Thursday, October 13, 2005

Business Briefs
Area chambers set schedules Chamber rec guide seeks entries Clarion promotes 2 employees

From the bookshelf: Story highlights the value of priceless wealth
Many a young wanderer has come to Alaska, inhaled deeply of the clean, bracing air, and felt transformed. Most then leave for domesticated lives in Anchorage or points south. But Kim Heacox could not tear himself away from his love affair with the Great Land.

Frozen in time
As October drags the mercury downward in its inevitable march toward winter, it becomes time again to get acquainted with that cold-weather eventuality: ice.

What's Happening
Best Bets Events and Exhibits Entertainment Upcoming events Films Down the Road Anchorage events

Art Briefs
Stained glass classes offered Art gallery relocates, expands Guild accepting show entries Arts, crafts fair filled up Theater offering gallery space Storytellers wanted Artists applications available Quilting contest honors AWG

Work-force strategies need continued support
While looking at Alaska's future work force, it's easy to conclude we're living in a time of challenge and opportunity. We're pressed to fill jobs with Alaskans qualified to meet current challenges and ones presented by a gas pipeline.

Pay attention to war opposition
Please pay attention to the growing number of Americans voicing opposition to the Iraq war. Please stop increasing the hatred toward the U.S.A. by the continued violence in Iraq being exacerbated by our continued presence in that country.

Gas producers need to accept pipeline offer
Alaskans have been looking forward to development of North Slope natural gas for more than 30 years. In fact, in an office in Fairbanks hangs a poster-sized copy of a newspaper advertisement touting "Coming Soon — Natural Gas for Fairbanks!"

Marathon wants to build pipeline extension
Marathon Oil Co. wants to build a pipeline extension to a gas field in Kasilof after nearly a year of concern that regulatory hurdles may be too great to build the infrastructure needed to bring the gas to market.

Mayoral finalists square off
Voters told the municipal government Oct. 4 they were not looking for business as usual and acted to curb the borough's ability to spend money. That's the new financial reality the winner of the Oct. 25 runoff election for borough mayor will face, the two remaining candidates told a Kenai Chamber of Commerce audience Wednesday.

Brown: Wong support not right
After winning her recent bid for re-election to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School Board, board member Debbie Holle Brown of Kasilof has questioned the support given to her opponent, Wayne Wong, also of Kasilof, by other school board members.

Why did the squirrel cross the road?
A squirrel wastes no time getting to the opposite side of Lawton Drive in Kenai on Wednesday afternoon.

DOE to study LNG for Southcentral
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $500,000 contract to Science Applications International Corp. to take a more detailed look at future natural gas demand in Southcentral Alaska.

Borough makes another push for offshore drilling
Exploration and development of oil and gas resources in Cook Inlet's federal waters has been seen for years as critical to the economy of Southcentral Alaska, and the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly has formally backed those activities with supporting resolutions.

Stud rush not yet seen
Motorists in central Kenai Peninsula communities ap-pear to be waiting for the snow to fly before changing over to studded snow tires this season.

Foundation helps maximize charity
A new organization on the Kenai Peninsula aims to help residents plan their charitable donations and maximize interest and tax benefits on contributions.

Troopers get new home
With the snap of scissors, Col. Julia Grimes, director of the Alaska State Troopers, cut the ribbon to the entrance of the new the Anchor Point Post of the Alaska State Troopers on Monday afternoon.

Sen. Murkowski co-sponsors bill to divide 9th Circuit
JUNEAU (AP) — U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is a co-sponsor of a bill aiming to create two federal courts out of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, whose jurisdiction includes Alaska.

Two charged in shooting death of Anchorage teen
ANCHORAGE (AP) — Two teenagers have been charged in connection with the shooting death of 16-year old Desmond Brooks, who died early Monday after he was shot at a party in an East Anchorage trailer home, Anchorage police said.

Budget gets a closer look
Fallout from the election failure of a proposed bed tax and the success of an initiative-driven effort to cap the borough sales tax at 2 percent could mean a $7.9 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2007, Kenai Peninsula Borough Finance Director Scott Holt warned this week.

Take a seat
A wood frog rests near a mushroom late last month in Kasilof. Wood frogs are Alaska's northernmost amphibian. They generally stop moving in September and begin to hibernate in nests of mud or under forest litter in preparation for winter.

John Norwood Connell IV
John Norwood Connell IV died Monday, Oct. 3, 2005, at home from sudden infant death syndrome. He was 2 months old.

James F. Bartos
Kenai resident James F. Bartos, 53, died Monday, Oct. 10, 2005, at his home.

Robert Chieslak
Cohoe resident Robert Chieslak died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2005, in Anchorage. He was 58.

James F. Bartos
Kenai resident and Alaska Native James F. Bartos died Monday, Oct. 10, 2005, at his home. He was 53.

Patricia A. Santo Bowman
Kenai resident Patricia A. Santo Bowman died Friday, Oct. 7, 2005, at her home. She was 53.

Irene Laurentia Bush
Longtime Kasilof resident Irene Laurentia Bush died Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005, at Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna. She was 84.

Voices of the Clarion: Questions not answered
Recently the print media serving a large portion of the Kenai Peninsula, the Peninsula Clarion, ran a story by a reporter who flew around the site of the future Pebble Mine in a helicopter with Northern Dynasty officials ("Pebble Prospects Looking Good," Sept. 18).

New U.S. oil field discoveries hits 12-year low
Some interesting pieces of information came out Tuesday from the Energy Information Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Energy. Most notably and timely was the statement that the number of new oil field discoveries in this country has fallen to its lowest level in 12 years.

Billboard encourages you 2DO what?
Death sells? The Alaska Travel Industry Association is hoping so with its new billboard ads that feature a giant Alaska license plate reading: ''B4UDIE.''

Around the Peninsula
Community contra dance planned Senior cafe plans closure Masters swim program planned Domestic violence workshop set Family history presentation set

Around the Peninsula
Health care to be discussed Teen nights slated Girl Scout training, celebration set Community film night scheduled

Around the district
Skyview High School October Students of the Month Connections Cook Inlet Academy Grace Lutheran IDEA Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Sciences Kenai Central High School Kenai Middle School Kenai Montessori Kenaitze Cuya Qyut'anen Head Start Nikiski Middle-Senior High Nikiski North Star Elementary READS Redoubt Elementary Sears Elementary Skyview High School Soldotna Elementary Soldotna Middle Soldotna Montessori Charter School Sterling Elementary Tustumena Elementary Wings Christian Academy

Space cadets
"In 15 years," Brian Kruse asks a classroom of first-graders at Nikiski North Star Elementary School, "how old will you be?" Because, Kruse explains, in about 15 years, when this group of first-graders will be 21 or 22 and just finishing college, NASA is planning on having regular manned space flights to the moon and, perhaps, will be shooting for Mars.

Lunch menus
Elementary Secondary

KPC around campus: Technology upgrades a constant priority at KPC
The Kenai Peninsula College is committed to providing students with the latest in computer technology. This goal is challenging for two reasons the rapid rate technology is advancing and the University of Alaska budget challenges.

Kenai netters sweep Skyview
The Kenai Central High School volleyball team spoiled Skyview's senior night, defeating the host Panthers in three games in a Northern Lights Conference match Tuesday.

Barber fined $30,000; Suggs, Reed also fined
NEW YORK (AP) — Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber was fined $30,000 by the NFL on Wednesday for punching an official during last Sunday's game with the New York Jets.

Canadiens shut out Thrashers
ATLANTA — Montreal goalie Yann Danis stopped 32 shots in his NHL debut, shutting down Ilya Kovalchuk and a powerful Atlanta attack in the Canadiens' 2-0 victory over the Thrashers on Wednesday night.

Pirates hire Tracy as manager
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jim Tracy is moving from one of baseball's biggest markets to one of its smallest, from a team that spends big and thinks big to one with more modest expectations following 13 consecutive losing seasons.

Sports views: Men behaving badly
Five years ago, Brian Billick had a team that respected his unique approach to coaching in the NFL.

Once-hopeful Texans tumble to NFL's only winless record
HOUSTON — This was supposed to be the year the Houston Texans got over the hump and maybe even into the playoffs.

Sox make the most of second chance
CHICAGO — The ninth inning was over. And then it wasn't. And then Joe Crede gave the White Sox what is sure to go down as one of the most disputed victories in playoff history.

O'Neill, Lindros lead Maple Leafs past Flyers; Blues post win
TORONTO — Jeff O'Neill scored his first goal with his hometown team and Eric Lindros added one against his former club as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 Tuesday night for their first win of the season.

Sports views: NBA will meet college hoops in a big setting
There won't be any introductions necessary when the coach meets his players. Every NBA player, from star to scrub, knows who Coach K is. Mike Krzyzewski is so thorough as a coach there couldn't possibly be a pro who could have slipped below his radar.

Special: Notre Dame-USC could be a dandy
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Former USC coach John Robinson will do something Saturday he's never done before — sit in the stands at Notre Dame Stadium as a fan.

Angels defeat Sox in Game 1
CHICAGO — Three time zones in three nights. No matter, the Los Angeles Angels were plenty fresh thanks to Paul Byrd and his bullpen.

There's a new Mr. October in town
ST. LOUIS — Remember this chant from postseasons long ago? ''Reggie! Reggie! Reggie!'' There's a new Mr. October in the baseball playoffs, and that first name sure sounds familiar.