Homer gasline approved
Gov. Sean Parnell approved funding for the South Peninsula Natural Gas Pipeline Monday, leaving intact the entire $8,150,000 request in the 2013 Capital Budget.
The governor said it made a difference that customers along the Enstar line would help pay for construction through the $1 tariff. “That is what I had requested and I was glad to see it was followed through. I will be glad the people of the Southern Kenai Peninsula will have access to natural gas,” Parnell said during a press conference explaining his budget decisions.
Losing no time, the Homer City Council passed a resolution Monday night to begin the process for obtaining natural gas. A workshop is set for June 4 to “initiate a broad community review process on the merits of public financing for gasline construction.”
“This is what we’ve waited a long time for,” said Mayor Jim Hornaday, who often mentions the town has sought natural gas heat for 40 years. “It’s going to make a tremendous difference in our bottom line, for every business and individual in town.”
Brown bear spotted on Greer Road
A brown bear is the suspected culprit of a chicken coup raid and of seriously damaging a spring garden after ripping into a high tunnel off Greer Road, nine miles East End Road in the Fritz Creek area. The bear has also wreaked havoc on Yukon Road before Greer.
Adam Green found all his plantings ruined – carrots, beats, potatoes, greens.
“All trampled,” he said Monday. “The bear came along and put his paws on it and pushed in all the sides every four feet. He ripped open doors on each end – absolutely ripped it apart,” Green said. The damage can be repaired but it’s going to take some work.
Tiglax gets tied up in first sign of federal budget cuts
In a difficult cost-cutting move, the research vessel the M/V Tiglax will sit tied to the Homer dock for two weeks this summer.
The Alaska National Maritime Wildlife Refuge owns the famed research ship, built in 1987 especially for difficult work in the stormy Aleutians. Refuge Manager Steve Delehanty said the move will save the refuge $80,000.
“This will be the most noticeable cut in terms of the public, because the ship will be tied up at the dock for two weeks in the prime of the season,” Delehanty said.
The cuts also mean foregoing or postponing research at Barren Islands, a long-term sea bird monitoring project studying ocean health through bird diets.
The refuge’s annual budget of roughly $4 million goes to all operations throughout the Alaska National Maritime Wildlife Refuge. With increasing costs and budget cuts of 2 percent, the refuge has a budget shortfall of about $400,000.
HoPP recruiting volunteers all week
HoPP will be recruiting building volunteers and helpers for its Karen Hornaday Park Playground Project starting Sunday and running through to May 27.
The old Karen Hornaday playground was taken down by the City of Homer this weekend, leaving open ground for creating the ambitious nature-themed playground for Homer’s children.
Organizer Miranda Weiss said the Sunday-to-Sunday building schedule still needs to be filled in with people geared toward one of three tasks.
“There are three ways to help out: On building, helping with child care or helping to serve or donate meals,” she said.
Community News – May 16
Local LARPing Homer High School students, as well as a few younger and older warriors, gathered on Sunday for a little Live Action Role Playing at Karen Hornaday Park. Several participants created names for their clans, donned costumes and wielded foam weapons as they clashed in a make-believe battle. ‘Mariners on the Move’ Homer High [...]
Friends of the feathered flock to 5k fun
A total of 186 runners and walkers — along with a few kids in strollers — completed Sunday’s annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival Migration Run.
Homer High graduate Tux Seims turned in the fastest overall time for the 5-kilometer course, finishing in 17 minutes, 36 seconds. Heather Gaines was the quickest women’s finisher, coming in at 20:33.
Rounding out the top five in the men’s division were: Eric Rozeboom, 17:59; Brad Bentler, 18:05; Jan Spurkland, 18:55 and Jake Worsford, 19:27.
The next four women finishers following Gaines were Katie Moerlin, 21:03; Katie Miller, 21:33; Beck Hauser, 21:38 and Elizabeth Roedl, 22:15.
Dexter Lowe, 11 and Ethan Pitzman, 10, were the fastest youth finishers, coming in at 22:45 and 22:47, respectively. Aziza Pitcher, 13, was the fastest female youth, coming in at 23:57.
Police – May 16
Kachemak Emergency Services responded to three medical emergency calls during the week of May 7-13. 5/8 A caller reported a possible violation of city signage ordinance. Individuals presented at the counter to advise they will conduct a political demonstration on public property. A person reported twice that demonstrators’ signs were blocking view of the roadway. [...]
For the Record – May 16
The following records are cases and records filed in court. Individuals are innocent until proven guilty, and copies of the records are publicly available. Misdemeanor Danielle L. Bauman, 35, assault in the fourth degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, disorderly conduct and resisting or interfering with arrest. Richard E. Zielinski, 45, sports fishing permit [...]
Chasing ambulances, dog teams and fish for 30 years
Click here to go to Lavrakas’ Kickstarter page • Help from kickstarter.com means accessible way for book-buyers to own a piece of Lavrakas’ success By Naomi Klouda Homer Tribune Kickstarter.com came to photographer Jim Lavrakas’ attention when a friend notified him on Facebook of an original film by Inupiat filmmaker Andrew MacLean. “His film was [...]
Excavator accident takes local man’s life
A Homer man has died in a construction accident off West Hill Road Friday when an excavator he was operating flipped and crushed him.
David William Boone, 57, was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:07 p.m.
The Homer Police Department received the call to Rebar Road off West Hill on Friday afternoon. First responders from the Homer Volunteer Fire Department found that Boone had been pinned by the equipment and could not be revived.
Boone’s son, Corey, said his dad was helping a friend. “His friend is moving to Homer, and Dad was clearing a lot for a potential building site,” Corey said Monday. He owned the backhoe, which he had used in a land-clearing project several years before. “Then he just kept it, and used it mostly to help friends,” he said.
