Thanks for shorebird festival support

On behalf of Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges, one of the co-sponsors of the 34th Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, I want to thank everyone who made it happen: the other co-sponsor, the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge; financial supporters; donors of items to a silent auction; community partners on the Festival Steering Committee; local tour operators and businesses; and some 60 volunteer presenters, guides, and “behind the scenes” people who folded T-shirts, prepped and served at receptions, made up bird trivia questions, took pictures, and monitored attendance at every event.


A special shout-out to a “dream team” whose hard work and creativity made everything run smoothly: Marcy Melville, Friends’ Shorebird Festival Coordinator, and Alaska Maritime Refuge’s Lora Haller and Adrienne McGill.


This year’s Festival was a bit stormy and chilly. It even snowed, but birders were treated to evenings with shorebird murmurations at high tide in perfect, gorgeous light. A record 1,150 people from 40 states and seven countries on five continents participated this year, filling the tours, events, and Junior and Teen Birder programs, as well as Homer lodgings, restaurants, art galleries, boats, trails and bird-viewing places. The birds obligingly showed up once again, including a few rare ones.
Thanks again to everyone who helped out and participated in Alaska’s largest annual wildlife festival and this amazing annual community event.


As the Friends group to all 16 of Alaska’s unique National Wildlife Refuges, the Festival is a way to promote the stewardship of the breeding ground destinations for the majority of the birds migrating onward. 

Sincerely,
Marilyn Sigman, Board President
Friends of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuges

Memorial Day remembrance

“But we… shall be remembered: we few, we happy few, we band of Brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother…” – William Shakespeare.

Memorial Day is a sacred day for some of us who have taken the military oath and agreed to stand in harm’s way if need be to defend our way of life. Some of us get to return from our combat tours and sadly some of us do not. We who return celebrate each other and that we are still alive. We also celebrate the lives of the ones we’ve lost.

On this Memorial Day, some of us will honor those who gave their last full measure of devotion so that our country remains free. Others will take advantage of furniture, automobile or other sales. For some others, it signals the beginning of summer and calls for a good day to barbecue.

Today, we honor our heroes, remember their achievements, their courage and their dedication, and to say thank you for their sacrifices. The heroes we honor today came from all walks of life, but they shared several fundamental qualities. They possessed courage, pride, determination, selflessness, dedication to duty and integrity.

They didn’t go to war because they loved fighting; they were called to be part of something bigger than themselves. They were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways in extreme times. They rose to our nation’s call because they wanted to protect it, which had given them and us so much.

Whatever their personal motives might have been, they said, “I’ll go.” That is why they are the best of America and that separates them from those who’ve not served in uniform. They showed admirable willingness to risk their lives for people they never met.

As we commemorate Memorial Day 2026, let us never forget the sacrifices of those who gave their lives in service to our country, and let us strive to be worthy of their legacy.

“We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders field.”

— John McCrae. “In Flanders Fields,” 1915

Michael A. LeMay

Homer Veterans For Peace

The people should choose

“We the people.” Not we the rich, not we the political party, not we the white man. Our nation’s Constitution begins with these simple but powerful words: “We the people.”

Alaska’s voters can go to the Aug. 18 primary election knowing that they can choose a candidate of their choice, not the choice of a political party, the choice of the people.

If the Ballot Initiative that includes ending Open Primaries wins, we will no longer have that option — our vote will be controlled by who the party chooses. Those not registered for a political party will have to choose between two ballots. The people will no longer choose.

This Ballot Initiative includes ending Ranked Choice Voting. If it wins, we will no longer be able to make four choices by ranking them in order of our favorites. That gives a voter four chances of their choice winning. The people get four choices! The people can vote for a candidate that truly represents their civic ideals.

With Ranked Choice Voting a candidate has to win by 50% plus one vote. The winning candidate reflects the majority of the voters, nothing less. There are no longer expensive run-off elections.  In 2022, five in 10 voters split their ballot between parties. Choices!

There was little confusion in 2022; over 99% of ballots were submitted correctly! The people know what they are doing — the party doesn’t have to do it for them.

This Ballot Initiative not only includes ending Open Primaries and ending Ranked Choice Voting, it also includes ending campaign finance disclosure.

It will once again establish “dark money” where the people will never know what special interest mega-wealthy outside source is financing a campaign or how much they are giving. Currently those sources and amounts have to be disclosed.  Campaign financing should not be a secret. The people should know.

The signs are already up supporting this Ballot Initiative, but they tell little. Be an informed voter! Dig into why they want to take your choices away, why they want to control your vote and why they want to hide the big money that supports their party. Seems rotten to me.  Vote NO on repealing Open Primaries/RCV and ending campaign donor disclosure.

Therese Lewandowski

Homer