Harbor expansion is for benefit of all
In our house we honor those who came before us.
Wise and resourceful Alaska and Homer residents built infrastructure like the Homer harbor, a road from Anchorage, schools and fire halls. Businesses took risk and our community prospered.
Assuredly, all these projects were very expensive at the time. And, thankfully, we have them today or we wouldn’t be much of a community. We wouldn’t have much of an economy.
Mike O’Meara’s awesome images bemoan how expensive a new harbor planning costs are. I agree. Every meeting I have been to, the Kachemak Conservation folks express their opinions about a harbor expansion. They filibuster and add design features that eventually cost the engineers more to analyze. Some of them insultingly say things like, “Commercial fishing won’t even be around in 30 years, so why do we need a harbor?”
To those of us who are building multi-generational family sustainable businesses in the fisheries that is the ultimate insult. It must be intentional. Would any of us say in public “You are retired and 70 years old, why are you commenting? You won’t even be around in 30 years.”
Never!
The harbor expansion is way bigger than for the needs of commercial fishing. Recreational, marine transportation, shipping and tourist interests — restaurants, coffee shops and the rest of Homer businesses — will all benefit if we can plan a cost-effective expansion.
Folks who have theirs and don’t want anything in our town to happen all reap the benefits of those who came before, but won’t acknowledge it.
Buck Laukitis
Homer
Dear Editor,
Thank you for printing the 4th Annual Peony Celebration advertisement in your Sept. 14 issue of Homer News to recognize and acknowledge our financial and in-kind sponsors.
Unfortunately, due a mistake on my part, I didn’t include Kathy Toms and Charlie Franz as Bowl of Cream Peony Donors. My apologies. Besides being a sponsor, Kathy is one of our terrific volunteer hosts at the Chamber Visitor Center, volunteering weekly to inform locals and visitors alike of all the things to do and see in Homer plus across and around Kachemak Bay, including during the Annual Peony Celebrations.
The 5th Annual Peony Celebration is scheduled for the month of July in 2024. We invite your readers to mark their calendars for this annual event to celebrate the second most beloved flower in the world — peonies.
Bryan Zak, former Homer Mayor proclaimed “Homer, Alaska — City of Peonies” on July 24, 2017. This community and its 25 peony farmers are proud to continue celebrating this distinctive honor annually.
With gratitude,
Jan Knutson, director and membership liaison
Homer Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center
Let’s all share the roads
Homer shares the road, well … some of us do. On daily walks and while bicycle riding, I personally experience inattentive drivers not looking both ways before proceeding into the intersection or believing they have the right of way no matter what. Perhaps they should read the AK Drivers Manual to refresh their memory of the rules. That goes for bicyclists and pedestrians, too.
Traffic accidents are avoidable with correct road behavior. Those white dashes at some intersections are pedestrian crossings; motorists please be aware that you should yield to people as they wish to cross the street.
Let’s all be considerate and share this town’s roads, sidewalks and trails. Also, dispose of your trash properly instead of carelessly tossing it from your car or while biking or walking.
Thank you,
Wes Schacht
Homer Farmers Market stronger thanks to support
The Homer Farmers Market board and staff would like to acknowledge and thank our grantors that supported HFM in 2023. A very special thank you to the Alaska Farmers Market Association, the United States Department of Agriculture, The Homer Foundation, and the City of Homer for supporting food equity on the Southern Kenai Peninsula! Our market is stronger thanks to your support.
Lauren Jerew
Market director
