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After homesteading on Happy Creek in 1946, Rex Hanks built a sawmill below the falls near the Cook Inlet beach. (Rex Hanks photo courtesy of Katie Matthews)

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A Kind and Sensitive Man: The Rex Hanks Story — Part 2

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Happy Valley resident Rex Hanks began his own private cemetery in the winter of 1951. By…

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Homer happenings from years past

Photo from “San Chat,” May 1956 issue In 1956, when this photo of nurse Irmgard Hanks, wife of Rex, was taken for the 10th anniversary of the Seward Sanitorium, the Hanks were still living in Seward but were preparing to move to a new home in Happy Valley. Irmgard was the Night Supervisor and Relief Supervisor for the facility, which fought against the ravages of tuberculosis.

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A Kind and Sensitive Man: The Rex Hanks Story — Part 1

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This first chapter of the Rex Hanks story includes many other individuals and numerous actions and…

These simple lemon almond snowball cookies are mildly sweet and delicate. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)

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Lemony sweet Easter treat

These lemon almond snowball cookies are mildly sweet and delicate

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Homer happenings from years past

This card, along with a passenger manifest, marked the journey of John Grönroos and his eldest son from their old home in Finland to their new home in the United States. They arrived on the S.S. Westernland in the Port of Philadelphia on March 5, 1903, with a final destination of the Kenai Peninsula. The other three members of the family arrived the following year, via New York City. Card courtesy of ancestry.com.

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Fresh Start: The Grönroos Family Story — Part 2

By Clark Fair

This Korean rice porridge, called dak juk, is easy to digest but hearty and nutritious, perfect for when you’re learning how to eat. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)

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A comforting meal for new beginnings

Rice porridge is a common first solid meal for many, many babies around the world

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Homer happenings from years past

Otto T. Frasch photo, copyright by David C. Chapman, “O.T. Frasch, Seattle” webpage The Canadian steamship Princess Victoria collided with an American vessel, the S.S. Admiral Sampson, which sank quickly in Puget Sound in August 1914.

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Fresh Start: The Grönroos Family Story — Part 1

It had been a good vacation, the first time in a decade that Sophia Grönroos had been outside…

Eggplants, garlic, lemon juice and tahini make up this recipe for baba ghanouj. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)

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When making a good example is hard to swallow

Preparing baba ghanouj despite a dislike of eggplant

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Years Ago

Homer happenings from years past

This trio of images appeared in the January 1942 edition of Alaska Life magazine, in an article entitled “The Mayor of Seward Builds a Dream House for $2,000!” To the left and right are interior views of the Benson home. The center photograph shows W.R. Benson and his dog near the front gate of his yard.

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Hometown Booster: The W.R. Benson Story — Part 3

AUTHOR’S NOTE: W.R. Benson, in his mid-50s when he and wife Mable moved from Seward to Homer in…

Tantanmen, a 30-minute ramen dish, doesn’t sacrifice flavor or wholesomeness for speed. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)

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Ramen that satisfies

Tantanmen features a milky, nutty broth and can be on the table in under 30 minutes