20 years ago

Opponents of Homer’s annexation proposal raised serious issues they wanted the City of Homer to address before the Local Boundary Commission could consider its effort to add 25-square-miles to the city, a commission official told the city in a letter received the week before. The commission received 14 responsive briefs and 1,000 pages of letters and exhibits, the most ever in response to an annexation petition.

— From the issue of June 15, 2000

30 years ago

Several vendors asked the Homer City Council to reconsider its proposed ban on mobile vendors on the Homer Spit. An old ordinance allowed mobile vendors to be licensed to operate in designated areas, but it hadn’t been since 1986 that the city set aside land for the vendors. The council voted to consider a ban on Spit mobile vendors, saying city land is scarce and could be put to better uses. Council members also said they didn’t want to see permanent businesses see revenues undercut by itinerant merchants. An espresso stand owner said his plans to operate would be dashed if the ordinance passed. No one on the Spit wanted to rent to him.

— From the issue of June 14, 1990

50 years ago

The front page of the Homer News showed black-and-white photos of crude oil or a tar-like substance that washed ashore on the Homer Spit underneath a headline that read “Who is responsible for this?”

“The sticky gooey mess looks like huge chunks of coal from a distance,” a caption read. “Up until this time Homer has not been plagued with this type of pollution. Reports from across the bay are that chunks of the substance are washing ashore there.”

— From the issue of June 11, 1970