A very sad day

A sad day in one’s life is when they lose something that is very dear to them. I am now going through a sadness that I have seldom experienced in my life. Two of my remaining friends in this world were killed a few days ago. My sadness comes from the fact that I feel responsible for their death. Born of migratory parents and not yet educated to the ways of Alaska, they were vulnerable. Their parents brought them to visit me daily and I always looked forward to their next visit. I watched them grow from babies to youngsters and had numerous conversations with them even though I knew that they didn’t understand a word I said. I came to love them as my own and

I will surely miss them, those two wonderful Sandhill Cranes.

Sadly,

Charles D. Graham

Lord, Venuti best choices for council

Having listened to KBBI’s Coffee table programs this past week with many of the City Council candidates, two of those individuals truly stand out from the rest. I feel that both Caroline Venuti and Rachel Lord demonstrated their ability to articulate their past experiences of dealing with diverse groups of people and their visions for the future of our community.

Mrs. Venuti, as a teacher and principal, certainly had to find balance and compromise dealing with administrators, fellow teachers, many parents and a vast number of students.

Mrs. Lord has had a great deal of experience on several nonprofit boards as well as working with local, state and federal agencies regarding the derelict vessel issue throughout the state.

I feel they would both come to the table without preconceived ideals and would be willing to listen to all sides of an issue. They would then be able to intelligently arrive at a compromise if necessary, that would benefit the whole of our community.

Their experience dealing with diverse attitudes and concerns, as well as their ability to articulate clearly, make them very qualified to serve on our city council.

Stuart Schmutzler

Venuti has her vote

Caroline Venuti has my vote for City Council. Not only was she one of the best teachers our sons had in grade school, but she also tutored them on the side. When I listened to her on Coffee Table last week, she honestly portrayed herself as a “learner” of city government. Oh, she will learn, and she will humbly and subtly teach us as we go along: open discussions, tossing ideas around, reaching consensus, with fairness to all. Here is a Woman of Wisdom who never stops giving to our community. Thank you, Caroline, for continuing to lend your integrity and care for all your students and their parents and the rest of the City of Homer.

Susan Phillips Cushing

Lord supports marine trades

Important concepts were discussed by City Council Candidates on KBBI’s Coffee Table. One in particular resonated with me.

A sustainable economy for our community should be very important to every one of us. We want Homer to be economically vibrant, and we need to encourage jobs and growth here. The marine industries, as Rachel Lord mentioned, are some of the most important for us here because of our location and the development of the industry so far.

Many existing businesses thrive from this industry: retail stores for fishing and other marine gear, welders, boat repair both exterior and interior, engine repair and maintenance, and many many others. Besides the marine biology classes, our college has developed a Marine Industry/Trade program of study which is contributing to the comprehensive growth of this industry. The future growth of this industry is crucial, as Rachel mentioned. And in talking to people about growth, I was told that Homer is missing out on some significant marine business. For example, there needs to be a way to haul out larger boats for repair. (Northern Enterprises at Miller’s Landing can only accommodate up to a certain size and weight so our larger boats now have to go elsewhere for repair and maintenance.)

In addition, a key component to good economic development are small businesses. The array of businesses that are involved with the marine industry includes many small businesses, and a growth atmosphere encourages the development of more of them. Rachel, who has started her own small business, is keenly attuned to what is involved with this process and knows first-hand the value of small businesses to our community and its citizens.

When she spoke, Rachel stressed the concept of sustainability. Shot-in-the-dark, get-rich-quick schemes are not what Homer should pursue. What we have now economically can be grown for the future and still be viable and prosperous for the Homer that our future generations will inherit. Tourism, farming, fishing and the other marine industries can all be sustainable.

Our City Council makes many decisions about the economic path our community will take. Rachel Lord would be a council member who has direct knowledge of (and experience in) the marine industries, knows first-hand about small business, and is committed to making Homer a sustainable, year-round working town for families.

Lani Raymond

Support Homer Prop 1 on HART

I am writing to alert residents that Prop 1 for the amendment of the HART program would enable the city of Homer to make more road improvements without additional taxation. It makes better use of taxes we already pay. Not to mention it supports public priorities involving roads and trails. All voters should review the proposition and vote on Oct 3.

Thank you.

David Morris

Thanks for HCOA support

To the Homer Council on the Arts, I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to attend Anchorage Classical Ballet Academy’s 2017 Summer Dance Intensive. This has been my second year at the camp, and it has been just as an amazing, intense, illuminating experience as the last year, if not more. I am so grateful to have been privileged to learn and dance along some of the most hard-working, inspirational, cutting-edge dancers in the state. Even more extraordinary are the teachers; I learned and grew monumentally in technique and stage presence from their expertise. Not only did they coach me, but they pushed me to expand my limits and explore what I am capable of. They showed me how and what I can work on, and what I do well. Not only did this experience push me as a dancer, but it brought me closer to the other dancers in the camp, especially the students from my own studio. For that I am so grateful — to have been able to share and do what we love and are passionate about.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Katia Holmes

Homer Bookstore donation appreciated

I would like to do a shout out to the Homer Bookstore for their very generous donation to the R.E.C. Room through their “Blind Date With A Book” program. The R.E.C. Room is a very important resource to the community because it gives the youth of the Homer, Alaska, area a chance to be social and active. We as young people can engage in public activities such as Youth on Record Alaska, which is a music producing organization here at the R.E.C. Room. This place is my home, and I love everyone here. My greatest enjoyment here is creating and expressing my music to people who would like to hear, and relate to what I talk about in my songs. On behalf of everyone here, we appreciate having generous donations to the R.E.C. Room, such as the donation of $101 that was recently added to our cause from the Homer Bookstore. Homer wouldn’t be much of an excitement for the community if it wasn’t for the individuals who created, and kept the R.E.C. Room a functioning establishment for teens.

Sincerely,

Colt .45 (Colten Lee Morris)

Learn to be kind and respectful

I’m ashamed of Homer and to be called an Alaska citizen. For Homer, judged not to be judged when you are almost just as bad if not worse in some ways than me.

A fallen town has fallen into the dark of judgmental, self centered critical gossiping, judgmental towards me and a lot of other people in Homer, Alaska.

There is a balance of righteousness, giving and keeping items to yourself which as a totally disabled or not you will all have to relearn when I leave and while I’m here, as I have learned all of these things in so many different ways. Let’s learn to be kind and respectful in a righteousness way so as tourists will want to come here again and again.

Krissy Norton

Thanks for school supplies help

Thank you to all the folks who helped 73 children, clients of the Homer Community Food Pantry, start their school year on a positive note. These students on the Southern Kenai Peninsula began school with new backpacks filled with supplies. Thank you for helping to level the playing field for these students in need.

This is the eleventh year of the Omicron Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma’s “Back to School Supplies Project.” The success of this project happens because of the community support and collaborative efforts with local service groups and churches. We wish to thank all of those folks who repeatedly filled the donation container at Ulmer’s Drug and Hardware. Special kudos to the local services groups who continue with their support: Homer Kachemak Bay Rotary Club for their mini-grant for startup costs, the Homer Emblem Club, Kachemak Bay Lions Club and the Rotary Club of Homer Downtown, along with Homer Brewing Company, Bev Wisdom, Debbie Smith, Rita Pfenninger, John and Ruhiyyik Baker and the anonymous donors for their financial contributions. Thank you to the caring members of the Faith Lutheran, Christian Community, Homer United Methodist and Glacierview Baptist churches who continue to stuff the collection boxes to the brim with backpacks and supplies. Save-U-More’s and Homer Art and Frame Shop’s assistance with the purchasing of school supplies was greatly appreciated.

Ulmer’s housing of the donation receptacle was instrumental in giving the community a place to participate in DKG’s “Back to School Supplies Project.” A special shout out goes to the members of the Homer Kachemak Bay Rotary Club, who joined our members in assembling the backpacks, Linda Munns for her social media efforts, West Homer Elementary for use of the space for packing the packs and Barb Veeck for the use of her van to transport the packs. Thank you to East End Mini Storage for continued storage space. Their assistance helps this project be successful on a year round basis.

Thank you for making a difference in a child’s education. Your generosity demonstrates a commitment to helping children succeed in school.

With gratitude,

Karen Murdock

Omicron Chapter, Delta Kappa Gamma

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Thanks for HCOA scholarship

I would first like to apologize for not writing in so long, but in the beginning of the spring, I was awarded a Homer Council on the Arts scholarship for a summer camp by the name of Sitka Fine Arts Camp. This was my second year going, and I was taking new classes. I was taking mask theater, a writing block called fairy tale and legend, an electronic music class, a stage combat class, and Shakespeare. When I was there, we ate in a massive cafeteria and slept in very nice dorms. My classes were fun and I met a lot of new people and saw a lot of old friends. To show my experience, I made a video on a few of the things that I did there. It would be my pleasure to share it with you and I give you permission to share it with others. This program is so great, it offers chances to people that might not have been able to have them otherwise. Thank you so much for giving me this chance, and many more to come. I will always give credit to this program.

Thanks once again.

Liam James

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