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Epic
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Movie tells flood story and more
Pirates go deep with Cubs
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CLARION
Some clouds 41/25 More weather on Page A-2
P E N I N S U L A
THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 Soldotna-Kenai, Alaska
Vol. 44, Issue 157
Question Do you think the Legislature will complete its work by Easter Sunday? n Yes; n No, they’ll need to extend the regular session; n No, they’ll need to call a special session.
50 cents newsstands daily/$1.00 Sunday
Gunman opens fire at Fort Hood Shooter kills 3, wounds 16 before committing suicide at Texas base By PAUL J. WEBER Associated Press
FORT HOOD, Texas — A soldier opened fire Wednesday on fellow service members at the Fort Hood military base, killing three people and wounding 16 before committing suicide at the same post where more than a dozen
people were slain in a 2009 attack, authorities said. The shooter, who served in Iraq in 2011, had been undergoing an assessment to determine whether he had posttraumatic stress disorder, according to Lt. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the senior officer on the base. There was no indication the attack
was related to terrorism, Milley said. A Texas congressman said the shooting happened at a medical center. Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, also identified the suspect as Ivan Lopez. But additional details about the gunman were not immediately available. The injured were taken to Darnall
Army Community Hospital at Fort Hood and other local hospitals. Dr. Glen Couchman, chief medical officer at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, said the first four people admitted there had gunshots to chest, abdomen, neck and extremities and that their conditions range from stable to “quite critical.”
Setnet petition hearing today
To place your vote and comment, visit our Web site at www. peninsulaclarion. com.
In the news Alaska receives $1.5 million federal education aid
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JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska will be receiving $1.5 million in the form of a federal grant targeting school improvement. It is part of $85 million in School Improvement Grants announced Tuesday for five state by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Grant funds are spent implementing improvements on professional development for teachers and school leaders, instructional programs aligned with state academic standards, the use of student data for pupil improvement, and involving families and local communities with area schools.
House Finance rejects additional education money JUNEAU (AP) — The House Finance Committee rejected efforts to add more money to the per-pupil education funding formula. The committee, on a 5-5 vote, failed to approve a proposal by Republican Rep. Lindsey Holmes to add $485 to the current base student allocation over three years. The committee, in its rewrite of Gov. Sean Parnell’s education bill, proposed adding about $300 over three years. Parnell proposed adding about $200 over three years. Holmes said it appeared the amount proposed by the committee would leave some districts short of what they need to avoid cuts. Critics said lawmakers needed to look at what was realistic and affordable.
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.
See HOOD, page A-2
By RASHAH McCHESNEY Peninsula Clarion
With about a day’s notice, the Alaska Board of Fisheries has scheduled a meeting to discuss an emergency petition filed by an organization representing commercial setnetters in Upper Cook Inlet. A teleconference has been scheduled for 10 a.m. today for the group to consider the merits of an emergency petition filed by setnetter Paul Shadura, a spokesperson for the South K Beach Independent FisherPhoto by Kelly Sullivan/Peninsula Clarion men’s Association, or SOKI. The board will decide whether they believe an emergency Llamas spend time in the sun at Diamond M Ranch on Kalifornsky Beach Road Tuesday. Forecasters are calling for a few — one that typically requires clouds to move into the area in the next few days. board action to fix — exists. Four of the seven board members must vote in favor of an emergency finding before they The Lucky Raven can consider the petition. Tobacco store Under state law, the board made an impromp- can make an emergency finding tu video coming out if it determines an unforeseen or against a proposed unexpected event has occurred statewide smoking that either threatens a resource, ban in businesses or one in which a regulatory that has garnered inaction would prevent harvestBy DAN BALMER inside public places. Instead thousands of hits. ing a biologically acceptable Peninsula Clarion of testifying in the traditional Owner Patricia surplus of a resource. way with complaints from a Patterson said The SOKI petition was one With a smoking ban bill business owner, she decided to Wednesday that of three emergency petitions in both the Alaska Senate and make a video directed to Sen. Senator Peter Mic- submitted March 20 by UpPeter Micciche, R-Soldotna, House of Representatives, ciche, R-Soldotna, per Cook Inlet users during the Lucky Raven Tobacco owner the bill’s sponsor, to show who had since contact- Board of Fisheries’ statewide Patricia Patterson took a differ- the proposed legislation would ed her to say that king, tanner crab and suppleent approach to express her dis- affect, she said. standalone tobacco mental issues meeting in AnThe two-minute YouTube agreement to lawmakers. shops would be chorage. Her customers, many of video titled, “Stop Alaskan Senexempted from the The petition asks the board whom utilize the shop as a place ate Bill 209 and we’ll be Hapban were it to pass. to consider managing the Keto smoke cigarettes, started py,” shows customers dancing Photo courtesy nai and Kasilof sections of the Lucky Raven Tobacco talking about Senate Bill 209, to the song “Happy” by Pharrell See SETNET, page A-10 which aims to prohibit smoking See SMOKE, page A-10
Dining alfresco
Smoking ban draws criticism
Appointments to fish, game boards announced By RASHAH McCHESNEY Peninsula Clarion
Five incumbent members of Alaska’s Board of Fisheries and Board of Game have been reappointed by Gov. Sean Parnell — though the announcement came a day later than state law requires the appointments to be made. State statute governing Board of Fisheries and Game — Sec. 16.05.221 — requires that the governor submit his appointments by April 1. A spokesperson from the Senate Secretary’s office said they were delivered on time
but were not read across the floor, the point at which members of the state’s Senate can act on the information — until Wednesday morning. Reed Morisky, of Fairbanks, Sue Jeffrey, of Kodiak, and John Jensen, of Petersburg, were reappointed to the Board of Fisheries while David Brown, of Wrangell was appointed to the Board of Game alongside Stanley Hoffman, of Bethel, and Ted Spraker, of Soldotna. Members of both sevenmember boards serve staggered three-year terms that begin on July 1, however, the See BOARDS, page A-3
Assembly debates compensation Increase in monthly allowance up for discussion By KAYLEE OSOWSKI Peninsula Clarion
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly discussed changes to its budget and considered changes to members’ compensation at its Tuesday meeting. While an ordinance sponsored by assembly member Brent Johnson and a substitute sponsored by assembly member Bill Smith were both up for public hearings, an enacting vote was postponed to allow for additional public comment. Johnson’s ordinance aimed to cut back assembly compensation to save an estimated $97,100 annually. The ordinance proposed to cut health and life insurance and Internet and vehicle allowance. To compensate for some of those C
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cuts, the ordinance proposed a higher monthly allowance for members. “I know this is hard to talk about, but so what, a lot of things are hard to talk about,” Johnson said. “I certainly have sympathy for people who need this money. It’s always hard when you’re wanting to cut a budget.” Since 2000, assembly members have had the option to receive compensation for: n A monthly allowance of $400 for members and $500 for the president; n Mileage based on the current Internal Revenue Service rate; n A vehicle allowance of $150 or $250 for members representing the south and east peninsula and Homer; n Internet allowance at $25
per month; n Portable computer devices and; n Health and life insurance at the same level as borough department heads. Members may choose to not receive any of the allowances and benefits. “I argue that it seems a bit generous to me getting both paid 56 cents a mile to drive my car and then to get a car allowance as well,” Johnson said. He said people own cars and have Internet access before being elected to the assembly, so the public doesn’t need to pay for those items. Health insurance costs about $18,600 annually per assembly member. Johnson said because assembly members aren’t fulltime employees, they shouldn’t See DEBATE, page A-3