Letters to the Editor
Published 2:30 am Thursday, April 2, 2026
Don’t forget to vote in HEA election
I want to thank all the Homer Electric Association members for allowing me to serve as one of your directors in District 3 for the past nine years. It has been a great honor.
Peter Crimp is running for the seat I have occupied for the past nine years and would be a great addition to the board. Peter understands the benefits of alternative energy in minimizing the electricity cost to HEA members, and he has 20 years of experience working for the Alaska Energy Authority, including working with the State of Alaska Renewable Energy Grant Fund program. Peter also has significant experience with budgeting and will be able to review the budget thoroughly every year to ensure we are getting the best deal possible while maintaining the reliability of the system.
Natural gas from Cook Inlet has powered our electrical system very well for many years. But the cost of natural gas has been increasing substantially in the past few years and is becoming unaffordable. One third of our budget currently goes to paying for natural gas. That amounts to over $40 million every year just to buy gas. Sun, wind and water have no fuel cost. Alternative energy systems are less costly now than natural gas for producing electricity and the difference is only going to increase. Let’s give Peter the opportunity to move HEA into the future!
Voting starts April 3, and your ballot must arrive by May 6.
Jim Levine
Homer
Respect military lives
On March 7, our Grifter-in-Chief, while participating in a dignified transfer of our dead heroes at Dover Air Force Base, wore a baseball cap advertising himself. This stunning and disrespectful act showcases a draft dodger’s lack of dignity or appreciation for the moment. Besides promoting his hat sales, he showed that he doesn’t really care about who dies in his war of choice.
Senator Lindsey Graham served in the Air Force as a military advocate and attorney. On March 22, while cheerleading for Trump he said, “We did Iwo Jima, we can do this” referring to putting boots on the ground in Iran. This statement reflects a lack of respect for life when talking about our troops. He is acting as if they are expendable cattle. His own military risk was potentially a paper cut, or perhaps a coffee spill on his shoes. Apparently, like all chickenhawks, he has no problem sending America’s sons and daughters off to war.
As a Vietnam veteran, my perspective is different. Graham and other chickenhawks will never have to hear the wounded or dying scream out with anguished cries for their mothers, wives and children. When a friend was hit in a fire fight, I was usually asked, “Am I gonna be alright or am I gonna die?”
Then, I would lie to him because he may be too close to a hole in the ground and a folded flag. Who am I to extinguish his last flicker of hope?
Still, the chickenhawks and draft dodgers need to watch out for papercuts while remembering to tie their shoes.
Michael A LeMay, Veterans for Peace
Homer
Grateful for community support of cultural program
On behalf of the Alaska Japanese Club Homer, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for your ongoing support of our programs.
We especially want to thank the Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary Club for your generous donation, and the Homer Public Library for hosting our Japanese Cultural Studies, meetings and sessions with students from our sister city, Teshio, Hokkaido. We also appreciate West Homer Elementary School for hosting our Japanese Taiko drumming lessons and Japanese classes, Paul Banks Elementary School for hosting Japanese classes, the Homer United Methodist Church for our taiko drumming sessions, and the City of Homer for your partnership with our sister city program. Additionally, we are grateful to the local businesses that host our donation boxes and the many individuals who provide sponsorships.
The donated funds will be used to purchase supplies for our culinary fundraising events. During the 2024-2025 period, proceeds from these events provided the majority of the funding for our ambassadorial trip to Japan while allowing students to practice Japanese etiquette and mannerisms.
Your support stays within the community, as funds are reinvested into local supplies, facility rentals, advertising and educational materials.
Finally, we would like to reiterate our thanks to the Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary Club for your hospitality and friendship. To our incredible board members and volunteers, thank you for your tireless efforts in making our events a success. To our sponsors, your support has made all of this possible, and we’re deeply grateful. And to each and every attendee, you are the heart and soul of this appreciation and presentation. Your enthusiasm, expertise and willingness to engage have made these past years truly special. We look forward to our continued friendship and partnership.
Megumi Beams, Director and President
Alaska Japanese Club Homer
Gratitude for Homer’s support
On behalf of the Alaska Japanese Club in Homer, I would like to thank the Homer community for supporting cultural sharing. The Homer Kachemak Bay Rotary Club gave a generous donation, the Homer Public Library provides space for private lessons and cultural studies, West Homer Elementary School and the Homer United Methodist Church provide space for taiko drumming practice, and the City of Homer supported the club with flags, banners and stickers for the Winter Carnival Parade. The Girl Scouts and City of Homer also donated to the 2025 student ambassador delegation to Homer’s sister city in Teshio, Hokkaido, Japan. The community’s contributions make the club possible. Thank you all!
Rosie Mahowald
Taiko Drumming Group Member
Grateful for new opportunities
I would like to thank all of those who have supported the Alaska Japanese Club throughout the years. With this community’s support, I have been able to experience things I would have never been able to do on my own and enjoy learning about what I love. I have been able to see those younger than me get to do the same things and be excited to do even more. Thank you.
Elayna Wilson, Alaska Japanese Club member
Homer
Thank you for supporting Teshio trip
I was one of five students who went to Teshio and beyond this past summer. I am writing this letter to you to thank you for all of your generous donations and support that made this amazing, life-changing experience possible. One of my favorite parts of the trip was the first night that we got to Japan. It was late at night, and we went up to the Tokyo Tower. While we were up there, there was this moment of realization at just how cool of a place we were in, and how wildly different it was from Homer. The most memorable part of the trip was most definitely making friends in Teshio and doing all sorts of stuff with them, from playing basketball, going to their schools, to making traditional homemade Japanese foods. It is quite amazing to know that you have friends halfway around the world. This was all made possible by individual donors, business sponsorships, fundraisers, and so much more. Thank you again for allowing all of us to go on the trip of a lifetime and experience these amazing things.
Finn Brewer, Alaska Japanese Club member
Homer
Hoping to visit Japan someday
Thank you for attending our community presentations and the winter parade. Thank you, Megumi Sensei, for helping this club learn Japanese and for teaching us at the Paul Banks after-school program. The donations to our club will help us learn about Japanese culture and help some kids travel to Japan next year. I hope someday that I can go to Japan with the Alaska Japanese Club Homer.
Hannah Busche-Vold, 1st grader
Alaska Japanese Club Homer
Grateful for memorable experiences
We sincerely thank you for your support of the Alaska Japanese Club and for making another trip to Japan possible. Your generous contributions help us create memorable experiences and give us the opportunity to share our knowledge with others.
Leilah Torzillo, Alaska
Japanese Club member Homer
Community support makes cultural learning possible
This letter is addressed to the Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary Club, the Homer Public Library, the City of Homer, all of the organizations and our community. On behalf of the Alaska Japanese Club Homer, we would like to thank you for your donations and continued support of our club. Without you, our club would not be here to share the ability to teach students and people who wish to learn Japanese culture and language.
The space that our public library provides allows us to hold our studies and meetings. The generous donations from the Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary Club has helped us start our goal for our student ambassador trip to Japan in the summer of 2027. And finally, arguably the most important, the support of our local community and all the people who take time out of their day to help our club. We would not be here without you.
To our supporters and organizations who have helped us reach this point, I think I speak for the whole club when I say thank you. We could not have done any of it without you, each and every one of you who continue to help our club succeed in our mission. We are eternally grateful for your continued support.
Logan Smith, Alaska Japanese Club member
Homer
Thank you for donations to cultural club
I’m a member of the Alaska Japanese Club Homer, and we would like to thank our many supporters that make our club possible. We would like to acknowledge the generous donation from the Kachemak Bay Rotary Club, and the Homer Public Library for providing the space for private lessons and cultural studies. We are also so thankful for the City of Homer and their support with flags, banners and sticker distribution during the parade. Our Japanese Club means a lot to me and I feel so lucky to experience this in Homer.
Your generous support has allowed us to continue and gives us the opportunity to learn Japanese, meet all kinds of new people, learn about Japanese culture and create amazing memories. Thank you again for all of your support of our club! Arigatou gozaimasu.
Margaret Gricius, Alaska Japanese Club member
Homer
Community supports student ambassadors
Thank you all for supporting our student ambassadors’ program, especially to the Girl Scouts of Alaska in Homer, the Homer-Kachemak Bay Rotary Club, the City of Homer, South Peninsula Hospital and our individual donors for us to have a great experience to learn more about Japanese culture. We are hoping to raise our funds to go to Japan in 2027. We would appreciate your continued support.
Rei Beams, 2025 student ambassador
Alaska Japanese Club Homer
Japanese club appreciates continued support
Thank you for supporting our club and helping make another trip to Japan possible. We truly appreciate your donations, which allow us to learn about the history of the atomic bomb and the culture of Japan, like when we as the student ambassadors went to our sister city, Teshio, Hokkaido in Japan and learned to play the koto, which is a Japanese traditional instrument. We also learned to do calligraphy in Japanese class at the Teshio Junior High School. We appreciate your continued support.
Sei Beams, 2025 student ambassador
Alaska Japanese Club Homer
Learning about Japanese culture
Thank you for your support of the Japanese club and helping to fund another trip to Japan. I have learned a lot about Japanese culture and cities in Japan in our club. I have also learned how to use chopsticks and sing Japanese songs.
Thanks to you, we can keep doing fun activities in the Japanese club.
Ila Johnson, 6th grade
Alaska Japanese Club Homer
Opening a door to the world
We are writing to express our deepest gratitude for the incredible generosity the Homer community showed to our group. Whether you bought a cupcake or lollipop at a bake sale, enjoyed a Japanese luncheon, bid on an item at our silent auction or made a donation — you were opening a door to the world for us.
From the viewpoint of a 13-year-old who loves skiing the slopes of Alaska, Japanese anime, drumming, sports and exploring new places, this trip was the ultimate adventure. At first, Japan felt like a different planet, but I quickly learned how to navigate it. I figured out how to order my own food (the ramen is amazing!), how to purchase items in local stores, and how to show respect through bowing and proper etiquette.
One of the biggest highlights was our time in Teshio, Homer’s sister city. I had the awesome opportunity to play basketball with Japanese students my age, which has led me on the path to continuing basketball in my own hometown and school when I returned.
Even though in much of the time with those I met we spoke different languages, the game was the same. We spent time in the local schools and had school lunch, and it was cool to see the differences between their school day and ours back home.
Perhaps the most life-changing part was staying with my host family. Even though we couldn’t always find the right words, we shared so much laughter, music and fun. I realized that you don’t need a translator for laughter and kindness. We built a bond that I want to last a lifetime.
From a professional’s perspective, the growth witnessed during this journey was profound. Watching these young Alaskans, including myself and fellow chaperones, transition from being tourists to global citizens was a privilege and an honor. I learned the nuances of a rich, ancient culture and practiced the discipline and politeness that Japan is known for. My favorite part was the bowing and saying, “Ohayou gozaimasu” every morning to everyone I met.
This trip was a masterclass in empathy and adaptability.
Our group grew closer each day, building memories that will serve as a profound lesson for our future roles as educators, leaders, and travelers. None of this — the formidable experiences, the cultural exchanges, or the personal growth — would have been possible without the continued support of our community.
We must also extend a heartfelt thank-you to Megumi-sensei. Without her vision, tireless dedication and her passion for bridging our two cultures, this trip would have remained a dream. She paved the way for every bowl of noodles, every bus, every plane, train and automobile, every basketball game in Teshio, every “arigato” we spoke, and just every awe-inspiring moment we spent.
Thank you, Homer community, for believing in the importance of cultural exchange. You have given us more than just a trip; you have given us a new way to see the world and a collection of unforgettable memories. We have returned to Alaska with full hearts and a deep appreciation for the everlasting bonds we forged in Japan.
Waylon Straley, a 2025 student ambassador, and Letha Straley, a 2025 chaperone
Alaska Japanese Club Homer
