20 years ago
The Alaskan Peace Camp Tour, a group opposing national missile defense projects in Kodiak and Fort Greely, had to move around town a bit after getting kicked out of the Eagle Quality Center (now Safeway) parking lot. The group set up a booth and a 40-foot inflatable “peace missile” at the grocery store. Because they hadn’t checked with store managers first, they were asked to leave. Then the group set up at a chiropractor’s office on Pioneer Avenue and again were asked to leave. Eventually the group did a presentation at Raspberry Lane School House.
— From the issue of June 13, 2002
30 years ago
Warm, sunny weather caused spruce bark beetles to swarm from logs Klukwan Forest Products stored on the Homer Spit. Earlier in 1992 when the city of Homer approved storage of the logs on the Spit, some scientists said that any beetles emerging from the logs posed little threat to nearby forests. U.S. Department of Agriculture experts said beetles from the logs couldn’t reach stands in Homer or across Kachemak Bay.
But Henry Moeck, a Canadian forestry researcher, scoffed at that idea. Beetles can fly 20 miles and easily cross 5 miles from the Spit to the mainland.
“I don’t see that as a difficulty for the beetles,” he said.
To help mitigate the spread of beetles, Klukwan placed traps laced with pheromones or chemical attractants to catch them.
— From the issue of June 18, 1992
50 years ago
A group of charter boat operators, guides and other sport fishing businesses started the Homer Charter Boat Association and held their first meeting on June 7 at the home of Mike McBride on the Homer Spit. McBride pointed out that the association represented $500,000 in boats and about 20 people who derive all or part of their income from sport fish charters. The association adopted four aims and goals: 10) to improve the sport fishing resource, 2) to work toward promoting tourism through chartering, 3) to work toward mutual cooperation among members and 4) to improve standards of service to the public.
— From the issue of June 15, 1972
