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P E N I N S U L A
Vol. 50, Issue 49
In the news
Bear blamed for damaged cars in Kodiak lot Authorities are investigating whether the breakins are the work of a single, repeat offender. Associated Press
KODIAK — A bear has been blamed for a pair of vehicle break-ins at an Alaska airport parking lot that resulted in thousands of dollars in damage to one car, officials said. The vandalism occurred at the Island Air terminal parking lot adjacent to the Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport, The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported Wednesday. Vehicle owners Doreen Phillips and Alyssa Brenteson are both residents of Akhiok, a village about 90 miles from Kodiak. Brenteson parked her car for two days at the lot and returned to find a caved-in roof, broken window, ripped seats, and muddy bear prints and fur covering her car, she said. An estimate determined Brenteson’s car had $15,000 in damages, she said. Brenteson noticed Phillips’ car experienced similar damage two days later, she said. The Island Air lot is near a wooded area and separate from the longterm parking lot at the airport, which charges $5 per day. Brenteson and Phillips use the free parking area while making regular trips to buy groceries and do other errands, they said. The vandalism was unusual because of a lack of fragrant items such as food or trash, which is a feature common to bear break-ins, said Department of Fish and Game wildlife biologist Nate Svoboda. “It’s kind of odd for a bear to break in if there was nothing else to attract it,” Svoboda said. There have been five reports of bears going into vehicles in Kodiak since the beginning of the year, Svoboda said. Alaska Wildlife Troopers are investigating whether the break-ins are the work of a single, repeat offender. “We live in a place where we have to be more aware of bears breaking in than humans,” Phillips said.
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Community emergency training offered By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
Next week, the Kenai Peninsula Borough will hold another round of volunteer training for those who want to have the skills to step up when a natural disaster or other emergency hits the community. Starting Monday, Dec. 2, the Borough’s Office of Emergency Management will conduct training for their Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. The program
consists of 28 hours of training over seven days and covers topics including fire suppression, light search and rescue, disaster medical treatment, disaster psychology and team organization. Jade Gamble, program manager for OEM, said that attendance at all of the sessions is required in order to complete the course, but makeup days can be scheduled for those unable to make it to all of them. Upon completion, volunteers will receive a backpack full of response equipment
and will have the opportunity to sign up to be one of the citizen responders in the event of an emergency. Gamble said that this year, for example, CERT volunteers staffed the Borough’s call center during the Swan Lake Fire, taking more than 5,000 phone calls, and helped prepare the communities of Sterling and Cooper Landing for evacuation. “Having them at the call center was great because when people would call us See CERT, Page A2
Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion
CERT volunteers go door to door while simulating a neighborhood evacuation in Kenai during OEM’s Alaska Shield 2019 program April 13.
One turkey of a trot
Gravel pit target of proposed new rules By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
“We usually donate food every year but this year we decided to do something a little different,” Wolverton said. “We’ve got a group of people here that are just really committed to serving their community.” There were more than 50 people lined up for food or seated around tables in the church hall this Thanksgiving. Organizer Connie Combs said she was pleased with the turnout. “I see a lot of our church family here, but there’s also quite a few new faces, which is always good to see,” Combs said. The menu covered all the
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly will consider code changes that would affect gravel pit operations and permitting at its Tuesday meeting. Changes to material site code, including permits, applications, conditions and procedures, were introduced in an ordinance at the Nov. 5 borough assembly meeting. The proposed ordinance highlights a number of changes, including more detailed definitions throughout the material site code, increasing groundwater testing, increasing the buffer from water bodies to 200 feet, decreasing the number of hours operators can process and crush rocks, new sound level conditions and a new white noise alarm requirement, among others. Several of the proposed code changes were first explored in the borough’s Material Site Workgroup, which was established in 2018 to “engage in collaborative discussion involving the public and industry to make recommendations regarding the material site code,” according to the ordinance. The proposed ordinance takes into a c c o u nt c o m m e nt s from the community
See Church, Page A2
See Gravel, Page A2
Joey Klecka / Peninsula Clarion
The field of 91 runners in the Turkey Trot 1.5-mile and 3-mile races take off from the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex on Thursday. The annual Thanksgiving Day event was held in particularly nasty conditions this year as warm temperatures, mixed with a weather front, caused slushy roads and icy pathways. Story and results from both races can be found in Sports, Page A7.
Church opens doors for Thanksgiving By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
The uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving has people taking stock every year of the things for which they are most grateful. It’s also a holiday centered around food, as family and friends gather together to share a meal, break bread and pass the stuffing. For many Native Americans, the holiday is recognized as a Day of Mourning as they reflect on the suffering of their ancestors that coincided with the arrival of the original colonists. For the members of the College Heights Baptist Church, this Thanksgiving
Brian Mazurek / Peninsula Clarion
From left: Priscilla Tapangco, Carol Kvasnikoff, Annaleah Karron, Mike Karron, Charlie Karron and Allison Karron participate in the Thanksgiving community potluck at College Heights Baptist Church in Soldotna on Thanksgiving.
was an opportunity to open the church doors and invite the community to a potluck dinner — a first according
to Contessa Wolverton, who originally brought the idea to her fellow churchgoers.
State to pay back $50,000 over Alaska Hire lawsuit By Peter Segall Juneau Empire
The State of Alaska has agreed to pay $50,000 to a company that sued over the state’s Alaska Hire law, according to an agreement signed by the state earlier this month. Following a review of the law prompted by the lawsuit, Attorney General Kevin Clarkson issued an opinion on Oct. 3 saying the law was
unconstitutional. The suit was filed in July by construction firm Colaska, the state subsidiary of Colas UAS, and was being represented by former Alaska Attorney General Michael Geraghty. Alaska Hire had said companies must give preferential treatment to Alaska residents under certain circumstances when hiring for state projects. “There was no way for the
statute to survive a constitutional challenge,” Clarkson said at a press conference in October. Gov. Mike Dunleavy had decided not to spend limited state resources fighting a losing battle, Clarkson said at the time. The $50,000 is a repayment of the fines Colaska incurred for violating the Alaska Hire statute, and each side will pay its own legal fees resulting See hire, Page A3
Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (left) listens to Attorney General Kevin Clarkson during a press conference at the Capitol on Jan. 30.