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Vol. 49, Issue 212
In the news Suspect in theft of village safe arrested in Bethel BETHEL — A man suspected of stealing a safe from a city building in the Southwest village of Napakiak has been arrested. Alaska State Troopers say 52-year-old Alfred Evan was arrested Wednesday in Bethel while at the courthouse on another matter. Troopers on Nov. 12 were notified that someone had stolen the safe in Napakiak, a village of 360 about 15 miles southwest of Bethel. Investigators determined that the suspect used a crowbar to break into the city building. The bolted-down safe and other items were taken. Investigators identified Evan as the burglary suspect through DNA evidence and video evidence. A judge issued an arrest warrant. Evan is charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief. Online court documents do not list his attorney.
Driver dies in crash of fuel tanker on Dalton Highway ANCHORAGE — The driver of a fuel tanker died in a crash on the Dalton Highway. Alaska State Troopers say 60-year-old Richard Flansberg of Delta Junction was killed Monday afternoon at Mile 36. A passenger, 60-yearold Larry Bloodworth of Anchorage, was transported by Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. to an Alyeska medical facility at Pump Station 6. Flansberg had not used a seat belt. Troopers say speed and road conditions may have contributed to the crash. The crash punctured the front tank of the tanker. An estimated 2,000 gallons of heating fuel spilled. — Associated Press
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New facility for teen migrants to open
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Thunderstorms spark 5 fires
District, educators to talk contract next week
By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
Suppression efforts continue on a large wildfire near Tustumena Lake that started Wednesday night as a result of thunderstorms and lightning strikes across the Kenai Peninsula. A helicopter pilot discovered the fire at 6 p.m. Wednesday night while en route to check on a lightning strike in the area. As of midnight Wednesday, the Tustumena Lake Fire had reached 121 acres in size and a crew of 15 was working to prevent the flames from spreading by mopping up hot spots and digging fire lines where needed. According to the latest update on Akfireinfo.com, the suppression teams included The Division of Forestry’s Pioneer Peak Interagency Hotshot Crew and the Yukon Type 2 Initial Attack Crew, which are based in Palmer and Soldotna, respectively. Division of Forestry Public Information Officer Andy Alexan-
By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
A photo of the Tustumena Lake Fire taken at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, illustrates the effect retardant and water drops have on the fire. (Photo by Jason Jordet/Alaska Division of Forestry)
drou said that these are elite crews who are trained specifically in ground suppression techniques for larger fires. In addition to suppres-
sion crews on the ground, an air tanker based in Palmer was sent to the Tustumena Lake Fire Wednesday night and dropped four loads of retardant at the
Food, fun and fish Kenai River Fest returns for 29th year By JOEY KLECKA Peninsula Clarion
For a 29th consecutive year, the annual Kenai River Festival is expected to bring the fun in the sun — or rain — at Soldotna Creek Park. Hosted by the Kenai Watershed Forum, the festival runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, beginning tonight from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday the festival will run 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday it will run 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A sign welcomes visitors to the 1994 Kenai River FesThe festival dates back tival in Soldotna. (Photo provided by the Kenai Waterto 1991 and has been grow- shed Forum) ing and attracting bigger crowds each year. Perhaps Creek Park. Bornemann is helping to the most remarkable growth Watershed Forum Ex- organize the event for the is that of its venue, Soldotna ecutive Director Branden See FEST, page A2
head of the blaze. The Tustumena Lake Fire started in the footprint of the 2007 Caribou Hills fire, among fallen spruce See FIRE, page A2
Weeks after voting to strike, school district employee associations and the district will meeting again for negotiations Tuesday. Negotiations will begin at 10 a.m., and the location is unknown at this time. After contract negotiations with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District hit a standstill, peninsula educators and staff voted to strike May 22, with more than 75% of certified staff voting “yes” on a walkout. For over a year, contract negotiations between the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and the Kenai Peninsula Education Association and Kenai Peninsula Educational Support Association have snagged on the rising cost of health care. A previous agreement effective through June 2018 remains in use for employees without contracts.
19th annual Air Fair to take flight By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
The skies of the Kenai Peninsula will be busier than usual this weekend. The 19th annual Kenai Peninsula Air Fair and Fun Flight takes place on Saturday, with two separate events being held at the Soldotna and Kenai airports. Mary Bondurant, Kenai Airport Manager, has been involved with the Air Fair since its inception. “It started out as a bunch of pilots in the civil air patrol getting together to dust the wings off their
planes,” Bondurant said. “Now it’s an all-day event open to the public. It’s great to see how much it’s grown over the years.” The fair will start at 8 a.m. in Soldotna at the MARC hangar with a fundraising breakfast and static displays from the Experimental Aircraft Association. During the breakfast, pilots will be able to register for the Air Fair’s main event: the Poker Run. Pilots who participate in the Poker Run will have to fly to at least five of the eight airports on See AIR, page A14
Republican senator tries to kick-start motion on budget By Alex McCarthy Juneau Empire
Sen. John Coghill was getting impatient. The North Pole Republican stood on the Senate floor Thursday morning and said he wanted
the Senate to take another vote on a bill that would give Alaskans a $3,000 Alaska Permanent Fund dividend. If that vote failed, according to the Alaska Legislature’s rules, the bill would be permanently shelved.
With just 15 senators in attendance, there wouldn’t be enough votes in favor of the bill (Senate Bill 1002), and Coghill said in an interview Thursday that he didn’t think there would even be enough votes to agree to re-vote
Community seeks funds to move homes away from river AKIAK (AP) — An Alaska community with a rapidly eroding riverbank is seeking funding to relocate homes, officials said. Money is available, but Akiak officials will have to go through a complicated bureau-
cratic process to obtain funding to save buildings in danger of falling into the Kuskokwim River, KYUK-AM reported Monday. Akiak, a community of about 350 people on the river’s west bank northeast of Bethel, lost
a one-mile stretch of riverbank to erosion in May, with parts of the river moving 75 feet closer to the community and putting one house within 15 feet of the river. Moving houses and connecting them to serSee MOVE, page A14
on the bill. But his motion was more about sending a message, he said. “My bold move was just to kind of kick us in the shins and say, ‘We’ve got to get going, guys,’” Coghill said. The senators agreed
ANCHORAGE (AP) — Alaska has awarded a contract to study whether the state can become the first in the nation to change its Medicaid program into a block grant system, officials said. The state Department of Health and Social Services issued a notice May 29 of its intent to award
Kenai Peninsula Air Fair June 8th, 2019
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (907) 283-7951 OR (907) 262-4672
www.KenaiAirport.com
See SEN, page A3
State awards contract to study Medicaid block grant system
19th Annual
www.ci.soldotna.ak.us
to adjourn without voting on the bill again, but Coghill said he thought the message was received that with just over a week left in special session, lawmakers need to start legislating with urgency.
the contract to analyze the prospect of implementing block grants for federal Medicaid payments, work requirements for enrollees, and shifting some Alaska Medicaid recipients to private insurance, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reported WednesSee BLOCK, page A14
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