Friday, May 11, 2007

Business Briefs
Chambers set schedules Horn, Fenske named to state health council New boat gets special attention Youth cooking classes offered Small business workshops offered Crime Stoppers seeks support

New operator launches business in Anchor Point
Fishermen can start their boat engines and begin to launch. Anchor Point Seafoods owners Paul and Angela Warner have been awarded the boat-launch contract for the beach at Anchor Point. The tractor-driven launch business kicked off the 2007 season Friday.

Cost too high when it comes to children, guns
I would like to express thanks to Officer Tobin Brennan of the Soldotna Police Department for his attentive professionalism in this serious matter of schools, guns, children and the horrific devastation of the families that will be affected.

Donations keep the ‘Spirit’ going
Soldotna High School staff would like to thank the following businesses for their support to our Star Spirit program: Wells Fargo, Agrium, Kenai River Professional Guide Association, HEA, ConocoPhillips, Rocky Mountain College, Alaska Railroad, Credit Union 1 and the SoHi Parent-Teacher-Student Association.

Soldier’s wife says thank you
And what does it mean to have your life partner halfway around the world serving the good old USA? Well, unlike my husband’s father who served in World War II, he has access to e-mail and regular phone-home visits. Unlike Pop Ahlberg, he will come home for leave, all expenses paid, see the family, get right with the “Big Man” in the homeland and eat Alaska’s finest cuisine.

Language barrier isn’t the problem
The United States has always encouraged immigrants to come to these shores. It is engraved on the Statue of Liberty, so why would we pretend we must all speak English? Proper English comes from England, and it is the hardest language in the world for other countries to learn. Don’t tell me everyone speaks proper English in this country.

Reader: Hail the honest and honorable
We, the people of Alaska, have elected a few weak personalities, past and present. However, even the weakest of us will “do what’s right” in the absence of unscrupulous, corrupt power brokers.

Reader: Take the fee and fix the road
Now that the state parks division has had all winter to reflect on where they will spend their money with our $10 per pop launch fees, I hope before too long they get one of their dump trucks, fill it up as many times as it takes and fill in 362 potholes at the end of Silver Salmon Lane leading into the Pillars boat ramp. And once inside the park gates, they can fill in the biggest potholes of all of them.

Rec center helps pull off prom
Nikiski High School’s junior class and I would like to thank the employees of the Nikiski Community Recreation Center — Tammy, Joe, Crystal, Rick, Dan, Chauncy and Jolene. We recently held our prom at the rec center, and they went above and beyond to accommodate our group through the weeks of planning, decorating and pulling off a really enjoyable evening for our students and their dates. They were always accommodating, supportive and helpful.

Reader asks: What if?
I pulled up to the drive-through window at the Soldotna McDonald’s and ordered a Big Mac, fries and chocolate shake. Then the person taking the order asked me if I was a resident of Soldotna. Thinking that McDonald’s was sure collecting a lot of personal information, I casually replied, “why yes.”

Bruins awake, active on Kenai Peninsula
Editor’s note: In an effort to help educate the public on bear safety, the Clarion and Alaska Department of Fish and Game have teamed up to publish information on bear activity in the area. A new update will be provided each week.

Goodies for troops on their way
The city of Soldotna’s Red, White and Blue Program has managed to get 75 boxes of donated items mailed to members of the U.S. military.

Board OK’s school improvement application
During its meeting Monday in Seward, the school board OK’d the district’s application to participate in a comprehensive school improvement service offered by the Association of Alaska School Boards.

City budget draws zero interest
The Soldotna City Council chamber was filled to capacity Wednesday night, but not one person was there to comment on the city’s $11 million-plus budget for the coming year or on the latest version of the city’s proposed sign ordinance.

Hail to the kings
It’s not quite summertime and the cotton’s not on high, but the fish have started jumping in central Kenai Peninsula rivers.

Stephaine Waldeck
Longtime Kenai resident Stephaine Waldeck died Saturday, April 28, 2007, at Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, surrounded by her family and friends. She was 40.

Where are our priorities?: Rep. Gara says there’s a way to cover kids’ health care
It’s 2007. There are 18,000 Alaska children who do not have health insurance. Half of those children are from working families. The cost of health insurance keeps rising, and many Alaskans are out of luck if they don’t work for a company that offers health insurance, or if they don’t qualify for Medicaid.

Who’s to blame for problems with legislators?
One sitting lawmaker and two former lawmakers indicted. More indictments expected. Guilty pleas by two oil-field company executives. Charges of bribery, extortion, conspiracy.

Birding festivals take wing
It’s that time of year again when a bevy of binocular-clad birders will take to beachcombing in search of the their beloved beaked friends.

Birders’ knowledge will soar at this year’s shorebird celebration
The Kenai Shorebird Celebration is happening for the third consecutive year next week. What began as a small workshop hosted by the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and the Kenai Watershed Forum has grown into an annual event. This year the sponsors include the Kenai Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Keen Eye Peninsula Birders. Initially designed as a workshop to help local birders with identification of the sometimes difficult shorebirds, the two-day event now offers speakers on many different shorebird subjects and two field trips to the Kenai and Kasilof river flats.

Outdoors Brief
Refuge needs campground hosts SeaLife Center offers fish-eye view of salmon

An Outdoor View
With the greening of grass and the chirping of mating birds, my anticipation of the coming fishing season knows no bounds.

Around the Peninsula
Swim lessons make a splash Refuge to spruce up Housing ground breaking set Mackey to help with fundraiser Dinner, auction fundraiser set Reality check for teens planned Borough to collect ice jam debris Cemetery cleanup slated Communities cleaning up

Around the Peninsula
Iditarod champion to help with fundraiser Borough to collect ice jam debris Give mom the day off Nursing homes celebration events set Kenai Shorebird celebration set Gardeners branching out Garage sale fundraiser planned Motorcycle fundraiser goes full throttle Breastfeeding class offered Free vision screening offered Teens for rent

Kenai boys top Ketchikan
Freshman Justin Calhoun recorded a hat trick and added an assist and freshman Dom Eubank had a goal and an assist in leading the Kenai boys soccer team to a 6-2 victory over visiting Ketchikan on Wednesday.

Skyview, Nikiski split
Six different Skyview players scored as the visiting Panthers picked up their first victory of the season, a 6-0 triumph over Nikiski on Thursday.

Room for change
Who, what, where, when ...

Poet’s Corner
It’s Test-tube Baby, television’s child...

What’s Happening
Best Bets Events and Exhibits Entertainment Films Upcoming Events Down the Road Anchorage events

Art Briefs
It’s all connected Alaska Writers Guild starts new chapter Artists’ work to take off at airport Vendors needed for sea fest Chorus set to sing Council offers masterful art grant Triumvirate plans drama camps Performers winging it Performers set to camp Beading classes offered Kids’ reading program ongoing

Adventures too much for 1 movie
“Spider-Man 3”

Church Briefs
Missions garage sale set Addictions group meets Clothes available for needy Matrix to meet Meaning of life to be discussed Bible study group to meet Shaping your life class offered Nikiski Aglow hosts video Bible study

Don’t set Easter message aside for a year
Now that Easter is over, we are not to just set the resurrection aside until Lent 2008. We are to put our belief, our faith, into practice daily.