News

Marijuana industry testifies against governor’s control board nominee

“There’s this undercurrent of trying to push back the marijuana industry.”

Andy Jones, Director of the Department of Health and Social Services’ Office of Substance Misuse, right, speak about the fiscal impacts of the opioids on the state along with Michael Duxbury, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, center, and Laura Brooks, Director of Health and Rehabilitation for the Department of Corrections, in front of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

The opioid crisis costs Alaska more than $1B per year, and it’s going to keep being costly

The cost of an epidemic.

Andy Jones, Director of the Department of Health and Social Services’ Office of Substance Misuse, right, speak about the fiscal impacts of the opioids on the state along with Michael Duxbury, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, center, and Laura Brooks, Director of Health and Rehabilitation for the Department of Corrections, in front of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)

Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce casts doubt on LNG project

Pierce said that the mayor’s office is still looking through all the impacts to the Kenai Peninsula

Mayor Charlie Pierce speaks at a Kenai Peninsula Borough meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Teachers and support staff from across the Kenai Peninsula fill the Betty J. Glick Borough Assembly Chambers during the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Education Board meeting in Soldotna, Alaska on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Educators call for action

District staff rally at school board meeting, talk of a strike

Teachers and support staff from across the Kenai Peninsula fill the Betty J. Glick Borough Assembly Chambers during the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Education Board meeting in Soldotna, Alaska on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer Mayor Ken Castner, center, questions ENSTAR Natural Gas officials Lindsay Hobson, left, foreground, and David Bell at the Feb. 11, 2019 Homer City Council meeting in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Council grills ENSTAR on tariff proposal

Following recent revelations that ENSTAR Natural Gas had recalculated how long it would take to pay off its share of constructing a 22-mile natural gas… Continue reading

Homer Mayor Ken Castner, center, questions ENSTAR Natural Gas officials Lindsay Hobson, left, foreground, and David Bell at the Feb. 11, 2019 Homer City Council meeting in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Adm. Matthew T. Bell Jr., 17th District Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, speaks at a memorial service for Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski on Friday morning, Feb. 8, 2019, at the Seafarer’s Memorial on the Homer Spit, Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Homer remembers Coast Guard member Michael Kozloski

On a sunny, calm day with fair seas on Kachemak Bay, about 150 people attended a memorial service for Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski last… Continue reading

Adm. Matthew T. Bell Jr., 17th District Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, speaks at a memorial service for Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski on Friday morning, Feb. 8, 2019, at the Seafarer’s Memorial on the Homer Spit, Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Members of the Krewe of Gambrinus march down Pioneer Avenue on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 during the Winter Carnival Parade in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Photos: Winter Carnival Parade

By Megan Pacer Homer News… Continue reading

Members of the Krewe of Gambrinus march down Pioneer Avenue on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 during the Winter Carnival Parade in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

School announcements

Homer High School Friday, Feb. 15 — Skills USA Competition in Kenai and 9th Grade Activity Night at high school Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 18-19… Continue reading

Seawatch

Seawatch: IPHC raises halibut catch limit

Correction: In the Feb. 7 Sea Watch column, the article quoted Malcom Milne. He said that some of the statements attributed to Glenn Merrill and… Continue reading

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s Office of Management and Budget Director Donna Arduin presents the governor’s supplemental budget to the Senate Finance Committee at the Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

Budget director’s history of cutting with ‘hatchet, not a scalpel’ sparks concern

How much power should the position have?

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s Office of Management and Budget Director Donna Arduin presents the governor’s supplemental budget to the Senate Finance Committee at the Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
A group of teachers gather outside the entrance to West Homer Elementary and Big Fireweed Academy wearing “red for ed” Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 in Homer, Alaska. Teachers around the Kenai Peninsula demonstrated this week to bring awareness to the contract negotiation situation with the school district. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Teachers, unions getting frustrated by contract negotiations

Teachers and representatives from the unions that represent them are speaking up about their frustrations with the current contract negotiations with the Kenai Peninsula Borough… Continue reading

A group of teachers gather outside the entrance to West Homer Elementary and Big Fireweed Academy wearing “red for ed” Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 in Homer, Alaska. Teachers around the Kenai Peninsula demonstrated this week to bring awareness to the contract negotiation situation with the school district. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)
Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski, center, his wife, Brienne, and their four children in an undated photo. (Photo by Brienne Kozloski and used with permission)

Community rallies for family of dead Coast Guardsman

Correction: The story has been corrected to add that the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center is the main sponsor of a barbecue fundraiser… Continue reading

Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski, center, his wife, Brienne, and their four children in an undated photo. (Photo by Brienne Kozloski and used with permission)

Winter Carnival honors Coast Guard

The landscape might be silver and shimmery with ice and snow, but for this year’s annual Homer Winter Carnival, it’s golden days as the city… Continue reading

Dunleavy’s candidate screening process under scrutiny

Some nominees have been “found wanting.”

Homer Flex Phoenix award winner: Elvis Wool

Junior Elvis Wool has been awarded the Flex Phoenix Award for February. This award is given monthly to the student who represents the Homer Flex… Continue reading

School announcements

Homer High School Today — Parent-teacher conferences 8:30-11 a.m., and noon to 3 p.m. No school. Winter Carnival Basketball Games in the Alice Witte Gymnasium:… Continue reading

The Homer Education and Recreation Complex at the corner of the Sterling Highway and Pioneer Avenue. (Homer News file photo)

City seeks letters of interest from possible HERC tenants

The Homer Education and Recreation Complex could soon have a new caretaker, and the city wants to know who’s up for the job. The Homer… Continue reading

The Homer Education and Recreation Complex at the corner of the Sterling Highway and Pioneer Avenue. (Homer News file photo)
Homer Volunteer Fire Department emergency medical technicians treat a U.S. Coast Guard crew member injured when a crane tipped over at the Pioneer Dock on the Homer Spit on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Homer, Alaska. The man was later pronounced dead. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News.)

Coast Guard releases name of crane accident victim

A crew member of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hickory died in an industrial accident on the Homer Spit on Thursday. The man was fatally… Continue reading

Homer Volunteer Fire Department emergency medical technicians treat a U.S. Coast Guard crew member injured when a crane tipped over at the Pioneer Dock on the Homer Spit on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, in Homer, Alaska. The man was later pronounced dead. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News.)
Homer Volunteer Fire Department emergency medical technicians treat a person injured when a crane tipped over at the Pioneer Dock on the Homer Spit at about 1:55 p.m. Jan. 31, 2019, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News.)

Hickory crew member killed in crane rollover on Homer Spit

Update: The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday evening announced that the victim has died. A crew member of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hickory has… Continue reading

Homer Volunteer Fire Department emergency medical technicians treat a person injured when a crane tipped over at the Pioneer Dock on the Homer Spit at about 1:55 p.m. Jan. 31, 2019, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News.)

Anchor Point to Homer trunk line surcharge balloons

The lower Kenai Peninsula’s deal to help pay for a natural gas distribution line from Anchor Point to Homer could cost gas users more than… Continue reading

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