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CLARION
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P E N I N S U L A
Friday-Saturday, December 5-6, 2014 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 45, Issue 57
50 cents newsstands daily/$1.00 Sunday
ACS dumps wireless service
Question Did you go shopping during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend? n Yes, we hit the Black Friday sales; n Yes, we shopped at some local small businesses; n Yes, we visited craft fairs/bazaars; n All or a combination of the above; 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 M K
Begich name mentioned in mayoral race ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — U.S. Sen. Mark Begich’s name has been mentioned among the possible candidates for Anchorage mayor. Begich told KTVA’s Daybreak that people have ideas for him and there’s speculation about what he might do next. But he said his immediate focus is on finishing up work in the Senate, including a Coast Guard bill, and spending time with his family over the holidays. Begich is a former mayor of Anchorage. He lost reelection to the Senate in November. A Begich spokesman had no comment Thursday when asked if Begich was considering a run for mayor and referred a reporter to Begich’s KTVA interview.
Inside ‘Apparently (they) thought that, given that my family is Jewish, Jews have money. ‘ ... See page A-7
Index Opinion.................. A-4 Nation.................... A-5 World..................... A-7 Sports.....................B-1 Recreation............ C-1 Classifieds............ C-3 Comics................ C-13 Check us out online at www.peninsulaclarion.com To subscribe, call 283-3584.
A long and winding road
Customer contracts sold to GCI for $300 million By BEN BOETTGER Peninsula Clarion
Alaska Communications on Thursday announced a deal to sell its wireless assets to another Alaska-based company, General Communications, Inc (GCI), for $300 million dollars. GCI will receive Alaska Communications’ base of approximately 109,000 wireless customers and its 33 percent ownership of the Alaska Wireless Network, LLC. ACS wireless customers do not presently need to take action, and will not see immediate changes, according to an ACS media release. The deal includes a transition plan meant to provide wireless users with uninterrupted service during the transfer. The release stated that among By DAN BALMER the costs incurred by the transPeninsula Clarion action will be “the wind down costs of (ACS)’s retail stores.” Heather Cavanaugh, ACS DiApache Alaska Corporation discovterrain vehicle trail continues along rector of Corporate Communiered what property owners of the the Tyonek pipelines through the wetcations, spoke about plans for Gray Cliffs and Moose Point subdilands. A mile into the trail is a creek the ACS retail store in Kenai visions have known since 1982 – ac- that is not navigable by vehicle. In the and the warehouse in Soldotna. cess to the area is a challenge. summer months the wetlands are too “Those stores will remain During the last six months of seismic Once the pavement ends past swampy to travel and in the winter open for the next several testing on Tyonek Native land on Mile 39 of the Kenai Spur Highway when the ground is frozen, ATV tire months as we first have to close the north Cook Inlet, geologists with at Captain Cook State Park, an allSee ROAD, page A-10 the deal, and then we’ll start to transition,” said Cavanaugh. The deal, according to the release, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015. “For at least the next 3 months the store will remain open, and at that time we’ll decide if we want to keep the store for other purposes or close it,” Cavanaugh said. She estimated that between 150 and 200 jobs at local ACS facilities By RASHAH McCHESNEY yer, Eric Derleth, said she was would be affected. Cavanaugh said that the conPeninsula Clarion pleading guilty and eager to ‘I know the alleged victims probably start her probation because she See ACS, page A-8 is currently being treated for Over the course of three think that these two people are getting cancer. years, a former firefighter and off easy. I think, from a legal standpoint, “(She) wants to be able to his wife stole more than $8,200 they’re actually accepting responsibilfocus on that and not this,” Derfrom two charities tied to Cenleth said. tral Emergency Services. On ity that, had a trial occurred, may not be During the change of plea Tuesday, the two pled guilty to their responsibility to bear as a crime.’ hearing, two current CES emreduced charges — originally they both faced three felony — William Walton, lawyer ployees testified about the challenges they faced after learning counts of theft, fraudulent use that the Andersons had drained of an access device and scheme to defraud — and, as part of the class C felony, and Jack Ander- SIS is granted, the defendant is the bank accounts of the local plea deal, will pay restitution, son pled guilty to theft in the given probation and if he or she chapter of the national Fraternal perform 80 hours of commu- third degree, a misdemeanor. completes the probation sen- Order of Leatherhead Society, nity service to escape jail time Their lawyers asked for the tence is ordered — meaning the or FOOLS, and Explorer Post and be placed on probation. same penalties which including case is not considered a convic- No. 999, which provides training opportunities and scholarAngela Anderson pled guilty an SIS, or suspended imposition tion in some situations. to theft in the second degree, a of sentence. Typically, when an Angela Anderson’s lawSee THEFT, page A-8
Apache unveils north road plans
Former CES firefighter, wife plead guilty to stealing from local charities
Richards to look at gay marriage, Guard issues
Kenai airport agreements signed with Soldotna contractor, Hilcorp By BEN BOETTGER Peninsula Clarion
Several public-private partnerships using Kenai airport land where discussed during the City of Kenai’s Wednesday meeting. The measures included the terms of an airport land lease with Legacy Electric LLC, along with two others relating to airport parking and agreement between Hilcorp Energy, the city and a private air-
port lessee. Legacy Electric, a Soldotna-based electrical and construction contractor, leased a section of airport property from the city in August 2014 with plans to create two hangar buildings on it. Council member Brian Gabriel explained the purpose of the lease from the city’s perspective. “What happened is that the city is sort of sharing the developmental cost (of the hangars) ...the cost of developing a piece
of property, getting the infrastructure, the buildings, and the utility there,” Gabriel said. After constructing the hangars, Legacy would earn returns on its estimated $500,000 investment by operating the hangars for profit during the rest of its 35 year lease (with an optional 20 year extension) before the land and the hangars are returned to city control. Gabriel described this development method as “a See KENAI, page A-8
By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska’s new attorney general said he will review issues related to the Alaska National Guard, including ensuring that proper prosecutions were brought for wrongful behavior. Craig Richards said part of that review will include whether he believes a special prosecutor should be brought in to handle the investigation. “You start by reviewing the material that’s available both within the department and without and talking to people that have handled it — and that will lead See ISSUES, page A-8