Library makes Homer special

This Saturday, the library is hosting a party to celebrate its 20th year in its new building. I have to admit, when it first opened, I refused to go inside. When the library was where Dr. Heston’s office is now, I could park in front of the building and be in and out in minutes. The thought of parking so far away to reach the new building was unthinkable. But I overcame my stubbornness and made the trip. The first thing that struck me was the lights. Every time I entered a new aisle, the lights turned on automatically. That was so cool!

Since then, the library has become one of my favorite places to visit. From the staff (they are all super nice) to the incredible resources and programs they offer, I see it as a beacon of community pride and hope. My favorite thing is the chance to reconnect with people I have not seen in a long time or to meet people for the first time. In a place where quiet is a premium, I always feel I can visit with everyone I run into without getting shushed too much.

Our community is special for many reasons, and having Homer Public Library is on the top of the list.

Alex Koplin


Vote out the mess


It has become a common refrain around the world, “The United States of America is no longer the leader of the free world.” Why? Because, our leaders have become bitter, and angry, and vengeful in authoritarianism. They have waged battles with our closest allies, mocking them when they stand up for themselves. And we Alaskans are very much to blame. Because we sent men to Washington who have capitulated to all of this.

We have a senator that is self-serving, Sullivan, who appears to have padded his wallet with shares in farm-fished ventures. A Congressman whose strongest act to date was to prop up Bitcoin, Begich, increasing his wealth and thanking us for the honor of having been sent to D.C.

Sullivan and Begich have broken their oath, to their office and to the constitution of the United States. Giving away or losing their powers of the purse. Giving away or losing their war powers. And due to these two losers of power, our country is a mess.

Alaskans at large struggle to pay for groceries. Food here is more expensive than ever before. We struggle to buy the fuel we need to heat our homes and drive our vehicles to work. We struggle, and these two losers of the power we granted them don’t raise a finger to make a change.

Campaigning, Sullivan and Begich told us: They would do away with “Forever Wars,” lower the cost of eggs and groceries, lower inflation, make housing affordable, give us cheaper health insurance, and make gasoline and diesel affordable. But these two losers of power have gotten us into what appears to be another “forever war” and driven the price of everything we need daily through the roof.

And we Alaskans will continue to be just as responsible for this mess we’re in, unless we vote these two losers of power out of office. Self-serving and Bitcoin, Sullivan and Begich, need to be voted away.

Tim Dillon

Seldovia

Cloud seeding should move on to better endeavors

A recent disclosure of a tech boy in his egoistic bubble creating cloud-seeding technology to solve the problems of climate change (and make a load of money), was carried out unbeknownst to the general public (except for state agencies being “aware” of it), “seeding” silver iodide over considerable area from a drone in the Kachemak Bay region. The only green to be seen here is “greenwashing” and to use a colloquial term, “long green,” The fact that this Kachemak Bay testing was done without the knowledge of residents is a violation of democratic principles and behavior, conducted by some brief transient. Democracy is killed by a death of a thousand cuts. So are the concepts of the common good and common sense. This is one example.

Rainmaker Technology, Corp., and CEO Augustus Doriko, says the test created 19 million gallons of water and that the technology can make the environment and farms healthier and more green. It seems such technology is used to provide “snow-starved” ski resorts with snow for their skiers. Oh, and maybe save the Great Salt Lake and the Colorado River (didn’t mention Lake Mead), restore glaciers.

Apparently, Homer is somehow short of rainfall, perhaps the peony farms are suffering from drought, maybe the Grewingk glacier is shrinking. Undoubtedly, the Matanuska Glacier has mostly disappeared from its presence when I was growing up in the Mat-Valley in the 60s, but it won’t be brought back by the shenanigans of a “mulleted CEO in his 20s” (Doriko’s words, not mine).

Perhaps Mr. Doriko should move on to better endeavors, take his grandiose glacier-saving to the seriously at-risk Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica. After all, he says he is “absolutely down” for more outreach. If he’s looking for public approval, I suggest he look to Springsteen’s song, “I’m goin’ down, down, down, down…” for a reality check.

George Harbeson

Peltola did vote for historic military pay raise

Former Representative Mary Pertola voted against the initial House version of the 2023 Defense Authorization bill due to partisan amendments restricting abortion and transgender care but she subsequently voted for the final partisan compromise bill that secured a historic 5.2% military pay raise. True.

Carole Hamik

Thanks for Ski Club shed support

The Kachemak Nordic Ski Club thanks the dedicated volunteers and local businesses who donated to the completion of the Baycrest Equipment Shed at the Rogers Loop Trailhead. This building will be used to store and maintain ski trail grooming equipment. For many years the volunteer groomers and mechanics had to work outside in the cold and dark to maintain the equipment. 

Now, along with the buildings at Lookout, Sunset, and McNeil-Eveline, all the club’s equipment will be under shelter. The Baycrest equipment had been stored in club co-founder Dave Brann’s backyard for the last 36 years. The site was provided by the City of Homer.

The project was funded by the 100 Women Who Care, Homer Foundation, Rasmusson Foundation, and more than half, by individual community members.

Twenty-five KNSC volunteers worked on the construction of the Baycrest Equipment Shed Project. Nearly the entire two-year project was completed by volunteer labor. Many local businesses contributed with donations of materials and labor, or significant discounts on materials and services. The project would not have been possible without the generous support of local businesses. Sincere thanks to these business supporters of the Homer skiing community:

Goliath Tech – helical post foundation

Spenard Builders – materials and delivery

Contractor Nick Mumma – materials

Quality Asphalt Paving – gravel and base material

Dibble Creek – material loading and hauling

Alaska Eco Forestry – excavation and trenching

Right Angle Enterprises – design and labor

Shank Electric LLC – building wiring and equipment

HEA – electrical power installation

Peninsula Lock & Key – labor

AK Doors – garage doors and openers

Bob Glen

President, Kachemak Nordic Ski Club