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CLARION
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P E N I N S U L A
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 44, Issue 304
Close races
Question Do you think this winter will be: n Milder than last winter; n More severe than last winter; or n About the same as last winter?
Nov. 4 might not determine Senate control
By CHARLES BABINGTON Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A suspenseful election night is one thing, but what if it stretches out for a month? Or into next year? A handful of tight races in states with quirky election laws make for the headache-inducing possibility that Election Day will come and go without deciding which party controls the Senate. If that happens, brace for a fierce runoff election and possible recounts that could make for an ugly holiday season in politics and government. The main reason for uncertainty: Louisiana’s election laws. Strategists in both parties say a Dec. 6 runoff is likely because Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu and top Republican challenger Bill Cassidy will struggle to exceed 50 percent on the crowded Nov. 4 ballot. In Louisiana’s “jungle primary,” all candidates — regardless of party — run in November. If none exceeds 50 percent,
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 Teen shot during house party
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ANCHORAGE — Anchorage police say a 17-yearold girl was shot in the lower back during a disturbance at a house party Sunday morning. Police said they received several 911 calls just after midnight reporting gunshots heard outside a home. Police say their investigation revealed that a group of people who were not invited tried to crash the house party. When they weren’t allowed inside, one of them pulled out a handgun and began firing into the home through the front window. Witnesses say the suspect left in a red passenger car. The 17-year-old was inside the home when she was struck by a bullet. She was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. — The Associated Press
Inside ‘Americans know the road to democracy is contentious and challenging, but it’s a road that leads to the best place. It doesn’t happen overnight.’ ... See page A-6
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the top two finishers head into a Dec. 6 runoff. It’s not implausible that control of the Senate could hang on a Louisiana runoff. Republicans need six more seats to claim a 51-49 Senate majority. A 50-50 split would let Vice President Joe Biden break tie votes and keep Democrats in charge. Republicans are strongly favored to win three races where Democratic senators are retiring: West Virginia, South Dakota and Montana. Their best hopes to pick up three more seats are in the four contests where Democrats seek re-election in states President Barack Obama lost: Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina. Republicans are also making strong bids in Iowa, Colorado and New Hampshire, which Obama carried. If Republicans win two of those races, plus the three where they are heavily favored, then all eyes and lots of campaign money would turn to Louisiana if there’s a runoff. See SENATE, page A-10
Deal inked for North Slope LNG plant Photo by Kelly Sullivan/Peninsula Clarion
Thumbs-up for outdoor learning Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science kindergartners Alan Hack (left) and Katalla Tomrdle give a thumbs-up with the rest of their classmates during a trip to Shqui Tsatnu Creek with Kenai Watershed Forum education specialist Dan Pascucci on Wednesday in Kenai. Read about the excursion on page B-1.
FAIRBANKS (AP) — The effort to truck North Slope natural gas to the Fairbanks area for home heating and electricity generation is a step closer to fruition. The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and project development firm MWH signed an agreement outlining the construction,
ownership and operation of the liquified natural gas plant that’s central to the Interior Energy Project. The Fairbanks Daily NewsMiner reports the state agency will own the plant while an MWH subsidiary will build and operate it. The subsidiary, Northern See LNG, page A-10
DOT and KPB monitoring erosion along K-Beach By KAYLEE OSOWSKI Peninsula Clarion
A Kalifornsky Beach Road resident is concerned that erosion near Mile 9 of the highway could lead to some serious problems. Rick Butler, who lives near Mile 11 on the bluff side of KBeach Road, has been watching the erosion feature worsen during the past two years. He said other area residents are concerned as well. Alaska State Department of Transportation and Public Facilities spokesperson Jill Reese said the department has been monitoring the area. “Our maintenance guys drive every road we own down there at least once a week so
they have a pretty good handle on it,” Reese said. At this time Reese said DOT&PF doesn’t have any plans to do work on the feature at Mile 9.7, and said the department is working on other erosion mitigation projects on the Kenai Peninsula. “Until (erosions) get to be where they’re looking like they’re going to be in the traveled way or in the clear zone, we have to take … the worst and then work on that one and then go to the next one,” she said. The Kenai Peninsula Borough is also watching the erosion at Mile 9.7, Max Best, planning director said. Best said experts look at the drainage exit from the swamp
on the east side of K-Beach Road to determine whether or not additional attention is necessary based on the water flow and erosion rates. “You might be able to slow the erosion down through some riprap or something at this time, if it was going to eat the road away,” Best said. Butler rides his all-terrain vehicle on the beach by the feature often and has been photographing the erosion. He thinks at least temporary mitigation project is warranted. In 2012, a flood-related washout temporarily closed KBeach Road at Mile 11. Butler is concerned that a similar event could happen at Mile 9.7. “Someone could easily get See EROSION, page A-10
Photo by Kaylee Osowski/Peninsula Clarion
Kalifornsky Beach Road resident Rick Butler says he and other area residents are concerned about erosion at Mile 9.7 of KBeach Road. Water flows under the road from a drainage exit on Friday. Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and Kenai Peninsula Borough officials say the agencies are monitoring the erosion.
Volunteers spend night out for homeless awareness By WESTON MORROW Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
FAIRBANKS (AP) — It had been a long time since Tracyann George had to spend a night on the street, but she did it once more recently. As she crafted a makeshift shelter of cardboard boxes, she checked to make sure her 8-, 6-, 4- and 2-year-old children hadn’t wandered too far. For a portion of George’s
childhood, she had no choice but to live on the streets, but this time it was different. This time she was bedding down in a park not out of necessity but as an act of free will. George was one of several dozen who volunteered to spend the night in Veterans Memorial park Sept. 13 to raise awareness of youth homelessness and to raise money for Fairbanks Youth Advocates. The organization
operates The Door, a 24-hour shelter at 138 10th Ave. open to any homeless youth younger than 18. The 40 or so volunteers occupying the park were there to participate in the FYA event, “One Homeless Night.” Participants arrived at the park about 7 p.m. with building supplies, mostly salvaged cardboard. At 9 p.m., the group split into smaller teams and began constructing the cardboard shanC
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ties in which they would sleep through the night. “It’s not necessarily a realistic homeless youth experience ... but it still gives you the idea of you have no utilities around you. You don’t have a bathroom that you can just go to. You don’t necessarily have a fridge you can just go to,” Meryem Kugzruk said. “It does get realistic in some ways but not completely.” Kugzruk, 19, is the young-
est member of Fairbanks Youth Advocates board of directors. She has served on the board for three years, transitioning from the board’s youth representative to a full member with voting rights when she turned 18. She led the effort to organize the event, and has more knowledge of its workings than anyone else with FYA. This was the first year the orSee SHELTER, page A-10