Redrawn maps impact election ahead
Redistricting amendments now have placed Halibut Cove and Seldovia back in league with Homer, instead of shifting those communities to the Kodiak voting district.
That is one of the changes in the latest draft of the Alaska Redistricting project that soon places Homer in what is currently Republican Sen. Thomas Wagoner’s Senate District O. Homer, for just a few more weeks, is part of Republican Sen. Gary Steven’s Senate District R.
Foundation gives $8,720 to youth
The Homer Foundation’s Youth Advisory Committee announced the recipients of the 2012 YAC grants totaling $8,720. • Big Brothers Big Sisters, for match activities, $500 • Project Grad, to support components of its College Access Program, both the Summer Institute and the new Middle School Bridge Program, $1250 • Popeye Wrestling Club, for resurfacing of [...]
Predator control advocate rejected by Legislature
Despite pressure from the powerful Alaska Outdoor Council and support from Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell, Lynn Keogh failed to secure enough votes Tuesday to be confirmed to sit on Alaska’s Board of Game. Keogh, a hunting guide and ardent predator-control advocate, needed 31 votes to be confirmed. He got 29. Six House Republicans, many from [...]
Community News – April 18
The Homer High clothing drive, organized by student council members, began March 19 as the intent to gather used prom dresses for girls who couldn’t afford their own.
It became an all-clothes-accepted drive for the entire community. A committee of students made posters and morning announcements requesting old or unwanted clothing. Thanks to the contributions of students and their families, the drive managed to gather several boxes of everything from jeans to dresses.
FYI News briefs & announcements – April 18
Not quite a record, but still impressive
Homer area came in with 194.4 inches, or 16.24 feet of snowfall for the winter of 2011-12. That’s still about four inches shy of the official record of 16.7 feet, set in 1979-80. Homer averages about 54 inches of snow in town, and 112 inches of snow on the bluff. This winter’s snowfall, while perhaps not over, came in nearly twice the average.
Nonprofits gain unexpected cash gifts
Homer area nonprofits gained $49,350 through the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend’s annual Pick.Click.Give Program, an amount given to 14 individual groups.
Pick.Click.Give. continues to grow statewide, noted Joy Steward, the executive director of the Homer Foundation, doubling last year’s total to take in $2.2 million for statewide nonprofits.
A fresh face: City council appoints Beau Burgess
Homer City Council member Beau Burgess hit the ground running at his first meeting Monday night, voting in favor of allowing sandwich board signs year-round and participating in his first council meeting minutes after being sworn into office.
The 26-year-old is the youngest person to serve on the council in many years. By narrow margins, he beat out Planning Commissioner Sharon Minsch, who had received two votes to his three in a secret ballot vote by the city council. A third candidate, a Homer Electric engineer Don Stead, received one council vote.
Burgess owns two small businesses: Homer Bookkeepers, an accounting firm that handles the books for the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Bald Mountain Air. He also owns Southern Exposure LLC, an excavation company which installs driveways, landscaping, septics and wind towers.
Catch a $3 ride around town soon
In about a month, look for two new minivans on Homer roads that will serve for public transportation.
In what is described as a “Homeresque” solution to a problem, the new busing system is a partnership between the Central Area Rural Transit System and two local taxi companies, Kostas and Kachemak Cab. CART bought the two minivans, and turns them over to the cab companies to operate.
To ride the “buses,” anyone can purchases a packet of vouchers. Then each ride is $3 within city boundaries. This would help kids who need to stay after school for activities whose parents are working. It would help when cars are in the shop. It could help anyone who doesn’t own a car.
“This is incredibly creative,” said ILC Executive Director Joyanna Geisler. “We’ve seen people try things (to gain public transportation) but Homer is never going to have People Mover, at least not in my lifetime.”
Supreme Court rules on ACT case
The Alaska Supreme Court issued a ruling Friday that the Alliance of Concerned Citizens must pay for its own attorney fees after suing the Kenai Peninsula Borough on the matter of term limits.
Believing the borough assembly has a long history of ignoring voters on term limits, ACT decided to file initiative petitions for term limits on the Kenai Borough Assembly and School Board Members in 2007. Both passed and were challenged in court where assembly term limits prevailed and the limit on the school board was denied.
This means ACT won one matter and lost on the other, and for five years fought to recover attorney costs.
The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling that there was no clearly prevailing party, and therefore, there would be no compensation for attorney fees.
Community news – April 11
Fiddling friends “The Fiddliterates” played Friday night at the Homer Public Library for the Lifelong Learner Awards and fundraising event. Band members are Teresa Sundmark on fiddle, Scotty Meyer on fiddle, Kate Meyer on banjo, Willy Dunn on bass and Mike Patch on guitar. Boys, Girls Club to stay open over summer Good news for [...]
