Surviving the blizzard of 2010
After months of waiting for the elusive winter snows to grace our presence in 2010, March truly rolled into Homer like a lion.
Students across the south Kenai Peninsula relished in two snow days – but found themselves relatively unable to enjoy the fresh powder thanks to hurricane-force winds that pushed snow into every crevice imaginable and mounded drifts some six feet high.
Parents around town talked about the last time school was canceled, and speculated on whether Kachemak Bay kids are as hardy as they used to be. By more than one account, school hadn’t been closed for 25 years around Homer. If that’s true, then it’s been a while since K-Bay kids have been truly tested.
Protecting belugas ‘right’ and reasonable
Maybe George Bush wasn’t our most eloquent president. But he did use the 1906 Antiquities Act to designate national monument status for roughly 200,000 square miles of marine waters — the largest such designation by any president in history. That’s because, from Teddy Roosevelt to Barry Goldwater, and from Richard Nixon to Ronald Reagan, conservation has been a long-standing staple of American conservative thought and politics. And rightly so. As preeminent conservative Russell Kirk aptly put it, “Nothing is more conservative than conservation.”
Beluga habitat designation, imagine an alternative
This week marks the end of the official comment period for the beluga critical habitat designation. And over the past few weeks and months we’ve all heard some pretty scary assertions about what this decision will mean for Alaska. It is only understandable that emotions fray and charged comments fly when people feel their lives may be impacted by the simple stroke of a pen in a far away city.
But imagine the alternative; imagine a day when beluga sightings in Cook Inlet, already increasingly rare, cease to be. There will be no ceremony to mark the sad day that these creatures stopped living among us, no announcement, no headline.
Letters – March 10
Students solve future problems
Chapman School’s Future Problem Solving team has passed the qualifying competitions and has been invited to compete in the State Bowl against five other teams from all over the state of Alaska. Our four-member team of fifth and sixth graders has been working since the beginning of the school year on the [...]
Letters – March 3
Change is in the wind
Ben Franklin said, “those who would give up their liberties for the promise of safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” I am sure most have also heard, “I may not agree with what you say, but will defend unto death your right to say it.”
Our country was founded as a republic. [...]
Let’s get this done
My wife and I are two of the many parents who are currently facing an absolutely unacceptable situation here in Razdolna. I am sure the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is aware of the fact that some of our children are learning in one of the most rundown and horrific shaped buildings in the State of Alaska.
Not so fast
Dear Holly Johnson,
You don’t speak for all Alaskans when you say we are “open for business.” You underestimate the tourism industry’s effect on what has made Alaska a great place to live. I see great personal benefit for several high-end tourist businesses on the pro side, and lots of tourist-related junk and jewelry for the rest of us to wade through as our towns become faked-up mirrors of the perceptions of Outsiders.
The rule every ruling party hates
Some movies live for generations. One movie that has deservedly lasted is the great classic, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” The movie stars Jimmy Stewart as Jeff Smith, a Boy Ranger leader. He is specially appointed to the Senate for the sole purpose of being clueless, and thereby enabling the corrupt establishment to pull off a graft scheme. When he learns the truth, the establishment sets out to crush him. So he uses the one tool left to him against the power of the political machine — the filibuster — to hold the Senate floor in order to try to speak to the people.
What a community is …
As residents packed the dining room at the Anchor Point Senior Center Monday night, it became obvious fairly quickly that they wanted answers.
After Trooper Commander Dane Gilmore got up in front of the 200-plus crowd to explain where things stood in the case involving the two young people recently arrested for breaking into area cabins and homes and burglarizing them, Anchor Point citizens weighed in on just how disappointed they were with the lack of help.
Giving food is a beautiful thing
Looking back over 2009, the Homer Community Food Pantry had a record year in terms of income contributions, donations of food and the yearly food expense we spent. We also saw the completion of a long term goal via the installation of a walk-in freezer. It was installed by Andy’s Refrigeration.
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