Peninsula Clarion, February 27, 2014

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Review

Big series

Tale might have a little too much magic

Brown Bears take on Wild in NAHL action

Arts & Entertainment/B-1

Sports/A-8

CLARION

Mostly cloudy 44/32 More weather on Page A-2

P E N I N S U L A

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2014 Soldotna-Kenai, Alaska

Vol. 44, Issue 127

50 cents newsstands daily/$1.00 Sunday

Vote nixed

Question Do you think Alaska’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage should be repealed? n Yes; or n No.

Advisory measure on KPC, agency funding won’t go forward

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.

By KAYLEE OSOWSKI Peninsula Clarion

In the news Fisheries disaster aid on the way

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Alaska is set to receive $20.8 million in federal aid more than a year after three regions of the state were declared fisheries disaster areas following the 2012 fishing season. The funds come out of a nationwide appropriation of $75 million to six fisheries disaster areas declared in 2012 and 2013, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Alaska’s Yukon, Kuskokwim and Cook Inlet fisheries join commercial fisheries in American Samoa, Mississippi, New England, Florid New York and New Jersey in divvying the money. The commercial fishery failure was a first for Cook Inlet however fishers in the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers have both experienced multiple years of fishery resource disasters. Alaska’s Senate delegation wrote the Department of Commerce expressing support for the declaration when Gov. Sean Parnell submitted it, the group cited a drop in revenue of nearly 90 percent for east side setnetters in the Cook Inlet and a 50 percent reduction for northern district fishers. Funds can be used for activities that “restore the fishery or prevent a similar failure in the future, and assist a fishing community affected by such failure,” according to a NOAA media release. — Staff report

Index Opinion.................. A-4 Business................ A-5 Nation.................... A-6 World..................... A-7 Sports.....................A-8 Arts........................ B-1 Classifieds............. B-3 Comics................... B-6

Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.

Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion

Good form

Chelsea Springer, freshman, works on a cardboard form for her sculpture class Wednesday at Kenai Peninsula College Kenai River Campus in Soldotna. The assignment began with students building a smaller form and transforming it into a larger piece. “It’s pretty abstract, but I think it kind of looks like a reclining person. Or an octopus. It’s open to interpretation,” she said.

Hearing set for setnet lawsuit By Molly Dischner Morris News Service-Alaska Alaska Journal of Commerce

Oral argument in the Alaska Fisheries Conservation Alliance’s appeal of the Lieutenant Governor’s decision not to certify its proposed ballot initiative is scheduled for April 22 in Anchorage. The alliance, or AFCA, wants to ask voters whether to ban setnets in urban parts of the state. If the initiative made it on to the ballot and passed, it would eliminate setnetters in Cook Inlet. Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell struck down the initiative in January based on a Department of Law opinion that declared it was a prohibited appropriation of state resources. AFCA, however, has said

that the effort is conservationfocused, and filed an appeal of Treadwell’s decision in Alaska Superior Court. Even if the initiative is certified, the group still must collect signatures before it goes on the ballot. Judge Catherine Easter met with attorneys for the alliance and Treadwell, who is represented by the state Department of Law, today to schedule oral argument and discuss other issues that could arise. Under the timeline approved in early February, both sides are expected to file motions for summary judgment on March 7, with opposition briefs due March 21. If reply briefs are needed, those will be due April 2. The April 22 hearing is See SUIT, page A-10

Clarion file photo

Justin Cramer, left, untangles sockeye salmon from a setnet with the help of Domino, a hired deckhand from California, right, Aug. 1, 2011 in Cook Inlet, near the mouth of the Kenai River. Cook Inlet setnetters have been targeted in a lawsuit by an organization seeking to ban the gear type in what it defines as “urban” parts of the state.

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly meeting goers were greeted by two people — one of whom was dressed in a green frog costume — asking to save Kenai Peninsula College’s funding. The duo was protesting a resolution to put an advisory proposition on the 2014 ballot asking voters if the assembly should continue to fund nondepartmentals, including nonprofits and post secondary programs. The resolution, sponsored by assembly members Kelly Wolf, Wayne Ogle and Charlie Pierce, saw a full house and drew about an hour and 40 minutes of testimony from about 20 people. Following public comments and assembly discussion, the resolution failed with Wolf and Pierce casting the only votes in favor of putting the question out for an advisory vote. Most of the testimony was specific to KPC funding and the programs it provides. In 1990 voters chose to give the borough the authority to fund post-secondary schools up to 0.1 mills. KPC Director Gary Turner said the borough money the college receives makes up about 4 percent of its revenues, or about $697,000. Turner said the money specifically goes toward the college’s Resurrection Bay Extension site courses, career center, library support at the Kenai River Campus and Kachemak Bay Campus, a veterans services coordinator, tutors at both campuses, and the JumpStart program, which allows high See VOTE, page A-10

Man arrested with Rodell: Risks high in stolen truck, drugs By DAN BALMER Peninsula Clarion

An Anchorage man is behind bars after Soldotna Police found him sleeping in a stolen truck armed with a handgun and carrying $22,000 worth of drugs Monday morning. Rodney Godwin, 39, was slumped over the wheel of a 2010 Ford F350 pickup with the engine running parked behind the Kenai Peninsula Borough building on Binkley Street when Soldotna Police Officer Steven Clary approached him at 7:25 a.m., according to Clary’s police report. Police dispatch informed Clary that the pickup had been reported stolen from Alaska Sales and Service in Wasilla and valued at $44,000. Inside the vehicle, Godwin was in possession of a loaded .45 caliber pistol, 59 grams of methamphetamine, 23 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of heroin, 2 grams of cocaine and more than $3,000 in cash. The street value is estimated at $22,000, accord-

ing to the police report. Godwin had previously been arrested for felony driving under the influence, had a revoked driver’s license and was currently on felony probation, according to the report. Police arrested Godwin on nine felony charges and three misdemeanors. He was taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility and held without bail. Godwin was arraigned on 12 charges at the Kenai Courthouse on Tuesday. The charges include: felony driving under the influence of a controlled substance, driving while license revoked, first-degree theft, two counts of second-degree misconduct involving a weapon, third-degree and fourth-degree misconduct involving weapons, two counts of second-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, and thirddegree, fourth-degree and fifthdegree misconduct involving a controlled substance. Two felony charges are related to having a controlled See ARREST, page A-10

pursuing gas line alone By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press

JUNEAU — The state could face some difficult decisions, and tight budgets, as it pursues a major liquefied natural gas project. Revenue Commissioner Angela Rodell told the House Resources Committee on Wednesday that if the state pursues the gas treatment plant and pipeline project without TransCanada Corp. as a partner, Alaska’s share of project costs could be more than half the state’s unrestricted general fund revenue near the start of construction, around 2020. With TransCanada involved, the state could be giving up about $300 million in annual revenue once gas started to flow, Rodell said. While there’s more upside to going it alone, she said that option presents high risks. The cost C

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of that lost revenue, she said, “is worth the insurance policy basically.” Lawmakers are considering legislation aimed at moving the mega-project into the phase of preliminary engineering and design. The state is mulling an equity stake of 20 percent to 25 percent, which would be determined by its royalty share and the gas tax rate, which would be set in the bill. The bill speaks to terms already agreed upon by state officials and TransCanada, the Alaska Gasline Development Corp., or AGDC, and the major North Slope players: BP PLC, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil Corp. The agreements are subject to passage of enabling legislation deemed acceptable by the parties. The state has signed a separate agreement with TransCanada to manage its inter-

est in a gas treatment plant and pipeline. While the state would have an equity buyback option, the arrangement is seen as a way for the state to not have to shoulder as much in upfront costs as it would without TransCanada. The agreement also would serve as a transition from the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act. TransCanada has been pursuing a pipeline with Exxon Mobil for years under that law, but Gov. Sean Parnell has said it no longer fits with the current situation. For a project estimated at $45 billion to more than $65 billion, the state’s share will be significant. While estimates have been somewhat fluid, information provided to the committee Wednesday showed that with a 20 percent stake, the state was looking at a potential equity investment of $5.6 billion to $11 billion. See GAS, page A-10


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