABETH EARL Peninsula Clarion
The swords of various length and width glitter from atop the black tablecloth on the back of the stage. Some look like props from a Shakespearean drama, complete with cupped hilts recognizable from any movie about pirates. These swords are very real, though, and Dan Meyer knows every inch of them.
Estimated Kasilof River reds: n Aug. 14: 1,227 n As of Aug. 14: 394,288
Alaska Berries wins family farm award
Information provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Sonar estimates can be obtained by calling 262-9097.
By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Index Opinion................... A4 Nation/World........... A5 Sports......................A7 Classifieds.............. A8 Pets....................... A11 Comics.................. A12 Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.
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Mistaken identity?
3 Tuntutuliak residents die in Kuskokwim River boating accident ANCHORAGE (AP) — Three residents of an Alaska village died in a riverboat accident. Alaska State Troopers say the bodies of three residents of Tuntutuliak were pulled Sunday pulled from the Kuskokwim River. Tuntutuliak is 40 miles from the Bering Sea coast and 440 miles west of Anchorage. Troopers identified the dead as 50-year-old Peter Joseph Jr., 43-year-old Jennifer Joseph and 44-year-old Nettie Evan. A family member on Saturday afternoon spoke by phone to Jennifer Joseph, who reported that the Josephs and Evan were on the Kuskokwim River between Napaskiak and Napakiak and heading home. The Josephs’ unoccupied boat at about 6 p.m. Saturday was spotted on a sandbar.
Democrats again have one choice for the lieutenant governor’s seat in the primary — Debra Call of Anchorage. Republicans have multiple choices, a number of them women: Lynn Gattis of Wasilla, Edie Grunwald of Palmer, Sharon Jackson of Eagle River, Kevin Meyer of Anchorage, Gary Stevens of Kodiak and Stephen Wright of Wasilla. Neither Dunleavy nor Treadwell has formally identified a lieutenant governor runningmate yet. Sheldon, another
Alaska Berries is exactly what it sounds like. Owners Laurie and Brian Olson cultivate a large variety of berries, from saskatoons to haskaps and everything between. Their farm off Poppy Lane outside Soldotna is also home to their winery and tasting room. Alaska Berries is the only certified Alaska Grown winery in the state. The couple both come from multi-generational farming families in the midwest. They moved to Alaska in 1990 from Montana. They began farming in the area in 2002, selling their produce at local farmers markets. This year they were named the Alaska State Fair Farm Fam-
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