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P E N I N S U L A
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Vol. 49, Issue 181
In the news Young humpback whale dies after 2 strandings ANCHORAGE — A young humpback whale that twice beached in Alaska was found dead south of Anchorage. The whale on Sunday and Monday twice become stranded along Turnagain Arm, KTUUTV reported. The second time, the whale was just south of Girdwood. It freed itself Monday night. On Tuesday, however, the whale was again beached a few miles south of its previous stranding, said Verena Gill of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Cook Inlet beluga whale recovery coordinator, where wildlife responders discovered it had died. The whale may have followed a pod of belugas and likely was unfamiliar with the area, Gill said. Observers had seen a larger whale in the area that could have been its mother, Gill said. The whale’s death changed plans from a rescue to a necropsy. NOAA Fisheries spokeswoman Julie Speegle said a necropsy would begin Tuesday afternoon. Teams planned to work until the tide came in at 5 p.m. Turnagain Arm is known for having some of the highest tides in the world and mud on the tidal flats is extremely dangerous. Silt particles are laid down in a loosely oriented pattern by waters that carry them into the inlet, according to the Alaska Public Information Centers. When disturbed by feet, the particles resettle into a more tightly packed arrangement, making extraction much more difficult with the potential of trapping people who venture onto them. Signs along the arm warn people to stay off the mud to avoid being trapped and drowned by the incoming tide. — Associated Press
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Senate committee advances PFD formula rewrite By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
JUNEAU — The size of the check residents receive from Alaska’s oil wealth fund would be smaller next year under a Senate pro-
posal than if an existing dividend calculation were followed. That existing formula has been ignored the last three years amid an ongoing budget deficit. Gov. Mike Dunleavy
has said the law should be followed, and spokesman Matt Shuckerow said Tuesday that Dunleavy will not accept changes to the dividend formula without a vote of the people. Some lawmakers say the current
formula is unsustainable. Last year, lawmakers began using Alaska Permanent Fund earnings — the pot of money used to pay dividends — to help cover government expenses, creating tension.
Lawmakers also sought to limit withdrawals from fund earnings, passing a law that calls for a withdrawal amount of $2.9 billion for government and dividends for the upcomSee PFD, page A15
Kenai to look at onsite marijuana consumption By KAT SORENSEN Peninsula Clarion
A sculpture inspired by a National Geographic photo of a starving polar bear is on display at the Kenai Fine Art Center on Tuesday. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Where art and earth intersect ‘Of Stone’ highlights humanity’s impact on natural world By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
Two Anchorage artists will be showcasing their unique approaches to printmaking and ceramics this month at the Kenai Fine Art Center. The exhibit, “Of
Stone,” will feature intaglio and lithography prints from University of Alaska artist-in-residence Jonathan Green, as well as large ceramic animal sculptures from UAA ceramics instructor Alanna DeRocchi. “Of Stone” will be on
display at the Kenai Fine Art Center starting tomorrow and will remain until the end of May, with an opening reception free to the public taking place tomorrow evening from 5 to 7 p.m. During the reception, Green and DeRocchi will
discuss the process for creating their art and their motivation behind the pieces on display. Green works primarily in printmaking and has done so since he first began studying art in college See STONE, page A16
Kenai City Council will decide whether or not to allow onsite marijuana consumption in retail stores at their council meeting Wednesday night. Alaska recently became the first state to legalize onsite cannabis consumption at retail stores, as long as they have a separate endorsement license. The new legislation took effect April 11, and now Kenai is looking to adjust its regulations accordingly. “While there is an opportunity for the city to prohibit onsite consumption, this ordinance permits the activity through a conditional use permit process,” according to a memo attached to the ordinance. “In order to accomplish this, the city’s zoning code and land use table are proposed to be amended to include a definition of an onsite consumption endorsement, clarify that a conditional use permit separate from a conditional use permit for the retail facility is required, and provide where the business activity is alSee POT, page A2
State regulators to consider changes to onsite pot use By BECKY BOHRER Associated Press
JUNEAU — Alaska’s first-in-the-nation statewide rules for allowing onsite consumption of marijuana at authorized
stores could be tweaked to ease requirements for shops that want to offer places to consume edibles but not permit smoking. The Marijuana Control Board plans to consider the issue during its meet-
ing starting Wednesday in Anchorage. The fivemember board will be short-handed, with one member out of state and one seat vacant. The board would need to get public comment on
proposed changes to the rules. The board also could have staff rework the proposed changes or do nothing. Board chairman Mark Springer said all three of the members expected to attend would have to agree
to pass something, though he noted that if a motion were to fail, an issue could be revived later. New rules specify conditions stores must meet to be authorized for onsite See USE, page A2
Man opens fire on North Carolina campus, leaves 2 dead, 4 injured
13 weekend wildfires signal kickoff to Alaska fire season
By TOM FOREMAN Jr. and SARAH BLAKE MORGAN Associated Press
By DAN JOLING Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man armed with a pistol opened fire on students in a classroom building at a North Carolina university during the last day of classes Tuesday, killing two people and wounding four others, police said. Officers who had gathered ahead of a campus concert raced over and disarmed the suspect in the room where the shooting happened. The shooting prompted a lockdown at the UniSee SHOOT, page A16
Students gather on the campus of the University of North Carolina Charlotte after a shooting Tuesday afternoon, in Charlotte, N.C. (John Simmons/The Charlotte Observer via AP)
ANCHORAGE — A spark from a snowmobile ignited dry grass south of a Bering Sea village, lighting up tundra and signaling that Alaska’s wildfire season is in full swing. The freak fire Sunday covered 35 acres south of Unalakleet before smokejumpers arrived. It grew to 196 acres before they contained it. The fire near the Yupik village 148 miles southeast of Nome was one of 13 weekend conflagrations that prompted the Alaska Division of Forestry to
warn people not to be casual with outdoor fires. “At this time of year, with all this dead, dry grass and brush, this is really some of the driest parts of the year,” spokesman Tim Mowry said from his office in Fairbanks. “You don’t have high temperatures but there are no green plants putting moisture into the atmosphere.” Relative humidity this week is just 10% to 20%, he said. “Anytime you get below 20%, that’s pretty dry,” he said. Alaska generally has two wildfire seasons. See FIRE, page A15
House Republicans announce support for K-12 funding By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
House Republicans are asking the Senate and House Majority to fully fund the K-12 base student allocation and pupil transportation, according to a
press release sent Tuesday from the Alaska House Republicans. “Despite the need for reductions elsewhere, our caucus commits to providing for K-12 education during these uncertain fiscal times,” House Minor-
ity Leader Lance Pruitt, R-Anchorage, said in the release. “This is a commitment to support the full base amount through this entire budget process.” Gov. Mike Dunleavy put forward steep cuts in education funding in his
Feb. 13 budget proposal, reducing the base student allocation funding formula, resulting in a 25% cut to schools. “Education is and will always be one of my top priorities,” Rep. Sara Rasmussen, R-Anchorage,
said in the press release. “Sending a clear message now will encourage certainty moving forward in this year’s budget cycle.” On April 10, the House voted down an amendment to the operating budget See K-12, page A3