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Vol. 49, Issue 267
In the news Two named to state human rights commission JUNEAU — Gov. Mike Dunleavy has appointed two new members to the state human rights commission. He appointed Jamie Allard of Eagle River to a seat that had been held by Marcus Sanders and Kyle Foster of Anchorage to a seat vacated by David Barton. Dunleavy spokesman Matt Shuckerow says Barton resigned last week to be considered for the commission’s executive director position. Sanders served on the commission a few months. He was newly appointed to a suicide prevention council. The commission’s former executive director resigned in April after calling out on social media a “Black Rifles Matter” sticker on a truck in the commission’s parking lot she considered racist. There was a subsequent board shake-up.
Police: 2 boys held for alleged threat JUNEAU — Police in Juneau say two 13-yearold boys were arrested after allegedly threatening a school shooting. The Juneau Police Department in a release say the boys were taken to a local youth detention center on felony charges of second-degree terroristic threatening. The release states that police received a report Wednesday night of the alleged threat made by two students against a Juneau middle school.
30-year sentence for attempted murder of officer ANCHORAGE — A 30-year-old man convicted of trying to kill an Anchorage police officer has been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison. Pagopago Beefcake Lelilio, 31, was convicted Oct. 23 of attempted first-degree murder, assault and weapons misconduct. Police investigating a gunshot on July 17, 2018, saw Lelilio jump out of a parked truck and flee. Lelilio fired a shot from a .40 caliber pistol in his jacket pocket. The bullet struck ground near the face of Officer Ryan Proegler. — Associated Press
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Friday-Saturday, August 23-24, 2019 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
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Officials address Sterling’s concerns By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
Residents of Cooper Landing got a break from heavy smoke conditions Thursday. The Great Basin Incident Management Team reported clear air in Cooper Landing Thursday afternoon, which allowed aviation resources to be used in suppression efforts for the Swan Lake Fire. The Sterling Highway didn’t experience any closures on Thursday, which was a change of pace from recent days. Most of the closures have been a result of heavy smoke conditions that impair visibility, especially Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion when the smoke mixes with Residents attend a community meeting in Sterling to discuss the Swan Lake Fire on Thursday. early morning fog. Highway conditions are still subject to night, fire managers gave an their concerns. Many of the has been experiencing the change. The latest informa- update on the daily opera- residents’ concerns were closures and was worried tion can be found at kpboem. tions and priorities of the focused on the intermittent about what would happen if com or 511.alaska.gov. incident management team. highway closures. the road closed while he was During a community After the updates, resiKim Sterling, from Ster- at work in Soldotna. It hasn’t meeting at the Sterling dents had the opportunity ling, lives just inside the happened to him yet, but if Community Center Thursday to ask questions and voice portion of the highway that he happened to be on the
Dense smoke forces central peninsula air-quality warning By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
Central peninsula residents woke up to a dense haze Thursday, as winds pushed smoke created by the ongoing Swan Lake Fire to the west. A dense smoke advisory is in effect for the Kenai Peninsula until Friday afternoon, and dense smoke will be noticed in Kenai, Soldotna and Homer, according to a release from the National Weather Service. Pam Szatanek, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, said the wind shift may give the eastern peninsula a reprieve from heavy smoke. The Alaska Wildland Fire Information, an interagency service providing wildland fire information for the state, notes the communities of Sterling, Soldotna, Kenai and Homer would have seen the most smoke Thursday, decreasing
air quality. According to their update, smoke will move out to the east Friday with another wind shift — impacting eastern peninsula communities like Cooper Landing and Seward. The update says Soldotna experienced air quality measurements in the unhealthy and very unhealthy ranges. Wednesday evening, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District canceled all outdoor sporting events until further notice, including the upcoming varsity football games scheduled for all five high schools for Friday and Saturday and the annual Tsalteshi Invitational crosscountry meet — which was to be hosted Saturday on the Tsalteshi Trails behind Skyview Middle School. The heavy smoke is impacting other local events, including the final race of
the Soldotna Cycle Series at Tsalteshi Trails. The race was slated to occur Thursday night, but has been postponed until Aug. 29, conditions permitting. “As always, racers need to make their own decisions about their capability to ride, whether that is through poor air conditions, or challenges in the trail,” an update from Tsalteshi Trails Association said. The Lost Lake Run near Seward has also been canceled due to poor air quality, according to a post on the event’s Facebook page. The 15.5mile backcountry race takes runners from the Primrose Campground at the south end of Kenai Lake to the Bear Creek Fire Station near Seward. The event annually draws in hundreds of race applicants, with last year’s race bringing 665 runners.
wrong side of the line during a closure, Sterling feared that he would be unable to get to his house due to congested traffic. Sterling suggested having a pilot car specifically designated to escort local residents during those situations so that people can still access their homes. Phil Whittemore, also from Sterling, echoed the concerns about the highway closures. Whittemore said that some of the local businesses have had trouble keeping their shelves stocked because the trucks carrying the goods are unable to reach the central peninsula. “I’m fortunate enough to have a plane in case I need to fly to Anchorage for food or medicine,” Whittemore said. “But not everybody has that option.” Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, attended the See Fire, Page A2
Peninsula drought gets even worse By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
The Kenai Peninsula is abnormally dry for this time of year. “To have this much drought is not normal,” Pam Szatanek, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, said. The peninsula has received little to no rain this August, during what is typically the wet season. The Kenai area hasn’t received measurable amounts of rain since July 28, or for 25 days. The U.S. Drought Monitor placed the Kenai Peninsula in a moderate drought stage Aug. 8. The weekly monitor of national drought conditions updated the ranking Aug. 22 to show a portion of the northern peninsula
is suffering an extreme drought. A majority of the Kenai Peninsula was measured to be in a severe drought. The southern most part of the peninsula is experiencing a moderate drought. Rain doesn’t look likely in the upcoming sevenday forecast, Szatanek said. “There may be isolated showers out of a low-pressure movement coming through, but we’re being optimistic,” she said. “Honestly, we’re not expecting any kind of storm for the next seven days.” Kenai received 1.51 inches of rainfall between June 1 and Aug. 12, a nearly 40% decrease from the average 3.88 inches of rainfall for the area.
Caribou Lake Fire outside Homer continues to threaten By Megan Pacer Homer News
One fire is nearly contained and another is still growing in size in the wildlands outside of Homer. The Caribou Lake Fire, which began Monday about 25 miles northeast of Homer, has grown to about 800 acres according to a Thursday morning update on the Alaska Interagency Fire Information Office website. It is about 10% contained. The North Fork Fire, which
started on Sunday evening, is burning about 1.5 miles from the Sterling Highway between Anchor Point and Homer. It was 50% contained as of Thursday morning, said Sam Harrel, a public information office with the Alaska Division of Forestry. Harrel said crews working on the North Fork Fire hoped to be close to completing a bulldozer line around the fire and reaching full containment by the end of Thursday. See homer, Page A3
This photo of the Caribou Lake fire was taken about 4 p.m. Monday northeast of Homer.
Ian Pitzman
Dunleavy bringing back member of marijuana board By Becky Bohrer Associated Press
JUNEAU — Gov. Mike Dunleavy is bringing back a marijuana advocate to the board that regulates Alaska’s legal cannabis industry after his earlier appointment of a marijuana skeptic was rejected by lawmakers. Dunleavy’s office said
Thursday that he has appointed Bruce Schulte to the Marijuana Control Board. Schulte was involved in the 2014 initiative that legalized the use of marijuana by people 21 and older in Alaska. He previously served on the board and was a chairman. Schulte was booted in 2016 by then-Gov. Bill Walker,
whose spokeswoman at the time said Schulte’s approach to the staff and administrative process was not satisfactory and that Walker wanted a change. Schulte had said he butted heads with then-Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office Director Cynthia Franklin. She no longer holds that position.
Earlier this year, Dunleavy appointed Vivian Stiver to a seat that had been held by Brandon Emmett, an industry representative. At the time, Dunleavy spokesman Matt Shuckerow said it was no secret that Stiver “holds a certain skepticism for legal marijuana use,” a view he said other Alaskans shared. But he said Dunleavy
thought she would bring a valuable perspective to the board, which has public health, rural, public safety and industry representation. Stiver was involved in a failed 2017 effort to ban marijuana operations in Fairbanks, and her appointment was criticized by the industry. See board, Page A2