Peninsula Clarion, May 11, 2014

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SoHi girls topple Wasilla

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Soccer Sports/B-1

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Sunday

Pampered Bosnian rancher tries happy cow concept Sports/B-1

CLARION P E N I N S U L A

MAY 11, 2014 Soldotna-Kenai, Alaska

Vol. 44, Issue 189

50 cents newsstands daily/$1.00 Sunday

Fun for all ages Local moms propose “Kenai Enchanted Forest” at Municipal Park playground By DAN BALMER Peninsula Clarion

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Addison, 3, and her baby brother Brayden Peterkin, 1, sat motionless on a swing set unable to push each other as their short legs dangled helplessly suspended four feet from the ground. After their mother Nicole Peterkin fastened them safely side-by-side in the swings, the two looked dazed and sleepy with their heads down. Meanwhile, about 16 children of varying ages ran around the sand, climbed and jumped on the multi-colored play area at Municipal Park on a sunny Thursday in the early evening – a peak time after school but before dinner time. Elementary school-aged girls swung around on the tire swing while a small group of younger boys and girls went down the red and yellow slides and jumped up and down on the bridge. The lack of a toddler play area at Municipal Park has caused a group of Kenai moms to take their young children to playgrounds in Nikiski and Soldotna, despite living minutes from the largest community park in town. Kenai resident Amber Every, 34, who has two kids, Gracee, 5, and Cooper, 4, has been actively involved with the City of Kenai Parks and Recreation commission on a proposal that would develop a new playground for children ages 2-5, and replace the aging 5-12 year-old playground equipment that is more than 20 years old. “We’re hoping to force the council to come up with a long term final vision because this is a neat location,” Amber Every said after she spoke at the Kenai City Council meeting on May 7. “We definitely need (a new playground) in our own city.” Along with her sister-in-law Kristin Every and friends Angie Cramer and Peterkin, Amber Every first approached the city about the need to upgrade equipment at Municipal Park last year. She said her hope is that the city will complete the park rather than add random play features that do not target

By RASHAH MCCHESNEY Peninsula Clarion

Photos by Dan Balmer/Peninsula Clarion

Above: Three girls swing while Cooper Every watches at Municipal Park Thursday. In the background, Amber and Kristen Every along with Angie Cramer and Nicole Peterkin watch. The foursome who call themselves the Kenai moms, have been active in developing a proposal with the City of Kenai Parks and Recreation commission for two new playgrounds for both younger and older kids. Below: Addison, 3, and Brayden, 1, Cramer on the swing set at Municipal Park. Their mother Angie Cramer is working with other moms from Kenai and the parks and recreation commission to develop new playground equipment for kids ages 2-5 with the hope the park could be completed next spring.

the specific age group that utilizes the park. She said the only equipment suitable for toddlers is the set of swings that seem out of place between the sandy playground area and the uneven grassy field. A ball wall situated on the paved path in close proximity to the restrooms also seems out of place, she said. “We have to get the kids outside and away from TV and put down electronics,” she said. “We’re constantly trying to get

our kids exercise playing outdoors in the nice weather.” The city council previously discussed the construction of a playground for 2-5 year-olds during a Feb. 5 meeting and gave direction to Kenai City Manager Rick Koch to select equipment for $50,000 with a total proposed budget of $120,000. In April, Koch presented a proposal to the parks and recreation commission for the recommendation of a conSee PLAY, page A-2

Teachers, family supported KPC graduates By KELLY SULLIVAN Peninsula Clarion

“That’s my daughter!” Mark Bevans shouted across the packed auditorium at Kenai Central High school as Kenai Peninsula College professor Henry Haney told Kristin Pruett she was one of the best students he’d ever taught. In the school courtyard after KPC’s 50th Graduation Cer-

emony, Pruett attributed her success to help from her two professors’, Haney and Jeffrey Laube, who now publicly recognized her persistence and drive to excel. On stage, Haney said Pruett would have received a perfect grade point average for her degree in Applied Science in Process Technology, had it not been for a few decade-old transfer grades.

Today’s Clarion Obituaries..................... A-3 Opinion......................... A-4 Alaska........................... A-5 Nation........................... A-6 World............................ A-8 Cops/courts................ A-10 Sports........................... B-1 Community................... C-1 Weddings...................... C-1 Dear Abby..................... C-2 Crossword..................... C-2 Horoscope.................... C-2 Classifieds................... C-3 Mini Page...................... C-9 TV...................... Clarion TV

Teacher badly injured after suicide threat

Pruett said she had moved to Alaska for a fresh start, and began taking courses at KPC that would eventually help get a job in the oil and gas industry. Pruett quickly made school the central focus of her life on the Kenai Peninsula; often

For complete weather, see page A-12 Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.

Jeffrey Smardo also watched his daughter, Naomi JaelSmardo, graduate, right after receiving his own diploma. Jael-Smardo was slated to walk across the stage first, but insisted her father switch spots with See KPC, page A-2

Reach Rashah McChesney at rashah.mcchesney@peninsulaclarion.com

Lack of fish prompts river clean-up By KELLY SULLIVAN Peninsula Clarion

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emailing and calling her teachers after hours for extra help. Pruett said she has an interview set up with Schlumberger, a leading supplier of technology for the oil and gas business. She is ready to start her new career immediately, she said.

A Nikiski MiddleSchool high school teacher who is being investigated by Alaska State Troopers on allegations of inappropriate behavior with a student, has been hospitalized with life-threatening wounds after he spoke of killing himself. His threats prompted two schools to go into lockdown Thursday as troopers tried to find him. The male teacher, whose name has yet to be released, threatened to kill himself after Kenai Peninsula Borough School district administrators contacted the troopers to investigate the allegations against him Thursday. He was later found Friday, in his vehicle, near mile 15 of the Kenai Spur Highway with what trooper spokesperson Megan Peters said were lifethreatening injuries. It is unclear if the man’s injuries were self-inflicted, wrote trooper spokesperson Beth Ipsen in a Friday email. He was taken, via ambulance, to a hospital for treatment, according to a school district media release, however his condition is unknown and a person who answered the phone at Central Peninsula Hospital said it was against the organization’s policy to release names. Beth Ipsen, spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers wrote in an email Friday that it is unclear if the man inflicted the injuries upon himself. The troopers will not release his name as he is not in custody and the school district will not release his name, citing personnel reasons. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave, said school district spokesperson Pegge Erkeneff.

The rows of fishing poles will be absent from at the spring “Take a Kid Fishing” day. In its place will be the first “Kenai River Clean-Up Day.” Hundreds of students will be scrambling across the river’s banks to collect pieces of exposed trash, May 16, on the Kenai River. With the closure of fishing for king salmon on the Kenai River, Mark Glassmaker, owner of Alaska Fishing with Mark

culminating in day long celebrations involvement in restoring green spaces.

‘It’s non-consumptive. It is something we can give back to the river, even though it will only put a dent in many miles of Increasing efforts river.’ Glassmaker will be organiz Glassmaker, wanted to make sure local students could still spend a day on the water. “It is non-consumptive,” Glassmaker said. “It is something we can give back to the C

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ing a team to take more than

Mark Glassmaker 200 kids from Redoubt Eleowner, Alaska Fishing mentary, Soldotna Montessori, river, even though it will only put a dent in many miles of river.” Week long cleanup efforts will take place across the com Soldotna, Kenai and Nikiski

Sterling Elementary and Connections Home-school Program down to areas in Swiftwater Park, Centennial Park and the Izaak Walton State Recreation Site to search for accumulated See RIVER, page A-2


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