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Vol. 49, Issue 221
In the news Police investigating death of motorcyclist as a homicide ANCHORAGE — Anchorage police say they’re investigating as a homicide the death of a motorcycle rider they say was chased by a stolen vehicle. The identity of the motorcycle rider, a man, has not been released. Police say the manner in which he died is under investigation. Police say their preliminary investigation indicates a stolen sport utility vehicle was pursuing the motorcycle and was later found abandoned. They are seeking any witnesses or surveillance video to aid in their investigation. Anchorage police responded to the incident shortly after 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, when they found the motorcyclist dead.
5 years in prison ordered for exCEO at Alaskabased company NEW YORK — The former chief executive at an Alaska-based fiberoptic cable company has been sentenced to five years in prison for cheating New York investors of over $270 million. Elizabeth Ann Pierce, formerly head of Quintillion, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos. Pierce, who now lives outside Austin, Texas, apologized but also blamed others. Ramos said her effort to blame others was no excuse for what she did. Ramos said the 20152017 fraud against two New York-based investment companies was huge. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said Pierce repeatedly lied to investors and forged the signatures of her customers’ executives on fake revenue contracts to raise money to build a fiberoptic cable system in northern Alaska. Ramos said her good intentions did not justify her illegal means. — Associated Press
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Bed tax passes assembly Ordinance will go on ballot in October By VICTORIA PETERSEN Peninsula Clarion
Voters will find a bed tax on the ballot this October, after the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly passed an ordinance, Tuesday night, imposing a 10% tax on rentals of temporary
lodging, including motels, hotels, bed and breakfast businesses and overnight camping facilities. Several amendments were made to the ordinance before it passed, including two introduced by Assembly Vice President Dale Bagley, who introduced the
ordinance. His amendments added overnight camping facilities into the ordinance and another helped clear up language for the proposition that will appear on the ballot. Assembly member Willy Dunne amended the ordinance to lower the rate from 12% to 10%.
With the new 10% rate, the borough could expect to gain $825,000 in additional revenues for FY 2020, and then $3.3 million in FY 2021 and FY 2022. The funds would be used to to support education. “It would still be a sigSee TAX, page A2
University preparing for late, reduced budget By Alex McCarthy Juneau Empire
With a week and a half left until a possible state government shutdown, organizations are starting to prepare for the worst. Gov. Mike Dunleavy has not yet signed the operating budget passed by the Alaska Legislature, and the new fiscal year begins July 1. On
Wednesday, the University of Alaska Board of Regents granted UA President Jim Johnsen the power to cover certain operations for the university beginning July 1 if there isn’t a budget in place by then, according to a release. Regents have to approve a budget before money is spent, this authorization allows Johnsen to allocate
money to cover basic functions of the university system until a budget is passed, UA Office of Public Affairs Communications and Marketing Manager Monique Musick explained via phone Wednesday. Associate Vice President of Public Affairs Robbie Graham said Wednesday that the university system has requested short-term
Partly sunny
funds from the Office of Management and Budget in case there isn’t a budget by July 1. That’s fairly standard, Graham said, when there isn’t a full budget prepared as a new fiscal year approaches. She said the university can also pull from money they have set aside from the federal government, grants, tuition and other sources. See UA, page A2
Lower 48 crews to assist with Swan Lake Fire By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
Five crews from the Lower 48 will be arriving in Alaska today to assist in the management of the Swan Lake Fire. The fire, which was started by a lightning strike in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge northeast of Sterling on June 5, has reached 15,648 acres as of Tuesday afternoon, according to a June 19 update from Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team. On Tuesday, management of the fire was transferred from a Type 3 to a Type 2 Initial Attack Crew, with total 169 total personnel now addressing the fire. The fire continues to spread primarily to the north and east, away from the Sterling Highway and the community of Sterling.
See FIRE, page A3
Kenai celebrates its community spirit By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
On Wednesday, the Kenai Chamber of Commerce held its annual community awards ceremony at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center to honor businesses and individuals on the Kenai Peninsula who have made a positive impact on the community. The public had the opportunity to nominate their friends and family for seven different awards, each with its own criteria. Winners were chosen by a nomination committee from the Kenai chamber and given commemorative plaques. The awards were presented by Chamber Vice Chairman Al Hull and Chamber Secretary Penny Furnish. Before handing out the awards, Hull took a moment to recognize outgoing Chamber Chairman of the Board Karl Heinz for his service. Heinz served on the board as treasurer for two years and chairman for one year, and is now stepping down to focus on his family and his career at First National Bank Alaska.
The recipients of the annual Kenai Community Awards pose for a photo during the Kenai Chamber of Commerce Luncheon at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center on Wednesday. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
“Carl did an outstanding job in the time that he was with us, and we appreciate everything he did,” Hull said. Kenai Young Professional Entrepreneur of
the Year — Brandon Miller, Iron Asylum Gym The Young Professional Entrepreneur of the Year award is given to a young person on the peninsula who has created a success-
ful business while making a positive impact on the Kenai community. This year the award was presented to Brandon Miller, the owner of the Iron Asylum Gym in Soldotna. Miller
was born and raised in Kenai and served five years in the Army with the 10th Mountain Division. Miller was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan before he reSee SPIRIT, page A3
NOAA Fisheries biologists record Mat-Su borough votes singing by rare right whale to end membership in municipal league
By DAN JOLING Associated Press
ANCHORAGE — It’s not America’s Top 40, but it’s a cutting edge song. Federal marine biologists for the first time have recorded singing by one of the rarest whales on the planet, the North Pacific right whale. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers used moored acoustic recorders to capture repeated patterns of calls made by male North Pacific right whales. It’s the first time right whale songs in any population have been documented, said NOAA Fisheries marine biologist Jessica Crance on Wednesday from Seattle. She spoke to southern right whale and North Atlantic right whale experts to confirm that singing had not previously been docu-
In this Aug. 6, 2017, file photo, provided by NOAA Fisheries a North Pacific right whale swims in the Bering Sea west of Bristol Bay. (NOAA Fisheries via AP, File)
mented. Researchers detected four distinct songs over eight years at five locations in the Bering Sea off Alaska’s southwest coast, Crance said. Only about 30 of the animals remain. Whalers nearly wiped out the slow-
moving whales, which remain buoyant after they are killed. Humpback, bowhead and other whales are known for their songs. During a field survey in 2010, NOAA Fisheries researchers first noted weird sound patterns
See WHALE, page A2
ANCHORAGE (AP) — An Alaska borough plans to leave a state municipal group over the organization’s opposition to proposed spending cuts, a report said. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly voted 4-3 at its June 4 meeting to eliminate a $41,000 annual dues payment to the Alaska Municipal League, Alaska Public Media reported Monday. The league represents 165 Alaska communities and advocates for local governments’ collective interests in state and federal decisions. Some residents of the borough north of Anchorage do not believe the league’s positions accurately reflect the community. Assembly member Jesse
Sumner said his constituents do not agree with the league’s opposition to deep state spending cuts proposed by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy. “It seems pretty simple that if the state goes forward with continuing to spend the way they are and not cutting their budget, they’ll have to have a tax at some point, it’ll come out of the Mat-Su, and it won’t be spent back here the same rate it comes out, because it never is,” Sumner said. League Executive Director Nils Andreassen is disappointed by the decision. The league has focused on its incorporation articles that dictate, “Support good things for local governments and oppose bad things,” he said. See MAT-SU, page A3