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CLARION
Some sun 39/27 More weather on Page A-2
P E N I N S U L A
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014 Soldotna-Kenai, Alaska
Vol. 44, Issue 101
Question What do you think of the current weather pattern? n I’m enjoying the mild temperatures; n This is miserable, please bring winter back. To place your vote and comment, visit our Web site at www. peninsulaclarion. com. Results and selected comments will be posted each Tuesday in the Clarion, and a new question will be asked. Suggested questions may be submitted online or e-mailed to news@peninsulaclarion.com.
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Slides cut off Valdez Avalanches block river, cause flooding fears By DAN JOLING Associated Press
ANCHORAGE — Highway access to the city at the end of the trans-Alaska pipeline has been cut off indefinitely by avalanches, including one that dammed a river and created a lake up to a half-mile long across the roadway in a 300foot wide mountain canyon. State Department of Transportation officials said Monday that the snow slide about 12 miles outside Valdez on the Richardson Highway cannot be
cleared until water behind the snow drains. The water in Keystone Canyon is too deep on the upstream side for crews to approach the snow dam. Officials fear that digging from the downstream side could trigger a dangerous surge of water and harm work crews. “At this time there is no safe way to approach relieving that water,” said Jason Sakalaskas, northern region maintenance engineer, at a news teleconference. The avalanche was in a location prone to avalanches and
known locally as Snow Slide Path, said Mike Coffey, the DOT’s statewide maintenance engineer. “This is of a magnitude we probably have never seen before,” Coffey said. The Lowe River is a whitewater stream with Class 4 and 5 rapids. Rafting companies use it in summer for trips, but usually in winter it’s just a trickle, ValAP Photo/Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities dez DOT Superintendent Robert Dunning said. The rain and This Friday photo provided by the Alaska Department of Transmelting snowpack have filled portation & Public Facilities shows multiple avalanches that the river to about one-third its crossed the Richardson Highway in the Thompson Pass region See VALDEZ, page A-3 of Valdez.
Filling needs
In the news Proposed amendment draws more supporters
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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Three more Republican senators have signed onto a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow public money to be used for private and religious schools. Sens. Lesil McGuire, Anna Fairclough and Charlie Huggins signed onto SJR9 after Gov. Sean Parnell, in his State of the State address last week, called on lawmakers to debate and send the proposal to voters to decide. That brings to at least eight the number of Republicans in the GOP-controlled Senate who have signed on. The resolution, from Sen. Mike Dunleavy, proposes striking a provision in Alaska’s Constitution that prohibits the state from using public funds for the direct benefit of private and religious schools. Critics fear the proposal could siphon money from the public education system. Supporters say it would allow for more school choice.
Inside ‘We are aware of no instance in which the program directly contributed to the discovery of a previously unknown terrorist plot or the disruption of a terrorist attack.’ ... See page A-5
Index Opinion.................. A-4 Nation/World.......... A-5 Sports.....................A-6 Classifieds............. A-9 Comics................. A-12 Pet Tails............... A-13 Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.
Annual event connects those in need with services By DAN BALMER Peninsula Clarion
them up.” According to an article by wildlife biologist Sean Farley published by Fish and Game, during hibernation bears have developed adaptive strategies to go long periods of time without food and water by storing up fat and limiting their movement to conserve muscle mass. Depending on the individual bear, if it went into its den in good condition with a large fat layer, it would not need to come out and look for food unless it was forced out because of den damage, Selinger said. He said any bears that would
For the first time in nearly two years the former Sears store in the Kenai Mall will be active with people receiving much needed services, but only for one day. The third annual Project Homeless Connect takes place today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 50 volunteers will be on hand offering multiple free services from haircuts, health care services and housing information. Project coordinator Marti Slater said the outpouring of donations from the community leading up to the event has been amazing. “For the last three years this has been an incredible community based event to reach out to homeless and those at risk,” she said. “It makes me cry. My heart bursts because it has been so positive.” Project Homeless Connect is a national initiative to provide resources to the nation’s needy. Slater, who is a retired pastor from Kenai Methodist Church, said last summer she went to Anchorage and saw how they organized their event and she came back so inspired to continue to help those in need. Slater said 25 vendors will be on hand and many other agencies have come together to make the event possible. Volunteers have also donated groceries from the food bank and winter clothing. A couple ladies volunteered
See BEAR, page A-8
See NEED, page A-8
Photo by Kaylee Osowski/Peninsula Clarion
Band together
The Kenai Peninsula Borough honor band practices Monday with guest conductor and composer Daniel Bukvich of the University of Idaho for the Honor-Mass High School Band Festival today at 6 p.m. at Soldotna High School. The students will be performing “Buffalo Jump Ritual” composed by Bukvich, “Fantasy on a Theme by Sousa” by Andrew Boysen Jr. and “Hosts of Freedom” by Karl King among other selections. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children and senior citizens.
Even in winter, be bear aware By DAN BALMER Peninsula Clarion
With all the snow melting from extended above average temperatures this month, some Kenai Peninsula residents are wondering if any bears have made early appearances from their winter hibernation. Heather Harrison, manager at Wildman’s in Cooper Landing, said a group of regulars who come in for coffee every morning have talked about the possibility of bear sightings due to the spring-like weather. “It seems likely that their dens would be flooded out and
they would be stirring around looking for food,” Harrison said. “Nobody has mentioned seeing one, but everybody who comes in has been talking it.” Jeff Selinger, a wildlife biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Soldotna office, said there have been no reports of bear sightings in
the area. It is not uncommon for bears to slip in and out of their den during the winter, depending on a number of conditions, he said. While Alaska bears hibernate for nearly seven months due to the harshness of winter, any disturbances, like flooding to their den, would flush them out and force them to find another shelter, he said. “Depending on the site of the den if moisture gets in that would prompt bears to emerge early,” Selinger said. “When snow levels decrease, light can penetrate into the den and wake
Administration gives pipeline project overview By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
JUNEAU — An agreement to advance a liquefied natural-gas project represents a “groundbreaking achievement” for Alaska, Revenue Commissioner Angela Rodell said Monday. But the project is far from a done deal, with several decision points over the next few years in which the state — or any of the other parties — can step away. Administration officials on
Monday gave lawmakers an overview of the agreement, which includes the state, TransCanada Corp., the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. (AGDC) and the North Slope’s major players: BP PLC, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil Corp. This year, lawmakers are being asked to pass legislation introduced by Gov. Sean Parnell that would set general tax terms and allow the project to move through a phase involving preliminary engineering and design and refine-
ment of project costs. That phase is expected to cost more than $400 million among the parties, with Alaska’s share between $70 million and $90 million. A fiscal note attached to the bill estimates more than $80 million would go into a new fund and be drawn on by a subsidiary of AGDC. The legislation outlines the creation of both the fund and a subsidiary that would carry Alaska’s interest in things such as liquefaction facilities and marine terminal facilities. C
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Mike Pawlowski, a deputy revenue commissioner, said the fiscal notes are at the upper end of the costs laid out by Parnell. He expects that figure to be refined as the bill goes through the legislative process. The state is pursuing an equity share in the project as a way of protecting Alaska’s interests. The commercial agreement, which has been described as a broad roadmap for a way forward, anticipates the state’s equity share at 20 to 25 percent. The enabling legislation
would move from a net tax to gross tax on gas, and set the rate at 10.5 percent on gas. That, combined with royalties, would determine the state’s participation rate. The state also would have to pay its way on construction costs, commensurate to its stake in the project, Pawlowski told members of the Senate Finance Committee. But he said later it would not be, say, a $9 billion appropriation. Recognizing the costs, the state is bringing in partners like TransCanada and See GAS, page A-8