Letters

Alaska could use a lottery

Alaska does not need a state income tax, nor a statewide sales tax, nor a school tax! But it could use a “volunteer tax,” otherwise known as a lottery. The state of New Jersey is doing wonders with its lottery.

So, why not Alaska?

With the Russian-Trump investigation of the 2016 election, why not an investigation into the payment of $35,000,000 by the Russians to the Clinton Foundation?

The answer might be explosive, even nuclear. Is it true?

Bring ’em on

On a recent morning at the Homer Public Library, before the building officially opened for the day, kids with bright smiles ran from the parking lot to the front door. These aspiring programmers were on their way to the third day of the library’s free, four-day Coding Camp led by Tauseef, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center in Pittsburgh, PA. With huge grins the kids, ages nine to eleven, made their way to the library’s meeting room where they spent the morning learning the fundamentals of computer science. (A group of teens also spent four afternoons programming.) Using JavaScript, a common programming language used for games, apps and websites, the kids drew, colored, and animated circles. While it sounds basic, they were actually using advanced math, reading, writing, problem-solving, critical thinking and communication skills to design the beginnings of the familiar game known as Pong. Each unique game design included more than 100 lines of code which the kids created, edited, and rewrote themselves.

Gentleness can go a long way

Recall unnecessary; system works

Recall part of democratic process

Say ‘no’ to outside political money

We would like to sincerely thank the businesses and individuals who helped make the fish fry for the USS Hopper a huge success: Captain Patties, Ohlson Mountain Water, Alaska Waste, Down East Saloon, Rotary, Homer Harbor, Homer Police Department, Save U More, Ulmer’s Drug &Hardware, Homer Fish Processing, Mike Fell, Dave Weber, Kathy McDonough, Harmon Hall, Roxy Lawver, Craig and Sally Burns, Ray Kranich, John Chapple, Dick Koskovitch, Angie Otteson, Will and Diana Hutt, Jay Cherok, Sherman Peterson, Bob and Luned Borland, Shep and Helyn Schoepke, John Ketelle, Ron Johnson, Ernie Souja,

Chapman School in Anchor Point was the recent recipient of a grant from the Homer Foundation through their KLEPS fund. This grant gave us an opportunity to purchase iPad minis for students in first through fourth grades.

The U.S. military is the largest consumer of fuel on the planet. When the Navy steams up to play, its four ships (two destroyers, two replenishment ships) will burn more fossil fuel in the three weeks of war games than Seattle City Light burns in half a year. Seattle City Light provides electricity to houses, offices and stores for 800,000 customers. This comparison doesn’t include the Air Force, Army or Coast Guard.

Where does this carbon footprint lead? Military intelligence is wading in to rising sea temperatures, dead fish, deaf sea mammals and birds.

I am suffering from pre-enactment anxiety over HB 115. Here is why.

What HB 115 is not is a creation of a specific fund for education, as that cannot be done. No sources of revenue can be dedicated to any particular expenditure. Very clever of the House Democrats, led by Mr. Seaton, to attempt to snooker the under-informed by giving HB 115 the phony short title, “Education Funding Act.” Oh stop; I know he has an “R” by his name, he is about as much an “R” as Bernie Sanders.

The Pratt Museum is pleased to announce that they will be hiring a high school intern this summer thanks to funding from the Homer Foundation. The museum’s award-winning High School Intern program is funded this year with support from the Schroer, Lentfer and Jenson Funds, donor advised funds of the Homer Foundation.

My Name is Zoe Cramer and I am a junior at Flex High School. I would like to recognize the Homer Incentive Trust for financially supporting me and my college endeavors. Through the Jumpstart program, the Homer Incentive Trust made it possible for me to afford my first college class.

Homer Animal Friends and Homer Parks &Rec want to get tough on dog poop. There are lots of dogs in the Homer area — a conservative estimate would be around 2,000. The average dog produces three-quarters of a pound of poop a day. That’s 1,500 pounds of poo per day equaling over 545,000 pounds of dog feces a year. That’s a lot of dog poop!

The May/June issue of “Popular Science” contained a visionary article on Dubai which is attempting “to create an atmosphere for future growth. ... It is banking on the idea that diversity and tolerance can lead to innovation, and innovation can lead to both economic prosperity and — in the current language of the government — a happy city.”

I wonder if this attitude would work in the City of Homer, and on the Southern Kenai Peninsula. For me, it’s worth a try.

Hospice of Homer would like to thank the Homer Foundation for a recent grant supporting operations of our organization.

Vital funds from the Homer Foundation allow Hospice of Homer to continue to offer a coordinated program of non-medical, supportive care encompassing the physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and emotional needs of those facing life-threatening illness or the transition process of dying.

Anyone who would like to learn more about Hospice of Homer’s services, including becoming a volunteer or how to donate can reach us at 235-6899.

More than 450 people came out on Earth Day and marched down Pioneer Avenue to celebrate all the ways that science makes our lives and the Homer community better. More than 600 marches happened around the world on April 22, but this March for Science was uniquely Homer.

A cat may have nine lives, but those lives can be pretty dreary if the animal is stuck in a kennel for weeks on end. After recently taking over management of the Homer Animal Shelter, we initiated a Spring is in the Air cat adoption special to provide incentive for would-be adopters.

I want to express my appreciation for the attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union Alaska who have taken up the cause of Homer City Council Members Catriona Reynolds, Donna Aderhold and David Lewis. Defending their right to freedom of speech is praiseworthy.

Kudos to all who contributed to make “The Wave of Peace” on Labyrinth International Day such a delightful sacred experience. So many details of planning converged, like water drops flowing together to create a deep pool of sacred thoughts, songs, music, and experiences, that culminated in a meditative walk in the labyrinth at the Homer Episcopal Church.