• Homer dentist faces multiple accusations of substandard care after patients file complaints
By Hannah Heimbuch
Homer Tribune

Following the investigation of several formal complaints, Alaska’s Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing made a recommendation to “suspend, revoke, or impose other disciplinary sanctions against the dental license” of Homer’s David Eugene Nelson, DDS.
According to a public accusation document filed by Chief Investigator Quinten Warren, Nelson is accused of allegedly performing medical procedures – namely dental implants – that did not conform to Alaska’s minimum standards of professional dentistry.
The accusation document, filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings on referral by the Alaska Board of Dental Examiners, lists three separate counts identified by the initials, K.F., C.O. and P. A.
One of those complaints belongs to Homer’s Penelope Anderson, who first sought dental care from Nelson in 2008.
Over the course of several procedures, Anderson received a sinus lift, a bone graft and four dental implants.
A dental implant is a device fused into the bone that acts as an anchor for a crown, bridge, denture or other dental prosthetic.
“The real trouble started in early 2012 when I went to Dr. Nelson complaining of an infection,” Anderson said. “He put me on antibiotics, so I was not too concerned.”
Her infection returned with more severe symptoms, and after several months, she was referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist for a CT scan to examine the infection.
Anderson was very nervous at the time, concerned that this worsening infection would inhibit her ability to care for her disabled daughter.
“My efforts to clear up the sinus infection were not working,” she said. “I made an appointment with Dr. Nelson. In his examination, he acknowledged a problem, but said in no way would the implants have to be removed.”
Anderson said Nelson called later, after reviewing her information, to say some implants would have to come out, but he wouldn’t know how many until he had started the procedure.
“I had already sought a second opinion,” Anderson said. “He (second opinion) made immediate arrangements for me to be seen by (a doctor at South Peninsula Hospital), who determined I needed to have surgery to clean out the gunk in my sinus, and recommended removal of the implants.”
According to the state report, the treatment plan Nelson established for Anderson wasn’t appropriate, because there was not enough bone to support the implants. He then allegedly failed to recognize that the procedure wasn’t working, and continued on a treatment plan that ended, ultimately, with a severe sinus infection and additional surgery to remove the implants.
“He did not adequately represent the nature of the treatment or his ability to provide the treatment properly,” the accusation document reads.
Following surgery to remove the implants, Anderson tested positive for eight different kinds of gut flora, which her doctor told her indicated a dental problem.
“All told, the experience cost me over $23,000,” Anderson said. “It’s been a little over a year, and I recently saw an implant specialist clinic in Bellevue, Wash. For $18,000, they could repeat the process of sinus lift, bone graft, three implants or – plan B – for $24,000, they could remove all the healthy teeth from my upper jaw and attach four implants on which to hang a set of upper dentures.”
Despite these options, Anderson said there is concern that her sinus membrane is still perforated, which would put her at risk for infection again.
Homer resident Pete Fineo is not named in the accusation, but has also filed complaint paperwork regarding care he received at Nelson’s practice. Fineo first visited Nelson’s office four years ago to have a three-tooth bridge replaced.
Fineo said he ended up with a dental implant and a crown on either side. When one of the crowns fell out almost immediately, Fineo said several attempts were made to keep it in place – which required grinding down the tooth a little each time. Then, Fineo said there wasn’t enough tooth left to support a new crown.
Nelson then allegedly recommended the tooth be pulled and an implant put in – which he eventually did. Following this course of treatment, and before it was time to put crowns on the implants, Fineo said he left Nelson’s care due to an administrative disagreement.
Because of the disagreement, he sought the care of another Homer dentist to put in the crowns that would top the implants.
“He takes X-rays and, low and behold, he says these implants were put in incorrectly,” Fineo said. “They should have never been put in the first place.”
According to Fineo, a second opinion from a dental surgeon in Wasilla produced the same information – that he should never have had implants put in an area with insufficient bone to support them.
Fineo’s options at that point were to remove the implants and go through a bone augmentation procedure that would support new implants, or get the crowns put on and see if they held. He opted for the later.
Fineo said this left him with two implants by Nelson with not enough bone to support them, two crowns on top of them by another dentist, and one remaining crown from Nelson.
“After I had the implants, I filed a complaint with the Alaska Board of Dental Examiners,” Fineo said.
According to a mid-December letter to Fineo from a board investigator, the accusation document may still be amended to include his and other complaints as investigation on those counts conclude.
“In a perfect world, there are two things I’d like to see happen,” Fineo said. “I’d like to get my money back so I can get repair work, and I’d like to see Nelson lose his license.”
Anderson is looking for similar actions.
“I would like to see Dr. Nelson repay all the money to the patients he victimized,” Anderson said. “If he repaid me, I could then pursue a remedy for my dental problem.”
In addition to punitive damages regarding Nelson’s dental licensing, Anderson said she would like the Board of Dental Examiners to be more proactive when licensing for certain procedures, in order to prevent these situations from happening in the first place.
“The surgery Dr. Nelson performed on me, and the placement of implants into my sinus cavity, was quite complex and dangerous,” Anderson said. “The implants were doomed to fail, because they never had a chance just hanging into an open cavity.”
Out of sensitivity to the ongoing investigation, members of the Alaska Board of Dental Examiners and state investigators were unable to comment on the details of the case, beyond those already available in the public documentation.
“In all dental board complaints alleging substandard patient care, two licensed members of the board review all of the records and information compiled during this preliminary stage and the division relies on their expertise to determine if violations occurred,” wrote Special Assistant to the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Leslye Langla in an email.
“If a violation is substantiated, the division and a reviewing board member determine the appropriate disciplinary action,” she explained. “This is based on the seriousness of the violations, a history of board disciplinary action and other mitigating and aggravating factors.”
The accusation document, filed after the above-mentioned evaluations, concludes with the following recommendation:
“The Division respectfully requests that the Board revoke or suspend Nelson’s license to practice dentistry, or impose other lawful sanctions to his license that the Board deems appropriate.”
It also cites Alaska Statute 08.36.317, which states, “The board may impose a civil fine not to exceed $25,000 for each violation of this chapter.”
Attempts to reach Dr. Nelson for comment were unsuccessful. However, Nelson filed a Notice of Defense on Dec. 17 through his defense firm, Clapp, Peterson, Tiemessen, Thorsness and Johnson, LLC. The firm has offices in both Anchorage and Fairbanks, and professional licensing law is one of their advertised specialties.
The firm requested a hearing regarding the accusations filed.
Fineo said there is still opportunity for others to log their own concerns.
“Any of Nelson’s patients who feel they may have received questionable dental treatment can contact the State of Alaska Professional Licensing Investigative unit at (907) 269-8437 to discuss their concerns,” he said.

• “It takes a village to really raise successful youth.”
By Christina Whiting
Homer Tribune

Photo provided
Lee Post instructs Caroline De Creeft on the basic process of re-constructing a gray whale in 2012.

Ryjil Christianson has been the Director of Education at the Pratt Museum since 2008. She started as a volunteer, mentored by Lois Bettini, who was the Director of Education at the time.
“Mentorship propelled me into the museum field,” Christianson said of her experience. “I was a volunteer docent for several months, and then was hired as the education assistant. It was through Bettini’s role-modeling and friendship that my interest in museum work as a profession grew. Now I mentor others.”
The Pratt Museum’s robust intern program is one that weaves its way into everyday operations and provides staff the opportunity to mentor local youth.
One area of Christianson’s mentorship is the Nature Arts Summer workshop she started in 2010. This week-long summer program encourages the participation of sixth to eighth graders in eco-friendly, outdoor art installations. The goal is to build rapport with students who are too young to be in the summer internship program for high school students.
Mentoring is key to the Pratt’s culture and a positive mechanism used to cultivate local talent and promote a vibrant community. Mentors offer guidance and serve as role models, providing inspiration. At the museum, mentorship is about providing guidance within the field. Young adults learn what it’s like to work in a museum as they search their professional futures.
“It’s exciting to see a new crop of museum professionals who were directly inspired by staff,” Christianson said.
Savannah Bradley was an intern at the Pratt when she was in high school, and was recently hired as the museum’s collections manager.
University of Montana sophomore, Emily Schmidt is currently studying wildlife biology. She was also an intern at the Pratt.
“My supervisor and mentor was Ryjil. She was amazing, always enthusiastic and positive,” Schmidt said. “I loved learning about and sharing the natural history of Kachemak Bay with visitors. Working with visitors helped improve my communication skills.”

Photo provided
Ryjil Christianson and Lois Bettini show off their insect accessories at the Pratt Museum’s “Beauty and the Bug” exhibit opening in 2005.

Mentoring is integrated across the spectrum of daily operations at the museum. The process begins in the spring and goes through summer, feeding into everything the Pratt does.
The 2012 Gray Whale project is one example of the museum’s successful mentoring program.
“Lee Post led the gray whale articulation project last year,” Christianson said. “He took a group of local volunteers of all ages and backgrounds, leading them through the process of building a gray whale.”
Christianson said she believes the keys to successful mentorship include positive feedback, trust, friendship, professional role-modeling and role-modeling in general. The ability to be personable and a good communicator also helps.
“Above all else, I think successful mentors are able to suspend ego,” she said. “They are able to get outside their own professional goals to see the overall picture of what they’re trying to promote. Long-term success is based on cultivating other work. I strongly feel everyone can benefit from a mentor, and that everyone is capable of being a mentor.”
The museum’s mentors offer important tools for youth, including developing professional skills, practicing interaction with the public, obtaining professional experience, research and technical writing, and promoting responsibility.
“There are a lot of workplace skills that aren’t necessarily built into the high school curriculum;” Christianson said. “Things like cell phone etiquette, learning to schedule your workday, communicating with coworkers and how to communicate in meetings in meaningful ways.”
Christianson said she considers former museum staffer Gail Parsons to have been a “master mentor.” Parsons was the Exhibits Director and Cultural Liaison at the Pratt who started out as a volunteer at the museum.
“Gail worked at the museum for many years and had several titles and jobs,” Christianson said. “She was a kind, considerate and loving person who inspired others and took the time to hear what people had to say.”
Parsons was a mentor to people of different ages and cultural backgrounds. Her work and life has had a lasting impact on Kachemak Bay and the museum is committed to expanding her legacy.
Every year, the museum offers a Gail Parson’s Memorial Scholarship to an Alaska Native student in the region who wishes to pursue post-secondary education.
While the scholarship funding is a boon to the Pratt’s program, current funding challenges are affecting the museum’s ability to hire interns.
“In the past, we had three full-time intern positions each summer for local high school students,” Christianson said. “This year, we will likely have just one part-time position.”
The Pratt Museum’s mentoring program provides invaluable skills to Homer youth as they set out in search of their professional lives.
“It takes a village to really raise successful youth,” she said. “Mentors play a big part in all of this. We just hope we can continue our program.”

• Andrew Vait brings his talent — and his band — back home
By Christina Whiting
Homer Tribune

Photo by Jason Tang
“Eternal Fair,” comprises (left to right) Daniel Nash, Andrew Vait and Chris Jones.

Music is what feeds Andrew Vait’s soul.
“When I write a new song, I think, ‘this is what it feels like to be alive’,” he said.
In 2011, the Seattle-based, Homer-born-and-raised singer/songwriter released “Closer To The Setting Sun.” He describes this set of solo recordings as having a “folksy, country vibe.”
Two years later, his band, “Eternal Fair,” released its first album, “The Horse that Carries the Wheel.” The album features 10 of Vait’s original songs.
The band is booking a tour to San Francisco in March, but this week, Vait brings his provocative jazz voice to Homer to mesmerize his hometown crowd.
Vait will perform in Homer Council on the Art’s first gallery performance of the year on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. Then, on Monday, Jan. 13, he’ll bring short music presentations to Homer High, Homer Middle, West Homer Elementary and McNeil Canyon schools.
A number of Homer musicians encouraged Vait’s natural musical talents early on. Eric Fenger taught him piano, while Bill Searle ran the jazz band program at Homer High. Vait also credits former Homer High choir director Mark Robinson, guitarist Matt Yaki and trombonist Howard Hedges.
“Howard took me under his wing,” Vait said. “I’d go to his house after school and we’d sit and talk. I thought it was amazing to sit and talk about music with an actual musician.”
Vait graduated Homer High in 2003, and was accepted to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, thanks to Howard Hedges, who had ties to UM’s music faculty that dated back to his days of living and playing in southern Florida.
Vait said he was not prepared for the shock of going from being first-chair alto sax at All-State, to having to start at ground level.
“I auditioned into the lowest saxophone ensemble and simultaneously into the top jazz singing ensemble,” he said. “I quickly realized that being the best is impossible and doesn’t really apply in the real world. At UM, I learned that my self-worth as a musician had nothing to do with awards being handed out. That was a hard lesson.”
Vait switched from studying saxophone to jazz voice in his junior year when he heard musician Jeff Buckley sing.
“I had never heard anyone do with the sax what Buckley was doing with his voice,” he said. “I wanted to be able to sing like that.”
Vait graduated with a degree in jazz vocal performance. He moved to Seattle not wanting to teach, but when funds started to run low, reconsidered and applied to the Seattle School of Music. He started with one student, and by the end of the first year, was teaching 15 students. To date, he’s taught voice, guitar, flute, saxophone and piano to more than 100 students, aged 5 to 78.
While teaching, Vait continued writing his own music and released a number of solo recordings. In 2010, to help support his solo recordings, he formed the band Eternal Fair with four other musicians; Jeremy Manley on guitar, Steve Scalfati on keys, Brent Rusinow on bass and Daniel Nash on drums.
In 2012, the band morphed to just Daniel Nash on drums, Chris Jones on bass and Andrew as the singer/songwriter. Vait would also play guitar, keyboards, synthesizer and occasionally the flute and saxophone.
The band name was inspired during a walk through The Lone Fir Cemetery in Portland, Ore.
“As I walked by graves that were 50 and 100 years old, I got to thinking about how our lives are intertwined with theirs,” he explained. “Maybe there’s an after-party where we all go, like an Eternal Fair.”
When not writing new material or rehearsing with his band, Vait teaches music to elementary, middle school and high school students. He also does studio work and work for hire.
“I get a lot of calls for people who want me to sing on their album,” he said. “I can’t sing on everyone’s album, but I can help them sing better.”
Vait and his fiancé, Margit, live in a one-bedroom house outside the Seattle city limits. He said he loves the journey he’s on, and, while he finds independent employment challenging, it doesn’t come as a surprise to him since he used to follow his dad to his studio and job sites.
“I was exposed early on to the life of a self-employed artist,” he said. “Now, I’m my own work scout and I’m entirely responsible for filling up my schedule.”
Music education has found a bigger, more permanent place in Vait’s professional career. He looks forward to exploring those opportunities, and is considering opening his own music school.
Vait added that he is grateful for his Homer upbringing and all those who mentored, encouraged and inspired him along the way.
Tickets for the Jan. 11 gallery performance are available at HCOA, The Homer Bookstore or online at HomerArt.org. Tickets are $5 for youth, $10 for HCOA members and $15 general admission. Vait will return again this summer to help with HCOA’s Summer Music and Art Camp for the second year in a row.
Hear Andrew Vait’s original songs on his solo website, andrewvait.com and on the band’s website, eternalfair.com.

If you’d like to suggest a story for the Arts section, contact Christina Whiting at christina@homertribune.com.

A Homer Electric Association employee was being sent to Seattle to recover after an on-the-job accident Wednesday afternoon, according to Alaska State Troopers. According to trooper reports, the victim, 33-year-old Jacob Adams, of Homer, was working with a crew on a high-voltage junction box near Timmerman Court, near Homer, when he suffered a severe shock. Adams received treatment from Kachemak Emergency Services and was transported to South Peninsula Hospital, where he received “stabilizing treatment to be transferred to a hospital in Seattle for further medical care,” troopers said. No other crew members were injured in the incident.
- Alaska Dispatch

Trenton Diesel Moyer, a baby boy weighing 7 lb. 7 oz. Was born on Jan. 2, 2014 at 12:44 p.m. to parents Brandon and Diana Moyer at the South Peninsula Hospital in Homer. His grandparents are Kevin and Ruthie Moyer and Dan and Rhonda Kropf of Homer.

Steven Wolfe

Steve Wolfe

The first day of school, fall 2013, should have been a day of celebration for the Wolfe family. That was the day that the prediction Steven Wolfe made 20 years ago came true. He said that he had attended Homer High School, his children now attend Homer High School and his grandchildren would almost certainly attend Homer High School in the future. However, while his oldest granddaughter was starting her freshman year at the high school, Steve was in the hospital, suffering the painful beginning effects of Guillain-Barre’s syndrome.
Father, coach, author, genealogist, businessman. Mr. Wolfe wore many hats and had grappled with many challenges: cancer, Olympic wrestling trials, raising eight children and starting football and wrestling programs, including the Popeye wrestling club. These are only a few examples.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa to Edward Junior Wolfe and Necia Lee (Hill) Wolfe, Steven lived in Idaho and California before moving to Homer with his family in 1960. He lived in Homer until 1966. Upon graduating high school in Idaho, he served a mission for the Latter Day Saints Church in Florida and Georgia, and then attended Brigham Young University where he studied physical education and history and played on the football and wrestling teams.
While at the university, Steven met and married his wife of more than 40 years, Nina Joyce Wagner. Together, they moved back to Homer, where he started teaching and coaching. He first began at Homer Junior High and then moved to Homer High School. He continued teaching and coaching even after retirement.
Among all of his accomplishments, Steven felt the greatest was raising his children and serving God through service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Steven is preceded in death by his father Edward and brother Jared. He is survived by his wife, Nina and children, Ivan, Rebekah, Nina Ellen, Rainbow, Tammy, Ross, Rosemary and Tyler; siblings Daniel, Rebecca and Ramona, loving mother Necia Lee Wolfe and 19 grandchildren.

Vincent Hapeman

Vincent Hapeman

Ninilchik resident, Mr. Vincent Hapeman, 69, died Saturday, December 28, 2013 at his home in Ninilchik.
No services will be held.
Vincent was born Jan. 30, 1944 to Roy R. and Mary M. Monin Hapeman in Lancaster, New York. 
He was the father to Dixie Lee Portwood, Arroyo Grande, California; Laura (Jon) Walters of Plymouth, Indiana; Harvey of Dallas, Texas; Travis (Samantha) of Harlingen, Texas; He was the brother of Martin J. (Mary), Evelyn Basher, Albert L. (Barbara), Janet (Richard) Clark and the Late Louise M., Roy R. Jr. (Betty Lou) Marjorie (Emil) Warmus, Laurence (Jane), Eleanor (Robert) Nash, also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. 
Arrangements made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel & Crematory. Please visit Vincent’s online guestbook at AlaskanFuneral.com.

The following records are cases and records filed in court. Individuals are innocent until proven guilty, and copies of the records are publicly available.

Misdemeanor

John F. Schachinger, 45, operating a motor vehicle without vehicle liability insurance
Darry D. Flyum, 45, theft in the third degree
Victor F. Anderson, 30, driving while driver’s license was cancelled, suspended, or revoked; driving in violation of limitations placed on driver’s license
Ryan Friesen, 27, four counts furnishing alcoholic beverages to persons under 21, two counts contributing to the delinquency of a minor
Riley Christensen, 19, misconduct involving a controlled substance in the sixth degree, violation of conditions of release
Troy A. Jones, 59, furbearer trapping – Lynx, unlawful possession or transportation of game
Phillip S. Jones, 31, furbearer trapping – Lynx, unlawful possession or transportation of game
Deborah Hillstrand, 52, assault in the fourth degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree

Felony

Michael R. McClendon, 29, robbery in the first degree, misconduct involving weapons in the first degree, tampering with physical evidence
Jesse Lee Carlson, 33, four counts possession of child pornography, two counts distribution of child pornography
David B. Oder, 22, two counts second degree misconduct involving weapons, two counts second degree misconduct involving a controlled substance
Cody Selden, 21, two counts second degree misconduct involving weapons, two counts second degree misconduct involving a controlled substance
Jason D. Owen, 27, felony driving under the influence
Terridale B.G. Larkin, 24, theft in the second degree
Shawn R. Crandall, 46, assault in the third degree
John F. Schachinger, 45, felony regarding title, registration, identification number and removal and representation of vehicles
Chance W. Peters, 18, fraudulent use of an access device
Darry D. Flyum, 45, burglary in the first degree, two counts misconduct involving a controlled substance in the fourth degree

Judgement

Trevor C. Kearney, 45, second degree criminal trespass, resisting arrest, guilty
Emily J. Wisdom, 31, driving under the influence, guilty
David A. Craig, 21, attempted second degree criminal trespass, guilty

Fire Week of Jan. 6-12

Anchor Point Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to three medical calls.
Kachemak Emergency Services responded to two EMS calls.
Homer Volunteer Fire Department responded to seven EMS calls and no fire calls for the week of Jan. 6-12.

Alaska State Troopers

On Jan. 9, at 8:16 a.m., Alaska State Troopers responded to a burglary in progress at a Ptarmigan Heights Drive residence in Homer. Multiple suspects were contacted at the residence. Ryan Friesen, 27, of Homer was subsequently arrested for four counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Riley Christensen, 19, of Homer, was arrested for sixth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, and violating conditions of release. Both were remanded to Homer Jail. A 15-year-old male was referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice for charges of first-degree burglary and third-degree criminal mischief.

On Jan., at 2:06 p.m., Alaska State Troopers responded to a motor vehicle collision at mile 164.5 of the Sterling Highway. Investigation revealed Dale Chorman, 59, of Homer was driving a 2001 Ford F250 southbound when the trailer attached to the vehicle jack knifed. The trailer struck the rear of the vehicle and pushed it off the highway. Chorman was not injured in the collision. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $3,000.

• Collaboration aims to help agencies, public cut through red tape and streamline goals
By Hannah Heimbuch
Homer Tribune
Members from no less than 19 different resource management organizations gathered in Homer in mid December, looking for ways to work together on local land and water projects.
Homer Soil and Water Conservation District hosted the working group session, which included representatives from Army Corps of Engineers, Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Cook Inlet Keeper, Port Graham Village Council, Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Homer High Tunnel Growers — to name a few.
The diverse gathering puts people with similar concerns — be it salmon habitat, permit problems or trail access — in the same room, said Homer Water and Soil Natural Resource Specialist Matt Steffy.
When any one of these groups works on a land or water oriented project, there is a host of permitting and planning processes to wade through. Sometimes involving several different agencies.
These kinds of meetings help them work out hangups, find areas of overlap and collaborate on particular projects.
Right now there are more projects, being carried out by more people and in more locations than every before, Steffy said.
“And most of the regulatory concerns are still evolving to deal with that,” he said.
That’s where a working group is very helpful.
“We’re utilizing each others’ resources,” Steffy said. “(One) agency may have funding, another expertise.”
It gets particularly complicated when one project spans state, federal and private land — or has potential to affect those lands/waterways — or brings up sustainable access issues.
A great example of this is the Caribou Lake Trail area, Steffy said, a space that concerns many agencies and user groups around the region. Talk of doing trail restoration in the near future came up during the meeting.
A decade ago, district funding helped establish a boardwalk trail system. But with heavy use and exposure, it has begun to break down, Steffy said. When that happens, trail use tends to spread out around the defined corridor.
“So we’re starting to get a much bigger footprint out there,” Steffy said.
Many groups have a vested interest in or own lands surrounding the corridor, Steffy said, such as Alaska Native-owned Cook Inlet Region, Inc., as well as private land owners.
With so many different groups represented, he said, it was much easier to identify areas of concern and what steps will need to be taken to get that project done right.
The same goes for the King’s County Trail, a historic throughway that also came up during the open forum discussion.
“It goes from the head of the bay at the Fox River Flats, and actually that trail goes all the way up to the Russian River,” Steffy said.
The route crosses federal and state land, and involves preservation concerns related to historic mining and trapping operations, including Dena’ina subsistence trapping territory.
“So it has an even older cultural route,” Steffy said. “It represents so many different peoples’ histories and so many different lands.”
One local area under multiple-entity management is the Fox River Flats, where the Fox River Cattleman’s Association leases grazing land.
“It’s a good example of how it’s all being done sustainably right now,” Steffy said.
The association teams up with state and federal agencies to make sure grazing can happen alongside the state goals for preservation and salmon habitat protection.
“The cattleman’s association works really well with the (Natural Resource Conservation Service),” Steffy said. “(There is) still hunting, fishing, public access, and you have land that serves a bunch of different needs.”
This most recent meeting helped them look for more ways to do that, he said.
“The main focus of the conversation was really just fostering this cooperative enhanced communication way of planning projects,” Steffy said. “So we can stretch the dollar a little bit farther and get more done.”
One participating agency that’s been particularly helpful in simplifying the permitting process, Steffy said, is the Kenai River Center.
“The Kenai River Center was established to be a multi-agency, one-stop-shop for permitting and a source of professional information on natural resource restoration projects,” said KRC Coastal Zone Resource Planner Tom Dearlove.
His office is working with Homer Soil and Water to direct the public to the River Center when trying to tackle permitting for projects near streams and the 50-foot Habitat Protection District managed by the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
“One member of the public attending the meeting stated he was having difficulty in contacting all the agencies for permits,” Dearlove said. “He was not aware that the River Center has weekly staff meetings in which he could attend to discuss the project with agency staff.
This allows him to present to multi-agency staff at one setting, where changes could be made to the project if needed. It also allows him the opportunity to understand where Federal, State and Borough permitting restrictions occur.”
The working group is mandated by the 2008 Farm Bill, and continues to be a good model for collaboration, said Meg Mueller of the United States District of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service.
“This ensures that we are spending our time and funds on what are local land users’ and local land managers’ primary resource concerns,” Mueller said.
To learn more about permitting processes near stream habitat visit kenairivercenter.org.

By Christina Whiting
Homer Tribune

Photo by Conrad Field
Carmen and her dog Bailey check out the fishing action on Johnson Lake.

For many, the new year provides an opportunity for new beginnings. For Carmen Field, the new year offers a chance to rekindle a love affair with her former life.
Diagnosed with breast cancer on her 50th birthday last year, Field now feels healthier than ever, and is eager to step back into the life she has always loved.
One of Field’s passions is storytelling.
“I would drop everything to hear a good story,” she said. “Even as a child I was like this. My daughter Eryn is the same way.”
Working as a lecturer and naturalist on ships that have taken her to Antarctica 61 times, Field has developed a knack for storytelling. Now she’s excited to share some of her own stories.
“I have a book in my head called ‘Let Them Catch Frogs,’” she said. “It will be a memoir that reflects on how my childhood in the outdoors influenced my views of nature as an adult.”
She is also writing a screenplay about a rockfish. It’s an animated adventure about a yellow-eyed rockfish racing to save her dying grandfather. Last year, Field had been granted a seven-month sabbatical from work to develop her screenplay, but cancer derailed her plans.
Field’s book and screenplay are inspired by nature — and this is no accident. She spent much of her childhood outdoors.
“I spent the summer months at my family’s cottage in Michigan where I ran barefoot, swam, explored, sailed and caught frogs,” she said.
With a love for the natural world and wanting a job where she would work outdoors, Field earned a bachelor of science degree in biology and wildlife management. She met Conrad, her future husband, in a forestry class in college. Their first date was identifying winter trees on campus, as a review for a test.

Photo provided
Conrad, Carmen and Eryn try out a trypot at Grytviken Whaling Station on South Georgia Island in January 2013.

In 1986, Field moved to Alaska in search of steady employment.
“I figured Alaska had more wildlife, so I should be able to find a job,” she explained.
While looking for work, she lived in her sister’s dorm, until a University of Alaska Anchorage security found her and kicked her out. She then bought a beat-up truck that was held together with a bungee cord, and gave beer to whomever would stop to help her when the truck broke down — which was often.
In Anchorage, she worked as a zoo interpreter and gift shop manager, but then left Alaska to work as an environmental educational specialist in coastal Georgia. She also did seabird research off the coast of Maine, studying Arctic terns, razorbills and Atlantic puffins.
“I lived in a lighthouse on a little island with three other people for a summer,” she said. “Conrad was on an island seven miles away. I could see the island through a scope, but not him.”
In 1989, Carmen and Conrad returned to Alaska and moved to Homer. During her time in Homer, Field worked as a naturalist at Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge, a ferry naturalist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at refuge stewardship camps in Alaska’s remote communities for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and taught biology classes at Kachemak Bay Campus. She and Conrad have both also found seasonal employment lecturing on ships around the world.
Field has worked as a biologist, educator and naturalist with the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve for the past 14 years. Involved in environmental education and outreach projects, she is active with Kerr’s Kids in Nature and fishing programs.
“I value my involvement in the national, state and local movement to get kids outside,” she said.
Spending as much time as she can outdoors for work and play, Field loves to icefish, Nordic and skate ski, play tennis, bike and run. In high school, she was a sprinter on the track team and ran cross-country throughout high school and her freshmen year of college.
Field turned to her family and friends for support when she was diagnosed with cancer.
“Conrad and Eryn held down the fort,” she said.
She also turned to her active lifestyle to sustain her.
“I got through eight months of treatments as well as I did because I got really good care and lots of support from my community of family and friends,” she said. “I also got through it because of a big shift in my diet and because I exercised religiously.”
During five months of chemotherapy, Field exercised every day.
“I ran 100 miles and walked 130 miles through chemotherapy, one day at a time,” she said. “I ran until I couldn’t run anymore, then I walked, six days a week, two miles or less at a time.”
During radiation, she ran or walked five days a week.
“I’m not glad I got cancer, but some really good things have come out of it,” she said. “I’m healthier than I have ever been. I eat better and I feel better. And I appreciate the people around me. Each day, I’m alive a bit more.”
Stepping back into her life, Field is eager to re-celebrate her 50th birthday, take a much-needed family vacation and spend time writing and reflecting. Last week, she returned to work part-time. She keeps busy taking Eryn to extracurricular activities including Youth Theater, Jazzline, after-school skating and Kachemak Swim Club.
“Eryn keeps me on my toes,” she said.
Carmen Field is learning to take life one day at a time.
“When I was first diagnosed, there were so many unknowns,” she said. “But once I had a team of doctors in place and we had a plan, things got easier and I found my stride. I was able to make peace with the hand I’d been dealt. Now I feel great.”
If you’d like to read Carmen’s ongoing journal entries sharing her experience with cancer, visit her Caring Bridge website at caringbridge.org/visit/carmenc2.

Meet your Neighbor shares the story of residents of Homer and the surrounding area.  If you’d like to suggest someone for a story, contact Christina Whiting at christina@homertribune.com. 

• Working group presents most recent data and project update to Homer City Council
By Hannah Heimbuch
Homer Tribune

Photo Provided
Recently collected data has bumped Homer’s Tidal Energy Incubator Project to the next level.

Fresh from the deep water dock to city council chambers, recently collected data has bumped Homer’s Tidal Energy Incubator Project to the next level.
That was the subject of a report presented at Monday’s Homer City Council given by Rep. Paul Seaton and Kris Holderied, a physical oceanographer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The two are part of a working group geared toward creating an ocean floor test bed for tidal power projects off of Homer’s deep water dock. These projects generate power from the natural movement of the tides and currents.
“The newest thing is that we just had measurements made by Tom Ravens from UAA right at the deep water dock,” Holderied said. “They use an acoustic doppler current profiler, similar to the ones that are used by NOAA Tides and Currents Office.”
The acoustic profiler was submerged near the dock earlier this fall, Holderied said, but tilted over within the first week. They were able to remoor it and collect the data, which showed highest measured velocities of about 50 cm per second — or one knot.
Homer City Council appropriated $100,000 toward testing and data collection for this project.
Earlier in the year, engineering students with the University of Alaska Anchorage created preliminary designs for infrastructure that would support submerging and testing energy generating equipment. The council supported them with $2,500 for travel expenses.
NOAA already collects significant tidal and current data throughout Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay as part of its mission, Holderied said, information which is available to the city as it progresses with any kind of tidal project.
This latest set of data, collected right off the dock area targeted for a potential test bed, can be combined with the UAA project, current NOAA data, and other data collected by oceanic agencies to complete the information package the city needs for the next step in the process.
That next step is putting together a market analysis package that the city can then shop to engineering specialists that may be interested in making Homer their next stop for tidal energy technology development.
“We’ve been working collaboratively with the group that’s been assembled on this project to work through those issues like timeline, and how to go about those steps,” said Homer’s Community and Economic Development Coordinator Katie Koester. “It’s been really exciting to see all of that come together.”
What the council and working group has done, Holderied said, is create a space and set of useful information that will hopefully bring in researchers and economic development. Establishing this in Homer, she said, gives any incoming firm access to the power grid, the road system, and significant marine fabrication resources.
“It’s sort of like a lab, so that people that do have ideas can test them,” said working group member Jim Levine. “Its a great place for testing because it’s got everything you need. Road access and electric, boats can get at it, it’s got current, it’s got water.”
While it isn’t an alternative energy site, he said but a space for low current research and testing, it has the potential to bring in jobs and progress for Homer’s energy future.
“What I liked about it, obviously, is the alternative energy aspect,” Levine said. “And it’s already started. Just looking into it has created some research.”
One of their first stops with the market analysis will likely be to a renewable energy firm, Holderied said, like the Ocean Renewable Power Corporation, but there’s a lot of places they can take this information.
“There are other companies, or engineering schools, that might be interested in a test bed for tidal energy systems,” she said.
Whoever those interested parties may be, the working group will have a complete site characterization, preliminary design ideas and current and tidal data to offer them.
“Basically, it’s to build smartly,” Holderied said. “Not to assume that we know what these tech companies or universities might want, but actually ask them. Put a little bit of money into the market analysis and hopefully have a better project going forward.”
One of the advantages of this project is how many different organizations they have working together on it, Holderied said.
Rep. Paul Seaton established the idea for the working group, which brought in expertise from around the area — including NOAA, UAA, Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Homer Electric Association, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Homer Harbor and Homer Public Works.
NOAA has also been working with the Alaska Energy Authority to create a tidal energy assessment for all of Cook Inlet, including Kachemak Bay and Shelikof Strait.
It creates what Holderied called a three dimensional hydrodynamic circulation model.
“There’s actually a wealth of information,” Holderied said. “You don’t have to start from scratch.”
Holderied is involved for both professional and personal interest, she said, because she believes in the significance of what this project could do for Homer and Alaska.
Part of the promise of the project is that it targets tidal areas that move at a low to moderate speed. The measurements taken at the dock — up to one knot per second — aren’t the screaming tides you’d find out in the middle of Cook Inlet, or at False Pass in Western Alaska.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t have the potential for power generation, Holderied said.
“If you could have systems that would work at a knot or so, now you have completely opened up thousands of miles of coastline,” Holderied said. “Lots of docks in small communities.”
That’s one of the reasons they want to leave the actual test best design concept up to whatever engineering firm decides to take it on. They may develop a system unlike other tidal energy projects — namely turbines — to generate energy in low current areas.
“The idea is that we’re going to facilitate people creating something that we can’t even think of today,” Holderied said. “It’s revolutionary from that standpoint.”
A good example of the potential here would be generating enough power to run the ice plant, Holderied said. While the plant is just one Homer building, it is the city’s single largest electric bill, and vital to fishing industry operations at the Homer dock.
“I have professional motivation with this because I’m an oceanographer,” Holderied said. “But personally as a resident in Homer and Alaska, I want to make this happen. I want to help. And across the board, the working group, everybody’s got that passion.”

Other council news:
• Resolution 14-018 was approved affirming the city manager’s decision to offer an additional $9,000 reward money for information leading to the arrest and inditement of the person or person responsible for the murder of Mark Matthews. Matthews was attacked and killed close to a footpath within the Homer City limits. The reward now stands at $10,000.
• Ordinance 14-02 amending HCC 9.16.040 and repealing and reenacting HCC 9.16.100, to repeal the exemption from city sales tax of sales of non-prepared foods from Sept. 1 through May 31 was defeated by a vote of four yes, and two no.
• Ordinance 14-03 amending HCC 9.16.040 and repealing and reenacting HCC 9.16.100, to repeal the exemption from city sales tax of sales of non-prepared foods from Sept. 1 through May 31. And amending HCC 9.16.010 to dedicate a sales tax of .25 percent to fund a parks and recreation department and submitting the question of repealing such sales tax exemption and such sales tax dedication to the qualified voters of the city was passed by the council. Public hearing and second reading will be on Jan. 27.
• The city manager reported that city hall has been converted to natural gas and are now paying less for energy and have lowered greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent. The library, animal shelter, sewer treatment plant and airport are expected to be converted and burning gas within the next 10 days.
• In December a vehicle broke through the ice on Beluga Lake. Police Chief Mark Robl worked to get the owner to have it hauled out but was unsuccessful. The city hired a contractor to pull the vehicle from the last at an estimated cost of $2,000. The city will pursue the owner for reimbursement.

By Hannah Heimbuch
Homer Tribune

A Homer Electric Association lineman is in Seattle being treated for serious injuries after suffering a severe electric shock working near Diamond Ridge last week.
Jacob Adams, 33, was flown to the Haborview Burn Center in Seattle on Wednesday evening, after receiving initial treatment and stabilization at Homer’s South Peninsula Hospital.
“An accident like this is just heartbreaking for everybody,” said HEA spokesman Joe Gallagher. “Our thoughts and prayers for the last few days have been with Jacob and his family. That’s where all our energy has been focused right now.”
According to a report by the Alaska State Troopers, the incident occurred Wednesday afternoon when Adams was doing maintenance work on a high-voltage transition box on Timmerman Court. Two other crew members were present, and were able to give Adams immediate life-saving care while they radioed for assistance.
Adams was the only member of the crew injured in the incident.
The crew followed response protocol step-by-step, Gallagher said, by reporting a mayday to the HEA dispatch center immediately, as well as performing first aid.
HEA dispatch called 911 to report the incident, while the crew member, who radioed from the truck, returned to the scene. Alaska State Troopers from Anchor Point, and medics from Kachemak Emergency Services soon responded, and Adams was transported to SPH. LifeMed medevac service was put on standby.
Adams was conscious and alert when they contacted him at the scene, troopers reported, but he incurred significant injuries from the shock.
Adams’ condition and progress are being kept private at this point in time, Gallagher said, though the HEA community is providing as much support as they can while he works to recover from this trauma.
“We’re working closing with Jacob’s family,” Gallagher said. “We’re in constant contact with them — as they are in Seattle. Basically doing anything we can for them, and trying to respect their privacy as well.”
Adams is an experienced lineman, and has been with the company for 12 years. Gallagher said the accident is extremely troubling to everyone in the HEA family.
“We’re a very close company at Homer Electric,” he said. “We all work together, we all live in the same community, we all know each other very well, and safety is the number one priority for all of us at Homer Electric. We work really hard at all times to ensure that we can be as safe as possible, and return home to our family and loved ones every night.”
Details about the incident are not public at this point, as HEA and law enforcement continue to look into the event more closely.
“The accident is under investigation,” Gallagher said. “Further details will be released as additional information becomes available.”
Those who wish to pass on personal notes or words of encouragement to Adams and his loved ones are welcome to do so through the following address: Jacob Adams, Care Of: Harborview Burn Center, 325 9th Ave., Seattle, WA, 98104.

• Police trace fake 911 call to identify and arrest armed robber
By Hannah Heimbuch
Homer Tribune

Grog Shop

Homer Police arrested Michael McClendon, 29, on Friday in connection with the Dec. 26 robbery of the Grog Shop.
According to police, McClendon has confessed to robbing the Pioneer Avenue business, and is currently being held at the Wildwood pre-trial facility without bail.
“I just want to say that I think our police department does a great job,” said Grog Shop owner Mel Strydom. “I am really appreciative of the work they do and I’m happy the guy is in jail.”
McClendon is charged with armed robbery, tampering with evidence, theft of a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, and third-degree assault.
It was McClendon’s actions prior to the robbery that ultimately led police to arrest him, said Homer Chief of Police Mark Robl.
“The most valuable piece of evidence we had here was related to the cell phone call that the suspect made, basically five minutes before he committed the robbery,” Robl said. “He made a 9-1-1 call on a TracFone and reported that he had been involved in a vehicle accident about two miles out East End Road, that his wife was with him, that his wife was dying, and that his cell phone battery was going dead.”
The caller then hung up the phone.
He essentially created a diversion with the false report, Robl said, causing 9-1-1 dispatch to mobilize police officers, firefighters and emergency medical responders to the scene of a nonexistent crash.
In the meantime, McClendon allegedly entered the Grog Shop armed with a short-barreled shotgun, and pointed it at employee Shane Davis. He reportedly ordered Davis to retrieve money from the till, telling him to do so quickly, and as Davis walked toward the counter he fired a shot into the floor. He took $1,100 in cash before leaving on foot.
After an extensive search in the mile-2 area of East End Road, which resulted in no sign of a crash, officers began work on tracing the phony 9-1-1 call, Robl said.
They were able to compare recordings from the Grog Shop’s video surveillance with the audio recording from the 9-1-1 call, and found the two voices to be similar in tone and inflection, both carrying a distinctive stammer, according to the affidavit filed by Police Sergeant Lary Kuhns at the Homer court.
A reverse number look-up led the police to the phone’s service information, though because of the nature of TracFones no subscriber information could be identified at that time.
A Jan. 10 search warrant allowed police to view the phone records for that TracFone.
“We were quickly able to ascertain who had been using the phone and identify that person as our suspect,” Robl said. “We located where he was living in Homer, went to that place, and served a search warrant there.”
During a warranted search of McClendon’s residence at Main Street’s Homer Cabins, police spotted McClendon walking by and arrested him without incident.
In the Grog Shop surveillance tape, police identified a white male adult, 6 to 6 foot 2 inches tall, with a relatively stocky build. The suspect was wearing blue jeans, a dark jacket, boots, a knit hat, face mask and gloves.
A sawed off shotgun as well as the clothing believed to be worn by the suspect were recovered in a search of McClendon’s residence.
McClendon confessed to robbing the Grog Shop, placing the false 9-1-1 call and firing the shotgun inside the business. He faces significant felony charges for the events surrounding the robbery, and the false 9-1-1 report is in itself a serious crime, Robl said.
“We have not yet charged him for making the fake phone call, but we will,” Robl said.
Robl is pleased with the results of this investigation, as are Grog Shop employees, according to Strydom. Having an employee held at gun point while the store was robbed shook everyone up.
“We just feel a little bit safer that he’s behind bars now,” Strydom said.
The robbery took place at 10:48 p.m., about one hour before typical closing time.
A prior robbery was resolved earlier this year in May, when John Mumey, 51, plead guilty to a second-degree felony robbery charge. He was convicted of the Dec. 17, 2012 armed robbery of the Grog Shop.
McClendon did not have an Alaska criminal record until now, however his Washington state criminal record includes several counts of burglary and weapons offenses.

January 15
A caller reported to the HPD that their chainsaw had been stolen this summer.
A caller reported a dispute involving text messages, officer advised options.
An officer contacted juveniles on a traffic stop, drug investigation. The vehicle was released to the parent and transport provided for the passenger.
January 16
A caller reported a broken window on their vehicle parked on Kachemak Drive.
A caller requested extra patrol on Spit Road due to speeding vehicles.

Frank Joseph Libal

Frank Joseph Libal

Long-time Homer resident, Frank Joseph Libal, passed peacefully on January 3, 2014, at the age of 70, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was born to the late Joseph and Vernette Libal of Two Harbors, Minn., on January 15, 1943. He attended area schools including Two Harbors High School, where he graduated in 1961. 
Frank married Donna Leigh Pagenkopf of Knife River, Minn., on April 4, 1964. After graduating from the University of Minn., Duluth, with a teaching degree in 1968, Frank and Donna moved to Hoonah, Alaska. Six years later they moved again, with their three children to Homer, Alaska, where they have made their home for the past 40 years. 
Frank worked as a science teacher and basketball coach at Homer High School until he retired in 1991. Upon retiring, he began his second career as a charter boat captain and assistant hunting guide until 2002 when he could no longer work due to long-term effects of cancer. Throughout the following decade, Frank’s perseverance while enduring multiple treatments was inspirational to many who knew him. 
He was a teacher both in profession and in life, and was known to his family as a caring son, brother, husband, and parent. Frank is survived by his wife, Donna; his three children and their spouses, Kathryn Libal and Scott Harding of West Hartford, Connecticut; Joseph and Rebecca Libal of Anchorage, Alaska; John and Angela Libal, of Anchorage, Alaska; and five grandchildren. He is also survived by three brothers, John (Cheryl), Robert (Emmy), Gary (Sharon) all of Two Harbors, Minn.; and two sisters, Sandra (Joe) Roberts of Duluth, Minn., and Rose (Erless) Burgess of Homer.  
Frank was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Homer where he served as both an Elder and Trustee. Memorial services and a beach-side Celebration of Life will be conducted during the spring/summer of 2014. Frank requested that his ashes be spread in Alaska and Minn. –close to his favorite fishing.

Scarlett Olivia Zuyus

Scarlett Olivia Zuyus

Scarlett Olivia Zuyus, born Dec. 4, 2007 passed away Thursday, Jan. 16, 9:40 p.m., at her home in Tulsa, Okla. She was holding her Dad’s hand when she smiled and peacefully went into God’s open arms.
Scarlett had just turned 6, and lost a long battle to a rare form of brain cancer.
Several of her summers were spent on the Kenai Peninsula visiting her YaYa and PaPa Pete. She enjoyed Seward, Cooper Landing, Kenai, Homer, Anchorage, Palmer, Whittier and Seldovia, spending time with her Alaska family for fun in Alaska and on the Kenai Peninsula. Her favorite color was pink and she loved the otters, puffins, seals and eagles of Kachemak Bay.
She is survived by her Father, Peter Zuyus who was born in Fairbanks; her siblings Marissa and Nick Zuyus; her grandparents, Peter (PaPa Pete)and Kathleen (Ya Ya)Zuyus of Homer; her Aunt Patty Kearon of Fairbanks; Uncle Mike and Aunt Trisha Zuyus of Palmer; cousins Sydney and Raegan Zuyus of Palmer; cousin Sean-Smith Kearon Capt. USMC and National Park Ranger at Glacier Bay, of Kenai; Uncle Joseph (Wolf) and Aunt Emily Zuyus of Charlotte, N.C.; cousins Mollie and Ava Zuyus of Charlotte, N.C.; Aunt Sandy Zuyus Marlin of Osage, Okla.; Uncle Dennis and Aunt Mary Hussey of Calif. and cousins Madeline and Natalie Hussey of Calif.
Scarlett’s life was short, but filled with love and family.

Dan E. Clyburn

Dan E. Clyburn

Dan E. Clyburn was born in Siskiyou County, Calif. on Feb. 24, 1937 to Thomas and Gladys Clyburn. He was one of six children. His siblings were Bud, Tomma, Patsy, Dave, Paul, Dorthy and Jeannie. He spent his childhood roaming the woods of northern Calif., searching for adventure. Dan was always a hard worker. He helped support the family by working at the local sawmill, starting out when he was 15, learning skills he would carry his entire life. Dan worked many trades, from equipment operating to mechanics and home building. He could fix anything from the largest diesel engines to the smallest of electric motors. If he couldn’t fix it with the tools he had, he would engineer and build the tools he needed to get the job done.
Dan resided in northern Calif. with his wife Marcie. He was one of the founding fathers of the Jed Smith Mountain Man Club and belonged to it for 35 years, where he would build black powder rifles and compete in competitions. Dan was a crack shot, often winning competitions alongside Marcie.
In March of 1994 Dan and Marcie moved to Homer, where they built their beautiful home together overlooking Kachemak Bay. Dan enjoyed many hobbies, including gardening, tree grafting, fishing, hunting, four wheeling, golfing with his neighbor Bob, writing short stories and building black powder rifles. As Dan grew older and wasn’t able to work mechanics as much he turned to working on computers. He was always ready for a challenge. If a friend or family member needed help he would gladly lend a hand. His skills and knowledge were greatly appreciated by all.
Dan’s children are Daniel Clyburn, Lisa Clyburn, Susan Stewart, Tammy Jones, Tommy Desavedo, Debbie Desavedo, Carol Seal and Brian Seal. Grandchildren are Sierra Holleman, Kasey Holleman, Victoria Capps, Cameron Stewart, Robin Hicks, Chelsea Horn, Brody, Matthew and Richard Jones, Christina Busch Wood, Levi Busch, Shawny Darby, Sara Wierleske, Jaime and Max Desavedo, Amy Eslinger, Traci Greer, Derik Brooks and Jessica Seal. He had 27 great-grandchildren.
There will be a celebration of life Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Homer Elks Lodge. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Homer.

Colleen Madonna Flood

Colleen Madonna Flood passed away Jan. 13, 2014 peacefully in her sleep. She was surrounded by her family, and people that loved her dearly.
Colleen grew up in Hamburg, N.Y., but lived most of her adult life in Soldotna, Kenai and Homer. She was a published writer, and had written many books. She had a degree in education. but her greatest accomplishment was her son, whom she loved with all her heart. Colleen battled and survived stage three breast cancer about 17 years ago, and then battled and survived pancreatic cancer three years ago. She was a feisty and crazy red head that lived life to the fullest.
Colleen was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor on Dec.10, 2013 while on vacation in Hawaii. She had been suffering from sudden diminished eyesight and five days of extreme migraines, when she collapsed in the Honolulu airport and was escorted to the ER by four handsome young men (paramedics). She flew home to Alaska and underwent brain surgery and the tumor was removed. She passed away due to complications weeks after the surgery.
We want to thank everyone so much for your love, prayers and encouragement over the last month. It has been very difficult for everyone. Her family is asking for quiet time. Please refrain from contacting them so they can process this loss in their own time. No memorial service is planned. In lieu of flowers you may donate to Colleen’s Medical Fund. which will help pay for her medical and final expenses. http://www.gofundme.com/5r2mz4

Betty Colleen Oliver

Betty Oliver

Longtime Alaska and Ninilchik resident Betty Colleen Oliver, 82, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 at South Peninsula Hospital in Homer. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at Hickerson Memorial Cemetery on Diamond Ridge Road near Homer. A memorial service will be 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Ninilchik River Life Church.
Betty was born Dec. 6, 1931 in Merced, Calif. She moved to Alaska in 1958 and resided in Homer. She moved to Cantwell in 1967, Eagle River in 1969, Anchorage in 1972, Valdez in 1976, Anchor Point in 1978 and to Ninilchik in 2013.
Betty was a member of the Assembly of God Church, where her husband was the pastor. She enjoyed painting, quilting, fishing, hunting and was a rock hound.
“On Jan. 14, 2014, the family of Betty Oliver lost a wonderful woman. Her and her husband left a legacy of churches that have saved many people and still continue to this day.  She made quilts that a lot of us still cuddle with. She had fishing and hunting stories that would make you laugh, and a love for her husband and family that no words could explain,” her family wrote in her memory.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, James T. Oliver, in 2007, and her brother, Robert Suit. She is survived by her sons, Craig J Oliver of Anchor Point, and John A. Oliver of Altus, Ark.; daughters, Patricia C. Richards and Sharon Y. Wheeler, both of Ninilchik; 13 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren. 
Memorial donations may be sent to Craig Oliver, 31285 Sterling Hwy., Anchor Point, AK 99556. Arrangements were by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.

By Hannah Heimbuch
Homer Tribune
• Longtime Homer commercial fisherman Donald Lane appointed to halibut regulatory commission

As the first 2014 meeting of the International Pacific Halibut Commission opened in Seattle last week, Homer resident Donald Lane took his new seat at the table.
Lane, who has been longlining for halibut out of Homer for 32 years, is one of two Alaskans newly appointed to the Commission.
“This appointment is an honor,” Lane said. “The slate of nominees from Alaska were all respected and knowledgeable professionals in the halibut industry. To actually be the one appointed is an honor I have not quite digested.”
Dr. Jim Balsiger of Juneau was appointed at the same time, filling the commissioner seat designated for a United States fisheries management official. Balsiger is the Alaska Regional Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The U.S. appoints three commissioners in total, including one slated for an Alaska fisheries professional, the seat Lane now holds.
Lane owns and operates the fishing vessel Predator, from which he runs his longlining operation. His many years in the business gives him a working knowledge he can offer as the commission faces some challenging decisions.
“I especially appreciate the opportunity and the trust the industry has shown by my appointment,” Lane said. “The halibut stocks are in a troubling time with steep downward trends of halibut abundance in most areas of Alaska.”
With strong and diverse demand on a currently declining resource — commercial, sport charter, personal use, subsistence, and bycatch — management faces particular challenges in the near future, he said.
“Coming from many years of high abundance to these last year of declining abundance is a tough, long adjustment for Alaskan communities dependent on halibut in their economies,” he said. “I hope to assist the other commissioners in providing a stable IPHC information and decision-making base.”
He also wants to be sure that halibut doesn’t go the way of some other local fisheries that he has watched shift over the years.
“I participated in four fisheries right in Kachemak Bay — King crab, Tanner crab, Dungeness crab, and shrimp fishing,” Lane said. “None of those fisheries exist beyond an occasional personal use level anymore. I am dedicated to making sure there are halibut to fish for the future.”
As he begins his new position, Lane is particularly looking forward to helping the commission improve its outreach and public relations, he said, and hopes to improve public access to the commissioners in a way that is purposeful and consistent.
“I urge all users of halibut, commercial, recreational and subsistence to work with the commission and other interested groups so we make good decisions to keep our fisheries healthy and sustainable,” said Sen. Mark Begich in a recent release.
“The appointment of these two Alaskans will let the Commission get on with its important work. That work is especially important now, so that we can rebuild stocks from their current low levels.”
After following fisheries policy and politics for many years, Lane said, he decided to pursue the appointment in an effort to serve that process in a new and expanded way.
“I believed I had the practical knowledge of the halibut resource,” Lane said. “I have worked with the IPHC for a number of years doing stock assessment surveys with the F/V Predator, so had a good feel for the research mechanics.”
He has always wanted to participate more, he said, and hopes to call on the network of connections he developed, as a regular attendee of IPHC meetings of the years, as way to make his commissionership more effective.
“I developed many personal relationships with other halibut users and was comfortable with the good communications channels I had developed,” Lane said.
But the appointment doesn’t mean he’ll be giving up his life on deck.
“I am 60 this year,” Lane said. “I work to stay healthy and active and want to continue getting on the grounds as much as practical. Most of the summer I have a trusted friend skipper the Predator for me, and I relieve him in August. Then I take the F/V Predator longlining for halibut. Last year, 2013, we longlined in May. This year will be in the fall.”
While he is still an active fisherman, time away from the business at this point in his life is something he can manage.
“From observation, I knew the job would be time consuming, and challenging,” Lane said. “I have my fishing business in a place now where I need not be around day to day.”
Lane was the president of the North Pacific Fisheries Association for six years, and a member of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Homer Advisory Committee for eight years.

Highschooler to present birding project

Erick Paulsrud

Following a 4:30 p.m. Kachemak Bay Birders meeting on Jan. 27 at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center auditorium, Homer High School senior Erick Paulsrud will present, “The Island of the Little Adventure.”
Paulsrud did a least auklet nesting-box project last year on St. George Island as a volunteer for the Fish and Wildlife Service. He included children and adults from the village in assembling the boxes and placed them in appropriate nesting areas.
Paulsrud will also share his breathtaking photos of the area, including the huge rookeries. Come and discover what is so captivating about St. George Island and the least auklets. Cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, there is no admission and everyone is welcome

‘Faked Alaska’ Improv
Are you 13-18 years old and like drama? Want to act? If so, this is for you. The Kenai Peninsula Fair will host an improv event on Feb. 15.
A workshop for 13-18-year old students will run from 3-5 p.m., followed by “Faked Alaska” from 6-8 p.m. Interested youth, call 567-3670 for information.
A family casino night will follow the improv session. Adults, $15; youth and seniors, $10; fair members, free.

Emblem Club sponsors Bingo
The Emblem Club sponsors Bingo at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Elks. Come support this nonprofit group in its efforts to raise funds for scholarships and help kids and adults in their times of need.

Bunnell hosts grant-writing workshops
In view of Rasmuson Foundation’s March 1 deadline for Project Grant Applications, Bunnell’s Cosmic Agents Initiative hosts a series of workshops to help enhance grant-writing skills for young and emerging artists.
Jan. 19 was the first workshop, and focused on strengthening artist statements. All are welcome, and there is no charge. Cosmic Agents is supported by a grant from Homer Foundation. For more information, contact asia@bunnellarts.org

Applications available for city grants program
Application forms for the 2014 City of Homer Grants Program are now available. The grants program is funded through an annual allocation from the City of Homer in addition to the earnings from the City of Homer Fund and the Kachemak City Fund at the Homer Foundation.
The intent of the grants program is to support locally based, nonprofit organizations that provide services within the City of Homer. Applicants must be IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations, in existence in Homer a minimum of three years, with their primary facility and core programs, activities and services offered within Homer city limits.
The organization must be administered locally with a local policy-making board of directors. The organization may have no other financial or in-kind support from the City of Homer. The funding is for general operating support and is a competitive grants process. Application forms are available online at www.homerfund.org. or from the Homer Foundation office. Contact Joy at 235-0541 for more info.

Winter Carnival welcomes biz participation
As Homer gears up for its 2014 Winter Carnival, event coordinators are looking for local businesses and organizations to support the weekend of events.
“We feel this year’s event holds great potential,” said Committee Chair Genny Miller. “Local business participation and the citizens of Homer are the key to the Homer Winter Carnival’s success.”
Businesses can become involved in many ways, including becoming a sponsor — any donation amount is welcome — or by entering a float in the carnival parade. The Homer Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the parade. There will be prizes in four categories: best non-profit float, $400 Homer Bucks; best individual or family float, $200 Homer Bucks; best for profit business float, $125 Homer Bucks; judge’s choice, $125 Homer Bucks.
“All participating businesses and organizations will receive recognition for their support,” Miller said.
If you would like to have an event listed in the carnival calendar, please call before Jan. 24 to submit that information. You can also visit the HWC Facebook page to “like” and show support online.
Finally, businesses and other local entities can participate in nonprofit fundraising by purchasing Homer Winter Carnival collectible buttons featuring a carnival event, your business or a local nonprofit.
To get buttons, call 299-0319. Orders start at 100 buttons for $200, and can then be sold for $4 apiece. The $200 investment is recouped, and a matching $200 goes can then go to the nonprofit of your choice.

For more information on the Homer Winter Carnival, contact Genny Miller at 299-0397.

Commission needs state celebration ideas
In 2017, Alaska will mark 150 years since the U.S. purchased the frontier land from Russia. The Alaska Historical Commission within the Department of Natural Resources is collecting information from communities around the state, asking how local organizations and governments plan to celebrate.
Events could include a lecture series, film series, publications, museum exhibits, art exhibits, interpretive displays, displays in parks, libraries, city halls or other public spaces, community commemorative events, community restoration project, news series, art series, theatrical events, other artistic endeavors or a heritage tourism tour.
If you are planning a celebration or applicable event, please submit that information to the commission by Jan. 31 so they can compile, discuss and share information about potential statewide events.
For more information call 465-3520 or 269-8714.

Rhodes wins Geography Bee
Sixth-grader Alex Rhodes won McNeil Canyon Elementary’s school-level Geography Bee on Jan. 10.

District Democrats to meet
District 30 Democrats will meet on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Homer Real Estate Office (1529 Ocean Dr.). Call Liz Diament at 914-588-0332 for more information.

• Cody Davidson ‘teaches’ his love of music
By Christina Whiting
Homer Tribune

Photo by Rob Switzer
Cody Davidson hangs out with three of his four children.

As recipient of this year’s Homer Council on the Arts award for Art Education, Cody Davidson inspires and empowers local youth by sharing his love of music.
“Cody reaches an audience that is often overlooked and can benefit from being able to express themselves in the arts,” said Diane Borgman, HCOA Board President.
Davidson moved to Homer in 2001, and started Youth on Record Alaska in 2011. He provides quality music instruction to Homer’s youth through weekly classes supported by Haven House and Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic’s R.E.C. Room.
The program is open to youth aged 13 to 19, and requires no musical background; only a love of music.
“A lot of collaboration takes place in my classes,” Davidson said. “One student might write songs, another might sing.”
Davidson follows a curriculum that includes basic understanding of digital production and history, song structure, lyrics, recording and other lessons.
His goal of turning students into student teachers has already been accomplished, as former student Alex Clayton comes in each week to help teach.
Davidson said Emmett Meyer attends the weekly class as a student, but his gifted musical abilities and desire to teach make him a great mentor.
“I’m lucky to have him in my class,” Davidson said. “He’s an integral part of what we do here.”
Davidson and two friends started Youth on Record Denver in 2010, teaching in multiple residential treatment facilities, as well as various inner-city schools.
“Our goal is to inspire and empower at-risk youth by using music instruction and production,” he said. “Music is a great way to break into inner circles of people — like youth — who might not otherwise want to talk to adults.”
Committed to helping at-risk youth, the trio worked full time with very little funding, and volunteered much of their work. With Davidson working hand-in-hand as a partner artist, Youth On Record first merged with a band/organization called “The Flobots.” Now, Youth on Record is its own entity.

Photo provided
Students collaborate on a project during one of Davidson’s “Youth on Record Alaska” classes.

In 2011, Davidson received a Governor’s Men Choose Respect grant. The grant supports partnerships between male leaders and community organizations that work to promote safe and respectful relationships.
“The grant allowed me to purchase recording equipment, software and 10 laptop computers,” he explained.
In Homer, Davidson’s goal was to offer classes to 10 students, but it’s common for 20 or more to show up. He said one of his greatest challenges has been the shortage of computers, as many of his current computers are outdated, and a few have crashed. He is working to get 20 new laptop computers to accommodate all the students who come to learn from him.
“I love music production,” Davidson said. “Lots of what I create involves playing drums for one part, piano for another, and finding someone to sing for another part.”
Davidson not only digitally creates instruments and sounds from scratch, he also creatively merges them with composing.
“Digital production is how most music is recorded today,” he said. “If Bach wanted to record a symphony today, he would do so using digital production tools.”
Art is a way of life for Davidson, and he is grateful for Homer’s thriving art community.
“Arts in Homer is such a huge scene,” he said. “Here, everyone walks forward together. It’s part of the culture of Homer and I don’t think there are many other communities where I could do what I’m doing here.”
Davidson said he was humbled to be chosen for the arts award.
“When you go through life as an artist, you don’t get a lot of recognition for your work unless you’re famous,” he said. “When you do, it’s an honor that reaffirms that this is the path you’re supposed to be taking.”
In addition to running Youth on Record Alaska, Davidson works as a commercial fisherman, as well as a skills trainer at Homer Flex School. He plays the piano and drums, as well as singing and performing his original music at venues around town. He has performed at Homer High’s homecoming, and created original compositions for the Nutcracker Ballet, where he acted as music director.
Davidson and his wife, Brittani, have four children: Harmony, 10, Justice, 8, Talon, 2, and Sabriel, 3 and a half months. He said he is grateful for his wife’s support of the time and energy he puts in to his art.
Youth on Record classes are Fridays, 3-6 p.m. at the R.E.C. Room on Ben Walter’s Lane. (Behind the Family Planning Clinic.)
For more information on Youth on Record, contact Cody at 299-4472 or youthonrecordak@gmail.com. You can also visit Youth on Record Alaska on Facebook.
Cody will be recognized for his work in the arts community, along with other HCOA arts award recipients, during a public awards ceremony at HCOA on Friday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.

• Join the community in celebrating “Where the sound meets the sea.”
By Christina Whiting
Homer Tribune

HOMER TRIBUNE/Photo Provided
The staff of KBBI AM 890 gathers outside the Homer station. KBBI is celebrating 35 years of broadcasting public radio to listeners on the Kenai Peninsula. From left to right are Aaron Selbig, Dave Anderson, Kathleen Gustafson, Ariel Van Cleave, Dorle Harness, Terry Rensel, Peter Sheppard and Rose Greech.

“Goat lost 12 miles out East End Road.” “Ride needed from Homer to Anchorage for two big men and one small dog.” “This message is for Snookie in Petersen Bay: we love you and miss you. There’s moose meat waiting for you in the freezer.”
These are just a few of the messages you might hear during KBBI AM 890’s daily “Bush Lines.”
Homer community members proudly display KBBI bumper stickers, drink coffee from mugs featuring artwork by local artists, volunteer at memberships drives and Concert on the Lawn and eagerly tune into favorite local programs like “Coffee Table” and “Slack Tide,” as well as national programs like “Car Talk” and “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.”
In addition to providing residents with local news, marine weather forecasts, community updates, local programming and entertainment, KBBI also offers access to news and entertainment from around the globe.
Don Pitcher’s connection with KBBI stretches back 20 years to a time when he was working at a remote field camp on Kodiak Island.
“We made an antenna by coiling 100 feet of wire, and KBBI became our daily link to the outside world,” he said. “It provided news, weather and vital marine forecasts.”
Pitcher joined KBBI as an on-air DJ when the family moved to Homer in 1999.
Michael McBride raised his family in remote China Poot Bay and attributes KBBI to keeping them connected to the rest of the world.
“In the winter, we rarely ventured into town,” he said. “KBBI provided a very long umbilical cord to the rest of the world in ways that would not have been possible otherwise.” 

HOMER TRIBUNE/Photo Provided
Chef Teri Robl discuses holiday cooking with Coffee Table host and news director Aaron Selbig.

On Aug. 4, 1979, KBBI AM 1250 graced the airwaves as Homer’s first AM radio station. Its first programs were broadcast from the back of a building on Lake Street, before moving to a Main Street property with a great view, but no running water. The signal was broadcast from the old FAA tower next to the studio, which reached Kachemak Bay, across Cook Inlet, down to Kodiak Island and as far north as Ninilchik. In 1991, the station moved to its current location on Kachemak Way.
The purchase of a new transmitter allowed KBBI to move its frequency to 890AM and extend its reach. A new generator made the station a reliable source of information during emergencies.
In the early 1980s, KBBI operated from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week with 11 staff positions. Today, they are on the air 24/7 with eight staff, and also manage and provide programming, development, news and business support to KDLL 91.9 FM in Kenai.
“We are no longer just a radio station,” said KBBI General Manager Dave Anderson. “It takes additional time to update the website, Facebook and Twitter. Our working relationship with KDLL in Kenai allows us to share some expenses and programs. This is the future of maintaining a sustainable public broadcasting service: collaboration and consolidation.”
Anderson started as an on-air volunteer DJ with KBBI in 1981, and has been general manager for almost nine years. He considers one of the station’s greatest successes to be its move from multiple-day membership drives to a one-day drive that takes place twice a year.
“KBBI is one of the few stations to continue to be successful with this format,” he said. “A number of stations have followed our lead.”
Grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission together provide 43 percent of KBBI’s revenue. The rest is made up via membership, underwriting and donations.
More than 50 volunteers help out with KBBI’s annual “Concert on the Lawn.” The summer fundraiser offers two days of live music from local and statewide musicians who volunteer their time and talents.
Glenn Caldwell, host of “Slack Tide,” has been a volunteer DJ since 1986, and has witnessed many changes.
“The new studio, updated equipment and technology allow our small community to share access to world news and culture, he said.”
KBBI’s future plans include replacing 12-year old audio consoles in the production studios, as well as expanding social media and digitally archiving 35 years worth of audio tapes.
On Jan. 23, KBBI celebrates 35 years of broadcasting listener-supported public radio and is the most-listened-to radio station in the area. A celebration will be held during the station’s annual meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Homer Elks Lodge. Bring a potluck dish to share, enjoy live music and be a part of the silent art auction featuring work donated by local artists.
For more information, call the station at 235-7721 or visit kbbi.org.

By Christina Whiting
Homer Tribune

For many, the word mentor brings to mind teachers, elders, grandparents, older siblings and parents. In Homer, four teenagers are mentoring their peers on healthy relationships to provide peer-to-peer education and to determine if peer education is as effective, if not more effective, than youth learning from someone older.
“The relationships youth make with mentors help them make transitions in their developing lives, whether that is from middle school to high school, from friendship to friendship, or with family and community relationships,” said Anna Meredith, R.E.C. Room Youth Program Manager.
The statewide peer research project is called Alaska Promoting Health Among Teens (PHAT). At the heart of the program, peer educators teach their peers about healthy relationships, abstinence, safe sex and many other issues relevant to teens’ lives. The statewide mission is to reduce the rates of HIV/STDs and unplanned pregnancies, while promoting healthy relationships for at-risk youth ages 14-19 in Alaska.
In addition to employing a full-time PHAT program coordinator and a part-time PHAT peer coordinator, AKPHAT employs four to five PHAT peer educators. Homer’s team includes program coordinator Anna Meredith, peer coordinator Doug Koester and peer educators Jonas Noomah, Sierra Moskios, Hailey Hughes and Zoe Story.
Using a peer-to-peer education model, the teens utilize the AKPHAT curriculum and go through extensive training in the areas of public health and teen health.
“In addition to training on the curriculum, peer educators are trained in topics including cultural competency and awareness, public speaking, engaging parents, digital/media training, adverse childhood experiences, non-violent communication, adolescent brain development, bullying, suicide prevention and much more,” Koester said.
The teens’ job is to teach the curriculum, recruit teens to take the class and teach the classes. Classes take place outside of the schools in community settings, with at least two peer educators working together to teach small groups of students. Because the class sizes are small, the instruction takes the form of conversation verses lecturing.
The goal is to teach nine classes a year. Classes typically take place over the course of three days, five hours a day and the program runs all year long.
“In the last two years, we have taught the curriculum to over 80 youth,” Koester said. “Another 80 or so have participated by being in a control group ” Koester said.
Homer’s peer educators have taught in Homer, Unalakleet, Seldovia, Port Graham, Nanwalek and Anchorage.
Many, but not all of their peers, are willing to listen.
“Some kids think they already know everything we’re teaching,” Mosikos said.
And many, but not all parents, are happy to have their kids teach or be taught.
“There is a common misconception that taking a sex education class will increase a youth’s chances of having sex,” Koester said. “Actually, many studies have shown that the more a youth is educated about sexual health, the less likely they are to engage in sexual activity and when they do, it’s a safer experience.”
The peer educators know that they are succeeding when students actively engage in open and honest conversations.
“I knew a student who came to class who was hesitant because he thought he already knew about everything we were going to teach,” Hughes said. “When the class was over, he told me he learned a lot and was glad he’d participated.”
Story takes her work with the program very seriously. It has also inspired her.
“This project has the potential to change the way sex education is taught in Alaska and beyond,” she said. “I have always been very interested in women’s health and now I’m thinking about becoming an OB-GYN.”
For Hughes and Noomah, the program opens doors to communication, allowing them to talk to people they might not otherwise get to.
The statewide AKPHAT project is funded by an Office of Adolescent Health Federal grant, which is part of the State of Alaska’s Department of Public Health education and outreach. The project began in 2011 and will be completed in 2015 and includes the communities of Bethel, Anchorage and Homer.
The Homer project is managed by the Youth Resource and Enrichment Co-op (R.E.C. Room) whose mission is to facilitate healthy relationships, health education, and healthy choices for youth in and around Homer.
“I’ve watched these young men and women transform from young passionate employees into young professional educators,” Meredith said.
The data collected from the AKPHAT program is being evaluated by the University of Anchorage Alaska’s Institute of Social and Economic Research.
“Once the data is all collected and evaluated, we hope to use it as a means to garner more support for using a peer to peer model, to more effectively teach sex education and healthy relationships throughout Alaska and elsewhere,” Koester said.
For more information on the PHAT program, contact Anna Meredith at the R.E.C. Room, 235-6736, visit homerrecroom.org or stop in Monday to Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
“Every time we work with other teens, we have an impact on their life,” Story said. “There is no greater feeling