Kasilof Community News
\Repairs are needed for the old Dragnet dock, which is located on the south side of Kasilof River. It was damaged by ice last winter and must be fixed before ice gets a chance at it again. Plans to do just that are in the works. The dock and 30 acres near by are owned by the Cherrier family, and the property is for sale. Jay Cherrier is a primary owner, doing business as Port of Kenai, Llc. Jim Johnson (830-4820) is his manager. Ocean Beauty Seafoods inquired about leasing it for the 2007 salmon season but backed off when the damage was discovered. This is the second time in about ten years that ice has damaged this dock.
D & L Construction has their big hydro-ax going along the Sterling Highway south of North Cohoe Road. This is part of on-going maintenance provided by the State of Alaska to create a Safety Clear Zone of defensible space for motorists. Hopefully, moose will be more visible and less likely to occupy the roadstead. Radiators may clear alligators, but they take a back seat to a hard-core herbivore.
Speaking of the State, they hope to get bids out by the end of August for the second half of their two-year phased Kalifornsky Beach Road repair. As Kasilovians will recall, they sneaked the first phase in ahead of last year's bridge-stopping winter. The sections scheduled for work this fall have more severe damage and will require digging deeper in more than one way. Here's hoping global warming will remember Kasilof as the sun loses altitude.
The Ninilchik State Fair runs Aug. 17-19. 2007's event is the 54th running, which means this organized entertainment preceded statehood. Last year they paid out over $4,000 in prizes. Catherine Wolk, Robert Williams, Sara Williams, Reyna Tubbs, and Ann-Lillian Schell were among Kasilof participants who brought home cash.
The fair includes rodeo events, a 4-H junior market livestock auction, produce, crafts, and over 26 divisions of items that are judged. Fair Manager Lara McGinnis is proud of Kasilof's Jennel Moerlein, who owns Echo Lake Feed. McGinnis says, "Jennel has gone full circle, from a 4-H member to being a business member and community supporter of the fair." The Moerlein family is also sponsoring Kid Country, a goat viewing area at this year's fair. No kidding, but Sen. Tom Waggoner and Rep. Kurt Olson will be at the fair. So will BeauSoleil, a Cajun music group. Most of all, the fair is fun and is a big social event for the entire Kenai Peninsula.
A spaghetti feed and Chinese auction benefit was held Saturday, Aug. 11 at the J-Bar B Club for Debbie Lampton, who had emergency gall bladder surgery about three weeks ago. Deborah Wegner cooked for the event with the help of her husband, Mark. Debbie Lampton, a graduate of Kenai High School, has lived on the Peninsula 33 years, the last 13 of which have been on Tustumena Lake Road.