Peninsula Clarion, February 16, 2014

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Fun and Games With Super Bowl done, time for the Olympics Community/C-1

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Finale Stars wrap up season at state tournament Sports/B-1

CLARION P E N I N S U L A

FEBRUARY 16, 2014 Soldotna-Kenai, Alaska

Vol. 44, Issue 117

50 cents newsstands daily/$1.00 Sunday

Panel debates education bill Measure addresses student credit for vocational training By MIKE COPPOCK Associated Press

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Photo by Jeff Helminak/Peninsula Clarion

Making tracks

Soldotna High School’s Addison Downing climbs a big hill near the start of Friday’s boys five-kilometer freestyle at the Region III Nordic Ski Championships at Tsalteshi Trails. For more on the meet, see Page B-1.

JUNEAU — The House Education Committee on Friday took up funding aspects of an education bill by Gov. Sean Parnell that would allow vocational credits to be counted as high school credits for participating students. Under the bill, the 10 vocational schools involved must have such an agreement in place with high schools that send students into their program or face a 20 percent reduction in state funding. State labor commissioner Dianne Blumer told the committee the state currently does not have a means for measuring success at state-recognized vocational schools or a way to enforce agreements with high schools on dual crediting. Concerns were raised by committee members over the difficulties for other vocational training schools to be added to the list to receive a portion of state assistance. “Private firms must come before the Legislature to get on the list,” Blumer said. The current 10 vocational schools are on the allocation list by law. Any additional schools would have to be added through the Legislature, and changes

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would have to be made to the percentage of allocated funds form the Alaska Workforce Investment Board. Blumer told the committee she was not certain how the list of current schools and their percentage of allocation evolved. The challenges of adding private training schools to the list were raised by Rep. Lynn Gattis, R-Wasilla, but she was not the only one with concerns. Rep. Peggy Wilson, RWrangell, pointed to Southern Southeast Alaska Technical Education Center in Ketchikan as another potential candidate. “Businesses are going up to them trying to get their students even before they graduate because the demand is so high in their area,” Wilson said. By law, vocational schools allotted funding from money collected for the Alaska Workforce Investment Board are the University of Alaska with 45 percent, Alaska Vocational Technical Center in Seward at 17 percent, and the Kotzebue Technical Center and Yuut Elitnaurviat Inc. Peoples’ Learning See CREDIT, page A-2

Soldotna residents hear more on roundabouts By KAYLEE OSOWSKI Peninsula Clarion

The City of Soldotna invited the public to an open house on Tuesday night to discuss road rehabilitation plans for Binkley Street. Questions and comments from the about 20 people who came to down to Soldotna City Hall focused on the three roundabouts proposed to be constructed at Binkley Street’s intersections with Wilson Lane, Redoubt Avenue and Marydale Drive. Concerns raised by locals included whether the street is busy enough to warrant roundabouts and if people will just use other routes to avoid the roundabouts, how commercial truck drivers and emergency vehicles will

be able to navigate the intersections, and how the maintenance department will be affected — especially during the snowy months. City Engineer Kyle Kornelis said the city conducted traffic impact analyses to account for both current and future traffic needs. He said it is one of the busiest city streets with drivers traveling to the George A. Navarre Borough Administration Building, Central Peninsula Hospital and other medical facilities, retail shops and schools. He said statistics show that roundabouts not only allow for more vehicles per hour to flow down the street but there are fewer accidents at roundabout intersections. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities requires roundabouts

Former territorial governor dies By MARK THIESSEN Associated Press

ANCHORAGE — A man who lobbied congressional members for Alaska statehood and served as one of the state’s last territorial governors has died. Mike Stepovich died early Friday in a San Diego hospital at the age of 94, his daughter, Antonia Stepovich Gore, told The Associated Press. Services are pending. “Our hearts are full,” she said. She said the three things that were most important to him were “family, faith and Alaska, and that could be in any order on any given day.” “He had a very long life, full of achievements and accomplishments,” she said. Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell

on Friday ordered that state flags be lowered in Stepovich’s honor. Flags will remain at half-staff until the day after his service. “Alaska has lost a true pioneer,” Parnell said in a statement. “Gov. Stepovich was a strong, selfless figure. His love for our state is a great legacy that will endure for generations of Alaskans.” A moment of silence also was held on the floor of the Alaska House on Friday. State Rep. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks, said he has been reading through books on the battle for statehood. “His real lasting legacy is, we got statehood. We’re here,” Kawasaki said. Stepovich was born in 1919 in Fairbanks. He received his law degree from Notre Dame. See GOV, page A-2

at new or rehabilitated intersections unless otherwise justified. “I hope people will give (roundabouts) a fair shake,” Kornelis said. The roundabouts, if implemented, would be single lane and the medians would have a gradual curb so trucks and campers can roll over them if necessary, Kornelis said. Brad Nelson, Central Emergency Services health and safety officer, said the roundabouts might actually be helpful for CES, which is located at the Wilson Lane and Binkley Street intersection. He said while the rule for drivers when they see emergency vehicles with their lights and sirens Rendering provided by the City of Soldotna going is to pullover to the right, that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes This illustration shows a proposed mini-roundabout at Binkley Street and See CITY, page A-2 Wilson Lane in Soldotna.

Inside today Sun, snow 23/7 For complete weather, see page A-14

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LNG take could reach $3 billion By TIM BRADNER Morris News Service-Alaska Alaska Journal of Commerce

JUNEAU — State legislators are continuing their review of the state’s proposed deal with North Slope producers and TransCanada Corp. on a major natural gas project. Legislation that would allow state participation in the project is before the House Resources and Senate Resources committees, which held several days of hearings last week. The proposal is for the state to become a partner in the project in ways that reduce risks for the industry participants but also enhance the state’s share of future revenues. Black and Veatch, a consulting firm working for the state, estimates potential profits to the state of $3 billion a year by 2024 from its share of the project. The agreement also provides terms under which the pipeline C

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can be expanded if other companies, which do not own a share of the pipeline, find new gas supplies. Legislators are examining two documents, the Heads of Agreement with all the parties including the state and TransCanada, and a separate Memorandum of Understanding between the state and TransCanada that spells out terms of the partnership between those entities. Under the proposal, TransCanada would make the investment in, and own, a share of the North Slope gas treatment plant and pipeline sufficient to transport the state’s gas share, while the state would invest directly in, and own, a share of the LNG plant in Nikiski sufficient to convert the state gas into LNG for sale. The state would have an option to purchase part or all of TransCanada’s share of the project at certain points. BP’s Dave Van Tuyl, representing his company in a “round-

table” discussion held with the Senate Resources Committee Feb. 7, said the Legislature is being asked to take a first step this year with decisions in three areas: whether to participate in the project, the rate of participation, and setting the overall share between 20 percent or 25 percent, and agreeing to the next steps. Tony Palmer, representing TransCanada on the panel, said that if the Legislature approves the enabling legislation this year he anticipates a “Precedent Agreement,” this summer between the state and his company. A Precedent Agreement is the first step in a long-term, binding transportation agreement for the state’s gas share to be shipped by TransCanada through its share of the pipeline. The Precedent Agreement would be followed by a Firm Transportation Service Agreement (the shipping contact itself) that would be ready for See GAS, page A-5


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