Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Where do you put 1,800 houseguests?
When 1,800 young athletes descend upon the Kenai Peninsula next month for the 2006 Arctic Winter Games they will need a place to sleep, a place to shower and food to eat.

Order up: Athletes need 50,000 meals
Dean Hamburg is un-daunted by the task of providing 50,000 meals for the athletes when the Arctic Winter Games come to the Kenai Peninsula next month.

30th Peninsula Winter Games, “Best ever!”
It’s been 30 years since a retired log cabin, dog sled building, missionary in Sterling by the name of Al York started a community winter event to get kids and their families out of their houses to enjoy some traditional Alaskan winter outdoor activities. York called the event the Peninsula Winter Games and they have been growing ever since and now include a week of non-stop activities that include both indoor and outdoor fun. Even though the Peninsula Winter Games have grown to include professional dog mushing, ice carving, table tennis, indoor soccer, and a huge fireworks display, the event has maintained its original purpose as envisioned by York and his wife Bernice, “It’s about the Kids!”

Local Dentist travels to Jamaica for international aid program...
On a cold winter day think Jamaica and the sounds of Harry Belafonte and Calypso romance spring to mind. Thoughts of sunny beaches and tropical breezes would encourage most anyone to volunteer for duty to the island. However, Jamaica long considered the Cultural Capital of the Caribbean is also the capital of despair and deep rooted poverty in Central America. So when local Dr. John Miley DDS volunteered his skills to work at a free dental clinic in Jamaica the Soldotna Rotary Club decided it would be a good international project to sponsor his trip.

Volunteer registration for Arctic Winter Games closes...More than 2,700 sign up...
The Kenai Peninsula Arctic Winter Games 2006 Host Society says they have officially exceeded their targeted goal of 2,700 registered volunteers. “We closed it off this morning. I am so impressed the way the people across the Kenai Peninsula came forward these last few weeks to insure that we would have the volunteer power it’s going to take to make these Games great. It’s truly a tribute to the community. The next step is to get each of the volunteers through the background check process, assign them to their respective activities or events and get them trained,” said AWG general manager Tim Dillon last week.

Outdoors
Several times in my ice fishing adventures I have observed muskrats swimming under the ice and on a few occasions saw them swimming in the hole or attempt to climb out on the ice by you. Last Saturday I took my children to the Trustworthy Derby Grand opening at Sport Lake. It was not a very nice day as the wind was extremely cold making fishing out on the ice not very pleasant without a shelter and some time of heater.

Eater’s Digest
With the Valentine’s holiday just days away, I though this week I would review a favorite place for many couples looking for an elegant dining experience - Mykel’s restaurant in Soldotna.

Kids of the Kenai...Caring For The Kenai...
For 16 years high school students on the Kenai Peninsula have been challenged to create a proposal to improve our environment or better prepare for a natural disaster. The community partnership program is called Caring For The Kenai (CFK) and is made possible through a grant from Agrium and Chevron Alaska to the Kenai Watershed Forum. With a matching $5,000 grant from the Kenai River Sportfishing Association the CFK program divides $10,000 cash between participating high schools in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. Last year Ninilchik students earned nearly $2,000 for their science and language arts departments from their entries and this year they are hoping to do even better.

Government workers should follow fast food service example
Lorena Whitaker’s piece “The Customer is Always Right” (Verbatim, Clarion, Feb. 1) was most excellent.

Reader: Wal-Mart choice is ours
If you were the largest corporation in America, would you make sure your workers earned enough to cover basic necessities, that they could afford health care, and that they were aptly rewarded for their loyalty?

Government shouldn’t have free reign to spend budget surplus
The $1.2-billion windfall is just the beginning for the governor and Legislature.

Too young to be helped?
I’ve got a question that I don’t know if it would be best answered with a poll or survey of some kind. I recently went out to the college around 2:15 and on my way out, ran into traffic coming from the elementary school. A little Asian girl was walking on the side of the road, barely out of the way of traffic with fresh powder down and everything, and she couldn’t have been more than 10 or 11 years old.

Bill would create a new division to combat senior fraud
An alleged fraud has apparently cost a longtime Alaska couple land and money acquired over a lifetime of work, leaving them without access to either at a time they might have hoped to enjoy their golden years.

District cuts looming?
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District may be forced to cut 100 teachers next year.

Order up: Athletes need 50,000 meals
Dean Hamburg is un-daunted by the task of providing 50,000 meals for the athletes when the Arctic Winter Games come to the Kenai Peninsula next month.

Is Kachemak safe harbor for towed tanker?
Concerns about pollution from disabled tankers anchored in safe refuge in Kachemak Bay is generating pressure for greater tanker safety measures in Cook Inlet after a cracked oil tanker was escorted there from Cook Inlet last Friday.

Where do you put 1,800 houseguests?
When 1,800 young athletes descend upon the Kenai Peninsula next month for the 2006 Arctic Winter Games they will need a place to sleep, a place to shower and food to eat.

Photo feature: Clean sweep

Nikiski man jailed for attempted murder
An illegal entry and attempted murder concluded with the arrest of a 29-year-old Nikiski man Sunday afternoon.

Traffic to slow, Lowe’s is a go
Kenai City Council members got a crash course in engineering last week.

Around the Peninsula
Grief support for teens offered Seniors cooking up buffet Historical Society to meet Dinner fund-raiser slated Art donations to be part of auction Team will work for uniforms

Around the Peninsula
Clarion looking for love Exxon update to be discussed Hershberger to speak Clinic will take it to the mat Genealogical society activities planned Love stories to be shared

Borough budget gets 2nd look
The Kenai Peninsula Borough budget is getting a second look.

Former Homer player to join Oilers
Former American Legion Twins and Homer High School catcher Jim Pollack will join the 2006 Peninsula Oilers. Pollack, a freshman, attends Palm Beach Community College and was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 2005 draft. Pollack participated in the 2005 Florida All-Star game. Pollack is from Homer and has not as yet chosen a college major. Hawaii Pacific University freshman right-handed pitcher Kevin Matsumoto has returned his contract and will join the 2006 Oilers. Matsumoto was named to the 2005 High School All-State and Eastern Division Teams after his senior year in high school. The 6-footer is studying business management and resides in Kailua, Hawaii.

Sports Briefs
Homer’s Hoe-Raittio controls PSDRA event KPHA squad tops Nikiski KPHA PeeWee Tier III takes tourney Teams ready for Juniors Nationals, AWG Team Alaska tabs gymnasts Team Alaska tabs snowshoers

Honor Roll
The following students were named to the honor roll at SOldotna Middle School

Music, fishing, art, wireless: KPC provides variety of activities
Learn to fly fishing Art faculty news PARW conference set I.T. expands wi-fi, establishes help desk

To sneak or not to sneak — how much trouble can you stand?
I think kids and teens have more power in suggestion than we know. For instance, if we tell a parent or parental figure we’re going to do something, we usually will get a flat out no. However, if we suggest or ask for something like, say, going to a friend’s house on a school night, we still might get a no, but at least you have a chance of a yes because you asked.

Around the District
School closures set Help available with college applications Scholarships offered to high school seniors Aurora Borealis Charter Connections Cook Inlet Academy Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science Kalifornsky Beach Elementary Kenai Central High Kenai Middle Kenai Montessori Kenaitze Cuya Qyutanen Head Start Mountain View Elementary Nikiski Middle-High School Redoubt Elementary Sears Elementary Soldotna High Soldotna Elementary Soldotna Middle Soldotna Montessori Sterling Elementary Sterling Head Start Tustumena Elementary Wings Christian Academy

Bill would require schools to teach first aid
A few years from now, Alaska might be a safer place to be if suddenly in need of first aid.

Where art and geometry meet
In the spirit of M.C. Escher, who created works of repeated shapes, each one snuggly fit to those around it, students from across the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District have tried their hand at creating tessellations.

Kenai basketball drops 3 of 4
The Kenai girls and boys basketball teams dropped three of four games Friday and Saturday in Kodiak. The girls won 47-41 on Friday before dropping a 42-40 contest Saturday. The Kenai boys lost 52-46 on Friday and 52-49 on Saturday.