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Vol. 49, Issue 234
In the news
Explosion, fire sink commercial fishing boat ANCHORAGE — An explosion at a dock in Whittier spread fire to a nearby fishing boat that then sank, leaving one person aboard missing, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday. Crews were using a boat and helicopter to scour the ocean around the dock for the missing person, the Coast Guard said in a statement. According to officials, the explosion happened on a fixed barge and fire then spread to the pier and the 99-foot commercial fishing vessel. Initial reports were that two people were aboard the fishing vessel at the time. But Whittier police told the Coast Guard that one of the two was on a different boat and is safe. The Coast Guard established a 100-yard safety zone to keep other boats away from the area. The fishing boat, which had the capacity to carry about 5,500 gallons of fuel, sank in 85 feet of water, the Coast Guard said. A salvage crew has been hired by the vessel’s owner.
Krill, mussels added to list of odd marine deaths ANCHORAGE — Residents of two northwest Alaska villages say large numbers of dead mussels and shrimp-like krill have washed up on their shores. The discoveries are contributing to fears of record warm waters causing ecosystem changes, including unusual wildlife deaths, The Anchorage Daily News reported Saturday. Scientists are working to pinpoint what has caused a string of unusual mortality events this season and whether the deaths are related. Lucy Oquilluk, a tribal president in the village of Teller, estimated there were 2 million dead mussels in a channel on the Seward Peninsula that she and others found in late June. “It’s something we never imagined,” she said. High school teacher Ken Stenek said he found millions of dead krill stretching for several miles along beaches near the village of Shishmaref. Seabirds and seals also have died along Alaska’s shores recently. In southern Alaska waters, scientists also have confirmed 15 gray whale deaths. — Associated Press
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‘Override! Override! Override!’
Hundreds turn out to protest Dunleavy’s vetoes. By Peter Segall Juneau Empire
Union members, students, teachers, community activists and all manner of concerned citizens gathered in front of the Alaska Capitol at noon Monday. The rally was organized to protest the proposed $400 million in cuts made to government programs by Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s vetoes of line items in the state budget. Protesters also called on state legislators to override at least some of those cuts. “This is not where I want to be today,” said Emily Wall, professor of English at the University of Alaska Southeast. “But we’re all here fighting for our university. I’m very concerned about all the education cuts,” she said. The rally was opened by drumming
and singing by members of the Yees Ku Oo Dancers, a multicultural group with members from various backgrounds. The song, sung in the Tsimshian language, was written by troupe member Nancy Barnes, who performed at the rally. “It’s just a happy song,” Barnes said. “We wanted to start out that way. To get everybody in the mood.” Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon was the first to speak. “We are concerned as to how the governor’s vetoes will impact our state,” she said. “We respectfully ask (legislators) to override the vetoes.” Many of the speakers noted that difficult decisions had to be made concerning the state budget, but that such deep and extensive cuts would cripple the state for generations. “We will continue to suffer job loss and outward migration if these vetoes See VETOES, Page A3
Michael Penn | Juneau Empire
Hundreds attend a rally in front of the Capitol calling for an override of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget vetoes on the first day of the Second Special Session of the Alaska Legislature in Juneau on Monday.
Manic Monday: Special session starts By Ben Hohenstatt Juneau Empire
Some days, state government moves slowly, but Monday was not one of those days. The majority of lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and Senate convened at 1 p.m. Monday in Juneau for a special session, and within 90 minutes there was a new Senate Majority Leader, an Alaska Permanent Fund dividend bill was given a hearing, and a time and date were set for a joint session for veto overrides — 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. “At this point, we’re looking at a single override vote,” said Senate President Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, during a sit-down with reporters in her office. “We’ll see how that comes out. It will be an opportunity for legislators to actually show to constituents where their support is.” Giessel and House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham, who joined Giessel in speaking to the press, each said it’s not totally clear what level of support exists for an override of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s more than $400 million in budget vetoes. However, both Edgmon and Giessel See session, Page A2
Michael Penn | Juneau Empire
Ron Lumba, of the Alaska State Capitol’s maintenance staff, adds the Majority Leader plate to the front of the office of Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, on the first day of the Second Special Session of the Alaska Legislature in Juneau on Monday.
Center brings in Pacific sleeper shark for studying By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
A male Pacific sleeper shark was captured by researchers at the Alaska SeaLife Center for an investigative study on the species, the center wrote in a press release. The shark is a close relative of the Greenland shark, which can live hundreds of years, the release said. “If findings from recent studies on the Greenland shark transfer to Pacific sleepers, these animals could maybe reach an astonishing age of 200-300 years old,” Dr. Amy Bishop, a scientist at the center, said in the release. The team hopes to investigate the ecological importance of these sharks, how their populations are impacted through fishing activities and their predation habits.
The center’s senior researcher, Dr. Markus Horning, is leading the study as the principal investigator, along with Bishop, Robert Hocking and Jared Guthridge. The team is also working with Dr. Christopher Lowe, a shark expert from California State University at Long Beach. The Pacific sleeper shark is a large marine predator prevalent in Alaska waters, and the release says evidence from initial tagging work by the center’s researchers suggests they may be a key predator of juvenile Steller sea lions. The release says researchers first began fishing for sharks in 2018, first looking for sharks under 6 feet. “The goal is to bring up to five young, small sharks to the Center for short periods of time for select studies on See shark, Page A3
Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, Alaska
Scientists pose with a captured Pacific sleeper shark on Monday, in Seward. Scientists will conduct studies and research on the bottom-dwelling fish.
Swan Lake Fire expansion slows over weekend By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
Growth of the Swan Lake Fire near Sterling has slowed despite another hot, dry weekend, according to a Monday update from the Northwest Incident Management Team. The fire is 96,889 acres, and is now just over half the size of the 2014 Funny River Fire, which burned a total area of 193,597 acres. There are 394 personnel working on the fire, which is 14%
contained. Another community meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Cooper Landing school. The east flank of the fire continues to move into higher elevations and into the Mystery Creek, Thurman Creek and Chickaloon River drainages. Fire crews are assessing public recreation cabins along the Resurrection Pass Trail for possible point protection, in case the fire reaches the
trail. The Chugach National Forest has issued a partial closure of the Resurrection Pass Trail, and fire restrictions are in effect prohibiting building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or some stoves, including charcoal fires. Firefighters have been successful at holding the north end of the fire along the ENSTAR pipeline and the Chickaloon River. The western edge of the fire continues to smolder along marshy areas,
and mop ups continue along the southwest corner. Firefighters are working toward a full containment along the Sterling Highway. Warm, dry weather is expected to continue, however, a potential break in the high pressure system over Alaska may allow for cooler temperatures and an increase in clouds midweek. Winds have been mostly out of the north, but a change to southerly direction is anticipated.