Think you are a conservative?

Maybe you vote, maybe not. Maybe you voted for President Trump, Governor Dunleavy and Mayor Pierce, but, what are you doing now?

Do you call Murkowski before she makes one of her liberal senate votes? Do you encourage your congressional delegation to back President Trump‘s efforts to drain the swamp? Do you contact state legislators and tell them to support Governor Dunleavy’s budget cutting? Do you testify in person or by email on issues before the borough assembly? If you do not, you are part of the reason liberals are winning the war.

Liberals are doing all they can to increase their power base, relieve taxpayers of their hard earned money and increase regressive regulations. In Alaska, liberals want to take away the Permanent Fund Dividend, and they just might get away with it.

Go to a borough assembly or school board meeting and 99 percent of those who testify want more of your money. Right now, budget talks and union contracts are being discussed. The liberals are out in force with teary eyed school kids and tales of woe.

Contact information for our congressional delegation, the legislature borough assembly and school board is readily available online or in the phone book.

If you want to make a real conservative difference … get involved … be effective and participate.

Mike McBride, North Kenai

DeStig Movies and Conversations

Thank you to the all of the community members that continue to come out and participate in the DeStig Cinema Series.

Our most recent film, Half Nelson, presented in conjunction with the Opioid Task Force, was very well attended. The large group that stayed after to share thoughts and opinions on the film and the topic of substance abuse and misuse were very thoughtful and respectful to the multiple views presented. Addiction is a complex medical problem and a complex social problem. And there were as many different reactions to the film and the topic as there were people sitting in the theater.

What impressed me most was the willingness of this cross-section of Homer-area folk to listen to each other, consider different perspectives, and thoughtfully discuss an issue that can be very divisive. Not always an easy task. But one that will move our opportunities for community wellness forward. These conversations are important and we are lucky to have such forums. As well as multiple agencies and media outlets that support and celebrate the victory of recovery.

Near the end of the evening someone asked about services available in the community. What to do, where to go. The Southern Peninsula continues to grow in that respect. Ninilchick Tribe leading the way with recently hired peer partners available 24 hours a day. SVT recently hiring a substance abuse counselor. CICADA expanding services. Our agency, SPBHS, providing groups and support. AA Groups, NA groups, Parent to Parent support group, Fit2Recover, the Needle Exchange, the Hospital, Set Free services on the horizon, Narcan availability, expanded access to MAT, and more. A community pulling together trying to fill the gaps.

Thanks again, and we hope to see everyone on April 25th for Wonder, our final free movie of this year’s series.

Jay Bechtol, South Peninsula Behavioral Health Services

City grateful for Blue Line help

Under perfect, sunny spring conditions, more than 100 adults, children and a few pets gathered at the Elks Lodge in Homer on Saturday, March 30, to run, walk and learn about Homer’s tsunami safe zone.

The focus of the first Tsunami Blue Line Fun Run-Walk was not on winning, but rather on learning where Homer’s tsunami safe zones begin and end. The course roughly followed the 50-foot safe zone contour through Homer, the maximum projected tsunami run-up from a severe — yet realistic — tsunami source.

The City of Homer extends a big thanks to everyone who came out for the event, and to all who helped with the Blue Line events.

Special thanks go out to Wayne Aderhold for his blue line inspiration and enthusiasm, Kachemak Bay Running Club for setting up the course, Homer Police Department and community traffic volunteers for keeping everyone safe throughout the course, Print Works and Homer Electric Association for signs and maps, and our local media for helping to get the word out. Generous donations of Grab & Go emergency backpacks by Ulmers, Nomar and Homer Saw and Cycle were raffled off at the conclusion of the event.

Kudos also to volunteers from Wells Fargo Bank, Friends of the Homer Public Library, City Council, Kenai Peninsula College, Cook Inlet Keeper, Red Cross, Salvation Army and other community members who cheered and encouraged participants from several blue line stations along the route, and then stayed on at the stations after the run to introduce citizens to Homer’s tsunami inundation maps.

Your contributions helped make the day a huge success. Congratulations to all.

Jenny Carroll, City of Homer special projects and communications coordinator

Vance should examine blind support

At the last election Sarah Vance replaced Paul Seaton in the State Legislature. Seaton, a well-respected leader in the House, was voted out of office largely because he dared to work across the aisle. He further dared to support additional income streams and even taxes to fund state government, and to maintain the educational, environmental, social, transportation, and scientific standards Alaskans have been proud of for decades. He also communicated regularly with the constituents of his district with regular interviews by radio and news outlets and never shied away from the public.

His replacement, Ms. Vance, has spoken little to the constituents of our district, and has cancelled multiple interviews with news outlets and radio. She is actively but silently supporting the draconian cuts to the budget proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, including education, environment, parks, transportation, as well as cuts to Medicaid and other social services.

Did the voters of our district really want to lose all we are about to lose if Dunleavy’s budget cuts are accepted? It appears our current representative is marching in lockstep with the forces out to destroy the economy of Alaska.

Maybe if she spent more time communicating with her constituents she would realize the consequences that her blind support of the administration will inflict on us.

Hal Smith

Fairmans thankful for further help

The overwhelming love and support gifts and messages for Mike Fairman are still coming in. This week we would like to thank Amber for winning the Hunk of the Month award at Kharacters, and donating her winnings to us. Homer, we are so grateful for all the love and support we’ve received to date. It means so much.

Also, a special thanks to the mysterious “Jesus” who puts a gift in our mailbox every week. We cannot find the words to express our gratitude for such a thought of love. Only the Creator of All Things can understand the gold we feel in our hearts for such unselfishness.

Thank you Homer; you truly are our special place to be.

Much Love,

Maka and Mike Fairman

Little Fireweed appreciates artist help

We were so fortunate at Little Fireweed to host Debbie Piper in an Artist in the Schools residency. Throughout the last two weeks, Debbie was able to guide children to understand the creative process. Through their working with clay, children were able to learn from their mistakes, strive for accuracy, and know the importance of following directions. Students delighted in molding and forming many clay pieces as well as helping create a permanent art installation of Fireweed that we have hung in our school. Each class built a different part. As our culminating activity, we had a Gallery Walk where students were tour guides for their parents. Thanks so much to Bunnell Street Arts Center for providing this program to our schools. I’d also like to thank Paul Banks and McNeil elementary schools for letting us use their kilns to fire our pieces.

Little Fireweed teachers Mo Wilkinson, Katie Weber and Kim Fine

Flaunted in the face of reason

Monday night, the Homer Mayor and three City Council members made a haunting decision to accept an arbitrary amount of money ($100,000) from an Anchorage developer to extend Homer City water services to a proposed development stranded in Kachemak City.

Three members of council had several chances to rescind this decision, but chose not to rescind. Monday night, Mayor Ken Castner decided arbitrarily not to break a tie vote, after breaking it at the previous meeting. He strategically knew that this project was a “go” if the motion to rescind the previous decision failed.

In comments after the meeting, the mayor apologized for not revealing a letter from Kachemak City to City of Homer which basically inferred they wanted water served to more parcels than just the proposed housing project. Now the City of Homer is $100,000 richer. The residents and businesses have just been sold out by their own. Precedent is set.

In Comments of The Council, these same three Council members stated they do want to work together, to have unity, and to clean up policy. However, these are the same council members who did not object to the recall of three of their team, remaining strangely silent. So where is the integrity here?

It takes humility to change your mind for the good of your constituents, to reconsider, to build unity and respect among your governing body, and to do the hard work drafting solid transparent policy. The potential lawsuits will cost the city much, much more as other Kachemak City residents request water service for an indeterminate amount of money. In essence they will be competing with an unfair advantage against Homer businesses.

Susan Cushing