Cline family appreciates support
I want to take this opportunity to thank the community and people of Homer for their support for our family after my brother Mike’s tragic death while vacationing on Maui.
The outpouring of help and comfort for my sister in law Dotty and nephew Kelly and niece Erin was truly wonderful and helped us all get through a very difficult time. I know Dotty will be in good hands when everything calms down.
Mike loved living in Homer and it was very easy for me to see why. I will always remember the conversations I had with his friends while I was in town.
Thank you.
Tom Cline
Lacey Washington
Preludes musicians are blessed
The Paul Banks staff, students, and Preludes steering committee wish to thank the businesses and individuals who donated desserts and food items for our highly successful Spaghetti Feed/Dessert Auction fundraiser on Feb. 7. The proceeds support the Paul Banks Preludes Violin Program. AJ’s, Cups, Homer Truffles, Two Sisters, Fritz Creek, Darcy’s Decadent Designs, Coop’s Coffee, Deb Turkington, and Eric Pullman donated fabulous desserts for our live auction. Loopy Lupine, McNeil Canyon Meats, Safeway, and Save-U-More donated the ingredients for our Spaghetti Feed. Many parents and community members donated homemade desserts for our silent auction. Homer Youth String Orchestra and Burnt Down House provided live music along with the Paul Banks Preludes.
The Preludes program, under the auspices of the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra and with the cooperation of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, provides every first and second grade student at Paul Banks three half hour periods a week of group violin instruction. This program is funded solely by donations from businesses, organizations and countless individuals. The student’s enthusiasm, increased focus, and teamwork are a testament to the program’s success.
We are blessed to live in a community that supports the arts and our mission to create better learners and citizens through instrumental music instruction and ensemble performance.
Lyn Maslow and Ginnie Oliver,
for the Preludes Steering Committee,
and Paul Banks first and second grade staff and students
SB173 is poison over people
More about Senate Bill 173 regarding pesticides and utility poles… It is us again, your farmers and neighbors at Oceanside Farms with a little more information in hopes that you will contact our legislators. SB173 was designed to financially protect Alaska utilities by releasing them and pole manufacturers/applicators (?) from liability regarding Pentachlorophenol wood preservatives used on poles. “Penta” (and its contaminants, dioxin, furans, hexochlorobenzene) are known carcinogens; restricted “Persistent Organic Pollutants” under the Stockholm Convention/UN; banded in 26 countries — including Canada. The U.S. is the largest producer and user of Penta. U.S.-EPA restricts it to utility poles and railroad ties. Though not in SB173, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation says it will eventually provide “best practice guidance” (no teeth.) USF&W found “concerning levels” in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. State regulators notified HEA (pole owners) to do some clean up, inspiring SB173. Though rare, Vermont has documented contaminations of drinking water and soils (including pole storage sites). Utilities choose and buy treated poles. As HEA ratepayers, we want costs kept down and lawsuits avoided, but we also expect our “cooperative” to be held accountable. Preserve the right to collect costs and damages if Penta leaches into your family’s well, or community groundwater, or if someone develops cancer from toxic chemicals that a utility chose to expose them to. If SB173 becomes law, Alaska utilities are off the hook! Landowners are 100 percent responsible? Maybe one could litigate ADEC for cleanup/mitigation (good luck with that). Maybe (gasp!), it’s time to outlaw Penta and insist on safer alternatives!?! Know that SB 173 not a good Alaskan neighbor bill. Penta’s impacts on marine ecosystems or salmon…? The KNWR/DOT study is happening. What incentive will utilities have to be less toxic? People over poisons, please.
Donna Rae Faulkner and Don “Iceman” McNamara
Oceanside Farms
Thanks to students for school protest
Thank you for featuring the Homer High School students who demonstrated for safer schools. Thank you also for the Editorial that lists the names of the many students killed by mass shootings in the United States since 1997.
I hope that each student who was horrified by the recent shooting of 17 students in Parkland, Florida will watch “The Post,” a movie that will be shown at the Homer Theater in the near future.
“The Post” shows how the truth can change government. The movie drama is about how hard and how long journalists at The Washington Post had to fight to write the truth about the Vietnam War. The truth about violence in schools is that the US allows sick men with assault weapons to shoot more students than any other country in the entire world.
What amazes me and scares me is the similarity of what President Richard Nixon did to stop “truth tellers” in the 1960s and 1970s and what our current president is doing to stop “truth tellers” today.
Thank you, Homer Students for speaking, “It Could Be Us” and to some Alaskan legislators like Paul Seaton who listen. Note that our one Congressman, Don Young, is not listening. As far as I can tell, neither of our US Senators, Lisa Murkowski nor Don Sullivan are listening much either.
Amy Bollenbach
Homer students make us proud
I add my voice to the many Homer residents who are proud of the students who walked out of school last week to honor those killed in the Florida Valentine’s Day mass shooting and to advocate for safer schools. It was a meaningful demonstration of the powerful impact youth have on our community, state and nation when they are informed and speak out. I look forward to Homer’s young adults who are 18 or older, or who soon will be, registering to vote and taking their power to the polls in the upcoming local and state elections.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Carssow
Good bye Mr. Seaton
Alaska District 31 Republicans have increased the pressure on Paul Seaton to leave the Republican party. A strong letter to Lower Peninsula Republicans was sent to voters and released to the media, joining the Alaskan Republican Party in its demand that Paul Seaton change his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat.
Titled “Open Letter to the Lower Peninsula Community,” the letter was sent by District 31 chair Nona Safra and the District 31 Board and endorsed by Republican Party Vice Chair, Jon Faulkner.
Let’s take a peek into that letter.
The good news for District 31 is that they took the approach to highlight the Seaton record, based on facts versus political rhetoric or personal animosity. There are few in their district or the state that deny Paul Seaton has turned his loyalty to the Democratic party. The letter highlights where Seaton abandoned the Republican Party and joined with Democrats in Juneau. In the area of legislation, he voted the Democratic line.
This letter from District 31 drops the gauntlet, Mr. Seaton you are not one of us. In general, the letter explains Seatons votes on proposals to increase senior citizen taxes, his favor of seizing the PFD, his plan to create a State income tax and his support for a State sales tax. Amongst other legislative positions.
How Seaton can justify remaining a Republican is a mystery. If the Republican party has anything to say about it: mystery solved he is not a Republican.
The Alaskan Republican Party insists that it be represented by Republicans; it is not a novel idea.
Perhaps Paul Seaton can lift his head from feeding at the Democratic trough long enough to listen, change parties and go back to the trough. He receives less than 8 percent of his contributions from Republicans; most of it is from Democrats and Democrat PACs.
Four Points::
• For District 31: Paul Seaton, we do not want you.
• For Paul Seaton: Say good bye and “move on” (your true party slogan)
• For Democratic Party: Paul Seaton has joined you in the house, will you accept him as a party member?
• For Republican Party: Paul Seaton = delete.
Stay tuned folks, it will be interesting and exciting. There is nothing like a good political contest on the Southern Peninsula.
Peter Zuyus
Headlamp Ski &Hike a success
On Friday, Feb. 23, a Headlamp Ski &Hike community event was held at the Ninilchik River Campground to support the Ninilchik School Wolverine athletes. I would like to thank all of the volunteers who helped to make it happen, especially Park Rangers Jason Okuly and Brad Garasky. Many thanks to trail groomers, Dave Brann and Robert Archibald who volunteered their time as well, and to the Kachemak Nordic Ski Club for the use of their grooming equipment.
Elise Spofford
