Phone Scammer Reported Targeting Kenai Area Residents

Area residents are being warned about a phone scammer who is making his way down a call list that includes Kenai/Soldotna area phone numbers.

Craig Ralston of Nikiski reports that he received a call on his cell phone Thursday afternoon from a man who advised him that he had won $2.5M in a Publisher’s Clearing House Giveaway. The caller offered confirmation numbers and also told Ralston that he had won a new car.

Ralston had actually entered the Giveaway and was familiar with their notification delivery being in-person on your doorstep with flowers, balloons and a film crew .  He pressed the caller for details, and the scammer hung up.

The scammer then called the next number on his list, which happened to belong to Ralston’s wife.

Craig Ralston: “Mine was a Lexis and he told my wife a Mercedes S Class. My wife, when he said that she won a car and that she just had to pay for some shipping – so  told him that well I’ll pay you when the car is delivered -when the money is at the bank, and then he hung up on her.”

The next phone number belonged to Ralston’s daughter who noted the incoming number was registered in Jamaica.  The scammer made some crude suggestions prior to hanging up on her.

Ralston called couple numbers before his and, after speaking to the number owner realized it wasn’t just his family being targeted.  Ralston then dialed a couple numbers ahead to warned people about the scammer prior to calling KSRM News.

The KSRM News contacted the scammer at 1-876-839-4248.  The scammer confirmed that he represented Publisher’s Clearing House Giveaways, but advised there were no awards associated with our phone number or name.

KSRM News Director Dorene Lorenz:  “Did you say this is the Publisher’s Clearinghouse?”  

Scammer: “Yeah.” 

Lorenz: “Really?”

Scammer: “Yeah, I think we have the wrong number….we called the wrong number…It wasn’t you…Okay, Sweetie?”

Those who receive phone solicitations they believe to be scams are encouraged to report them to local police as well as online at Scam Response.

Story as aird on KSRM News:

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Seward Airport Main Runway Closed To Flooding

The City of Seward has been notified that the State of Alaska Department of Transportation has closed the main runway of the Seward Airport until 6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 1, 2017 due to flooding.  City of Seward Public Works suggests that a combination of high tide and several days of rain flooding the Resurrection River have contributed to the flood event.

Walker Calls Legislature Back For Revenue Session

Courtesy of Ron Niebrugge

The voter’s suggested the job should take just a couple months, but with so much at stake the road traveled by this year’s legislative session isn’t coming to an end any time soon. Thursday, Governor Bill Walker announced that he will be calling a Fourth Session to convene October 23rd in Juneau.

In his statement, Walker suggested an agenda would be released on September 22nd that would be narrowing the focus on revenue.

A lot of discussion has revolved around re-instituting an income tax, an effort that wouldn’t capture revenue from visitors and wouldn’t be as oppressive to lower income Alaskans. The idea of taking a cut out of their paycheck at a time when the state is in recession has local residents shaking their head.

Senator Peter Micciche (R D-O): “When I was mayor of Soldotna we offset our tax burden on people from somewhere else. That is what I am interested in, if we do have to go to the revenue option.” 

Senator Mia Costello

Senator Mia Costello of Anchorage doesn’t see any efforts to increase the state’s revenue via an income tax being successful.

Senator Mia Costello (R D-K): “We put the income tax on the floor for a vote just to show that there isn’t support for it, so I don’t see that coming up.”

Walker feels that money has to be found somewhere to fill the projected $2.7 billion budget gap brought on by the continued low oil prices, which have pushed Alaska into a fiscal crisis and lingering recession – and that somewhere can’t be savings anymore as projects show that Alaska currently has less than one year’s worth of savings to fund essential state services like public education and public safety.

Story as aired on KSRM News:

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Flood Relief Scams Rising Faster Than Waters

It’s all over social media, e-mails stacking in your inbox, and even a desperate voice at the end of your phone – cries asking for your help for Hurricane Harvey victims.

The Internal Revenue Service Wednesday issued a warning about possible fake charity scams emerging due to the Texas disaster, and encouraged taxpayers to seek out recognized charitable groups for their donations. Details on available relief can be found on their disaster relief page.

Those who are wanting to help should consider well known national groups, like the Red Cross, and contact them directly.

Red Cross CEO Tanguy Libbrecht: “…buy the necessary supplies that we need to to help offer aid and assistance down in Hurricane Harvey.  It’s a long response, it is going to be going on for a very long time, and we will be offering anything we need to to alleviate suffering.

IRS.gov has the tools people need to quickly and easily check the status of charitable organizations with their search feature, Exempt Organizations Select Check, through which people may find qualified charities where their donations may be tax-deductible.

If you are wondering what the requirements are to make that donation tax deductible, consult IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions to learn about the tax rules that apply to making legitimate tax-deductible donations. It also provides complete details on what records to keep.

Criminals try to take advantage of generosity by impersonating charities to get money or private information from well-meaning taxpayers, often by send emails that steer recipients to bogus websites that appear to be affiliated with legitimate charitable causes. These sites frequently mimic legitimate charities, or claim to be affiliated with legitimate charities in order to persuade people to send money or provide personal financial information that can be used to steal identities or financial resources.

The IRS also warns against giving out personal financial information — such as Social Security numbers or credit card and bank account numbers and passwords — to anyone who solicits a contribution. Scam artists may use this information to steal a donor’s identity and money.  Never give or send cash. For security and tax record purposes, contribute by check or credit card or another way that provides documentation of the donation.

Those who have received an email requesting a donation that they think may be fraudulent should visit IRS.gov and search for the keywords “Report Phishing.” or  “scams and schemes.”

 Story as aired on KSRM News:

http://www.radiokenai.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dorene-on-IRS-scam-warning.mp3

Alaska First Responders Have A Need? FirstNet Has An App For That

AT&T Alaska has all lights flashing with Governor Bill Walker’s Wednesday announcement that he signed a letter of intent to allow the First Responder Network Authority –  or FirstNet – to proceed with development of a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network in Alaska.

AT&T Alaska will work in partnership with the federal government, at no cost to the State of Alaska, to bring a secure wireless broadband to the public safety community that will give fire, police, and EMS priority network access during a crisis.

Although it is expected to take years to design and build out the system, beneficiaries like John Rockwell, who coordinates the State’s 911 management, believes that plan components will offer instant rewards.

State of Alaska 911 Coordinator John Rockwell: “I’m pretty jazzed about the fact that we finally get a dedicated public safety network….that we get the app stores, all that kind of stuff.”

More than the promise and prayer of a network that may be years off, and require an upgrade to the radio system that the City Council will have to figure out how to pay for, Seward Fire Chief Eddie Athey is excited about being able to download – at minimal to no cost – practical software apps that his department could never afford.

Seward Fire Chief Eddie Athey: “It’s very cool. There is a lot of potential to make what we do more effective. We will be able to do pre-plans of buildings and have them in a mobile data terminal, or perhaps even on our phone, where you could pull up …Your fire department connections located here. Your hydrants are here. Here’s the needed fire flow for that particular structure. Here is where your target hazards are at that facility. Here is where the key box is so you can access the keys to get throughout the facility.  All that stuff, they are working all the bugs out of it, and eventually it will be the standard instead of the exception.”

According to Rockwell, hundreds of apps will be available to all Alaskan first responders regardless if they are in an area that has broadband or not.

Story as aired on KSRM News:

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Power Outage Hit Over 700 Homes In Scout Lake Area

A tree toppled by wind after its roots were loosened from all the rain is the most likely cause of today’s outage, according to Homer Electric Association Director of Member Relations Bruce Shelley.  Shelley reports three outages in the Kenai Peninsula, Island Lake – Nikiski knocked 25 meters out of power; 713 meters out of power in the Scout Lake area, which may have effected Funny River residents; and 11 meters were reported out of power in the Kasilof area.  Shelley advises that crews are on site resolving the issues.

Voter Registration Gets A Bump From PFD Applications

The deadline to register as a voter in time for municipal elections is right around the corner, Sunday, September 3rd.  This year has a few twists for those wanting to change their address or register for the first time.

Anyone can use the Online Voter Registration System, so long as they have a valid Alaska driver’s license or state ID card and the information they enter when registering matches their Division of Motor Vehicles record.  Those who can’t jump that hurdle must use a paper registration, available at the local city hall or Division of Elections.

Some tardy Alaskans are by default early adopters of a new way of registering courtesy of Ballot Measure One.  Proponents of the measure felt it would take Alaska from having one of the worst voter registration rates in the nation to one of the most accurate voter registrations in US history.  The Anchorage Economic Development Corporation stepped out in front of the measure, and President Bill Popp explains why… 

Bill Popp

AEDC President Bill Popp: “It would offer more voter engagement, it would make sure the voter rolls are more accurate because pretty much anybody who is qualified who is an Alaska resident applies for the Permanent Fund Dividend and it just seemed like a way to clean up some of the discrepancies in the previous system.”

Alaskans who waited until the last month to file for their Permanent Fund Dividend are now automatically registered to vote, thanks to the approval of Ballot Measure 1 in the last general election.  

Since the law became enacted on March 1st, the Division of Elections is required to send a notice to voters whose address on their PFD application is different than their voter records, telling them that the PFD address will update their voter address.   A mailer will also be sent notify Alaskans that the information on their PFD application will be used to register them to vote unless they ‘opt-out’ within 30 days.

The Division of Elections  it is in the process of developing an ‘Alaska PFD Automatic Voter Registration Manual’, to describe the new process for voter registration and voter updates through the PFD Division and the Division of Elections. This process will increase voter access consistent with all state and federal laws, including the National Voter Registration Act.

 Story as aired on KSRM News:

http://www.radiokenai.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dorene-on-voter-registration-gets-a-bump-from-pfd-applications.mp3

Fairbanks Homeowners Find New EPA Wood Stove Ban Unreasonable

While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is lauding it approval of the Fairbanks North Star Borough fine particulate air quality plan, not all residents are saluting the Clean Air Act flag.

Because of air inversions, when the coldest days of winter hit subarctic Fairbanks and locals light up their wood stoves – a heavy layer of white smoke rolls over the area – creating the highest levels of particulate pollution in the country – pollution that has been recorded at levels significantly worse than Beijing, China.

With Tuesday’s announcement from the EPA,  those in the Golden Heart of Alaska will focus on meeting the more stringent area requirements that will be needed in the serious area plan for achieving clean, healthy air quality for Borough residents.

In June 2017, EPA reclassified the Fairbanks area from moderate to serious nonattainment – which shifts the implementation requirement from all reasonably available to best available emissions control technologies and measures.  The difference between the two is significant.

Senator Tammie Wilson

 Representative Tammie Wilson (R-D3): “At least before now we had a cold weather threshold, where if it got colder than negative 20 you didn’t have to go by any of these rules – that went out the door too.”

Fairbanks residents are frustrated and divided.  Many have taken advantage of a long running changeout program which provides funding to upgrade wood stoves and hydronic heaters to cleaner heating appliances – but until the magic fairy of low cost, clean burning natural gas arrives to town – many simply will not be able to afford to heat with oil once the prices rebound.

With the new EPA classification – when high levels of fine particulate pollution are expected, outright bans on the use of wood heaters will go into effect.

A new ballot measure has been gathering signatures, it says that the borough cannot regulate how folks heat their homes – except through the gas project. North Pole Representative Tammie Wilson is upset with measures she sees as unreasonable, and is concerned about the real world impacts on locals.

Representative Tammie Wilson (R-D3): “Between the Permanent Fund being cut, and now telling you that we can’t use the wood that everybody has put up for the winter, I think you are going to see a lot of people look at moving.”

The approved moderate air quality plan focuses on reducing emissions from residential heating sources — wood stoves and hydronic heaters — that contribute to high particulate air pollution levels.  There are regulations prohibiting dense smoke from chimneys and requiring use of seasoned wood.

The EPA awarded a $2.5 million targeted airshed grant targeted at reducing air pollution in the Fairbanks North Star Borough through a wood stove changeout program. In September, EPA representatives will visit the Borough to meet with state and local officials and air quality planners to support the development of the serious air quality plan.

30 days after it is published in the Federal Register EPA’s final action will become effective and the Fairbanks moderate air quality plan will become a part of the federally enforceable State Implementation Plan. The prepublication notice is available at: https://www.epa.gov/ak/fairbanks-air-quality-plan.

Several scientific studies have linked exposure to fine particulates like those found during the inversions with serious human health problems, including increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits by those with respiratory ailments and cardiovascular disease. More information on fine particulates is available at: https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution.

Story as aired on KSRM News:

http://www.radiokenai.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dorene-on-Fairbanks-homeowners-find-new-epa-wood-stove-ban-unreasonable.mp3

Cooper Landing Bypass Alternatives Deserve A Second Look

The 280 or so people who call Cooper Landing home are looking forward to quiet afternoons where they can watch fishermen trying their luck for the world class salmon that call the teal green river home.  Afternoons without the steady traffic of those just passing through.

Shirley Wilmoth is on the Board of Directors of the Cooper Landing Chamber of Commerce…

Shirley Wilmoth: “Everyone that lives in the town is very concerned that we cannot afford to lose our river, and because we have so much truck traffic on the Sterling Highway right next to the river on very curvy roads, that does run a risk.”

Residents of Cooper Landing have waited over 40 years to have the authorities mitigate that risk, and now it looks like they are going to have to wait just a little longer with Transportation Secretary Chao’s announcement that comments on the project were going to be re-opened now that the Interior Department is willing to make a land exchange with CIRI so that public land crossings can be avoided.

CIRI Corporate Communications Director Jason Moore: “We are certainly willing to negotiate with the Department of the Interior as far as the land exchange that will allow the Juneau Creek Alternative to go forward. We are ready and willing to participate in that.” 

With over 200 pages of public comment already on record, the feds want to give the question a fresh look now that many of the concerns voiced will be addressed by a land exchange.  The alternative favored by the DOT wasn’t a public favorite by any measure.

Jason Moore: “Some of the complaints involve – that doesn’t necessarily take the highway away from the Kenai River, so you are potentially looking at more impacts to the river.  There are also many more cultural assets that are likely to be impacted with that alternative, that upset many of the Kenaitze tribal members. We think taking the route further away from the Kenai River makes a lot more sense.”

In their written comments, the Russian River Land Group which is composed of CIRI, along with  Kenaitze Indian Tribe, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the US Forest Service to cooperate on efforts to “protect and preserve the outstanding historic, cultural, and natural resources” in the vicinity of the confluence of the Russian and Kenai Rivers noted that at least one of the alternatives would have irreversible impacts as well as unanticipated effects to sites defined by the Kenaitze Indian Tribe as sacred and spiritual, including traditional burial sites.

The fall 2017 Final Determination originally offered by the State DOT seems to be a push. In an interview with KSRM News, Federal DOT spokesman Doug Hecox said the federal government is not doing anything this fall.

Doug Hecox: “We aren’t committed to any specific timetable.  It is hard to know exactly what is going to happen until after this timetable is over.”

Find out more information including videos that explain the details of each of the four alternatives at this link. Submit your comment by sending an email to the Sterling Highway team leaders at  sterlinghwy@hdrinc.com.

Story as aired on KSRM News:

http://www.radiokenai.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dorene-on-cooper-landing-bypass-alternatives-deserve-a-second-look.mp3

Cooper Landing Bypass Project Re-Opens Consideration Of All Four Routes

fter over four decades, the dream of the Cooper Landing Bypass took a big step forward Friday, even as the project took two steps back with the announcement that the Federal Highway Administration is re-opening the Least Environmental Harm Analysis on the four lead alternatives that they are investigating.  The reconsideration to attributed to a new ability to execute a land exchange for controversial properties that made some of the alternatives less attractive.

The Sterling Highway is one of state’s busiest roads, and DOT has worked at re-routing the thin 15-mile ribbon of twisting, turning pavement between Mileposts 45-60 since 1975.

Commissioner for Transportation Marc Luiken:”The Department of Interior has sent a letter to the Secretary of Transportation that said, ‘we would consider a land exchange with the native corporation CIRI if one of these other alternatives …were selected.”  

Marc Luiken

Two years ago, DOT announced department preference for the G South Alternative, but Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced that route is no longer the heir apparent.

Commissioner for Transportation Marc Luiken:”Several groups on the Kenai Peninsula, including the Borough itself and certainly the tribes and the native corporation down there, were concerned about that particular alternative.”

G South Alternative would reconstruct eight miles of the existing highway, construct 5.5 miles of new alignment skirting north of Cooper Landing, before reconnecting with the existing alignment near milepost 52.. This alternative would construct a new bridge over lower Juneau Creek and another over the Kenai River, and replace an existing bridge over the Kenai River.

Proponents found the routing avoids impacts to the Resurrection Pass Trail, the Juneau Falls Recreation Area and important cultural properties, and also avoids using designated wilderness land within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.  The G South Alternative also skirts Cooper Landing in an effort to reduce traffic, noise ,and property acquisition that would potentially impact that community.

According to the project’s website, later this year DOT&PF and FHWA will publish a Final EIS which provide additional details on the identification of the preferred alternative, along with responses to all the public comments received on the project.  The final decision on which alternative will be selected is expected to be announced this fall with the publication of the Record of Decision.

Chao says the Sterling Highway project has “currently the longest running federally led Environmental Impact Statement in the country.”  The Sterling highway was opened in 1950, with Seward’s Chris Sorenson driving the first vehicle across, running supplies to Per Osmar in Clam Gulch.

Story as aired on KSRM News:

http://www.radiokenai.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dorene-on-Copper-River-Bypass.mp3

Tools To Preserve Alaska's Historic Buildings Swinging In Balance Of Tax Reform

When Hugh and Iris Darling found it was time to invest in maintaining Brown & Hawkins, one of the original townsite buildings in Seward, they didn’t have a difficult time supplementing their funding.

Hugh’s mother, Virginia Darling, had filled out the paperwork to have the 1900 era store placed on the National Historic Register, and that opened up a world of possibilities.

The Darlings took advantage of a non-competative program called the Historic Preservation Tax Credit – a sort of grant from the IRS – that is designed to keep historic buildings in America’s inventory.  With the minimum amount of repairs being just $5,000 – easily the cost of a new roof or boiler, being able to take credit for the work off their taxes was welcome relief.

Iris Darling: “We have gotten them a couple times. You know, they are not difficult.  They are available.  You have to be on the national register,  you put in a plan, and it has to be approved.”

It is an industry maxim that the greenest building is the one already built, and according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, without the tax credit many buildings that touch back to a community’s roots would end up in the landfill.

Government Relations and Policy Director Shaw Sprague: “..over the past 35 years has helped revitalize hundreds of communities and more than 42,000 historic properties across the country, and it really is the cornerstone of how the federal government supports historic preservation today.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski will soon be looking at a bill that expands the Tax Credit in a way that is highly favorable to Alaska’s smaller rural communities.  Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act (S.2655/H.R.3856) would up the tax credit to 30% on project under $1.5 million, and allow developers to offer the credit to investors who may need a break on their taxes.

Senator Lisa Murkowski: ” We are going to be taking up tax reform, big issue, that will occupy much of the time in September.”

House leadership released their Tax Reform Blueprint in late June which targets credit and deduction programs for elimination.  While it doesn’t specifically reference the Historic Tax Credit, it’s elimination is implied and the National Trust for Historic Preservation views it as a second strike after the previous Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee proposed to eliminate the program.

Story as aired on KSRM News:
http://www.radiokenai.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dorene-on-Tools-to-preserve-Alaskas-historic-buildings-swinging-in-the-balance-of-tax-reform.mp3

Alaska Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Governor Bill Walker On PFD Disbursements

The Alaska Supreme Court ruled Friday, August 25th, that the State of Alaska is well within it’s rights to dictate the amount of the PFD annually distributed to Alaskans.

Alaska state senator Bill Wielechowski joined with two former state legislators – Rick Halford and Clem Tillion –  to sue the State of Alaska over the 2016 reduction in the amount of the Permanent Fund Dividends driven by Governor Bill Walker.

The legislators sought for a court ruling that the dividend program statutes contain a constitutionally permissible revenue dedication “automatically” transferring prescribed revenues from the earnings reserve to the dividend fund without need for legislative appropriation and not subject to the governor’s veto.

The court disagreed with the legislators, a move Wielechowski feels Alaskans will feel an immediate effect from should the Governor call the legislature back in session in October.

Bill Wielechowski

Senator Bill Wielechowski (D D-H): “The Legislature can do whatever they want.  The governor can set the PFD at whatever level he wants.  He can eliminate it. The Legislature can eliminate it. They can do whatever they want. It’s a very dangerous precedent.”

In an interview with KSRM, Wielechowski said that the Plaintiff’s aren’t taking this decision sitting down.  He had just spoken to Halford and Tillion, and they felt the decision would galvanize Alaskans around the PFD.

Former Senator Clem Tillion: “It’s a disappointment to me, but that just means we are going to have to gather signatures and put it on the ballot.”

Wielechowski says that he didn’t think arbitrary  PFD disbursements were  intended by the legislature that created the PFD program,  and that it was time to take the matter to a vote of the people.

In it’s ruling the court noted that the permanent fund was proposed by then-Governor Jay Hammond to save for future generations a percentage of revenue generated from nonrenewable resources, and Hammond also sought to curb wasteful government spending of expected increased revenues.

Story as aired on KSRM News:

www.radiokenai.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dorene-on-Alaska-Supreme-Court-rules-in-favor-of-governor-bill-walker-on-pfd-disbursements.mp3