Friday, June 8, 2007

Business Briefs
Chambers set schedules Youth cooking classes offered CISB tote distribution slated Direct marketing for fishermen program set Crime Stoppers seeks support

What happened to dog owner responsibility?
Regarding the shooting of Pamela Parson’s animals (Clarion letters, May 23), and reading the response by Jennifer Curry (Clarion, May 30), I have one question: Who is responsible for keeping your animals contained? Someone else? The city, borough, or wait, the dog owner?

Curious sports story compels mom to write
Matthew Carroll’s report on last Thursday’s soccer showdown between the Kenai Kards and the Soldotna Stars at the state soccer playoffs was inaccurate and curious. The inaccuracies I can easily live with; they alone would not compel me to take time to write this. Besides, anyone who attended the game knows that Barry Norwood was an integral part of a total team effort that finished with what would have been the winning goal were it not for a bogus call made with five seconds left to go in regulation time. An outcome-changing bogus call would also not be sufficient for any seasoned soccer mom like me to actually take the time to write this.

Letter inspires action
Thanks for the letter from Terri Berg, “It’s time for peace” (Clarion, May 1).

In the wake of new river regs
After 30 years of boating on the Kenai River, Brian Bell’s days may be numbered. Under new regulations currently awaiting a signature by the lieutenant governor, Bell will have to get rid of his 35 horsepower two-stroke engine by 2010.

Some service area mill rates rise
Tuesday night, with only minutes to spare, the Kenai Peninsula Borough assembly approved Resolution 2007-035 that set the property tax mill rates for the borough and its service areas.

Kenai man eluding police hit by car
A Kenai man fled from police and into traffic on the Kenai Spur Highway on Saturday, where a car hit him.

Racing the clock, assembly adopts FY 2008 budget
Pushing hard against a deadline that precludes legislative action past midnight, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly raced the clock Tuesday to adopt the fiscal year 2008 borough budget and pass the resolution cutting the borough’s property tax mill rate by a full mill.

Hands-on construction course designed to address national builder shortages
Eight hours a day for the next three weeks, local high school students will learn how to wield a hammer, build a window frame and man a power drill while cultivating a good work ethic.

Moose calves bring bear peace
The arrival of moose calves typically means a decrease in nuisance bear activity, and this year is no exception.

Coalition opposes decision
Kenai Peninsula school board members were not taking kindly to criticism they are receiving with regard to who the new principal will be at the consolidated Sears-Mountain View Elementary School in Kenai.

Kenai Council may foot bill for cabin relocation
To give more people a chance to have a look into Kenai’s past, the Kenai Historical Society has paved the way for four cabins and some cannons to be relocated in the city’s Old Town section.

Dilley embezzlement trial pushed back
The criminal trial of the Salamatof Seafoods bookkeeper accused of embezzling $154,000 from the Kenai firm and two other companies for which she kept books has been pushed back at least one week.

James E. Carter Sr.
Longtime Kenai resident James E. Carter Sr. died Tuesday, June 5, 2007, at the Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna. He was 79.

Cody Julian Mack
Former Kenai resident Cody Julian Mack died Saturday, June 2, 2007, at Saint Vincent Healthcare Center in Billings, Mont., after a short illness. He was 72.

Citizens voice irritations: ACT polls public looking for borough hot buttons and burrs
Starting in February, the Alliance of Concerned Taxpayers held ice cream socials throughout the borough, visiting Kasilof, Nikiski, Moose Pass, Ninilchik, Sterling, Anchor Point, Seward and Homer. At every venue we solicited the ideas of our fellow borough neighbors. We asked about folks’ hot buttons — the burrs under their saddles, so to speak.

Increasing salmon count leading to increased success
The early run of king salmon is steadily increasing everywhere, and catch rates are corresponding with the increasing number of fish.

Moose encounter a close call
My grandson, Logan, begged to follow me on my morning jaunt around the World Trail by Kenai’s Oiler baseball field. He was jumping on puff balls while I forged ahead in Kathy-Smith-Walk-Your-Fat-Off style, and he was soon a good distance behind.

Outdoor Briefs
Heritage horse ride saddles up Weed pullers wanted

Photo feature: Life at low tide
A sea anemone's tentacles emerge into a tidal pool during a large minus tide on Bishop's Beach in Homer last month.

Burning peat: a good source of energy and a firefighter’s nightmare
Back in September of 2005, my wife and I traveled to Ireland to celebrate our 25th anniversary and to explore some of her family’s ancestral roots. Some of you might recall I shared some of our experiences from that trip in the Refuge Notebook of Nov. 4, 2005.

Around the Peninsula
Women voters to meet Cowboy up Garden club digs in Luau fundraiser ready to entertain Nikiski fun run set to start Midnight Sun festivities set Swim lessons make a splash Cheer camp available Walk for Hope fundraiser planned Digital cameras sought Everything under the sun fundraiser set

Around the Peninsula
Golf tourney set to swing Community run ready to go River festival set to flow

Sequel cashes in on horror
I don’t know exactly why it is, but zombie movies seem to be far more prolific a genre than you’d think. I mean, they’re really just a kind of sub-genre of the greater horror movie category, but for some reason there’s a whole bunch of them. Maybe it’s because, unlike say, werewolf films, zombie movies offer the chance to make sweeping societal commentary. The original “Night of the Living Dead” was a treatise on civil rights, while “Dawn of the Dead” spoke to the issue of consumerism. More recently, the riotous comedy “Sean of the Dead” dares compare the work-a-day drones of Great Britain to the walking deceased.

Poet’s Corner
From first cheery “morning” to “see ya” the last,

Hobo Jim reunites with an old friend
How can you tell it’s summer on the Kenai Peninsula? 1) The sun returns to full-time duty; 2) You start to see waders instead of snowmachine pants; and 3) Hobo Jim comes back to BJ’s.

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

Art Briefs
Writers to meet Making the mold Artists wanted to decorate Reality show looking for Alaskans

Religion Briefs
Fundraiser on a mission Matrix church to meet Guest speakers set for United Methodist Guest missionary to speak Vacation Bible schools slated Annual Wings of Eagles conference set

Jesus, Holy Spirit map successful life changes
The longer we live the more we come to understand that get-rich-quick schemes are not what they promise; there are no free lunches and anything worth having is worth working hard enough to obtain it.

Wanted: sunshine
You know what they say about May showers bringing June flowers. We have the flowers planted, now we’re just waiting on the sunshine and warmth.

Rally targets breast cancer
For the second straight year, on Sunday the Birch Ridge Golf Association will be taking part in Rally for the Cure, presented by Golf for Women magazine. Since Rally started in 1996, more than 1.2 million people have participated in the breast cancer awareness campaign, making it the nation’s largest grassroots women’s golf program.

Birch Ridge Golf Report
Birch Ridge Golf Course has been described in many ways (wonderful, friendly, challenging, to name just a few) but this past week the words that come to mind are “wet and wild.”