20 years ago

Vivid blue skies, fast snow and stiff competition awaited the more than 300 cross-country skiers who converged on the McNeil Canyon trails over the weekend to compete in the third and fourth installments of the Besh Cup Races. Dressed in a kaleidoscope of high school and ski club colors, the racers battled for Cup points, Alaska Junior Olympic standings and bragging rights. But if the smiles at the finish line were any indication, the racers mostly skied for fun.

— From the issue of Jan. 29, 2004

30 years ago

A detailed blueprint for future cooperation in disaster planning and response between the city and its municipal neighbors was adopted Monday by the Homer City Council. Three years in the drafting, the South Zone Emergency Response Plan will link the cities of Homer, Seldovia, Kachemak City and the Kenai Peninsula Borough in planning for and meeting the challenges of disasters ranging from natural events such as floods, eruptions and earthquakes to man-made havoc including oil and chemical spills, food shortages and riots. The plan comes in four volumes detailing management plans and includes aids such as maps, guidelines for activities common to all disaster emergencies such as communications and keeping the public informed, plans for setting up and running an emergency operations center and a reference book on available resources.

— From the issue of Jan. 27, 1994