2006 in review
Triumph, tragedy mark fast-paced yearBy Layton Ehmke
Homer Tribune
It’s been another big year in the Cosmic Hamlet, soaked in the ash of Mount Augustine, the unthinkable tragedy of drugs and violence, a North Fork bear mauling and a community united in its joy at a new public library. This year, Alaska said hello to its first [...]
Legal opinion sparks questions about saying ‘no’ to Pebble
By Carey James
Homer Tribune
An opinion by the state Legislature’s legal counsel release last week said the state must proceed carefully when imposing restrictions on areas with existing approved mine claims or it could face expensive claims of taking from impacted companies. The opinion, written by Donald Bullock Jr., the Legislature’s counsel, was requested by Rep. [...]
Fishermen hoping for boost
By Laine Welch
Alaska’s commercial fisheries division is hoping for another budget boost in FY 07. Comfish is asking for a $3.7 million-dollar increase from the state’s general fund, putting the division’s overall operating costs at about $61 million. That increase, coupled with the general fund boost of nearly $2.5 million approved by the legislature for [...]
Exxon settlement cut in half
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)
A federal appeals court on Friday cut in half a $5 billion jury award for punitive damages against Exxon Mobil Corp. in the 1989 Valdez oil spill that smeared black goo across roughly 1,500 miles of Alaska coastline.The case, one of the nation’s longest-running, non-criminal legal disputes, stems from a 1994 decision by [...]
FYI
Holiday hours at the Chamber, carnival contest set In observance of the holidays, the Homer Chamber of Commerce offices will be closed through Monday and will re-open on Tuesday.The Homer Winter Carnival, scheduled for Feb. 9, 10 and 11, is a celebration of winter fun and activities in Homer. The Chamber’s Winter Carnival Committee is currently [...]
Letters to Editor
Wake-up callWe have no choice but to band together to survive and initiate a legal defense fund to go to court to protect our livelihood and net worth. The alternative is to financially perish at the hands of the commercial fishing industry.Imposing a one fish limit, along with increasing charter fares due to ever-increasing fuel [...]
Winter celebrations and origins of Christmas
By Jessica Schallock
This time of year, the days are short and the nights are long and dark. To combat the winter doldrums, there are many celebrations in December and January, including Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, and Christmas.Many cultures have celebrations near Winter Solstice. Around Dec. 21, the number of hours of daylight is at a minimum [...]
What a year!
In that reflective space between the Christmas holiday and New Year’s, many of us take time to reflect on the year and newspapers are no different. Reporters in the newsroom have combed through a year’s worth of issues in past weeks to pull out the leading news stories for 2006 for our year-in-review issue. A [...]
To Your Health: Part II
A look at the local impacts of the nation’s health insurance problemBy Layton Ehmke
Homer Tribune
Is the system beyond saving?Retired law professor Clark Bouton said the system may be beyond saving, as the current system was based on the idea of employer-sponsored health coverage. He said that idea was born out of a historical accident from [...]
Aboard the Hickory
By Sean Pearson
Homer Tribune
When members of the Homer Boys and Girls Club climbed aboard the van on their way to tour the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hickory on Thursday, 11-year-old Alannah was pretty excited about participating in the trip.She was thrilled to try out the radio in the Captain’s chair:“We got to call and talk [...]
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