State House: ‘Keep your hands off Alaska’s guns’
The State House on Monday passed a gun measure telling the U.S. President and Congress to keep their hands off Alaska’s gun rights.
The measure proposed by House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, passed 31-5 on Monday after a lengthy and impassioned debate. It exempts guns and ammunition owned by Alaskans from federal gun laws and says the state should arrest any federal agent who tries to enforce certain, future federal gun laws.
Those who opposed the measure say it subjects Alaskans to criminal prosecution if they ignore federal gun laws. Rep. Max Gruenberg, D-Anchorage, said the measure was unconstitutional, unenforceable, and distracting the Legislature from other important measures, including a rewrite of state oil tax law.
Births – Jan. 23
Leo Andrew Velsko, a baby boy weighing 6 pounds 13 ounces, was born Jan. 6, 2013 to Erik and Lacey Velsko. Leo is welcomed by sisters, Britta and Estelle. Grandparents are Barb Scalzi and John and Teddi Velsko. Rox Marie, a baby girl weighing 7 pounds 13 ounces, was born Jan. 18, 2013 to Jeanette [...]
Inauguration Day activities offer service, lecture by historian, inauguration broadcast at Alice’s
Jan. 21 this year is a holiday of triple significance: Martin Luther King’s Birthday, President Obama and Vice President Biden’s Inauguration Day celebration and a Day of Service to volunteer, as proclaimed by the President when he first took office in 2009.
Banks, federal offices and schools will be closed Monday. Homer City offices will be open. A civil rights lecture by Historian Steven Haycox is on at the campus, while Alice’s hosts an inauguration party.
If you’re interested in volunteer opportunities around town, the Homer Food Pantry could use your helping hands
Gov. Parnell: Prosperty follows high standards, high production
This is the voice of history – and we must answer its call.
As I look around this chamber, I see many fresh faces – lawmakers who, I have no doubt, will rejuvenate our debate. Join me in welcoming our newest members and their families.
As I look around, I also remember lawmakers who once served. This past year, we said farewell to Representative Carl Gatto and former lawmakers Al Adams, Cheryll Heinze, Bruce Kendall, Michael Beirne, and Henry Pratt.
We also remember nine military service members who deployed from Alaska and perished before returning home. They gave their lives for our freedom, and now, we live forever in their debt.
Births – Jan. 9
New Year’s Baby 2013! Titan Kasius Swenning Norman, a baby boy weighing 7 pounds, 13.7 ounces, was born on Jan. 1, 2013 at 6:13 AM to Barbara Swenning and Nikalai Norman. Grandparents are Emilie and Pail Swenning of Nanwalek, Gordon and Becky Norman of Port Graham. Adah Cynthia Hoffman, a baby girl weighing 7 pounds, [...]
Births – Jan. 2
Cooper Dean Smith, a baby boy weighing 7 pounds, 3.8 ounces, was born on Dec. 21, 2012 to David and Kayla Smith of Anchor Point. Grandparents are Dave and Sharon Smith, Kimberly Olson, James Seifert and Floyd Newkirk.
Homer’s oral history: stories that built a town
Don Rhonda, a man who made his mark during four decades in Homer, illustrated just how much Homer was changed by the 1964 earthquake.
Speaking at Land’s End Resort for a history project in 1996, Rhonda said “many of you people realize that after the quake, this building – not this particular room, necessarily, but this building here, was about six feet in the air?”
They had to jack up the building to get it out of the tide.
“All the ground and dirt you see here came out of that hole where the harbor now is,” he said. “That’s the reason it’s in the middle of the Spit, because we had to have some dirt to raise the Spit up, or we’d lose the whole doggone thing.”
Police Report Jan. 2
Fire calls • Homer Volunteer Fire Department responded to 11 emergency medical calls and 1 fire call for the week of Dec. 17-23. • Fire crews also responded to a carbon monoxide detector activation in a residence. Crews found it to be a faulty detector and advised the homeowner to replace it. • With all [...]
Oil sheen spreads from sunken vessels
Two fishing vessels sank in Jakolof Bay on Christmas day, and by Friday an oily sheen spreading in sensitive oyster farming waters had the attention of federal and state agencies.
The F/V Leading Lady and the F/V Kupreanof sank sometime during the night of Christmas Eve or the following day, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said in a release. The sunken vessels were discovered at 2:47 p.m. on Dec. 25 and were immediately reported to the Coast Guard. The ADEC was notified as well.
The cause of the sinking is believed to be from the 48 inches of snow falling that day, another causality of the immense storm that swept through the region. The vessels were apparently pushed down and on top of one another when crews inspected the situation on Thursday. The Leading Lady is a 53-foot commercial fishing vessel.
Archer says it terminated its contract with Buccaneer
Buccaneer Alaska announced it had terminated its contractor, Archer Drilling, for alleged nonperformance of work, but Archer officials on Wednesday said the situation was actually the other way around.
David Walker, the manager for international platform drilling and engineering at Archer, said a lawsuit is now filed claiming more than $6 million in unpaid invoices are owed by Buccaneer. All local subcontractors hired by Archer have been paid by Archer, Walker said.
