Michael Armstrong

Recover, the 18th annual Burning Basket, starts to burn on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, at Mariner Park on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Burning Basket construction starts on Labor Day

The 19th annual Homer Burning Basket 2022 will be held Sept. 11 at Mariner Park on the Homer Spit. This year’s title is “BREATHE -… Continue reading

Recover, the 18th annual Burning Basket, starts to burn on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, at Mariner Park on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Homer artist Oceana Wills illustrated the cover of Scott Burbank's "Interior Waypoints: Sailing to Colombia."

Longtime tour operator Burbank publishes first book

‘Interior Waypoints’ came out of 6 years of tropical travel

Homer artist Oceana Wills illustrated the cover of Scott Burbank's "Interior Waypoints: Sailing to Colombia."
Kate Lochridge stands by one of her paintings for a pop-up show of her work on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, at the Homer Council on the Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by MIchael Armstrong/Homer News)

Pop-up exhibit shows culmination of art-science residency

The exhibit by Kate Lochridge came about after her internship this summer as a National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration Ernest S. Hollings Scholar and Artist in Residence

Kate Lochridge stands by one of her paintings for a pop-up show of her work on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, at the Homer Council on the Arts in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by MIchael Armstrong/Homer News)
Mt. Redoubt rises above Cook Inlet and the Anchor River drainage as fireweed is in bloom, as seen from Diamond Ridge Road on Friday, July 22, 2022, near Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Out of the Office: Take the long way around

“Slow Down. What’s the hurry?” reads an inscription on the Reuben Call bench at the end of the Homestead Trail of Diamond Ridge Road. I… Continue reading

Mt. Redoubt rises above Cook Inlet and the Anchor River drainage as fireweed is in bloom, as seen from Diamond Ridge Road on Friday, July 22, 2022, near Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
"Protection: Adaptation and Resistance" includes these robes, "Kaxhatjaa X'óow: Herring Protectors," made by Káakaxaawulga/Jennifer Younger, K'asheechtlaa/Louise Brady and Carol Hughey. The show is on exhibit at the Pratt Museum & Park in Homer, Alaska, through Sept. 24, 2022. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Art of resistance

Pratt show features Native art of the pandemic and beyond

"Protection: Adaptation and Resistance" includes these robes, "Kaxhatjaa X'óow: Herring Protectors," made by Káakaxaawulga/Jennifer Younger, K'asheechtlaa/Louise Brady and Carol Hughey. The show is on exhibit at the Pratt Museum & Park in Homer, Alaska, through Sept. 24, 2022. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
A group of about 400 people march along Pioneer Avenue for the "Women's March: Bans Off Our Bodies" protest on Saturday, July 9, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

‘Bans off our bodies’: About 400 march to protect reproductive rights

In one of Homer’s largest protest marches, on Saturday about 400 people walked, held signs and chanted in protest of the U.S. Supreme Court decision,… Continue reading

A group of about 400 people march along Pioneer Avenue for the "Women's March: Bans Off Our Bodies" protest on Saturday, July 9, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
This map shows a proposed rezone from rural residential to urban residential for the lower West Hill Road area. The Homer Planning Commission recommended only rezoning the area east of West Hill Road, and the Homer City Council introduced an ordinance at its June 27 meeting to just rezone the east side. (Map courtesy of city of Homer)

Homer council considers West Hill rezoning

East side of lower West Hill would be rezoned to urban residential

This map shows a proposed rezone from rural residential to urban residential for the lower West Hill Road area. The Homer Planning Commission recommended only rezoning the area east of West Hill Road, and the Homer City Council introduced an ordinance at its June 27 meeting to just rezone the east side. (Map courtesy of city of Homer)
"The Bouyman" participated in the 2021 Fourth of July "Whatever Floats Your Boat" Parade down Pioneer Avenue. (Photo by Sarah Knapp)

July 4 events held around the bay

Weekend in Anchor Point, Homer and Seldovia features parades, games and barbecues

"The Bouyman" participated in the 2021 Fourth of July "Whatever Floats Your Boat" Parade down Pioneer Avenue. (Photo by Sarah Knapp)
Christian Seager shows his 2022 Homer Spit Run, with the line "in memory of Gary Williams." Williams, a former Homer Mayor and a former owner of the Homer News, helped start the Spit Run. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Markelz wins Spit Run 10k

2022 Spit Run honors former Homer mayor, avid runner

Christian Seager shows his 2022 Homer Spit Run, with the line "in memory of Gary Williams." Williams, a former Homer Mayor and a former owner of the Homer News, helped start the Spit Run. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
The scenery on the drive from Homer to Anchorage ranges from beautiful to awe inspiring, like Turnagain Pass on the Kenai Peninsula, as seen here on Sunday, May 22, 2022. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Out of the Office: Road trippin’

You know how you’ve done something so long and so often it becomes routine, and yet it still can amaze you? Traveling to Anchorage and… Continue reading

The scenery on the drive from Homer to Anchorage ranges from beautiful to awe inspiring, like Turnagain Pass on the Kenai Peninsula, as seen here on Sunday, May 22, 2022. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Michael Armstrong / Homer News 
Music lovers dance to Nervis Rex at the KBBI Concert on the Lawn on July 28, 2012, at Karen Hornaday Park in Homer.

Concert on the Lawn returns

COTL line up includes The English Bay Band, a group that played in 1980

Michael Armstrong / Homer News 
Music lovers dance to Nervis Rex at the KBBI Concert on the Lawn on July 28, 2012, at Karen Hornaday Park in Homer.
The Western Flyers. (Photo provided)

Seldovia Solstice Fest features 4 days of music, art

The Seldovia Solstice Festival starts at 11 a.m. today, June 16, with a music jam on the Seldovia Bay Ferry

The Western Flyers. (Photo provided)
People visit at the Loved & Lost Memorial Bench on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, for a memorial for Anesha “Duffy” Murnane and the dedication of the bench. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Memorial honors Murnane, other missing and murdered people

Event also included dedication of Loved Lost Memorial Bench

People visit at the Loved & Lost Memorial Bench on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the Homer Public Library in Homer, Alaska, for a memorial for Anesha “Duffy” Murnane and the dedication of the bench. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
The bottom story is all that is left of a building at 177 E. Bunnell Ave. that caught fire early Saturday morning, June 4, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. Two people and their pets living in an apartment on the side closest to the road escaped injury. Homer Volunteer Fire Department, Kachemak Emergency Services and Western Emergency Services worked until about noon on Saturday to fully extinguish the fire. The Compass Rose Building to the right had some minor damage such as cracked windows from heat exposure. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Fire destroys building in Homer’s Old Town district

Occupants, pets escape without injury fire on Bunnell Avenue

The bottom story is all that is left of a building at 177 E. Bunnell Ave. that caught fire early Saturday morning, June 4, 2022, in Homer, Alaska. Two people and their pets living in an apartment on the side closest to the road escaped injury. Homer Volunteer Fire Department, Kachemak Emergency Services and Western Emergency Services worked until about noon on Saturday to fully extinguish the fire. The Compass Rose Building to the right had some minor damage such as cracked windows from heat exposure. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Troopers arrest man in sexual assault case

Case prompts police to offer self-defense class for women

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Tarryn Zerbinos shows one of her paintings to be displayed in June at Grace Ridge Breweing. (Photo provided)

Art, Alaska lure Zerbinos back to her roots

Zerbinos markets work through social media with novel products like stickers.

Tarryn Zerbinos shows one of her paintings to be displayed in June at Grace Ridge Breweing. (Photo provided)
The south side of 397 E. Pioneer Avenue as seen on Friday, May 27, 2022. The barn door to the right was cut into the wall of the former Refuge Chapel, a modifcation other tenants of the building claimed had been done in violation of the business condominium association rules. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Lt. governor candidate scrutinized for Homer property usage

Fire marshal said ‘commercial’ activity in old chapel did not have valid plan review

The south side of 397 E. Pioneer Avenue as seen on Friday, May 27, 2022. The barn door to the right was cut into the wall of the former Refuge Chapel, a modifcation other tenants of the building claimed had been done in violation of the business condominium association rules. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
The 10 participants in season 9 of “Alone,” premiering on May 26, 2022, on the History Channel. Terry Burns of Homer is the third from left, back. Another Alaskan in the series, Jacques Tourcotte of Juneau, is the fourth from left, back. (Photo by Brendan George Ko/History Channel)

Homer man goes it ‘Alone’

Burns brings lifetime of wilderness experience to survival series

The 10 participants in season 9 of “Alone,” premiering on May 26, 2022, on the History Channel. Terry Burns of Homer is the third from left, back. Another Alaskan in the series, Jacques Tourcotte of Juneau, is the fourth from left, back. (Photo by Brendan George Ko/History Channel)
A LifeMed helicopter waits on June 10, 2014, at Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna, Alaska. The author took a medevac flight in May 2013 in a similar helicopter. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Out of the Office: Planes, trains, automobiles and helicopters

Every new Alaskan has a bucket list of things they want to check while living here (hopefully, a long time). One subset would be “modes… Continue reading

A LifeMed helicopter waits on June 10, 2014, at Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna, Alaska. The author took a medevac flight in May 2013 in a similar helicopter. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
A black bear gets into a bird feeder in April 2005 at Long Lake, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

Watch out for bears, moose

Take precautions to keep attractants away from bears and give moose and calves space

A black bear gets into a bird feeder in April 2005 at Long Lake, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Department of Fish and Game)