Years Ago

Published 9:30 pm Wednesday, December 3, 2025

20 years ago

With the winter solstice quickly approaching, and precious minutes of daylight decreasing every day, the warm glow of holiday lights is definitely welcome. Especially those in the yard of Walt and Shirley Henwood at Mile 171 of the Sterling Highway. The various shapes outlined in tiny white lights have marked the beginning and end of the holiday season for 20 years. To the enjoyment of motorists and children aboard school buses headed to and from Homer, Walt flips the switch early on the morning of Dec. 1, and, with the exception of daylight hours, doesn’t turn them off again until shortly after Jan. 1.

— From the issue of Dec. 8, 2005

30 years ago

Homer and Seldovia fishermen caught a record amount of Pacific cod in Cook Inlet this year, and with prices averaging roughly 25 cents a pound, the harvest pumped more than $1 million into the economy of Kachemak Bay. In three separate fishing seasons stretching from Jan. 1 to late November, the fleet landed almost 4.9 million pounds, more than twice the harvest of 1994.

— From the issue of Dec. 7, 1995