Site Logo

Community

Years Ago

Homer happenings from years past

A sure sign of spring is crocuses blooming in front of the Homer Bookstore, as seen here in this photo taken on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Rosemary Fitzpatrick)

Community

Kachemak Gardener: Take heart: Spring is rushing at us

Let’s start this by addressing the amount of snow that those of you who live at elevation are…

The cover of Anne Coray's novel, "Lost Mountain."

Community

Review: New novel set near fictional Pebble Mine

Coray’s ‘Lost Mountain’ looks at personal, community conflict in setting where a large mine might happen.

An atmoshpheric phenomena called STEVE — for "Sudden Thermal Emission from Velocity Enhancement" — is seen in the southern sky early on Saturday, April 17, 2021, from Diamond Ridge near Homer, Alaska. The STEVE appeared the same night as a strong display of auroras to the north. Don Hampton, a research associate and faculty member at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, said STEVEs are not auroras, but a stream of charged particles or sub-aurora polarization streams. "It's actually primarily a different phenomena or mechanism that is creating light," Hampton said of STEVEs. A STEVE is more of a broadband emission than an aurora and can be distinguished by its color of light. Auroras tend to be green or vivid red, while a STEVE appears white to the human eye and may have tinges of red. Hampton said scientists knew about streams of charged particles that are not auroras, but hadn't thought to look if there's an optical phenomena associated with. Aurora chasers in Canada first noticed the optical phenomena in 2014, and it was named by Chris Ratzlaff as a joke reference to the film "Over the Hedge," where the animals called the hedge "Steve." NASA scientist Elizabeth Macdonald came up with the description. "It's pretty cool," Hampton said. "The whole history of the STEVE is that it's a citizen scientist discovery." (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Community

Best Bets

In the long haul toward spring, even though winter might be hanging on with all its might, light…

The Jubilee youth art show opened on Friday, April 2, 2021, at the Homer Council on the Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Community

Arts in brief

April is ‘youth in the arts’ month at HCOA

Koby Etzwiler is a two-time Ptarmigan Arts scholarship recipient. His stickers can be found locally, in Juneau and online. (Photo courtesy of Ptarmigan Arts)

Community

Ptarmigan Arts allery, community boost young artists’ dreams

For almost 25 years, Ptarmigan Arts Scholarship has been helping artists’ careers

A trumpeter swan feeds in Beluga Slough on Monday, April 12, 2021, in Homer, Alaska. According to local birders, both tundra and trumpeter swans have been seen in the area the past week. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Community

Best Bets

Congratulations, citizen! You have diligently fulfilled your duties as a tax-paying, law-abiding resident of the United States of…

Gathering ingredients for Thai-inspired curry, an easy one-pan, weeknight meal, on April, 13, 2021, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Community

Kalifornsky Kitchen: The building blocks of Thai

Curry can be anything you want it to be

Roasting eggplant slices for a versatile meal, photographed on March 10, 2021, in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion)

Community

Kalifornsky Kitchen: Eggplant for every occasion

Eggplants are surprisingly versatile.

Community

Years Ago

Homer happenings from years past

An African violet was started from seed about four years ago provides some spring cheer on April 4, 2021, at the home of the Kachemak Gardener in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Rosemary Fitzpatrick)

Community

Kachemak Gardener: Oops: Getting complacent at latitude 59.5 degrees N

I’m in a pickle. I’ve allowed myself to become complacent here at latitude 59.5 degrees north. What a…

Crews work on a boat on Monday, April 5, 2021, at the large-vessel haul out beach on the Homer Spit near the Pier 1 Theatre in Homer, Alaska. In the off season boats are hauled onshore for repair at the beach near the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Community

Best Bets

As part of the Betster’s annual expedition to document signs of spring, yours truly went on a photo…

The cover of Larry Baxter's novel, "Abandoned." (Photo by McKibben Jackinsky)

Community

New book looks at legend of Alaska’s ‘Nantiinaq,’ or ‘giant hairy thing’

“Abandoned, the History and Horror of Port Chatham, Alaska,” by Larry Baxter (Sasquatch Publishing, $14.99, 141 pages)