The Nome Nugget - Alaska's Oldest Newspaper

August 26, 2010

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A GRAND VIEW — Erika Rhodes and some canine buddies hike up a ridge overlooking the Grand Central valley Aug. 22. Mount Osborn, the region's high point, is on the far right. Photo by Tyler Rhodes
 


PRETTY IN PINK — Paige Gustafson, 3, checks out Angela Hanson's vibrant dahlias during the Aug. 22
Nome Garden Tour. For more garden tour photos, see page 11. Photo by Nadja Roessek

 


Cover
• Council favors new rules for Belmont beach
• Port Commission offers plan for dredge conflicts

Page 2
• Editorial • Letters
• Ulu News

Page 3
• News from around the state

Page 4
• New Public Safety Building nears completion
• Port - continued from page 1

Page 5
• Council - continued from page 1
• Projects - continued from page 4

Page 6
• Nome remembers Uncle Ted and his accomplishments
•State news - continued from page 3

Page 7
• Uranium is above and below ground in Wales
• Norton Sound silver salmon run in average range throughout region

Page 8 
• A year later, trial begins over roadway death
• Nome jumping off point for Chukchi research
• Nome mayor appointed to Northern Water Task force

Page 9 
• Diomede-to-Diomede swim planned for a worldwide cause


Page 10
• Students rise and shine for 2010 school year

Page 11 
• Secret gardens on tour

Page 12
• Low back Pain: Know the signs of serious problems

Page 13
• Nome Police Department asks for assistance in vandlism investigations
• Obituary

Page 14
• Classified Ads • Employment
• Seawall • Trooper Beat • Legals

Page 15
• All Around the Sound

Page 16
• More Legals - continued from page 14
• More Ulu News - continued from page 2

Page 17
• More Ulu News - continued from page 16

Page 18
• More Ulu News - continued from page 17
• Court • Serving the Community of Nome

Page 19
• Serving the Community of Nome

Page 20


Council favors new rules for Belmont beach

By Laurie McNicholas
During a meeting on Monday the Nome Common Council accepted a recommendation from the Nome Port Commission to designate one section of Belmont beach on the Snake River for gold dredge operators who want to park there, and the other section for Belmont residents for recreational uses. (See related story on this page.)
The commission recommends the following.

  • A property use line that extends off the southernmost property line of Lot 61A in Block 57. The northern portion of the beach would be designated for vessel mooring, and the southern portion would be posted for swimming and fishing with no vessels allowed.
  • Signs would be posted that prohibit excessive noise and waste dumping per city ordinance.
  • Ordinance 13.25.060 regarding overnight habitation would be expanded to include the Belmont beach property.

Ordinance 13.25.060 prohibits overnight habitation in tents, vehicles or other temporary structures and overnight storage of any personal property in the area bounded by the mouth of the Snake River on the west, River Street on the north, Bering Street on the east and the Bering Sea on the south. The ordinance defines overnight as any period of time between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Mayor Denise Michels said the city is required to advertise the proposed ordinance expansion, and the Port Commission will need to conduct a public hearing on the matter. The council unanimously approved a motion by Jon Larson to accept the commission's recommendation and advertise the proposed ordinance revision.

In comments to the council, Belmont resident Daniel Scholten described the commission's rec- continued on page 5

Port Commission offers plan for dredge conflicts

By Laurie McNicholas
The Nome Port Commission has come up with a possible solution to a conflict between Belmont area residents who use the Belmont beach on the Snake River for recreation and gold dredge operators who use the beach to park their dredges—and in some cases live aboard them. Docking space is limited in the small boat harbor.

During a meeting Aug. 19, the commission unanimously recommended that dredges be required to park north of lot 61A in block 57 to provide continual beach access in front of the Prospect Apartments and southward to those who use the area for swimming, picnicking and subsistence and sport fishing. The beach is nearly 600 feet long. The commission also recommended posting signs on the beach prohibiting refuse dumping, excessive noise and overnight stays on dredges.

The commissioners developed the recommendations as requested by the Nome Common Council following discussion of complaints about dredges from Belmont area residents at a council meeting on Aug. 9. In a letter to the council dated July 27, Daniel Scholten charged that dredge operators do noisy work on their rigs till 2 a.m., dump trash and honeybuckets in the river, spill oil and gas on land and water, and park dredges and vehicles on beach areas traditionally used for recreation.

"Children for the most part are not supervised in this area and they will play on the equipment here because it is in their area," Scholten wrote. He said a young child nearly drowned this summer after falling between two dredges.

Early this season, Harbor Master Joy Baker and port employee Arlo Hannigan reported complaints similar to Scholten's to port commission members. Baker told commissioners continued on page 4



SMILE — First grade teacher Sandi Keller, flanked by David Miller and Grace Okleasik, takes a picture of
Serry Iyatunguk on the first day of school Aug. 19 at Nome Elementary School. More photos are on page 10.
Photo by Tyler Rhodes

 

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