Nearly seventeen years ago I with help from others who believed as I did began an organization to involve local youth in restoring fish habitat. At that time many elected leaders and community members ridiculed the idea. One called it a cheap child labor force, another wanted nothing to do with the idea or youth. However a few individuals stood up and said it will be a hard rock to push up the hill but it’s the right thing to do. One such state senator actually came out in the first year and worked with the youth, without fanfare or public knowledge.

On dipnetting I am voting for option 7. A  dipnetter would purchase a dipnet permit for $200. Upon completion of harvest the head/backbone for each fish would be delivered to the grinding station. The parts would be ground to 1/4 of an inch, consistent with current DEC regulations. At this point their individual harvest report would be completed and turned in. A chip would then be issued. The chip could be returned for a refund or retained and later presented for a new harvest card the next season.

You made a difference in a family’s life when you donated food during recent food drives or bought a bag of food at a local Safeway store or deposited funds in a Kenai Peninsula Food Bank account. Laura writes “This box of food means ... not going to bed hungry, waking and being able to have a meal. Thank you to all who gives.” A disabled veteran says, “I continue to survive because of this Food Bank and Kitchen. Thank you for contributing to my meager survival.”

The Soldotna Middle School Music Booster club would like to express gratitude to the following businesses for the generous donations they made to our recent fundraiser: Don and Sue Cho of Kenai Riverbend Resorts, Scott and Roxy Miller at Soldotna Trustworthy, Mike Sweeney at Sweeney’s, Molly Poland at The Pour House, Chelline Larsen at Dragonfly Gallery, Phormations, and Mandy Peih from Peih Preserves. We’d also like to thank Senator and Mrs.