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P E N I N S U L A
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2014 Soldotna-Kenai, Alaska
Vol. 44, Issue 174
50 cents newsstands daily/$1.00 Sunday
Question Do you think the borough assembly should reconsider assembly member compensation? n Yes; or n No. 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.
In the news Crime bill moves to governor
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JUNEAU — The Alaska Legislature has passed a sweeping crime bill. Lawmakers gave final approval early on Monday morning as they attempted to finish the session within 90 days, but lawmakers weren’t able to find common ground on the education bill and capital budget. They remained in session on Tuesday. The Fairbanks Daily NewsMiner reports the crime bill attempts to address Alaska’s growing prison population by keeping low-level offenders out of prison and working on reducing Alaska’s recidivism rate. The bill now heads to Gov. Sean Parnell for his signature. — The Associated Press
Inside ‘I know the men and women who hide behind masks and unmarked uniforms, they do not speak for you.’ ... See page A-8
‘It’s the first time we’re aware of that a local radio station was broadcasting hate messages encouraging people to engage in atrocities.’ ... See page A-9
Index Opinion.................. A-4 Nation.................... A-6 World..................... A-8 Sports...................A-10 Food.......................B-1 Classifieds............. B-4 Comics................... B-7 Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.
Photo composite by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion
This composite of several images shows the excavation of a Soldotna High School field Tuesday in Soldotna.
Working the dirt SoHi turf track and field project underway, borough finalizing funding By KAYLEE OSOWSKI Peninsula Clarion
While work on the Soldotna High School track and artificial turf field began last week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough is still finalizing funding sources. A laydown ordinance was
introduced at the April 15 borough assembly meeting to make up the nearly $300,000 shortfall. It calls for funds to be appropriated from the borough’s general fund and redirected from other school capital projects. The state granted the borough $3.1 million for both the
Kenai Central High School track and field and the SoHi track projects in one lump sum during the 2012 legislative session. The grant did not include any specifications for how many dollars were to be put toward each project, borough Chief of Staff Paul Ostrander said. The state ap-
propriated an additional $1.5 million in 2013 just for SoHi’s turf projects. After completion of the Kenai project, about $2.4 million of state money remained for the SoHi project, which is estimated to cost about $2.7 million. “We were hopeful right up
to the very end that we were going to be able to land the project with the money that was available,” Ostrander said, “but we’re about $300,000 short of being able to award and construct that track and field.” Ostrander said there are See TURF, page A-12
Negotiators seek education resolution By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
JUNEAU — House and Senate negotiators worked toward resolution Tuesday on an education package that sent the legislative session into overtime, nibbling away at points of possible agreement. While some lawmakers are eager to wrap things up, a key lawmaker said the process would not be rushed. “It will come together re-
ally as quickly as we can find consensus in the building over either today, tomorrow or ‘It will come together really as quickly as throughout the coming week,” we can find consensus in the building said Rep. Mike Hawker, RAnchorage, who is chairman over either today, tomorrow or of the bill’s conference com- throughout the coming week.’ mittee. Hawker promised an — Rep. Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage open process that would allow the public and other lawmakers — several of whom sat in on the proceedings throughout The six-member commit- mainly going over the differthe day — to follow the com- tee, made up of three repre- ences in the House and Senate mittee’s process in drafting a sentatives and three senators, approaches to HB278. Memcompromise bill. met for several hours Tuesday, bers planned to meet with their
respective caucuses, in hopes of finding additional areas of compromise. Education — specifically, education funding — became a point of contention between the House and Senate in the waning days of the legislative session, and a lack of consensus sent the session past its scheduled end of Sunday. State law calls for a 90-day session, but the Alaska Constitution allows for lawmakers to meet for See BILL, page A-5
BP to sell four smaller North Slope fields By TIM BRADNER Morris News Service-Alaska Alaska Journal of Commerce
BP announced Tuesday it will sell four of its North Slope assets to Houston-based independent Hilcorp Energy. The agreement includes all of BP’s interests in the Endicott and Northstar fields and 50
percent of BP’s interests in the Milne Point field and Liberty, an undeveloped offshore field still under development planning. Oil and gas pipelines associated with those fields are included in the sale, BP said in its announcement. The London-based company will retain its ownership
position in the large Prudhoe Bay field, and BP will remain as operator. Hilcorp will become operator of Endicott and Northstar, which it will own, and also the Milne Point field, where it will be 50 percent owner with BP. “This agreement will help bring a more competitive and sustainable business for BP in
Alaska,” BP’s Upstream Chief Executive, Lamar McKay said. “It will allow us to play to two of our great strengths, managing giant oil fields and gas value trains. We will now concentrate on continuing development and production from the giant Prudhoe Bay field and working to advance
the future opportunity of Alaska LNG,” McKay said, a reference to the gas pipeline and LNG export project BP is working on with other North Slope producers ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil, and the State of Alaska. Janet Weiss, president of BP’s Alaska operating comSee BP, page A-12
Arguments heard LeeShore survey shows in setnet ban case Case hinges on setnet ban being considered appropriation By Molly Dischner Morris News Service-Alaska Alaska Journal of Commerce
ANCHORAGE — The Alaska Fisheries Conservation Alliance and the State of Alaska each made their case to an Anchorage Superior Court judge today about why — or why not — a proposed ballot initiative to ban setnetters should be allowed to move forward. The alliance, or AFCA, filed a ballot initiative petition in November seeking to ask voters whether to ban setnets in urban parts of the state, which would primarily impact Upper Cook Inlet setnetters. At the heart of the case is a
question about whether a ballot measure eliminating setnetting is considered an appropriation under state law, and thus not a question that can be placed on a ballot for the public to decide. Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell struck down the initiative in January based on a state Department of Law opinion asserting that it would be a prohibited appropriation. AFCA appealed, and during oral argument Tuesday, attorney Matt Singer said that organization believed the initiative is not an appropriation, and that the public’s right to weigh in on fish and wildlife management using the ballot initiative
awareness of Green Dot
By KELLY SULLIVAN Peninsula Clarion
The LeeShore Center Community Survey revealed raised awareness within the Kenai Peninsula Community for the violence prevention strategy, which launched this month. Executive director of the LeeShore Center Cheri Smith said she was pleased with the feedback and number of participants. While the number of participants is down from the last survey completed three years ago, it was still significantly higher Photo by Kelly Sullivan/ Peninsula Clarion than in 2008 when 108 peo- Renee Lipps, Natalie Merrick and Elijah Stafford wave signs ple filled it out, Smith said. and pass out candy to raise awareness for the local launch With the launch of the of the Green Dot, etc. violence prevention strategy, headed See SURVEY, page A-5
See CASE, page A-12 C
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by LeeShore Center Tuesday on the Kenai Spur Highway.