Letters to the editor

Published 4:30 am Thursday, June 25, 2026

Down in the dumps

I was talking with someone the other day about the Homer transfer/landfill site. We were both disgusted at constantly seeing trash thrown in the recycle bins and often items that shouldn’t even be in that particular bin. What’s wrong with people, we wondered, why do they disregard the basics of what goes where and the difference between trash and recyclable items?

Maybe they don’t see the signage on the bins that have diagrams along with words on what exactly is allowed in the bins. Maybe the signs are too faded and old or maybe there is so many things posted these days we’ve just become inured to even bothering to read them.

Unfortunately, this makes for a lot of extra work for landfill employees. We should have a landfill employee recognition day to honor their work of cleaning up after human slobs.

It also points to a future of everything getting buried which would necessitate the borough to acquire more land to bury it all. Recycling is not profitable, what is needed is to either stop buying or start reusing. The volunteer citizen group Homer Drawdown is taking initiative in that area.

In the meantime, how about if all of us just took some extra time and read the signs to see what goes where. How about we take a good look at our trash and look for ways to cut back on buying so much stuff.

Plastics are toxic bad juju, something we all now know but will probably never ever stop using.

Trying to avoid buying items cocooned in plastic is practically impossible. The best we can do is keep on our legislators to enact stewardship laws. Alaska has none, not even an electronics recycling law.

One bill that passed this session prohibits the use of styrofoam, a known carcinogen, in to-go containers. It awaits the governor’s approval (fingers crossed).

Extended Producer Responsibility is another option.

These are laws currently being enforced or encouraged in many states. It places the burden of the product’s end-of-life on the producer. Seven states have passed packaging EPR bills. This site explains it https://epr.sustainablepackaging.org/.

Our borough landfills are at a crossroads. Either we all start taking responsibility for our waste or….

Therese Lewandowski

Electronics recycling making a difference

Thanks to the support of our community partners, generous donors, and the hard work of a dedicated group of volunteers, Electronics Recycling 2026 was a great success.

Across the peninsula, we diverted over 36,000 pounds of electronics from our local landfills this year.

Thanks to ReGroup, Sustainable Seward, and Ninilchik Health and Wellness Club, we are able to serve the communities of Kenai and Soldotna, Seward, Seldovia, Port Graham, Nanwalek, Ninilchik and Homer. As of 2026, we have collectively diverted more than 700,000 pounds of electronics waste.

It is undeniably valuable to recycle the metals inside our old devices. The global demand for gold in industrial applications can be met through recycling, as gold is often recovered because the market prices are so high. Keeping those devices from leeching toxic material into our watershed is an even greater benefit to us all and to the salmon we eagerly await every year.

The electronics we use every day contain lead, mercury, chromium, and a host of other toxic compounds, which are released when these devices are dumped in landfills.

It is simple to purchase anything we can imagine and have it delivered within a matter of days.

The excitement of a new gadget can totally obscure what comes next — how do we dispose of the old one?

Luckily, many electronics manufacturers will accept disused devices that are returned to them. Apple, Canon, and Sony, among others. Similarly, some retailers, including Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon, will take back old products.

A few online retailers, such as Back Market, will even give you credit towards the purchase of a new device. Disposing of our old electronics is worth a quick web search, phone call, and a little extra effort.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our enthusiastic group of volunteers and our event partners: ReGroup, Sustainable Seward, Ninilchik Health and Wellness Center, Seldovia Village Tribe, Port Graham Village Council, Nanwalek IRA and the Kenai Peninsula Borough.

Our electronics recycling initiative would not be possible without the generous support of TOTE Maritime, Weaver Brothers, Spenard Builders Supply, and Mako’s Water Taxi.

We also thank our financial sponsors, including the Homer Foundation, Homer Real Estate, South Peninsula Hospital, Homer Veterinary Clinic, and River City Books.

Most of all, thank you to everyone who dropped off their electronics at our events.

Keeping hazardous waste out of our watershed is a community effort with incalculable benefits.

Aaron Ford on behalf of Cook Inletkeeper

Grant allows for library repairs

The Anchor Point Public Library, a community hub for seven decades, was awarded a grant of $5,000 from The Homer Foundation with the support of the Opportunity Fund and the KLEPS Fund for our project to address remaining damage caused by septic system failure, allowing us to replace flooring in the bathroom and adjacent children’s area affected by flooding.

These improvements will ensure a clean, safe, and welcoming space for the thousands of residents and visitors who rely on the library each year, especially during the busy summer season. We want to thank Homer Foundation for helping us with this project.

Deanna Thomas

Library Director

Sincere thanks for help to pursue dreams

I was the recipient of the Homer Foundation Nursing Studies Scholarship. I was also awarded scholarships from the Homer Elks Lodge and the Homer Electric Association.

The Middle College and Jumpstart Programs also provided generous support. I would like to sincerely thank these organizations for the support they give to students pursuing their dreams.

These scholarships are greatly appreciated and will allow me to focus on my studies and clinicals while attending college full-time. I enrolled in the Direct-entry Nursing program at Carroll College in Helena, Montana, and will be pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for pre-med.

I plan to become a pediatrician and open a pediatric clinic in Homer. The road to becoming a pediatrician is long, so I can’t thank everyone enough for helping me get one step closer to this!

Hanna Klima

Scholarship provides confidence

I highly appreciate the Homer Foundation for helping me on my financial journey for higher education. Making enough money to cover my first year of college tuition next year has been tough.

It has not been easy preparing for the cost of college while planning for a future where I will be making unfortunately a low teacher salary.

However, receiving the Marilyn Wythe Believe in Yourself Scholarship has given me financial support, as well as the confidence I needed to pursue a degree in teaching.

This fall, I will be moving close to my family in South Dakota and attending Black Hills State University.

This has been my dream school since I was a freshman at Homer High, and I am so lucky to be enrolling in the music education program at BHSU.

My time in Homer has brought me a passion for instruments and musical expression; I have been inspired by the wonderful musical community here. I want to teach kids how to challenge and express themselves with musical tools, and provide them with the same sort of kindhearted learning environment I found in Homer. Hopefully, I can even impact the lives of future generations through teaching musical arts, and fight to rescue dying music programs in rural communities.

Thank you for everything.

Ali Gall

Alaska students paying the price

I was surprised at the June 11 headline that Alaska had dropped to 47th in the nation for children’s well-being and 49th in childhood education. Somehow with the current administration’s handling of education issues I thought we were already 50th! For 8 years, Dunleavy and his Republican legislators have starved Alaska schools of needed funds. He has vetoed and with few exceptions, the Republicans have sustained his vetoes of increased funds for schools.

Some may still somehow believe that “schools need to show progress in test scores before more money is warranted” but that argument is blatantly false. You can’t do “more with less” when you don’t have enough to start. Our teachers have been working without a net for a long time now and doing a yeoman’s job at that.

Dunleavy and his ilk have prioritized charter and private schools over public education and starved public education.

And one of his biggest supporters, one who voted to sustain most of his vetoes is our very own Sarah Vance. It’s time to show her the door and elect a legislator from our district that will deliver votes to fund education fully and to make up for the last eight years of neglect.

Hal Smith

Hospital celebrates 70 years

The original Homer Hospital opened its doors 70 years ago on July 1, 1956 as the result of this community’s forward-thinking pioneer spirit. From that two-bed hospital/medical clinic/dentist office to our current critical access hospital with 22 acute-care beds and 28 long-term care beds, South Peninsula Hospital is now the largest provider of health services on the southern Kenai Peninsula and its largest employer.

South Peninsula Hospital is an instance where “it takes a village” does apply. From city councils and borough assemblies to advisory boards and mayors; from volunteers and visiting physicians to thousands of employees over seven decades; from philanthropic donors to patients who trust us with their care, the success of the hospital is truly the result of many.

No matter your role in the history of the hospital – attending a meeting, writing a letter, casting a vote, completing a patient satisfaction survey – all are invited to celebrate what can be done when a few people in a little town at the end of the road have a shared vision.

Join us Thursday, July 2 from 4-7 p.m. for South Peninsula Hospital’s 70th anniversary party. We’ll gather in the lower level parking lot outside Entrance B for picnic fare, socializing, tours, and more. Partner agencies will have a fire truck, ambulance, and helicopter on display, and hospital leadership will be there to visit, hear your input, and, most importantly, reminisce. We hope to see you Thursday, July 2.

Derotha Ferraro

Foundation boosts After School Program

The Paul Banks Elementary PTA is thrilled to share the inspiring progress of our After School Program during the 2025–2026 year — an achievement made possible by the generous support of the Opportunity Fund at the Homer Foundation.

This year, the program expanded to offer 260 enrichment seats and 50 aftercare spots, growing from just 62 seats in 2022. New classes, including academic tutoring and arts, music, and physical education, welcomed students from all Homer K–2 schools. The introduction of a dedicated aftercare program and scholarships made the program accessible to more children than ever before.

Our community saw what is possible when youth programming is properly resourced — and the Homer Youth Programming Everyday (HYPE) team learned, grew, and are now ready to lead the charge.

Thank you to the Homer Foundation and everyone who made this possible. Now let’s make sure HYPE has what it needs to keep going — follow Homer Youth Programming Everyday on Facebook and get involved.

Angela Head

Paul Banks Elementary PTA Afterschool Program

Scholarship allows focus on nursing studies

I am writing to convey my heartfelt gratitude to the Homer Foundation and the Healthcare Providers Scholarship Committee. I am truly honored to have been selected as a recipient of this scholarship.

As I begin my second year of nursing school, this award will help ease the cost of tuition and textbooks, allowing me to focus more fully on my studies and clinical training.

I am excited to continue working toward my goal of becoming a registered nurse by the summer of 2027. I look forward to remaining in Homer and serving our surrounding communities for a number of years.

Thank you for believing in me and supporting my educational journey. Nursing is a natural fit for my skills and passions, and this opportunity will allow me to give back by providing compassionate care to individuals and families.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks the donors and committee members whose generosity enriches the lives of local students. Your investment in education helps build a stronger and healthier future for us all.

Ludmila N. Martushev

Office opens for political moderates

Good news for those of us seeking common ground on the political spectrum. A new office for moderates and progressives is open in Homer, dedicated to supporting many 2026 candidates running for federal and state offices, regardless of party affiliation.

The office is located on the bottom floor of Kachemak Center, behind Panama Red’s and across the hall from Kachemak Bay Animal Hospital. Currently there are no regular open office hours, but that may change soon. To stay up to date visit www.teammoderate.com for events happening at the office and to access links to websites of several candidates, as well as a community calendar of local events, important information on election details, voting dates and more. Have you ever been curious about what it’s like to work for a political campaign? Volunteers are needed and welcomed. There is a volunteer form to fill out on the website. You will also find this statement: “Help us empower moderate candidates for the common good based on shared values not political party.”

As the August primary gets closer, I hope you will choose to become an active participant.

Cindy Bolognani