Shahla Farzan, KBBI - Homer

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Shahla Farzan is a reporter with KBBI - Homer. Shahla first caught the radio bug as a world music host for WMHC, the oldest college radio station operated exclusively by women. Before coming to KBBI, she worked at Capital Public Radio in Sacramento and as a science writer for the California Environmental Legacy Project. She is currently completing her Ph.D in ecology at the University of California-Davis, where she studies native bees. When she's not producing audio stories, you can find Shahla beachcombing or buried in a good book.

AK: Orca ‘swims again’ thanks to Homer skeleton builders

Knowing how to assemble a whale skeleton is a rare skill. For a small group of students at Kachemak Bay Campus of Kenai Peninsula College in Homer, rebuilding skeletons is all in a day’s work. Listen Now

Latest effort to revise Kenai invocation policy stalls

For the past four months, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly has debated whether it should restrict who is allowed to give the invocation, or prayer, that begins each meeting. Listen Now

Rep. Seaton joins bipartisan House caucus

After more than two decades of Republican control, the Alaska House is now led by a bipartisan caucus. Democrats make up the majority of the 22-member caucus, along with two independents and three Republicans. Listen Now

Satellite tags offer rare glimpse into harbor seal life

For wildlife biologists, understanding the basics about an animal species is key. How long does it live? How many babies does it have? When it comes to marine mammals, collecting this basic information can be a challenge. Listen Now

HEA members question whether subsidiary will be deregulated

Two Homer Electric Association members filed a formal complaint with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) on Nov. 15, regarding HEA’s ongoing deregulation election. Listen Now

Cook Inletkeeper requests public notice on proposed fracking

BlueCrest Energy is set to begin hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in Cook Inlet this month. The new fracking operation, which will occur about three and a half miles offshore, has faced steep opposition from Kenai Peninsula residents

CoastWalk volunteers clean up local beaches

For over 30 years, the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies in Homer has organized its annual CoastWalk. As part of the program, hundreds of volunteers collect trash on Kachemak Bay beaches each fall. Many of those volunteers return year after year to the same stretch of beach. Listen Now

Alaskan gulls carry drug-resistant E. coli

As antibiotic-resistant super bugs become more common, they’re beginning to show up in places we wouldn’t expect. A new study has found antibiotic-resistant E. coli in gulls living on the Kenai Peninsula. Listen Now

Homer Folk School teaches skills in carpentry, gardening and medicine

The Homer Folk School recently opened its doors, offering a variety of hands-on classes in everything from beekeeping to kayak building. Listen Now

Kenai Borough Assembly invocation policy is unconstitutional, says ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska wrote to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on Oct. 20, warning them their new invocation policy is unconstitutional. Listen Now
Alaska News Nightly by Alaska Public Media

Homer man charged in “Poopdeck Trail” murder case

Homer Police arrested a man in connection with a three-year-old murder case on Sunday. Listen Now

Kenai residents voice opposition to new Borough invocation policy

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly passed a resolution on Oct. 11, revising its policy on the invocation that begins each meeting. The new policy places restrictions on who is allowed to give the invocation. Listen Now

Kachemak hiking snafu leads to better planning of trail signage

A family of three was stranded overnight in Kachemak Bay State Park this week.

LEDs will light up Homer Harbor next year

Homer will soon join the list of U.S. cities making the switch to LED lights. Listen Now

Mushroom hunting brings risks and rewards

In Alaska, passion for hunting runs deep. For many, the thrill of hunting big game is second to none. But there’s another group of hunters in Alaska tracking a different kind of prey: mushrooms. Listen Now

Homer voters elect new mayor and councilmembers, reject new police station

Homer has a new mayor and two new city council members, according to unofficial Homer municipal election results, but voters rejected Proposition 1, saying no to a new police station.

Citizen scientists track crane population

Every fall, Nina Faust organizes a "citizen science" survey of the crane population on the southern Kenai Peninsula. On three specific days, residents contact her to report sandhill crane sightings. Using this information, she’s able to estimate how big the population is each year. Listen Now

Burning Basket is an honored Homer tradition

Every year, on a windswept patch of land in Homer’s Mariner Park, community members build a beautiful handmade basket. A really big one. And just a few days later, they burn it to the ground. It’s part of Homer’s annual Burning Basket celebration. Listen now

Homer tourism reaches all-time high

Homer, the little town at the “End of The Road,” is becoming an increasingly popular travel destination. Listen now

Homer residents respond to proposed drilling

Dozens of Homer residents attended the public hearing to learn more about the proposal to lease portions of Cook Inlet for oil and gas drilling. Listen now