Early KBBI pioneers made the station go

Your coverage of the beginnings of KBBI are useful. Harking back to a time when, if somebody wanted something, she built it. Whether it was a bridge, a dock or an institution. From the example set by the fishermen who built the first dock with their own sweat and dollars, to the library and museum committees to the first local hospital, the standard approach was to do your own work. If there was an increment of cash from the government or private donors the typical attitude was: ‘If the gravy comes along, put it on the potatoes!”

So it was with local radio but there were some troubles early on. The first two managers did not last because there was some confusion with the Board. From the hands-on volunteers that put the physical plant together there were three who made prudent choices: Rita Turner, volunteer coordinator, Kathy Steberl, programming, and Eileen Hughes, news. These women were the volunteers who became minimum wage employees at the studio by self-selection.

As one early volunteer, I saw these three broads, oops, I mean ‘broadcasters,’ make the station go. The broads showed the board (of directors) the way to get the station on the air. Between them they designed the first studio building on the FAA ground off Main Street.

Larry Smith

Summer reading program gives thanks

The Homer Public Library’s 2023 Summer Reading Program is officially over, but many thanks are due before we can turn the page. Thank you to the Homer Foundation’s Opportunity Fund for the generous $4,990 grant, which provided funding for all the Find Your Voice! Summer Reading Program events and activities in June and July. Participants enjoyed a variety of creative and connecting literary events led by skilled local community members in collaboration with Youth Service Librarian Cinda Nofziger.

The outdoor celebration on July 29, marking the end of the Summer Reading Program, was a festive and busy event, with music, books, games, BOB the Bookmobile, exciting raffle drawings, food and local ice cream. A large part of the Summer Reading Program’s Celebration’s success is due to the generosity of our outstanding local businesses who provided fabulous prizes and donations. These included amazing books, movie passes, cookies, backpacks, water bottles, mittens, ukuleles, ice cream, honey, tea, gift certificates and other prizes for this celebration of readers! A big shoutout goes to Homer’s Jeans, Homer Bookstore, Ulmer’s Drug & Hardware, Homer Emblem Club, Homer Theatre, Two Sister’s Bakery, Gold Rush Honey, Moore Music, Twin Fish Gardens, Save U More, Udder Delights Ice Cream, Captain’s Toy Chest and Global Credit Union.

A special thanks goes to Wayne Aderhold for his BBQ grill and sound equipment; Barb Veeck for sign-making; Jacque Peterson for her portable freezer; Global USA employees for grilling hot dogs; and all the volunteers at the party.

Cheryl Illg and Judy Gonsalves

Friends of the Homer Public Library

Only in Alaska

To go to a dermatologist I had to go to Soldotna. I drove the road for years to get to work, but now I avoid it.

After the doctor we loaded up with groceries and the list. We were barely out of the parking lot and past the light when KAPOW!!! Shattered glass, ears ringing, it took some seconds to realize we’d been rear-ended, driving us into the truck bumper ahead. Totally crushed, we looked at the shattered glass and antifreeze pooling on the blacktop. We pushed the car out of the roadway, but with a gushing radiator we weren’t going to make it 80 miles to Homer. Waiting for the police to arrive, the driver ahead said, “Listen I’ve got a couple pickup trucks at home and you could use one of them to get your stuff down to Homer.”

“How much would that cost?’ I asked.

“Nothing,” he said. “You didn’t cause the accident so you shouldn’t have to pay for it.” “Just fill it up with gas when you bring it back.”

We were dumbfounded — by our bad luck and now our good luck. So that’s what we did. Thank you Reuben! The ice cream hadn’t even melted when we put it in our freezer. You run into the nicest people in Soldotna.

Only in Alaska,

Gordy Vernon

Recovering crane in flight

Aug. 13, three different parties confirmed that the arrow-shot male crane in Homer is now flying circles over the neighborhood with his family.

This is great news after his terrible experience of being shot by an arrow and then the ordeal of being caught and having the arrow removed. He is one tough crane.

The human neighbors are very happy that this crane they have been watching for seven plus years was able to be restored to his family and is making a remarkable recovery. He is now in training just like his colts to recover his flying strength for the migration to California.

Luckily, he still has a full month to work on his wing strength. Kachemak Crane Watch will be tracking his progress. Migration starts around mid-September.

Nina Faust, Kachemak Crane Watch