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Vol. 49, Issue 287
In the news
Dunleavy’s Senate pick fails to get enough votes ANCHORAGE — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s pick to fill a state Senate seat left vacant by a lawmaker’s death failed to receive enough votes for confirmation from Senate Republicans Thursday. Dunleavy last month named Rep. Laddie Shaw to fill the seat held by Anchorage Republican Sen. Chris Birch, who died in early August. Shaw needed to be backed by at least seven of the Senate’s 12 Republicans. But he failed to garner the minimum number of required votes. Senate Majority spokesman Daniel McDonald says the senators will not release the vote breakdown. A call seeking comment from Dunleavy’s office was not immediately returned. In a news release, Senate Republicans say the governor has 10 days to appoint another candidate for them to consider.
Week 6
Administration blocks whistleblower info
Conference matchups on tap for prep football
Nation & World, A5
Sports / A7
CLARION
56/42 More weather, Page A2
W of 1 inner Awa0* 201 Exc rds fo 8 e r Rep llence i o n rt * Ala ska P i n g ! res
P E N I N S U L A
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Friday-Saturday, September 20-21, 2019 Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Death of Seward man investigated KENAI — The death of a 21-year-old man in Seward last month is being investigated as a homicide. The body of Preston Atwood was found Aug. 30. Atwood was reported missing Aug. 25. He had been seen at around 6 p.m. that night at Fourth of July Beach. Associated Press
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Quick’s campaign manager resigns Paul Huber had allegedly been communicating with Alaska Yes Inc — a local nonprofit supporting Quick’s campaign through post shares on their Facebook page. By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
Nikiski Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly candidate John Quick’s campaign manager, Paul Huber, has resigned after it was reported during an Alaska Public Offices Commission hearing that Huber has been communicating with Alaska Yes Inc — a local nonprofit
supporting Quick’s campaign through post shares on their Facebook page. The commission’s Thursday hearing was in regards to a complaint, filed by Kenai resident Todd Smith against John Quick, that was expedited Wednesday afternoon. The complaint alleges Quick is coordinating with Alaska Yes, Inc — which Quick helped establish in March,
and which Quick said he resigned from also in March. The Alaska Yes Inc organization is running ads against Quick’s opponent, Jesse Bjorkman, and other assembly candidates. A candidate coordinating with an independent expenditure group is in violation of campaign law. According to its website, Alaska Yes Inc is an independent expenditure group, however, the entity has not filed with the state commission as such. At Thursday’s hearing, Quick was represented by attorney Stacey Stone.
Immediately after the hearing, when it was reported that Huber was involved in email correspondence with Alaska Yes, Huber resigned from Quick’s campaign, Stone told the Clarion. Stone said Quick was not aware of Huber’s involvement with Alaska Yes Inc. “Mr. Quick wants to move forward with a positive campaign,” Stone said. In a Thursday afternoon Facebook post on his official campaign page, Vote for Quick, Quick said he accepted Paul Huber’s resignation effective immediately.
Getting their hands dirty for science
“Paul is a good guy with a big heart,” the post read. “During a hearing today before the Alaska Public Offices Commission, I learned for the first time that Paul was in communication with Alaska Yes, an independent expenditure entity, via email. I was not copied on these emails, nor was I aware that Paul was copied on this emails. I was familiar with this entity as I was previously affiliated with the same.” During Thursday’s hearing, the commission asked if See quick, Page A2
Rain knocks back Swan Lake Fire The area already has seen between 2.25 and 3.05 inches of rain this month. By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
dog park. City of Kenai Parks and Recreation Director Bob Frates said the idea originally came from the Alaska State Parks organization, and the city ran with it. “For me, it’s a way we can integrate art into the public realm, or a public space,” Frates said. “This makes the trail a little more interactive, because trails are pretty passive by nature.
With about two weeks left in the month, the Swan Lake Fire has already received more rain in September than it did all summer. Fire crews currently have the fire 57% contained at 167,164 acres, according to the latest update from the Type 2 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 4. Incident Meteorologist Brent Bower reported on Thursday that between Sept. 1 and Sept. 18, the area of the Swan Lake Fire received anywhere from 2.25 to 3.05 inches of rain. For comparison, the Kenai Peninsula received 1.51 inches of rainfall between June 1 and Aug. 12, according to the National Weather Service as reported by the Clarion on Sept. 7. Public Information Officer Kathy Arnoldus said on Thursday that the consistent precipitation has begun to make a significant impact on fire efforts. Arnoldus said that more rain is forecast over the next five days, which is expected to keep fire behavior low and mitigate potential spread. Deep pockets of duff do continue to smolder in some areas, and there has not yet been enough rain to penetrate these layers. Portions of the Kenai Peninsula north of the fire remain in a state of extreme drought, according to the latest update from the National Drought Monitor. The area of the fire ranges from being in a severe drought to a moderate drought. With minimal growth being reported, firefighters have focused their efforts this week on clearing burned trees from roadways and other public use areas. Tuesday night, high winds caused weakened trees to fall across Skilak Lake Road and the Lower and Upper Skilak Boat Launch roads. Fire crews
See poetry, Page A3
See fire, Page A3
Anchorage driver held on suspicion of hitting woman ANCHORAGE — A 42-year-old Anchorage man has been arrested on suspicion of striking a woman he had dated with his sport utility vehicle Wednesday. Anchorage police say Roger Moen Jr. placed the injured woman in the SUV and drove off. He was arrested a few blocks away. The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment of a head wound. Online court documents do not list Moen’s attorney. Moen was held on suspicion of assault and other charges. Moen last month was charged with assaulting the same woman and was ordered to have no contact with her.
Rain
Victoria Petersen / Peninsula Clarion
Second and third graders at Mountain View Elementary learn from volunteers of the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council on how oil spills affect wildlife in Kenai on Wednesday. The students observed how feathers saturated in oil look and feel, and experimented with which cleaners work best to rid the feather of the oil.
Kenai may limit pot shop hours By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
The Kenai City Council is considering an ordinance to restrict hours of operation for marijuana retail businesses in the city. Ordinance 3088-2019, introduced to the council Sept. 18, would prohibit
marijuana retail businesses from conducting business between the hours of 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Currently, Alaska State Statutes and Administrative Codes prohibit marijuana businesses and bars from operating between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. Dur ing We dnes day night’s council meeting, two
business owners spoke about the potential impacts that these proposed restrictions would have. Ron Isaacs, owner of Majestic Gardens, voiced his opposition to the ordinance. Isaacs argued that by putting the restriction on marijuana retailers and not bars, bars are given an unfair
competitive advantage in the name of promoting public safety. “We’ve never had the police called to our location,” Isaacs said on Wednesday night. “I don’t know how many calls each weekend the bars get, but I know See pot, Page A2
Walking the pup down pathway of poetry By Joey Klecka Peninsula Clarion
Creating a beautiful community lies in helping hands and creative minds — at least that’s the premise of a poetry contest hosted this year by the city of Kenai. The Pathway of Poetry Contest aims to both spruce up the natural beauty of Alaska while also giving the upcoming Kenai Dog Park an added boost of momentum.
Enter the contest People 18 years or older are invited to participate. Deadline is Monday, Sept. 30. Notifications will be made Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Kenai Pumpkin Festival. Registration forms are available at: Kenai Senior Center and Kenai Community Library or online at www.kenai.city/parksrec/page/parksand-recreation-forms. For additional information call 907-283-8262. The poetry contest is themed “Man’s Best Friend” and winners of the contest will have their work
displayed at Daubenspeck Family Park in midtown Kenai, which is being revamped as a future