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Potentially fatal coronavirus reaches the U.S.
Soldotna posts home sweep of Nikiski
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CLARION P E N I N S U L A
Vol. 50, Issue 85
In the news
Woman found dead in apartment identified ANCHORAGE — Anchorage police have released the name of a woman who died under suspicious circumstances. The dead woman was identified as Sophie Barnes Ishnook, 43, police announced Tuesday. Police on Friday morning received a report of a woman dead in an apartment on Minnesota Drive south of Spenard Road. Patrol officers responded and found Ishnook dead in a bedroom. The circumstances appeared suspicious and patrol officers called in homicide detectives to investigate. The cause of death remains under investigation, police said.
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Wednesday, January 22, 2020 • Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
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KPC to shut down dorm this summer By Victoria Petersen Peninsula Clarion
Residence hall operations will pause after the semester ends at Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus. The one-year hiatus will begin June 30, the college announced in a Tuesday press release, giving administration time to determine how the
campus can move forward in the future. The residence hall was built in 2013 and student occupancy has decreased. Budget cuts to the University of Alaska system creates less faith in the university, driving down enrollment, Gary Turner, director of Kenai Peninsula College, told the Clarion Tuesday via email. The college has seen more
students taking online courses and fewer students attending face-to-face classes at the Kenai River Campus. As the University continues to address major budget reductions and increase enrollments, it is important to look at all programming and evaluate its impact on the university’s core mission of educating students, Turner said in Tuesday’s release. Since 2016, the 92-bed hall has
been unable to keep the 55 to 60 students needed to break even on the costs of running the residency operation. During last fall there were 21 residents housed on the campus, and 26 residents last spring. There are 15 students living on campus this semester. The residence hall hosts local and See dorm, Page A3
Legislature 2020
First day fireworks for House; power shift in Senate?
Suspect sentenced for possessing firearms ANCHORAGE — An Anchorage man facing state murder and kidnapping charges has been sentenced to four years in prison on a federal gun count. Iosia Fiso, 25, pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and was sentenced Friday to the four-year prison term followed by three years of supervised release, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Fiso is one of three men charged with seconddegree murder and kidnapping in the death of an Anchorage man in January 2019. Steven John, 36, was found dead at an apartment on west 34th Avenue. A state medical examiner’s autopsy concluded John died of trauma to the body. Fiso and two co-defendants were arrested in June. Fiso’s attorney did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment on the state charges. Anchorage police while investigating a Jan. 9, 2019, shooting in midtown Anchorage found a scope on a rifle that bore Fiso’s fingerprint, prosecutors said. A day later, police contacted Fiso and found three more of his guns in his girlfriend’s vehicle. Fiso previously had two state felony convictions for weapons misconduct and hindering prosecution, which made it illegal for him to possess firearms. — Clarion news services
Calm before cold
By Ben Hohenstatt and Peter Segall Juneau Empire
was made upon consideration of the group’s filing. The decision states that the matter is stayed pending resolution of the case in the Alaska Supreme Court. Claire Pywell, campaign manager for the Recall Dunleavy group, said Tuesday’s decision “does not impact the merits of his primary ruling
Some first-day fireworks set the Alaska House of Representatives alight Tuesday to open the 31st Alaska State Legislature. Meanwhile, the Alaska Senate opened their session with an apparent shift in power. In the House, objections to a committee assignment and a journal entry provided much of the early action on the first day of the legislative session. Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux’s, R-Anchorage, assignment to the Joint Armed Services committee drew an objection and several comments before ultimately being OK’d. The crux of the objection was that a veteran should have filled the seat vacated by former Rep. and current Sen. Josh Revak, R-Anchorage, an Army veteran. Revak was appointed to fill the seat left behind by the late Sen. Chris Birch, R-Anchorage. “I think a veteran should be assigned to that seat,” said Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski. Rep. Laddie Shaw, R-Anchorage, a former Navy SEAL, said a veteran would add value to the committee, benefit the state and veterans specifically. Rep. Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole, also spoke in favor of appointing one of the six veterans in the House to the committee. “The idea that you need to be a veteran to support veterans is foreign to me,” said Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak. That sentiment prevailed after a 23-15 vote. The Committee on Committee’s report and committee assignments were approved. Over at the Senate, things started slowly as senators didn’t gavel in until 4 p.m. “The governor has been informed the Senate is ready for business,” Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, told the body after returning from notifying
See recall, Page A11
See start, Page A11
Associated Press
House impeachment manager Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., speaks in support of an amendment offered by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., during the impeachment trial Tuesday against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol.
McConnell backs off, abruptly eases some Trump trial rules By Lisa Mascaro and Zeke Miller Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate plunged into President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial on Tuesday with Republicans abruptly abandoning plans to cram opening arguments into two late-night sessions and Democrats arguing for more witnesses to expose Trump’s “trifecta” of offenses. The turn of events was a setback for Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell and the president’s legal team, exposing a crack in the GOP ranks and the growing political
unease over the historic impeachment proceedings unfolding amid a watchful public in an election year. Chief Justice John Roberts gaveled open the session, with House prosecutors on one side, Trump’s team on the other, in the well of the Senate, as senators sat silently at their desks, under oath to do “impartial justice.” No cellphones or other electronics were allowed. Opening day stretched deep into the night. Senators remained as the clock passed 9:30 p.m., while Democrats pursued what may be their only chance to force senators to vote on hearing new testimony. However, Republicans turned
back Democratic amendments to subpoena documents from the White House, State Department and budget office, with more votes expected rejecting key witnesses with a frontrow seat to Trump’s actions. By the same 53-47 party-line vote, senators turned aside the Democrats request to subpoena acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. McConnell stunned senators and delayed the start of proceedings with his decision to back off some of his proposed rules. Republicans were said to be concerned over the political optics of “dark of night” sessions. See impeach, Page A11
Judge halts enforcement of decision in Alaska recall case By Becky Bohrer Associated Press
JUNEAU — A state court judge on Tuesday put on hold a decision that would have allowed supporters of an effort to recall Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy to begin a new signaturegathering phase. Earlier this month, Superior Court Judge Eric Aarseth in Anchorage
said petitions should be issued by Feb. 10, unless that date is stayed by the Alaska Supreme Court. At that time, he said he “does not intend on granting a stay of that process.” Aarseth’s order Tuesday followed recent written arguments by Stand Tall With Mike, a group opposing the recall. The order did not go into detail for the judge’s reasoning in granting a stay but said the decision
Honored educactor strives to connect with kids “Trust them and allow them to grow,” says Meredith McCullough, a language arts teacher at Kenai Central High. By Brian Mazurek Peninsula Clarion
A local high school teacher was recently recognized as Educator of the Year by a national scholarly organization for her ability to connect with students while making classical literature relatable.
Meredith McCullough, a language arts teacher at Kenai Central High School, was chosen last August as one of 10 recipients of the 2019 Claes Nobel Educators of the Year. The award is given each year through the National Society of High School Scholars, which is an organization focused on
helping high school students achieve their academic goals. McCullough said that she was nominated by a former student who is a Meredith member of NSHSS, McCullough and after being selected as one of the finalists last summer McCullough was asked to write an essay about her philosophy and approach to education.
“For me, it’s valuable as an English teacher to teach grammar and spelling and literature, but the more important things are to help students become humans, and good humans, preferably,” McCullough said. “That we can give them the tools that they need to survive in the adult world and that we trust them and allow them to grow.” In August of last year she was See teacher, Page A3