Make history
Scotland, England, Norway, Japan, Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, California, Oregon, Washington — all used to have wild salmon runs. It’s a fact that the single largest cause of lost salmon runs is ruining the upstream habitat. Salmon were lost because logging brought erosion, hydroelectric dams blocked fish passage, farming siphoned water for irrigation and mining polluted watersheds.
Some Alaskans believe our salmon are still around because of ADF&G management and our existing regulations. Let’s face it, we have good habitat because there are less than a million people in our state and there hasn’t been a lot of competition from other industries and development yet. This is why the vast majority of our salmon habitats have remained pristine and healthy.
The hard truth is, we are not doing anything different than Europe, the Atlantic or the Pacific coasts. We are developing Alaska just as they developed their regions, and like them, we are losing salmon along the way. Resource extraction is what Alaska is all about. We grab each boom as quickly as it becomes a moneymaker. The only way we’ll hang onto salmon is to slide them up higher on the resource priority list, provide more protections and be willing to make hard choices. History and life prove we can’t have it all.
And how will Alaskans know we are actually doing things different than the “lands of lost salmon?” When our decisions seem a bit radical. When it feels like a new direction. When priorities are not just monetary. When big business balks.
Vote Yes on Ballot Measure 1 and make history.
Catie Bursch
Advice for cleaning up trash
Applause for the city council members’ willingness to take a lead to help our community rid itself of plastic litter that is polluting and degrading our habitat for all inhabitants. As they consider next steps, here are a few ways we all can be part of the solution:
1. If It Didn’t Grow There It Doesn’t Go There — for anyone who has trouble identifying what trash is, use this rule of thumb. Any debris unattended on the ground, on the beach, in a bush, in a tree that didn’t get there naturally is most likely trash and degrades our environment and our lives.
2. Don’t Pitch It, Don’t Flick It, Just Don’t — Think twice and then again before you toss or carelessly leave trash outside. Look at the ground around you. Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world and they do not decompose. Ninety-five percent of cigarette filters are composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic that does not quickly degrade and persists in the environment. Make sure you appropriately dispose of all the trash you create.
3. If You See It, Pick It Up — Put those single-use plastic bags in your pockets (maybe with some gloves) and pick up trash you see, whether it’s yours or not. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll collect and how good you’ll feel doing it. Stop walking past the plastic, Styrofoam, glass, metal and, yes, even cigarette butts you see in town, on your road, on the beach, on a trail. Get one of those reusable Boomerang Bags from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies to use for shopping — but get one for collecting trash, too.
Clean up days are great, but a keep-clean mentality is best. As they say, let’s do this.
Marcia Kuszmaul
Support Begich
I urge Alaskans to vote Mark Begich for governor on Nov. 6. This election will be one of the most important for the people of Alaska and the United States. In a recent opinion published in the Oct. 11 Anchorage Daily News, Rep. Les Gara shared his history working with Dunleavy and the mean spirited and regressive votes Dunleavy made while in the legislature. Alaskans young and old have an opportunity to turn this state and country around. Our education and social systems including healthcare are in shambles. The crime and drug epidemics are destroying the foundation of everything we hold dear in our lives. Damage to our environment, rampant greed and hate are the mantra of those in power at state and federal levels. The time to turn this horrible nightmare around is now. Mark Begich is just one person, but as Governor of Alaska, he will govern fairly, honestly and openly. Mark supports Ballot Measure 1 Stand for Salmon. He knows that salmon are the lifeblood of Alaska. Dunleavy and Walker have sold out to the big corporations. We stand at the precipice of a monumental time: Be wise and strong: Vote Mark Begich for Governor.
Patricia Cue
A change
We need a change in the U.S. House. I’m voting for Alyse Galvin because of her strengths, her character, and the fact that she has not taken a penny of corporate campaign money and will not take gifts from special interest or lobbyist groups.
Alyse Galvin will not allow outside influence on issues facing Alaskans. Proof of this is her success with the grass roots Great Alaska Schools campaign, that she is running as an Independent, and that she is not taking corporate campaign donations. Alyse will work hard to represent us in Washington, and she also believes in working across the aisle because it gets things done. Our current Representative termed out of the benefits of seniority, and had some curtailed due to ethics violations, so we don’t lose anything by electing a capable new Representative.
Alyse will work for a strong economy and jobs with adequate pay and good working conditions. With her background in business, she understands what it takes to encourage a thriving, diverse economy. Alyse will represent all parts of Alaska. She has traveled to many villages and areas all around the state to meet people, ask questions and has heard the serious concerns people have in the areas of affordable healthcare, good education, and safety and security. These are important to all Alaskans.
It is also very important to me that Alyse will always be appropriate and respectful in public appearances. She is an effective, qualified person, an ethical candidate, and not beholden to any outside influences: an Alaskan candidate focused on Alaskans. Vote for her on Nov. 6.
Lani Raymond
Seaton knows his job
I take delight in people who know what they’re talking about, and who love what they do. Listening to Paul Seaton talking about working in Juneau as our representative was a real delight. And an eye-opener. Many of the subjects he discussed were intricacies of our history and our current processes, struggles and successes that I am not very familiar with. I was able to learn because he shared not only detail and process but history and future in his assessment of each issue, with honest, humble and direct information accompanied by his own thinking, clear and open for all to see. I was amazed at how deeply knowledgable and conversant he is on all aspects of what’s happening in Juneau — the inner workings of our state government. It is clear that he uses information and a listening ear to provide deep, straightforward response and representation.
As a non-partisan representative, Paul Seaton is a nuts and bolts kind of guy — quietly bringing Alaskans together to figure out what’s best for all of us — not trying to score points for one “side” or the other. I hope you’ll vote for Paul again this year. He’s the real deal.
Carol Ford
Learn about Stand for Salmon
If you are uncertain about how to vote on our ballot measure 1 Stand for Salmon Initiative on Nov.r 6 because you’ve heard so many conflicting opinions, you’re not alone. Here are a few basic, unassailable facts to consider when deciding your vote:
1. Our Stand for Salmon Initiative has been modeled after a highly successful Minnesota salmon habitat protection policy and has received input and guidance from Alaskan commercial and sports fishing organizations, a wide range of tribal leaders, long-standing recommendations from our Alaska Board of Fisheries and has received support by over 40,000 Alaskans from every legislative district.
2. The organizations that are funding the effort to defeat Ballot Measure 1 are a few out-of-state-based petroleum and mining companies who’s primary goal is to maximize their near-term profits and who have no vested interest in protecting our renewable salmon resources which annually generate over $2 billion worth of revenue, $744 million worth of taxes and provides over 30,000 direct Alaskan jobs and several times that in indirect jobs.
3. Ballot Measure 1 is a permitting policy that is designed to provide guidance for infrastructure and other projects that will allow construction projects to proceed while at the same time protecting our critical salmon habitat.
4. Oregon, Washington and California, which did not have salmon habitat protection, have lost 95 percetn of their salmon habitat spawning grounds, which has crippled their salmon fisheries, and are now being forced to spend billions on habitat restoration. On Nov 6. please vote “yes” on Ballot Measure 1 in order to protect our critical salmon fisheries and industries.
Taz Tally, Ph.D, environmental geologist
Help salmon thrive with Ballot Measure 1
How is protecting fish habitat threatening Native Alaskan’s way of life? I think it’s the opposite. I think they want to have their turn at abusing natural resources and get lots of money. They don’t understand the devastation. They think there’s more than enough land and they can trash it if they want to, like the White man has. There are a lot of White people waking up to what we did wrong and want to protect our fish which is food and life for many. The president of Doyon says roads, dams and wastewater facilities would not be possible under Measure 1.
I think we have the technology to build a culvert in a stream that allows a road to pass over and fish to pass under. I’ve seen a dam that allows for fish to pass on the sides. Can’t we figure out how to treat wastewater without polluting our streams and oceans? We can take a little extra care to have a healthy environment. Isn’t it worth it? Washington and Oregon are spending millions trying to rehabilitate previously mismanaged habitat. Alaska can save millions by mandating responsible development and help salmon thrive.
Lela Ryterski
Seaton works to create consensus
In the House District 31 race there may be some confusion among voters, or those considering whether to vote. Some feel that government is grabbing their PFD and some that the under funding of schools and public safety are greater threats. And most feel that the animosity of the most extreme viewpoints in the House and (especially) the Senate are tending to exaggerate both possibilities. It is great to stand up for what you feel strongly about, but there comes a time when those who cannot work together are the problem.
Perhaps you are undecided or not familiar with the candidates’ voting record or statements. Paul Seaton, the incumbent, has a lengthy history in the House as someone who works hard to join differing points of view. He has been a prime mover in creating a consensus with a majority of the House members from both Republican and Democrat Parties. They generated solutions; the Governor supported them, and militants in the Senate essentially vetoed them.
I think we should look to Paul Seaton to protect the PFD and keep the State working. His abilities will be a central driver to bring the politics of the State to work toward a common goal. Steve Gibson
Steve Gibson
Love = Hospice
When one hears the word “hospice,” one thinks of death. Death is a taboo subject and very uncomfortable to talk about. When my grandmother died, I felt lost, not knowing what to do. Grief is hard and it makes you take a hard look at yourself and your own mortality. So, it is no wonder that hospice can make those unfamiliar with it, uncomfortable.
The part of hospice that people don’t usually think about is love. Love is just as much a part of hospice as is death. For we give our loved ones and pets that are dying the love and comfort they need at their most vulnerable time. Hospice reminds us that we are not alone, that in this battle of loss and grief, there are others who understand and hold space while we mourn.
November is National Hospice Month. To change the view of hospice, I am starting a social media campaign called Love is a Movement. I am asking for people to share a story of love for a loved one or a pet that has died. If interested, come by Hospice of Homer between 1 and 2 p.m. on Oct. 24. We will film you telling your story of love. Biddy’s Fund, a nonprofit created to start pet hospice in Homer, and Hospice of Homer will share these stories online.
This is not about how they died but about how they lived. This a reminder for those experiencing grief or the loss of a loved one, you are not alone. For those who are experiencing grief for a pet, Biddy’s Fund will have a pet loss support group at Hospice of Homer at noon on Oct. 24.
For any questions, you can reach me, Morgan Laffert, at Biddy’s Fund on Facebook.
Morgan Laffert
Begich supports education
In villages, the school is the heart of activities. Celebrations, sporting events, and funerals take place in the largest facility available, the school. Closing a school is closing a community. Telling families they are no longer important by shutting them out, or forcing them to be split apart, there is no reason for them to stay. Communities lose their vitality and reason for existence.
Mike Dunleavy proposes cutting funds and closing schools to balance the budget. It is the only plan he touts. He supported huge cuts to education funding. This thinking will hurt Alaska’s children instead of supporting them. Education is a large portion of the budget as it should be. We must provide the best education possible to have competent leaders. Forcing children to leave their homes to be educated is not the answer.
The failure of forcing Alaska’s children to leave their families and homes to attend school is clear. Does Mike Dunleavy understand the state was sued over this exact issue and lost? Further, the state was sued over a lack of resources being put into schools in rural communities and lost. Creating boarding schools in hub towns will not work. It has been tried and it failed.
I now turn to Mark Begich. As a retired 37-year teacher, my most important issue is education. Supporting families is paramount in assuring our kids have the education they need.
Mark Begich supports protecting education funding and supports forward funding to help school districts plan ahead. His administration will further unite the education community. He will provide stability to our teachers and our students. A vote for anyone but Begich risks taking us back to pink slipping teachers, or shutting down our community schools.
Barb Angaiak
Support Seaton
When I was young, we looked to elders for wisdom because they had observed life for so long.
I graduated from Seldovia High School in 1947. Am I an elder?
It was fun to share a passionate gathering last Saturday, with our time tested State Representative Paul Seaton and
our political newcomer Sarah Vance, in our well-packed Homer Library.
Your favorite book, and mine, is the Bible, Sarah Vance. I have observed Paul Seaton and his devoted wife Tina; their church leadership has been constant, active and wise. They too seek to live out the Bible’s wisdom.
I found myself chuckling that Paul’s favorite childhood book was Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are.” With others throwing verbal darts, challenging his expert leadership, he must deal daily with “Where the Wild Things Are.” He thrives, because solving tough problems is his unique gift.
Yes, Sarah Vance, I too long for the deep personal caring of what was. “Perfect love casteth out fear,” it says in our favorite book. Can’t we tap into that deep caring and support the services that are there to help us? It is a big job. We need help, and there are those in our schools preparing our children who will be able to help if we support them now.
Our state has big problems; Rep. Seaton has studied them ongoingly and acted openly. He is trying to reach out even to those who oppose him. Speak to him; he will listen. He will act. We need his courage, his unique gift of critical thinking. It would be a tragedy to throw away our devoted statesman.
Join me: support Rep. Paul Seaton.
Martha Ellen Anderson
Galvin supports Alaska values
Alyse Galvin is the only Congressional candidate who will represent the values shared by all Alaskans. Her campaign began with grass roots organizers and she has not taken money from corporations. In fact, her ability to raise over $1 million from supporters speaks to how she has captured the hopes and dreams of thousands of Alaskans who support her as a strong and independent candidate.
Her opponen,t Don Young, has done little to improve the lives of Alaskans. When compared with other states, Alaska is ranked no. 44 out of 50 by a US News and World Report analysis. Alaska ranks no. 28 in healthcare, no. 40 in education and no. 50 in crime and corrections.
Under Young’s watch, the US deficit is now $21 trillion for the first time ever. Over 10,000 immigrant children have been separated from their parents and are now in detention centers. Young supports an administration that has turned its back on our allies, comforted our enemies and reduced America’s standing among world leaders. Alaskans and Americans deserve better. Alaskans deserve a Representative who will work to bring positive changes to our state and country. Please support and vote Alyse Galvin for Congress.
Patricia Cue
Thanksgiving basket deadlines coming up.
Hello again, just wanted everyone to know that the Thanksgiving basket applications will start being available on October 29th this year. There will be someone at the Food Pantry from 1-3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29, Nov. 5. and 12.. The cut off for submitting applications will be Nov. 14.
Forms can also be found at First National Bank of Alaska and Anchor Point Food Pantry. Ninilchik will find theirs with Jane Smith at the Senior Center. If you have any questions, please call and leave a message at 235-8761 and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Again to all you wonderful citizens of Homer, if you would like to donate, it would be greatly appreciated. Please send your checks to Kachemak Bay Lions, P.O. Box 1824 Homer, AK 99603
Yours in service for more service
Fran Van Sandt, Chairman
Kachemak Bay Lions Thanksgiving Basket Program
Support Seaton
I have to believe that other District 31 voters want the same things I do when it comes to representation in the State House. I want a representative who respects my intelligence and appeals to my better nature. I want a representative who will tell me the facts and help me understand the hard decisions we need to make, not pacify me with empty promises, pie-in-the-sky ideas, and rhetoric. I want a representative who cares about the future of this state and the futures of my child and grandchild.
I want a representative who doesn’t think I am so selfish that I would want to line my pockets with the highest PFD even if it will drain the fund dry. I want a representative who will take action to truly protect the Permanent Fund for my child and grandchild. I want a representative who fights for funding our education system so my grandchild is part of a generation of Alaskans prepared to face a daunting future. I want a representative who has integrity and always takes the high road in a campaign, treating his opponent with dignity and respect even when his opponent doesn’t extend the same to him.
I want a representative who is above party tribalism and will work with colleagues of all persuasions to solve our state’s problems. I want a representative who respects and believes in the electorate. For 16 years District 31 has had that representative. His name is Paul Seaton.
Kathryn Carssow
Health Fair includes blood drive
The Rotary Health Fair is partnering with lots of great organizations to make this year’s fair have something for everyone. The Bloodbank of Alaska will be here sponsoring a blood drive on Saturday Nov. 3 during the fair and Sunday Nov. 4 at Safeway. Parents take note: the South Peninsula Hospital will be there with the Great Candy Exchange where kids 10 and under can trade their Halloween candy for great prizes. The Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary club is proud to be a partner of this wonderful Health Fair and provide the opportunity for the community to take a day to be well. Hope you take time to visit the fair this year. It’s free.
Beth Trowbridge
Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary member
Back-to-school help appreciated
Thank you to all those wonderful people who helped 106 children, clients of the Homer Community Food Pantry, start their school year on a positive note. The students began school with new Backpacks, filled with supplies. Thank you so much for helping these students start the school year on a very positive note.
This is the 12th year that the Omicrom Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma has organized the “Back to School Backpack Project.” The success of this project could only happen because of community support and collaborative efforts with local service groups and churches.
A big thank you to all those that repeatedly filled the donation container at Ulmer’s True Value. Special thanks to all the local service groups that continue with their support. Homer Kachemak Bay Rotary Club,Kachemak Bay Lions Club, the Homer Emblem Club, and the Rotary Club of downtown Homer. Thank you to the caring members of
the Faith Lutheran Church, Christian Community Church, Homer United Methodist Church, and Glacier View Baptist Church, who continue to stuff the collection boxes with Backpacks and supplies.
A big thank you also to those that came and helped assemble the Backpacks from the Rotary and Lions Club, also West Homer Elementary for use of the space for packing the packs, and Barb Veek for the use of her Van to the transport the Backpacks.
Thank you again for making a difference in a child’s education. Your generosity demonstrates a commitment to helping children succeed in school.
Ceil Manchester Delta Kappa Gamma Omicron Chapter
Seaton takes the high road
Editor and Citizens, in a few weeks we will decide who will represent us in Juneau. I have been receiving those “Elect Me” cards in my mailbox. What I notice is that Mr. Paul Seaton’s cards speak of what he has tried to accomplish and what he will work on if re-elected. Never has he mentioned the opposition party, or dissed his opponent. Ms. Vance’s card states no program, but spends the entire card bad mouthing Rep. Seaton. This is typical of Republican party hacks. Ever since Newt Gringrich their policy has been to attack, attack, attack the opposition. Meanwhile, once elected they say one thing and then do the exact opposite; they refuse to even consider anything proposed by the Democrats, thus the Party of No.
If you are paying attention at all you will realize that their entire program consists of making the rich richer, the military built up beyond any reasonable so-called defensive posture. Spending $350 million dollars for one fighter jet, while cutting food stamps, medical care and any other program which might benefit the less well off among us. Did I hear Sen. Mitch McConnell come out and say that we had to cut out all those expensive “entitlement” programs in order to balance the budget they, themselves busted with their massive tax cuts? The Republicans no longer feel they have to hide their intentions to bankrupt this nation. I think we, the voters have to pay a lot more attention to the people we elect to represent us in government. This requires us to think for ourselves, which, it seems to me a lot of my fellow citizens have lost the ability to do. The first step would be to send Congressman for Life into a well deserved retirement, and get a fresh voice in Congress. That is all.
George Trudeau, Anchor Point
