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Vol. 49, Issue 239
In the news
Borough to test emergency alert system The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Office of Emergency Management will be testing the emergency notification system in Cooper Landing at 1:05 p.m., Tuesday, a press release from the borough said. The test is being conducted to evaluate the system, and to encourage folks to register their cellphone numbers if they haven’t already done so. Only registered landlines and cellphones with physical addresses located in Cooper Landing will be a part of the test. In an actual emergency, the KPB alerts will notify residents about the incident and what actions to take. Those who do not receive the alert by 2 p.m., Tuesday can email the emergency management office at oem@kpb.us to register their phone number. All landlines in the borough are currently registered with the alert system. Mobile phones need to be registered online at alerts.kpb.us.
Racing
President Trump stands by racist tweets
Powder Puff brings girl power to Twin City
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CLARION
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‘Our core mission must be preserved’ Financial exigency delayed, drastic changes loom at UA. By Peter Segall Juneau Empire
The University of Alaska Board of Regents delayed declaring financial exigency Monday, during a meeting to discuss the cuts to the state budget made by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Meeting at different locations around the state and connected by teleconference, the board decided that because the Legislature is still in session and the financial situation may change in the coming weeks, declaring exigency might be premature. That decision was delayed until July 30, when the board will meet again to further discuss changes that must be made in light of the current financial circumstances. University of Alaska General Counsel Michael Hostina made it clear during the meeting that
financial exigency is neither a policy prescription, nor is it akin to bankruptcy. “It doesn’t get rid of debts,” Hostina said. “It’s not a decision regarding the future of the university or what programs will be cut. The board will make those decisions later.” Financial exigency is a legal tool, Hostina said, that allows the university to take certain actions, like the termination of tenured faculty, that might not be possible under normal circumstances. But while the actual declaration was delayed, it was made clear during the meeting that the University of Alaska will no longer operate as it does now. University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen made it clear to the board that UA was “already consuming money at an unsustainable level,” and that, “we cannot wait for a number from the Legislature or the governor.” Each day of delay, he told the board, See changes, Page A3
Michael Penn | Juneau Empire
University of Alaska Southeast administrators and staff applaud a speech by Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, as they watch an online meeting being held Monday at UA campuses around the state on Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget cuts.
shop talk
Taking a look at Localz By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
Number of Chinese visitors to state growing ANCHORAGE — Alaska is a tourism destination for a growing number of visitors from China. The Anchorage Daily News reports Alaska received relatively little notice from Chinese travelers until recent years. The number of Chinese visitors has jumped because of social media and increasing interest in winter tourism tied to the Aurora borealis. State figures show an estimated 5,000 Chinese travelers visited Alaska in 2016, compared with 2,000 in 2011. A similar count has not been attempted since then, but travel industry representatives estimate at least 10,000 Chinese travelers visited the state in 2018. Sarah Leonard, executive director of the Alaska Travel Industry Association, says “China is definitely the emerging market right now.” Minghui Dong, a Beijing nurse and tour guide, says through an interpreter that Alaska left a “beautiful impression” on her. See news, Page A2
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Victoria Petersen / Peninsula Clarion
Dr. Peter Hansen stands in front of crane operators who are in the process of lifting an antique steam donkey engine Monday at the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center, where it will be relocated on the lawn to make room for a cabin that will act as a Kenai Bush doctors museum.
Just what the doctor ordered Museum project underway to highlight pioneering medicine By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
Work on a small museum honoring the peninsula’s pioneering Bush doctors is now underway. On Monday, in front of the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center, a crane lifted an antique steam donkey — also known as a steam-powered winch or engine — to make way for the Kenai Bush Doctor’s Historic Cabin. The cabin museum project is being spearheaded by Dr. Peter Hansen, who moved to Kenai in 1957, when there were no hospitals in the area. He began practicing medicine and used medical equipment he had acquired in Juneau. “My wife and I moved to Kenai 50
years ago and started a practice in a log structure in our house and we ended up with all kinds of historical medical equipment I brought with me in 1960s,” Hansen said. “I think it’s going to be an addition to the community.” Hansen watched Monday as a crane prepared to move the steam donkey, which he said was placed on the visitor center’s lawn just a few years ago. He said the steam donkey will be moved from the left of Columbia Ward Fishery sign to the right of the sign. The cabin will be placed on the left. “They’re moving (the steam donkey) to the other side of Columbia Ward Fishery sign and making way for Kenai Bush doctors museum
and the cabin will sit where donkey is right now,” Hansen said. Hansen said the cabin is still under construction and will be moved to the site in mid-August. Hansen is helping fund the project, along with the Kenai Community Foundation. Back in March, the city of Kenai passed an ordinance to authorize the city manager to accept the donation from Hansen and the Kenai Community Foundation. The donation increased appropriations to the city’s Park Recreation and Beautification Department by $103,000. The donation helps cover costs of the construction project, which included constructing the cabin, preparing the site and moving and setting up the cabin to the site.
New team takes over in fire fight By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
A new incident management team is taking command of the Swan Lake Fire, which was estimated to be at 100,812 acres as of Monday, according to the joint agency Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Office of Emergency Management Monday update. The update says 50% of the team’s objectives have been completed and 440 personnel are working on the fire. Minimal fire spread was observed, with limited interior smoldering and isolated torching. The new incident management team,
Eastern Area Incident Managment Team Type 2, assumed command 8 a.m. Monday. The east flank of the fire continues to smolder near the Chickaloon River, Thurman Creek and Mystery Creek drainages with little growth potential in the next 72 hours. Natural features and existing trails are being used as fire lines and control lines to curtail eastward fire spread. The improvements will reduce the chance of fire spread in the future. The west flank of the fire has been kept at bay with a system of wetlands and control lines. Mop up efforts are
challenged by dry fuels susceptible to ignition. While the peninsula did experience some scattered showers, the fire area did not receive any significant amount of rainfall, and despite cooler temperatures and precipitation, fuels remain abnormally dry. A lighter southeast wind will most likely push smoke to the north, and parts of Sterling and Cooper Landing could see some light impacts overnight. A burn ban is still in place, and open fires and campfires are prohibited on the Kenai Peninsula and other areas of the state.
The newest addition to the Nikiski Mall, nestled between Charlie’s Angels Pizza and De Lars gift shop, is a little consignment store called Localz. Started by longtime Nikiski resident Angel Stanton, Localz is meant to be a hub for locally made soaps, clothing, art and more. Stanton opened her business on April 5 of this year and has since grown her inventory to include products from dozens of local makers on the peninsula and across the state, including her own design company, AK Kreations. Stanton sat down with the Clarion last week to discuss her store and her story. Clarion: What made you want to start this business? Angel Stanton: So I graduated from Nikiski in ’04, I’m a local and I’ve been in sales most of my life. My sister passed away two years ago, and that’s when my whole life changed. I wanted to do something to honor her. So I started making things, at first just to distract my mind. Being a maker and having my stuff in other shops, I realized that this is what I want to do for people. The opportunity became available and we were like, all right, let’s do it! What should we call it? Should we name it Chere’s, after my sister? We thought about what she would want to do since she was all about being locally involved. We did this for her and for the people around here, to help awaken this town again. The mall is starting to come back to life and we wanted to be a part of that. Plus, there wasn’t anything quite like us out here. Clarion: Now that you’re three months in, what do you think so far? Stanton: After the first opening weekend, I cried. I just felt overwhelmed by all the local support. It was awesome. And that support still continues. Clarion: So it was a good cry. Stanton: Yes! A good cry. A happy cry. I just couldn’t have imagined a turnout that good. Clarion: How many people showed up opening weekend? Stanton: About 50 people that first weekend. And we didn’t really advertise it at all except on Facebook. I was surprised. I was expecting like 10 people to come in, and even if we got one person that would have been really cool. See localz, Page A2