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Tropical
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Jamaican flavors spice up dinner
Junior Open tees off at Birch Ridge
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CLARION
Showers 63/50 More weather on Page A-2
P E N I N S U L A
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2014 Soldotna-Kenai, Alaska
Vol. 44, Issue 252
50 cents newsstands daily/$1.00 Sunday
SoHi turf on track
Question Do you agree with barbless hook catchand-release restrictions for Kenai River king salmon? n Yes 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.
Project nears completion By KAYLEE OSOWSKI Peninsula Clarion
In the news Alaska sets record for number of visitors
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ANCHORAGE (AP) — Alaska has set a record for the number of tourists visiting the nation’s northernmost state. The State Division of Economic Development in a release says Alaska had 1.96 million visitors between May 1, 2013, and April 30, 2014. That beats the previous mark by 5,000 visitors set during the 2007-2008 year. There were 1.8 million visitors last year. Commerce Commissioner Susan Bell attributes the increase to increased cruise ship calls in Alaska, and new national and international air service routes. The state also instituted an advertising campaign aimed at winter travelers.
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion
Ally Schuetzler glances at her daughter Riley Schuetzler, 5, as the two check out a book at the Kenai Community Library Tuesday in Kenai.
Library nominated for award Kenai’s community programs draw senator’s attention By DAN BALMER Peninsula Clarion
In honor of the 75th anniversary of DC Comics’ Batman, the Kenai Community Library is holding a superhero contest and Comic Con through Saturday. The children’s program is one of the many installments that have made the Kenai Community Library one of six institutions in the state nominated for a national service award. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski included Kenai on a short list for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service,
‘We offer a unique variety of services that are not easily available outside of big cities.’ — Mary Jo Joiner, Kenai library director an award that recognizes places that make significant contributions to their communities. According to a Friday press release from Murkowski’s office, selected insti-
tutions demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service, exceeding levels of community outreach. Kenai Library Director Mary Jo Joiner said being nominated for such a prestigious award is an honor. “I am thrilled Sen. Murkowski included us among such great civic centers around the state,” Joiner said. “It is nice to get recognized and would be fabulous if we received national recognition for being a small library.” Joiner said other services that led to the nomination include the taxpayer advocate service, which allows library usSee AWARD, page A-14
With a few final things left to do, the Soldotna High School turf track and field project is on schedule to be completed before the first home football game for the Stars. As long as the weather continues to cooperate, stripers are scheduled to finalize the track portion of the facility next week, the center-field logo has to be finished and the protective fencing needs to be constructed, Mark Fowler, Kenai Peninsula Borough purchasing and contracting officer, said. “The project is moving forward and on schedule,” Fowler said. “It should be complete by August 22.” With football practice for the SoHi Stars beginning Aug. 4, Fowler should the team should be able to utilize the field for practice. SoHi Principal Todd Syverson said having a quality turf surface puts the student players on the same level as Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough athletes. “Having that type of a quality surface to practice, to play games on, it’s just going to up See TURF, page A-14
Sonar estimates Estimated late run kings in the Kenai River: n Monday: 371 n So far: 6,834 Estimated Kenai River reds: n Monday: 63,954 n So far: 497,160 Russian River reds weir count: n Monday: 161 n So far: 1,871 Estimated Kasilof River reds: n Monday: 16,926 n So far: 348,593 — Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Index Opinion.................. A-4 Alaska.................... A-5 Nation.................... A-6 World..................... A-8 Police, courts....... A-12 Sports...................A-10 Food...................... B-1 Classifieds............. B-3 Comics................... B-8
Parnell leads pack with cash on hand JUNEAU (AP) — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Byron Mallott brought in nearly $300,000 during the latest fundraising period, more than Republican Gov. Sean Parnell. But Parnell had $450,000 available as of Friday. Mallott had about $66,000, plus $10,000 in debts. Bill Walker, who finished behind Parnell in the 2010 gubernatorial primary and is running this time as an independent, brought in nearly $260,000, $170,000 of which he personally contributed. He had about $115,000 available, according to a filing with the Alaska Public Offices Commission. Parnell is seeking his second full term in office. He took over
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Fire watch
Photo by Rashah McChesney/Peninsula Clarion
A forestry service helicopter circles a neighborhood near Cannery Beach Road where reports were made of a brush fire Tuesday in Kenai. Division of Forestry spokesperson Patrick Quiner said smoke reported on Float Plane Road turned out to be a permitted burn that had been monitored. The call came around the same time as a report of a small brush fire on Bridge Access Road that was put out a couple minutes later.
Voters take up oil tax debate before referendum By ELWOOD BREHMER Morris News Service-Alaska Alaska Journal of Commerce
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as governor in 2009, when Sarah Palin resigned, and was elected in his own right in 2010. Walker, in a release, said he’s been able to run a “lean, but very effective, machine” with a network of statewide volunteers. He said the campaign has more momentum than money, but it has used its funds wisely, including securing ad buys into the fall. It’s not clear yet whether Walker will put any more of his own money toward his run, Walker campaign spokeswoman Lindsay Hobson said. He chose to run as an independent so he could focus on Alaskans, not platforms, she said by email.
The public was encouraged to participate in an oil tax discussion last week during a debate between current and former state government officials broadcast across Alaska. Voters will have the final say on the issue August 19 when they either vote “yes” on Ballot Measure 1 to repeal the current
oil tax structure known as Senate Bill 21, or “no” to keep SB 21 in place. Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, who has been at the forefront of the “Repeal the Giveaway” movement against Gov. Sean Parnell’s SB 21, and Juneau natural resources attorney Lisa Weissler sat on the “yes” side of the table at Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley Public Library July 14. Opposing them was Jim
Clark, former chief of staff to Gov. Frank Murkowski and Murkowski’s former Revenue Commissioner and Alaska Electric Light and Power Co. chief Bill Corbus. Alaskans from Craig, Dillingham, Bethel, Anchorage and Kenai were encouraged to question the four-person panel via videoconference. Juneau Votes, a non-partisan group aimed at increasing voter turnout, coordinated the deC
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bate. Gara opened his remarks by calling SB 21, which lowered the state’s take of oil profits at high prices, a “pathway to poverty” for Alaska. He said repealing SB 21 and going back to ACES, the progressive oil tax structure that increases the state production tax as market prices rise, is in line with the state constitution’s mandate to maximize the use of Alaska’s resources for the benefit of all
Alaskans. “(The constitution) requires us to get the maximum benefit possible because we own the oil,” Gara said. “It’s how we fund our schools, our construction jobs, our roads, our infrastructure, our energy progress.” Corbus said nearly half of the state’s jobs are tied to the oil industry in some way and that SB 21 encourages short and long term investment that will See DEBATE, page A-5