Make A Scene June 2013

June 2013

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Locally owned & operated in the Mat-Su Valley, Alaska

ART ON FIRE

Have a BLAST this 4th of July

> Wet & Hot Art in June

Page 18

EXCITING

NEW PRODUCT

IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY

BRIGHT colors!

Triple effect!

Waterfall effect!

PERSON TO SELL, POSSESS OR USE FIREWORKS WITH THE MUNICIPALITY OF ANCH IN ORAGE. AMC 8.05.270A

IN THIS ISSUE:

> Cardboard City Page 9

> Midsummer Garden and Art Faire Page 2

DID YOU KNOW? Over 6 years in print, thanks to YOU!

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Community

We’re ready to rumble at the Midsummer Garden & Art Faire!

By Sandra Cook

Summer is here and so is the Midsummer Garden & Art Faire on Saturday, July 13 from 10-6 pm on the Palmer town green. What to expect? A day of music, special garden speakers, fabulous art, food prep demonstrations, workshops, and for the “main event”—the first annual “Rhubarb Rumble”.

This is a taste of the events: Workshops: Invasive Plants—Can’t we all just get along. Jaime Rodriguez The Honey Bee and the Super Organism. Saunders McNeil Ask the Plant. Ellen Vande Visse Rain Gardens. Catharine Inman Dollars & Scents: propagating from cuttings. Pat Ryan

Alaska Bible College is now in PALMER! The Palmer Museum Garden will be a buzz with:

www.akbible.edu

Photography workshop with Dick Estelle Walking tour history of the Mat-Su Agricultural Showcase Garden with Jaime Rodriguez A concrete leaf art demonstration with Florene Carney Talking about taste—don’t forget the Rhubarb Rumble. Local restaurants, commercial kitchens and caterers are going all out to make the best tasting Rhubarb dishes around. Faire goers are asked to sample these special dishes from 2-4 pm at participating businesses and then vote on their favorite Rhubarb fare. The winner will receive the coveted Rhubarb Rumble People’s Choice Award.

Denise from Non Essentials has arranged workshops on: Fresh yogurt, Paneer/Chenna Cheese, and Sauerkraut with Julie Cascio of the University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service Sourdough: Pancakes, Bread & More with Denise Statz.

Classes are at the Alaska Bible College Kitchen, advance signup is at Non Essentials, contact Denise at 907982-3363. $15 per person

REGISTER for the 2013 FALL SEMESTER at Alaska Bible College in PALMER!

We are excited to announce fully accredited degree programs at Alaska Bible College in Palmer!

A full range of classes being offered can be found on our website. Call or email now to take classes in Christian ministry, missions, education, and outdoor ministry.

TO REGISTER:

Backyard Chickens - Steve Brown Using Alaskan Wild Herbs & Plants as Food and Medicine - Kim Aspelun

Continues on page 4

Online: www.akbible.edu/Palmer Call the Registrar: 800-478-7884 Email: creimer@akbible.edu

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Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

June 2013

Garden And Art Continued

We are excited to showcase the art and garden vendors for this event too!

Here are just a few of the vendors that will be participating: A Passion for Bread Aleutian Beads & Things Alpine Nursery Aurora Bead & Craft Aurora Nursery Bad Girls of the North Beach House Gallery Bluff View Designs

Bushes Bunches Stand & Food By the Spirit Photography Circling Path Tai Chi Gail’s Creative Arts Glacier Glass Works Kasilof Pottery Loriees Bling Luna’s Magic Quilts Glacier Glassworks Gray Owl Nursery Rustic Wood Stuff SL Cook Pottery & Fiber Werks Shadrach’s Saturday Art Group Simple Designs

Palmer Arts Council’s Flute Ensemble, Bell Choir, Youth Band & Youth Theater Improv Group.

Local performers: Melanie Trost Dave Norman Carhartt Brothers Marching Band Solo Corey Bjerken

Touch of Alaska Tube & Tire Fashion Woolwood Studio & Garden Many local merchants will have booths with garden and art related items including: Cover-Ups Garden Gate Half-Moon Creek Non-Essentials Silvertip Design If this isn’t enough activity for you—we have music on the Palmer town green, park strip and downtown shops including:

> Summer is here and so is the Midsummer Garden & Art Faire on Saturday, July 13 from 10-6 pm on the Palmer town green

And if that isn’t enough action for the day, the Second Saturday Art Walk is happening downtown with local merchants, there are kids activities, see the mural being painted at NuKreationsZ Art & Creativity Center; and there is a Contra Dance on the Borough Quad from 7-9 pm hosted by Envision Mat-Su. Come to Palmer for the Midsummer Garden & Art Faire, Saturday, July 13 for a day filled with garden & art activities, food, music, kids’ activities and you might learn a thing or two along the way. A complete schedule and location of events will be available at the information booth the day the event.

> Join us for this fun filled, not to be missed event!

INVITES YOU TO

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Downtown Palmer 745-2258 OPEN Mon-Sat 10:00am-6:00pm

THE MIDSUMMER GARDEN AND ART FAIRE FIND OUT MORE AT

PALMERGARDENANDART.ORG

Leave it to the Downtown Palmer Merchants to build even more fun in to an event that is already destined to be one of the season’s highlights.

So on July 13th the place to be is Palmer... and you will want to be listening to 100.9 Country Legends while you make your way to the best little summer party on everyone’s calendar!

Rhubarb Rumble

By Denise Statz

In the days prior to the July 13th Palmer Garden and Art Faire, chefs, concessionaries and caterers in virtually every commercial kitchen around Palmer will have their ovens on and their cookbooks propped open, refining favorite rhubarb recipes in hopes of earning the coveted Rhubarb Rumble People’s Choice Award, 2013.

This event, created in coordination with the Division of Agriculture, highlights the flavor and versatility of

rhubarb, one of Alaska’s most prolific and reliable crops.

From chutney to cheesecake, syrup to sauce, the community will have a chance to sample various entries as part of a traveling tasting, with maps and ballots provided at the Garden and Art Fair, located on the quad East of the Borough building, between Rusty’s and the Colony Inn.

June 2013

The July 13 Palmer Garden and Art Faire will have an extra dose (or more) of fun for the first 109 people who join the party between 10 am and noon of that day, as part of the Legendary Scavenger Hunt co-hosted by Country Legends 100.9 and participating Downtown Merchants.

All through the town the scavenger hunt will take you to shops and stops that are sure to please, in your quest for an awesome array of prizes (including the grandest of all... a basket of gift certificates and prizes, dinners and delights valued at more than $300.00).

Legendary Scavenger Hunt!

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

JULY 13TH

June 2013

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

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Community 907-373-2698 (office) 888-383-9909 (fax) makeasceneak@mac.com www.makeasceneak.com

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5th Annual Family Tribal Celebration

Meet Annie

By Angie Lewis

Annie is a delightful 11 month old female Lab mix.

She has not spent much time around other dogs or children, but has done well when meeting them out along the trails. Annie has had some basic obedience training, but naturally, at this age, would benefit from further training.

Chickaloon Village Traditional Council, Knik Tribal Council and Native Village of Eklutna are having their 5th Annual Family Tribal Celebration and Health Fair Saturday, June 15th from 11am - 4pm at the Raven Hall (Alaska State Fair Grounds).

Our theme for our event this year is “Gratitude.” We are celebrating our gratitude to all the many resource providers working to keep the Mat-Su Borough healthy.

She does get a bit defensive about her food and has therefore gone to boot camp to address that behavior.

Last year, we had more than 600 participants sign in at this event. This year, we have new musical groups and activities planned and hope for an even greater turnout.

> To meet and learn more about this sweet

This family event is free of charge.

girl, please call 745-7030 or email Rachel at fosterfinder4adpr@hotmail.com

Animal Shelter Garage Sale The Mat-Su Animal Care Shelter will be having a HUGE one day only Garage Sale Saturday, JULY 20th. We are accepting donated items at the Shelter up to the day before the sale. ( Please no electronics ).

The shelter is located at 9470 E. Chanlyut Circle off the Palmer-Wasilla Highway at 49th State Street between the Central Landfill and Valley Recycle Center. We will have lots of animal related items, cages, as well as tanks, household goods, clothes, toys, a 10” table saw, chain link fencing and even a couple of parking lot lights for sale! All proceeds will go to benefit Shelter projects.

Donations may be dropped off at the Mat-Su Animal Care Shelter Tuesday - Saturday from 11am until 6:30pm.

> For more information call 746-5500

Thank You

Alaska Resource Families Contributed By Betsy Woodin > Alaska Center for Resource Families

would like to thank the following donors and volunteers for making the annual Resource Family Appreciation Picnic a huge success!

Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, DQ, Mat-Su Miners, State Farm, AHFC, Shane Lamb, Target, Dee Hilbert, Turn-a-Leaf, Diversified Tires, Valley Quilters Guild, TOTE, United Way of Mat-Su, thrive Mat-Su, Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, Alaska Sea Life Center, The Magic Guy, Twisted Balloons, Alaska Wild Bird Rehab Center, TATU, Coho Family Medical Center, Country Financial, Mat-Su Borough EMS and Sparky, Alaska Satate Troopers and Cubby, Alaska Assistance Dogs and Stan, Kara’s Kids, Genie’s Gang, Erin’s Crew, the Grandas, Sheridan’s Girls, Jessie, Alfred and Gwen, OCS and ACRF staff.

Summer Heat Safety for Your Dog Yes, Even In

Alaska!

By Angie Lewis

Hot air gets trapped inside your car, made worse by light that is collected

A dog’s body is built to conserve heat and panting helps to cool them down, but if all they have to breathe is hot air, they can quickly become brain or organ damaged.

Symptoms of over heating include heavy panting, restlessness, excessive thirst, glazed eyes, lethargy, fever, lack of coordination, salivation, vomiting, an intense red or purple tongue, and then unconsciousness. To help an animal suffering from heatstroke, move

him to a cool spot, apply cold towels or immerse in cool water, offer small amounts of cool water, and then take him to a veterinarian.

> Some things you can do to help:

Keep your dog at home if you are going to a place that doesn’t welcome dogs.

- If you see a pet in a parked car, and he/she appears to be in danger of overheating, find the owner.

- If you can’t find him/her, call the police or Animal Control. Call 911!.

- Educate others by leaving brochures on windshields. These can be ordered from mydogiscool. com

The Insurance Store, LLC 4900 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy Ste 101

VALLEY:

745-8030

Jim Davis

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Leaving your dog, or any other animal, in a parked vehicle during the summer months can cause heatstroke for your beloved pet. This can happen even in Alaska, where the temperatures are a great deal cooler than in many other places in the lower 48. Temperatures can skyrocket in just a few minutes, so no length of time is really safe.

Parking in the shade, and leaving windows open a bit, are not adequate solutions for this problem.

through the windows. On a hot, sunny day, a car parked in direct sunlight, can have a temperature increase of 30 degrees in one minute. This can certainly present a danger to your dog. Dogs are not very efficient at cooling themselves and they cannot turn on the air conditioning or open a window when they become overheated.

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Community

Megan Davis

Home • Auto • Life • Retirement Educator Discounts!

Something to say?

Horace Mann

Write about it!

And send it to us: www.makeasceneak.com

> Leaving your dog, or any

June 2013

other animal, in a parked vehicle during the summer months can cause heatstroke for your beloved pet. This can happen even in Alaska

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Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

June 2013

Community The July Dirt from the HAMS Pig Pen

By Hamilton P. Hogwash The Homeless Actors of Mat-Su Improvisational theatre group ‘Hogwash!’ will be at it again July 13 as those who attended our premier had a wonderful time. This time it will be even more fun as it is our President Christine Lloyd’s birthday and we are planning a comedy roast barbeque along with our regular skits putting her on a spit or maybe we’ll just bury her with some hot coals.

So if you have some nice clean respectful anecdotes about her come on by. Oh my, what am I saying?!

We’re a bunch of pigs. Mudslinging and slop is what we revel in so let the

games begin 8pm July 13th at the Hacienda Restaurant Wasilla. Again tickets will be $10 at the door or via reservations by calling us at 3764252. And if you are interested in being one of Hamilton’s improv hogs he’d love to have you join the group.

Just give him a call.

“Bible Studies”, our fun romp through the Old Testament is going to be going up the first two weekends in August, that is, August 2-11 630pm at the Alaska Club as a benefit for Hope for Heroes. This is not a religious play per se just using religious stories.

Tickets are $25 per person, $20 for seniors, students and military.

Auditions for it will be June 22nd and 29th 12 noon at the First Presbyterian Church Wasilla Bogard Road. Easy show as it’s full of skits so small parts can be had by any and

Big “M” Memorial Benefit

In March of 2011, Tisha was diagnosed with stage 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, a very aggressive form of breast cancer, which had invaded her lymph nodes.

She underwent radiation and chemotherapy, and eventually a single mastectomy.

Some great news. We’ve been invited to put “Cream Puff Pioneers” on at the fair in conjunction with the documentary “Alaska Far Away”.

We’ll be performing Thursday August 29th and Saturday August 31st at 4 and 7pm. The Dorothy Page Museum of Wasilla invited us too so we’ll be performing during the Wednesday Markets in June and July in the old schoolhouse. Hope to see you there.

Though many months of aggressive treatment and difficult recovery have helped Tisha’s health improve and she has been a survivor for the past 2 years, the financial hardship of battling such an aggressive cancer is overwhelming. And though Tisha has been cancer free for 2 years, her battle is not over. To maintain her

in January and “Luv” in February.

We might even throw in “KXMAS Radio” too if we can. So don’t forget to come to the auditions. Remember too that if you want us to help with your fundraising or sponsor one of our productions we won’t turn you down.

We’re not called a bunch of hams for nothing as those who know us would attest.

With the Alaska Club generously lending us their auditorium for events we are planning some regular shows this season- “7 Brides for Dracula” at Halloween time, “Lightning Bug”

health, she will require extensive surgeries, including a second mastectomy.

By Nikki Lee

We are happy to announce that local valley resident, Tisha Jones, has been selected as the recipient for the 4th Annual Big “M” Memorial Benefit.

all that either are in Brigadoon or don’t make it or are new to theater so here’s your opportunity to be on stage.

Call us at 376-4252 if you need more info.

Tisha’s mother-in-law, Susie Jones, writes: “You never hear Tisha and Cory (her husband) complain about their situation but it certainly has taken a toll on them. I always say that Tisha has survived cancer, but cannot survive the medical bills. The way they have chosen to overcome their situation is to thank God for every day and feel grateful for the love and support of their family, friends, and community”. Tisha and Cory, along with their two young daughters,

volunteer their time to support the cancer community in a variety of ways, from organizing a team of 40 members for Relay for Life and head up a fundraising garage sale each year.

Tisha always makes herself available to support and encourage others with cancer or whatever issue they may be dealing with.

The benefit is scheduled for Saturday, August 17th, at the Mug-Shot Saloon in Wasilla.

> If you are interested in volunteering, donating, or being involved in another capacity please contact Nikki Lee at 907-376-1638

Keeping Big Lake Clean Is Catching On!

By Randi Perlman

This is the third year of a grant from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) with Cook Inletkeeper, and the initial outreach effort has been a resounding success! Community members have been very receptive to ‘stepping up to the plate’ when it comes to learning simple ways to help keep Big Lake clean, and they are enjoying the free kits handed out by project volunteers.

Boaters and water sports enthusiasts want to protect our shared water resources, and now they are receiving some free, helpful ways to do so.

The support is building on last summer’s success, and keeping Big Lake clean is catching on! We hope to see you out there this summer, enjoying Big Lake and helping to keep it clean…

The Clean Boating on Big Lake Program is sponsored by a grant from ADEC, administered through Cook Inletkeeper, and managed locally by Mat-Su Conservation Services.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Catherine Inman at 841-2226 or check out inletkeeper.org/clean-water/cleanboating/biglake

Think of all the places you’ve slept that weren’t a bed.

The couch? A tent? Under the stars?

Most of these answers probably involved a conscious decision to relinquish the comforts of your pillow fluff slumbers for an evening or two in the name of adventure, family bonding, or toasted marshmallows.

However, some people have no choice but to sleep in boxes or their cars every night.

Family Promise Mat-Su’s Cardboard City is an all-ages community fundraising event designed to raise awareness of the homelessness in the Mat-Su Valley. It will be held at the Alaska State Fairgrounds on July 19th and go straight until the morning of July 20th. Every year, about 200 people come out and sleep in their own homemade corrugated cranny

To get a starter box requires a $50 donation to Family Promise Mat-Su, the non-profit whose sole purpose is to help homeless families get back on their feet and eventually eliminate homelessness completely.

This year, Cardboard City will feature music by exceptional local musicians Marching Band Solo and Julia Cannon, soup and bread provided

by Turkey Red, Vagabond Blues, and Northstar Bakery, best cardboard dwelling contests, and testimonials by previous Family Promise Guests.

> Contact Family Promise MatSu or Director Laurie Kari at (907) 357-6160 Stop by the office on Nelson in Wasilla, or head over to familypromisematsu.org to register and for further information.

2013

> Inletkeeper's Rachel Lord hands out clean boating kits at the 2011 Big Lake Community Picnic

June

Outreach for the Clean Boating on Big Lake program is an ongoing effort and will continue throughout this summer and into next. We’ll focus on promoting

By Grace Kari

of comfort (cardboard box), listen to great live music, and in general just make sure that the voices of those in need are heard.

The “Keep Big Lake Clean” boating kits include a variety of useful and educational items for those who like to recreate on the lake, with tips on how we can all do our part to keep our small leaks and spills out of the lake.

Cardboard City 2013

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

The Clean Boating on Big Lake program is making a big splash!

The program, now in its second season, has been a good first step in educating recreational users of Big Lake about some simple and common sense ways to help keep gas and oil out of the lake. These include draining your boat’s bilge on land instead of in or near the lake, fueling your boat or jet-ski before you launch, away from the water, and using an absorbent pad to catch your drips.

environmentally-friendly boating practices by users on busy holiday weekends and around boat launch sites.

This year’s late breakup of Big Lake kept boaters away during Memorial Day weekend, but the Clean Boating outreach is particularly important over long weekends like July 4th and Labor Day.

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Community

10 Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com June 2013

Music

Nick Oliveri Tours AK

By Phil Wooldridge It’s always a bit of a surprise when any musician finds his or her way up to Alaska to play. The long trip and the financial risks involved turns most performers off to the idea. So when the news broke that Nick Oliveri, the famed original bass player for seminal bands such as Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age, was going to do a short tour here, word spread fast.

When the details of the tour started to emerge the comments from fans fell into two categories, “that’s an interesting tour path” and “Hell Yea”.

I had originally met Nick in Germany when his band Mondo Generator was opening for Motorhead about ten years ago.

On a recent vacation down to L.A. I ran into him playing an acoustic set. We made plans to get together the following night and catch up and that was the beginning of what is now being called “The Road to McCarthy Tour”.

The evening started at a pub, made it’s way through a rehearsal studio to give feedback to a young band, and would eventually end sitting around talking about what makes Alaska an interesting place to visit.

Immediately he was intrigued by the idea of playing here. Despite the hundreds of thousands of miles he’d traveled, Alaska had never been on the menu. We talked about DIY ethics, living in more remote locations (Oliveri himself is from the desert), the controversies of the past few years, and future projects.

He was interested in hearing about how APU was working on bringing acts up to play AK and how we are a strange brew of people around these parts. Alaska Punks United is a loose knit group of punks that decided a few months ago to take matters into their own hands and start bringing up artist through local crowd-funding efforts, namely in hosting local shows where the door money goes to a travel fund to bring in the bands of their choosing when the opportunity arises.

Oliveri quickly signed on to be the first act to use this avenue into the state with the promise that the tour wouldn’t just play the city.

He hopes, and I have no doubts, that the images,videos, audio and experiences taken from this ride will provide inspiration for the studio.

We’ll certainly find out as he has booked local studio time and hopes to release an Alaska project down the road; there is talk of a 7” record and some live audio/video content that will show other performers and fans from around the world how absolutely incredible Alaska can be.

In a recent two week run he played for 40,000 in Brazil with his band Mondo Generator, joined Turbonegro on stage in Denver,

sat in with CJ Ramone in L.A and recorded 16 tracks for a new Dwarves album. After you add the trip to Alaska he’ll have traveled nearly 25,000 miles in less than two month. Not only will you find him surprisingly humble, interested in making a better music scene wherever he may go, and appreciative of his audience, you’ll also quickly learn he still likes a good party. Alaska has got that covered.

> Performances: July 3rd, S-Lounge Door 7pm, $15 Very limited capacity Tickets recommended

nickoliveriak.brownpapertickets.com

July 4th BBQ Tug Bar Goose Bay Inn 18.5 Knik-Goose Bay Rd. Gate 1pm , $15 All ages with full bar.

Free Camping

Local Arts at Sammy’s Pizza

By Everret Hamilton

Sammy’s Pizza has opened its doors to local artists. Sammy’s is now located across the street from the fairgrounds. When you walk into Sammy’s, you immediately become immersed in Alaskan culture. The walls are lined with paintings and other artwork by local artists. Theses works of art are for sale and all of the proceeds go to the artists.

The environment is rich with life. There are several aquatic creatures roaming the dining section. People can have an amazing slice of pizza while enjoying the company of red eared slider turtles, convicts and other cichlids as well as the rare and amazing axolotl the Mexican salamander. These creatures are a sight to see.

Sammy’s Pizza would not be complete without local music. After spending years in Wasilla, Sammy’s has a new stage. On the other side of the dining section is the “A Few Small Fish” side reserved for parties or live events. Local bands of all genres have graced the stage this summer. A Few Small Fish is

nickoliveriak.brownpapertickets.com

July 5th, Tonsina River Lodge Mile 79 Richardson Highway 9 pm, Free show with free camping July 6th, Relentless BBQ McCarthy Alaska

Continues on page 12

Community

Michelle McAfee

Bumper Drag

CD Release Summer Tour with Frankie Hernandez

“Frankie’s music sounds like summer and he knows how to get the musical party going” says Michelle McAfee.

“He’s committed to elevating the human spirit and condition through music. It seemed perfect to introduce him to Alaska, and have him play this tour with me. I can’t wait to see what kind of magic happens when Melissa Mitchell, Spiff, Frankie and I share the stage as we will on 4 shows of this tour”.

> For more information call Code Compliance Officer Kendra Johnson at 745-9861

“It’s a service for the community that benefits everybody,” said Kendra Johnson, Matanuska-Susitna Borough Code Compliance Officer.

Two companies are participating: Alaska Car Crushing & Recycling LLC (357-5865) and Knik Towing & Wrecking (376-2584). Call them for a scheduled pick up.

Valley Charities

907-376-5708

Frankie’s new album I Live Here (Awake Now Records 2012) is a recording of a live show at The Britt Theatre (Jacksonville, OR) opening for Ziggy Marley.

McAfee and Hernandez will then be playing The Fairview (Talkeetna) June 26th, Anchorage Co-op June 27th, Silvertip Grill (Girdwood w/ Mitchell & Spiff) June 28th, Brown Bear Music Festival (Indian) June 29th, Golden Saloon (McCarthy) July 4th with The Mixed Meters, Forest Fair (Girdwood) July 6th.

Next to Wasilla Post Office: 400 N. Yenlo St. M-Sat 10-7pm / Sun 12-4pm

June 2013

> For more information on tour dates go to: michellemcafee.com or awakenowrecords.com

THRIFT STORES

The two women began collaborating on songs and shows, which resulted in 2 tours, 2 opening shows for The Indigo Girls and G Love & Special Sauce and the song ‘Design’ on Michelle’s new album Float which they wrote together and sang as a duet. At one point Melissa asked Michelle if she would go to prison with her. The 2 women joined forces with Spiff, Shawn Zuke, Katy Adams, Corrina Delgado, Rik Nielsen to form the artist collective One Soul, taking music and art into Folsom and Alaskan Prisons. This summer, McAfee is touring in support of her sophomore release Float (Awake Now Records 2013), also recorded in Portland, Oregon. This summer’s tour starts off with a bang Solstice weekend with 2 nights at the Yukon Bar in Seward and a Saturday performance at the Moose Pass Solstice Music Festival with Michelle and Frankie joining Melissa Mitchell and Spiff.

Meet Frankie Hernandez.

Soul, funk, latin, reggae singer-songwriter.

A powerful soulful voice, manic optimism, and catchy eccentric songwriting have made him an Austin, Texas and Southern Oregon music scene staple.

If you have an unwanted vehicle on your property, you can have it towed away for free as part of the annual Bumper Drag event beginning June 14 through June 30.

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Michelle McAfee, Savvy Songstress with a lush coffeehouse voice, has a knack for weaving stories into unforgettable Americana-kissed Folk/Pop melodies with a wild affection for Alaska.

Stylistically living somewhere between Feist and Lucinda Williams while physically living somewhere between Williams, Oregon and McCarthy, Alaska.

Michelle was invited to Alaska four years ago after meeting and working with Melissa Mitchell on Mitchell’s Rain or Shine album recorded in Portland, Oregon.

June 14-30

For residents who seek to clear junk cars along Borough-maintained roads, not on your property, follow a different procedure: call Code Compliance at 745-9853.

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Music

12 June 2013

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Music

Sleep Rebellion Wants to Wake You Up Sleep Rebellion is a progressive libertarian rock band whose mission is to wake people up.

Alaskan music scene alumni Chris McGraw, formerly the guitarist for Red Penguin, has written an album that tells a unique story in ten songs, linked to one another by an original science fiction narrative about rebellion in a dystopian future.

Songs deal with themes ranging from the assault on civil liberties by the surveillance state, to the assault on economic prosperity by central bankers, propelled all the way by a powerful three-piece hard rock sound that blends electronic and pop influences ala Muse.

In a unique twist for a concept album, each song both stands alone as a single and as a chapter in the story. The album is titled Empire of Lies, and follows a story arc inspired by libertarian science

fiction authors like Robert Heinlein, J. Neil Schulman, and L. Neil Smith.

The band is running a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to help get the music recorded and printed.

Contributors to the project can earn special rewards like signed posters, advance copies of the album, bonus tracks, or even their name in the liner notes.

The campaign to raise $2000 in funds runs until July 15th.

For more information you can visit the band’s website at www. sleeprebellion.com, or their indiegogo page at indiegogo.com/ projects/sleep-rebellion.

> Sleep Rebellion

is the brainchild of singer/guitarist/ songwriter Chris McGraw

Sammy’s Pizza Continued not limited to just live music but hosts many other events such as art shows, craft shows, and movie nights.

Many bands from the local hip hop group UTN, The Quiet Cull a dramatic rock band, to progressive punk and metal bands such as Angels Masquerade and Damage Done have all played at Sammy’s Pizza. This stage was built to rock!

The Valley is jumping once again with Sammy’s Pizza. All are welcome to come out Friday nights for music or any other night to take home a great slice of pizza or a local masterpiece.

We support local artist.

> If you are a local artist feel free to come on down.

The friendly staff at Sammy’s Pizza is always happy to meet new faces.

For Your Summer

Books by Alaska Natives Visitors:

By Evan Swensen,

One of the best ways to give your family and friends the real Alaska is in the stories of Alaska Natives, in their own words.

As a teenager, Molly had to leave her home village in Emmonak to attend high school in Anchorage. There were no high schools in the villages. That traumatic departure led to a class action lawsuit against the State of Alaska Department of Education, the Molly Hootch Case. The settlement resulted in the construction of high schools in Native villages. Molly was selected as the most influential person of the decade of the 1970s.

She is honored as the fifteenth most important person since Alaska statehood in 1959.

Molly Hootch is an important person in Alaska. In in her memoir, she tells of being born into a family that knew a subsistence lifestyle along the banks of the lower Yukon River, a harsh life by today’s standards. Her mother was the typical Native wife. Her father, James, was a fisherman, trapper and hunter. He built dogsleds, boats, snowshoes, and fish traps.

Walter is the son of a man from Estonia and a local Dena’ina/Russian woman, Annie, Barbara’s greatgrandmother. Although Walter was one of nine children, he grew up alone

> For more fine books

by Alaskans and about Alaska, please visit publicationconsultants.com

June 2013

A modern day little house on the prairie, set in interior Alaska, filled with intrigue, and suspense. Keeping up the chores of a subsistence life

Several years ago, while working on a family tree for the community of Pedro Bay Barbara Atwater became intrigued by the region’s past and its many fascinating characters. Soon she decided to document the history of the north Iliamna Lake region through the eyes of one of her uncles, Walter Johnson.

Walter’s Story, by Barbara Atwater, is $19.95. ISBN 9781594333088.

Molly enthusiastically followed her father and absorbed everything that make her people Eskimo. He taught her everything. In this rugged environment, Molly breathed the Alaska air, loved deeply, lived fully, and studied diligently.

Raised by the Midnight Sun by Lee Ann [Sparky] Jones-Hill tells of the hair-raising events that happen when a routine spring fishing trip for Mom and Dad turns into unexpected challenges for Spring Flower Johnson and her big brother JJ.

Raised by the Midnight Sun, by Sparky Jones, is $12.95. ISBN 9781594333262.

with his mother. From her he learned the Dena’ina language and folklore.

Walter’s wonderful storytelling captures well what life was like on Lake Iliamna for most of the 20th Century.

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Molly Hootch, I Remember When, by Molly Hootch Hymes, is $17.95.

ISBN 9781594332678.

while their parents are away is the least of their worries.

The children must defend their home from intruders, cross paths with bears, face a deadly illness, and make new friends. Readers will hold their breath in fear and find laughter, while learning Alaska history and survival skills. Raised By the Midnight Sun leads you on an emotional rollercoaster, through birch trees, and over tundra, as Spring Flower decides if the country life is for her. Will their parents ever allow them to stay behind again once they hear of the dangers they have faced?

13

Literature

Poetry The Most Comforting Sound

By Gregory Gusse To me the most comforting sound is rain on a tin roof.

In the haymow of an old barn, or a steel shed, or a cabin, or an old adobe high in the Valley of the Witches where maybe a bed of rough hewn pine with the pitch still oozing and an old worn and torn quilt from the second hand store in a poor little village, waits.

A couple of sticks of cedar and piñon have been lit like incense in the rusted Ashley tin can stove and I play naked with my friend singing Cat Stevens songs touching and giggling to the point of bursting But no further ‘cause she trusts me not to let her even though she wants too, And so do I, but we won’t ‘cause she’s a team with Patrick who trusts her.

And she trusts me to help keep their yoke firm.

She pushes so hard into me until we’re as close as two people ever have been, ever so close.

Her head nestled in the crook of my arm where that cool breeze, that heavy cool breeze the one that comes with rain through the cracked window tickles the hair on my neck And I smell her above the cedar stained breeze immersed, like a bath of warm cherry wine And we lay and listen till our souls can’t take it any more and sleep as one dream to the most comforting sound of rain on a tin roof.

A Summer Cycle

By Nan Potts

A cycling we will go, A cycling we will go.

High, low; through gears we go, A cycling we will go.

The rider takes a bike, The rider takes a bike.

We’ve made a fuss; best bike for us.

The rider takes a bike.

The bike takes the road, The bike takes the road.

New wheels and seat; we’re now complete.

The bike takes the road.

The road takes a turn, The road takes a turn.

Lean with the curve; don’t choke and swerve.

The road takes a turn.

The turn takes a hill, The turn takes a hill.

With a crunch and grind; we make the climb.

The turn takes a hill.

The hill takes the top, The hill takes the top.

Though you want to drop; don’t think to stop.

The hill takes the top.

The top takes a down, The top takes a down.

You can’t resist; you’ve waited for this.

The top takes a down.

The down takes on speed, The down takes on speed.

No need of fears; we’ve biked for years.

The down takes on speed.

The speed stands alone, The speed stands alone.

Tires spin beneath; bugs stick to your teeth.

The speed stands alone.

The speed makes a stop, The speed makes a stop.

Grab a snack, wave hello; get ready to go.

The speed makes a stop.

A cycling we will go, A cycling we will go.

With a drink and a rest; we’re at our best.

A cycling we will go.

Literature Alaska Writers Guild Annual Conference in conjunction with the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

Saturday, September 7 - Sunday, September 8 Early Registration through June 30th Only $190 Members / $225 Non-Members (SCBWI Track Only: $80 Members / $100 Non-Members)

Meet with National Editors, Agents, and Authors

Gary Goldstein Kensington Press

Doug Grad DG Literary Agency

Deborah Warren East-West Literary Agency

Rubin Pfeffer East-West Literary Agency

Lisa Cron “Wired for Story”

Robert Masello Nationally Acclaimed Author and Speaker

Register now at www.AlaskaWritersGuild.com

Register Now for Alaska Writers Guild & SCBWI Conferences Rebecca Goodrich

The new conference venue will be the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 109 W. International Airport Road, in Anchorage. Arrangements have been made for reduced rates for conference attendees.

> For more information and to register, go to alaskawritersguild.com

This year’s conference will be held on conjunction with the Alaska chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, SCBWI. There will be two conference tracks, special workshops, and manuscript evaluations, and a printing house tour, with events from Thursday, September 5 through Sunday, September 8.

Poetry War Freedom and Peace

By Ann Lyons

Under glass our Constitution is kept Signed in ink our laws agreed at last By men chosen to do their part for all Tax not without due representation Provide freedom, union, defense, welfare, Red, white and blue, her stars and stripes portray Brav’ry, valor, purity, innocence Vigilance, perseverance, and justice Tread not on her for fangs to strike she has Revered symbol, homage, honor, respect Furled, solemn, respect, present, tears stain A special place is given to display

Minute- men on alert for the signal Revere did give warning British coming Duty called, answered to fight, defend Freedom, justice, faithful, service given Bands of brothers, steadfast, trusted, true blue First time, second or third to duty they go At home life slows, dream like, counting days down Wounded return, TBI, limbs mangled, missing The care promised to them delayed denied Too proud to beg, for some, care came too late Service given, thanks, we owe them plenty Laid now to rest, our young, our brave, gave all Draped caskets ready, ground most holy Markers of stone and cross stand now to show Where laid our best, taken from life too soon Bravely families grieve they too gave all

Taps play, guns fire, words said, salute given Folded flag, solemnly is presented Freedom not free, by sacrifice hard won The shot heard round the world was fired so loud The star spangled banner from war did spring Union of north and south dissolved in war World War I in trenches, great- war they fought World Was II, the bombs fell, conflict to halt Viet Nam, guerrilla conflict, Saigon fell Iraq war ended, Saddam Hussein toppled Afghanistan’s mountains searched no end Bin Laden, no more, found in Pakistan Foreign or domestic, we will hold on Our fore fathers gave to us all, to keep Life, freedom, liberty, democracy Never may we forget the highest price That has been paid, was not in vain

Education

Mat-Su Schools Foundation Awards First Student Scholarship

The Schools Foundation was impressed with Morgan’s motivation and willingness to get involved with her community and peers. She will be attending UAA to begin her major in Human Resources or Psychology to start her career as a counselor, social worker or a criminal behavioral analysis.

Morgan has been involved in Peer Helpers. And currently she is one of Wasilla High’s senior leaders for an Anti-Bullying Group. Morgan has taken Human Resources and Advance Human Resources, which requires students to perform activities and duties outside of the traditional classroom. Some of the activities she has been voluntarily involved in include a Pregnancy Prevention Program; a substance-free lifestyle promotion; a suicide prevention/ depression awareness presentation; a homeless youth clothing drive; a wellness project; SOS (signs of suicide).

Morgan has been recognized for her training in QPR (a teen-suicide prevention program). Together with her Peer Helper group and the advanced human relations group, Morgan spends countless hours training to talk to middle school students, and peers about the risks of suicide amongst teens in Alaska and how to know the signs of suicide, so that they are equipped with the skills to help.

Sabrina Holm

Awarded First Student Scholarship The Mat-Su Schools Foundation awarded Sabrina Holm a $2000 First Student Scholarship. Sabrina’s goal is to become a physician in Alaska – an obstetrician or gynecologist, working at the AK Native Hospital in Anchorage.

She will be attending UAA in the fall.

Sabrina is an incredible student who is juggling school and work at the same time. Sabrina has enjoyed the challenge of difficult courses this year while achieving a high GPA. Sabrina earned 8 credits in Certified Nurse Assistant Courses at UAA. While attending Wasilla High School, she also worked as a Certified Nurse Assistant for approx.

26 hours per week.

Sabrina volunteers every morning as a barista at the Warrior WakeUp Coffee Shop. Every Sunday Sabrina volunteers at the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center as a barista. She volunteers for the Iditarod as a dog drop helper, making sure the dogs are in good health. And last year as part of her Careers in Education course, she volunteered with preschoolers for 4 hours every week. Sabrina competed in the Native Youth Olympics. She competed at the state NYO for the onearm reach event.

Hope Spargo

Receives Menard Memorial Scholarship The Mat-Su Schools Foundation awarded the Curt D. Menard Memorial Scholarship to Wasilla High student Hope Spargo. The $1000 Menard Scholarship is designed to encourage individuals who are first-time college students or enrolling in a vocational program. The application weighs each applicant’s scholastic achievement, community service, letters of reference and financial plan.

Senator Curtis Menard and his wife Senator Linda Menard both volunteered endless hours in the MatSu schools as they were raising their five children. Curtis served as a MatSu Borough School District School Board member, and president of the school board. He also served as our State Senator.

Hope Spargo has been accepted in the honors program at Western Washington University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience. She leaves Wasilla High after achieving multiple honors and recognitions, participating in multiple sports and gives her time freely to her community. Some of her activities include: National Honor Society with a stellar GPA over 4.0, the Wasilla Cross Country team, Track and Field team, and the Cross Country ski team, Jazz band, pep band, and jazz choir.

Hope has been involved in student government, , Speech and Debate , and theater and a member of the Thespian Society. Outside of school, Hope is a 1st grade Sunday school teacher, part of her churchs Service and Leadership Team and has worked many hours as part of their bible camp work crew.

Mat-Su Schools Foundation awards Curtis D. Menard Scholarship

Cameron Christiansen, Twindly Bridge Charter School, was a recipient of a $1000 Curtis D. Menard Memorial scholarship. Cameron will be attending Concordia University in Nebraska and is considering a degree in Education, Criminal Justice or Biology.

Cameron has a 4.0 GPA and is first in his class. His parents have always stressed community service. He has volunteered for Pioneers of Alaska; Heart Reach pregnancy center; coaching and umpiring little league baseball and church VBS helper.

Cameron is an Eagle Scout.

Extracurricular activities included: Palmer High football, 1st team AllConference quarterback, 2nd team All-State, 2013 Railbelt Conference Champions team, team captain; Palmer High basketball, 2013 Northern Lights Region Champions, ASSA State Tournament Good Sport award, Heart award; Palmer High baseball, 2 varsity letters and team captain;

Member of

WITH TWO LOCATIONS! DINE IN TAKE OUT DELIVERY WASILLA 357-2300 ¦ PALMER 746-3266 2300 E. PARKS HWY

PALMER-WASILLA HWY

T G T O FL AIN AR

Art

Saturday, June 22 Noon to 4pm Admission is FREE Newcomb Park on the shores of Wasilla Lake

TR

ON

SPORTATI AN

valley

OF &

IND

R

Y

alliance

UST

Wet and Hot Art in June!

By Carmen Summerfield

from Noon ‘till 4pm. If you have any questions, please contact Carmen@ ValleyArtsAlliance.com.

ART ON FIRE, Saturday, June 29

FLOATING ART, June 22 So what’s your idea of Art—that— FLOATS? Do you have an idea, thought, message, or feeling that you would like to communicate (or “float”) to other people through art? If so, bring your floating art to Newcomb Park on the shores of Wasilla Lake on June 22.

Saturday, June 29 10am to 5pm

Adults $10 Children under 12 free

Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry Mile 47 on the Parks Highway beside the Wasilla Airport

www.ValleyArtsAlliance.com Valley Arts Alliance is supported by a grant from the Alaska State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts

We’ll start launching the floating art at noon, and it will stay on the lake until 4pm to allow for judging. It will be a festive afternoon with music, and a station for kids of all ages to make a small floating art piece. No advance registration is necessary, and it’s FREE. Save the date—Saturday June 22— and plan to pack a picnic and enjoy a fun art afternoon at Newcomb Park on the shores of Wasilla Lake

It’s time for another hot, Hot, HOT Iron Pour! Yes, for the 6th consecutive year, the Valley Arts Alliance Art on Fire Iron Pour Art Fest will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2013 in Wasilla.

The Valley will be buzzing with artists from across the country, as they gather to cast unique iron sculptures, create Raku pottery, and engage in other similar “fiery” events.

Continues on page 19

Art

THE MENARD SPORTS CENTER 357-9100

1001 S. Mack Drive, Wasilla

www.cityofwasilla.com

FOR RENT! Small-Med-Large Space

Single day use or monthly rates for office space, meeting rooms, or large events is available now. For more information contact 357-9100.

{If you can dream it, we can help you create it}

The Menard Center

where the grass is always green, and the weather is always perfect.

Now Scheduling our turf, ice time, and upcoming events, banquets, tournaments and shows for 2014 - Advertising your logo under the ice is open through July 5th.

A crystal-clear way to reach over a quarter-million people!

> See exciting scenes of these events, or previous year’s events at www.ValleyArtsAlliance.com

In the weeks preceding this event, Pat Garley will be offering workshops in metal casting and mold making at his studio in Palmer. For more information on these workshops, call Pat at 441-6728.

The VAA Art on Fire Iron Pour Art Fest will be held at the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry, located at 3800 W. Museum Drive (near the airport) in Wasilla, from 10am until 5pm on Saturday, June 29.

These workshops will be concluded at the VAA Art on Fire Iron Pour Art Fest, when these molds are poured with liquid iron from the fiery cupola.

The ticket price is $10, with children under 12 admitted free. Please join the fun! We hope to turn this day into an extraordinary Iron Pour Art Fest in the Valley!

- Full commercial kitchen, meeting rooms, and more! Come take a look and ask for the tour! We’d love to show you around, and let you know what we can do!

- Turf time is available! Practice your putting, get your friends together for volleyball, badminton fun! All Indoors, and the weather will never ruin your day.

Call Joan Klapperich, Events Coordinator at 864-9101

Art SUMMER SPECIALS:

10 to 11 am

11 to Noon

Noon to 1 pm

1 to 2 pm

2 to 3 pm

3 to 4 pm

4 to 5 pm

Raku Pottery by Karen Lopez of NuKreationZ

✮ 12% military discount ✮ Free take home whitening kit with exam and x-ray ✮ Free x-ray and sealants for children with new exam

Blacksmithing Demonstrations by the Association of Alaskan Blacksmiths Encaustic Wax Painting Demonstrations by Judy Vars

Mike Sage Jr., DDS | Ken Lim DDS www.alaskacenterfordentistry.com

Hillarie Saffran Book Signing "Laughing Your Way Through Hell"

Wasilla 373-2273 | Anchorage 562-2512

Iron Pour Scratch Block Molds for the public Iron Pour every 20 minutes

Custom Tie Dye - Custom Sewing - Custom Dog Coats

Sahara Storm Fire Dance

775-4257 Eastlake Mall, Big Lake

12 Years

in Business! roadhouse

Sahara Storm Fire Dance Music

Art on Fire Schedule June 22nd

bakery ● restaurant ● rooms

Private Rooms, Hostel-Style Bunks, Private Cabins & the Museum Apartment Coin Laundry ● WiFi ● Showers Big Breakfasts & World Famous Cinnamon Rolls

Live Acoustic Music Every Second Saturday, 5-7pm

On Main Street ● 733-1351

www.talkeetnaroadhouse.com Open Year Round - Talkeetna, AK

Breaking Open the Molds

Pat Garley, who owns Arctic Fires Bronze in Palmer, D’jean Jawrunner, a college professor from New Mexico who teaches metal casting, Donnie Keen a commercial foundry owner from Houston, Texas, and other local sculptors and skilled metal workers will demonstrate the fascinating 5000 year old iron casting process using a custom designed furnace known as a cupola.

In the weeks preceding this event, Pat Garley will be offering workshops in metal casting and mold making at his studio in Palmer.

Music

> For more information on these workshops, call Pat at 441-6728

These workshops will be concluded at the VAA Art on Fire Iron Pour Art Fest, when these molds are poured with liquid iron from the fiery cupola.

This cycle of heating and melting scrap iron, and pouring the artist’s molds will continue throughout the day.

See exciting scenes of previous year’s events on our Art on Fire archives pages at www.ValleyArtsAlliance.com.

Artist Karen Lopez, who owns “NuKreationZ” in Palmer, will conduct her Raku pottery workshop. For a small fee, Karen will provide each participant with a vessel or pot of unglazed ceramic ware, known as bisque, which the participants will decorate with a variety of glazes and then fire in one of Karen’s special Raku kilns.

After a short firing, the “red hot” vessels will be placed inside a metal can full of combustible materials, a process that draws the oxygen out of the glaze and is responsible for the unique and completely unpredictable Raku look.

Other potters and their creations will

be in attendance, including Sandra Cook of Palmer, and Vicki Cole of Birch Grove Studios in Wasilla.

The Association of Alaskan Blacksmiths was created to preserve, enhance and pass on to future generations the cultural traditions and techniques associated with the art of blacksmithing. The club meets four times a year for regular meetings and exchange of ideas and techniques, and they try to bring in experienced blacksmiths to demonstrate new or improved techniques.

Judy Vars of Cabin Fever in Alaska, will conduct her Encaustic Wax workshop.

For a small fee, Judy will provide each participant with materials necessary to create a painting from hot beeswax.

Sahara Storm Productions of Wasilla, offers Complete Circus Arts (aerial silks, trapeze, tightwire, cirque arts, etc.) Dance and Fitness programming for Children and Adults.

> PLUS MUCH MORE! > VALLEYARTSALLIANCE.COM

HOME SCHOOL PROGRAM Statewide K-12

HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION PROGRAM Now Enrolling: 2013-14 School Year

• Choice in Education • Credit Recovery • Individual Academic Support • Serving Students to the age of 20 • Computer/iPad Lease Program

www.cyberlynx.org

ALLOTMENTS for curriculum materials & supplemental services: Music Athletic Art Lessons Foreign Language Tutoring Special Education Support

wasilla@nenanalynx.org

(907)357-7734

In the Lap of Luxury:

By Bryce Burkhart

My girlfriend and I recently had our 7-year anniversary (‘bout time I tie the knot, huh?), and to celebrate the occasion we decided on a ‘mini-vacation’ in our own backyard: The Sunset View Resort & Boathouse Restaurant in Big Lake.

We’re not the classiest or wealthiest people, and we don’t often treat ourselves to what we consider the finer things in life, but we were long overdue.

First impressions were, well, impressive.

You drive through a gated entry into the resort and the first thing you notice are multiple mansion-sized buildings that contain the rooms. A beautiful wood pagoda, decks and a well-groomed

> Workshops & Classes: Art, Pottery, Wheel Throwing, Handbuilding & More > Stop by anytime to glaze your own pottery!

Hours: Tues-Wed: 5-8pm Thurs: 12-8pm Fri: 12-6pm and Sat 10-6

Art Gallery Original local Mat-Su Artists Oil paintings, acrylics, bead work, pottery, fiber arts & more! Creativity welcome!

Call for art classes & workshops.

ART & CREATIVITY CENTER

735 S Bailey Street, Palmer 746-2787

was cheerful and excited to meet me, and the idea that I was at some sort of snobby pretentious resort was quickly debunked.

A Night’s Stay at the Sunset View Resort & Boathouse Restaurant

When you think of Big Lake, the first thing that pops into your head probably isn’t ‘fine dining and world-class accommodations” – but think again!

Make Your Own Pottery!

landscape surround the awesome lake view. You pull around the side where you’ll see the restaurant, and that’s where our night began.

The restaurant is named The Alaska Boathouse, and the first thing I noticed when walking in was the awesome layout. Beautiful art and decor made me feel like I was out of my league, but the first thing I encountered was the friendly staff – my waitress, Toni, immediately attended to my deer-in-the-headlights look and made me feel very comfortable.

We were seated in the upstairs dining area, next to some more art and a nice window-view. I introduced myself to the owner, Kathy Glines, who was quietly working away in her office. She

We take our seats, order some wine, and look over the menu. That night I went all out: we ordered a halibut filet stuffed with crab, a cut of steak with vegetables over garlic mashed potatoes topped with crispy onion rings, a stuffed chicken breast on a bed of delicious risotto and asparagus – and, oddly enough, the best dang chicken wings I have ever had in my life.

I could ramble about the food, but needless to say I ate myself into a food coma. You know the type of food consumption that leaves you feeling so satisfied you can only smile or go to sleep? I did both.

A night’s stay in one of the rooms followed the evening at the restaurant - a twoperson Jacuzzi tub, satellite TV, and the ornate and cozy room made me feel like I was stepping into a pottery barn catalog.

Part bed and breakfast, part high-end resort, we had full access to a beautiful kitchen and household amenities, including a library style lounge area.

ADVERTISE YOUR SUMMER PROGRAMS for KIDS HERE!

It was so relaxing we fell asleep almost immediately.

In conclusion, my expectations were met, but the thing that surprised me the most was the calm and relaxing atmosphere.

It would be a great place for a wedding, business event, family reunion or even just a relaxing night with a loved one.

> For more info on the Sunset View Resort and Boathouse Restaurant call 907-892-8885

373-2698 www.MakeASceneAK.com

High Heels for High Hopes

Runway Show August 8th This year the event will be held August 8 at Ravens Hall on the Alaska State Fair Grounds.

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is very committed to ensure healthy babies for their community. This year Mat Su Regional Medical Center was accepted by the March of Dimes to be one of the leading hospitals in their 39 week Quality Initiative – Healthy Babies are Worth the Wait. Research has shown that for the healthiest start, babies should remain in utero until after the 39th week of gestation.

2012 & 2013 Runway Model Emily Stevens, CNO, MatSu Regional Medical Center Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is once again very proud of partnering with the March of Dimes for the second annual High Heels for High Hopes Runway Fashion Show. Physicians, nurses and community leaders leave their “day job” behind and are transformed into Runway Models.

As models they each strive to raise money for the March of Dimes – last year they raised $30,000 in pledges and sponsorship support! Monica Martin, RN, MatSu Regional Medical Center was the top model raising $3500!

> To support your local model go to

www.marchofdimes.com/alaska and look for High Heels for High Hopes.

You’re Invited!

Second Saturday Original Art Show

Oil Paintings by:

Yvonne Gossett

Saturday, July 13th This show is filled with colorful handpainted wilderness scenes on a variety of unique items by artist Yvonne Gossett.

The Gallery 1150 S Colony Way, Palmer | 745-1420

24

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

June 2013

Palmer Public Library’s

SUMMER READING PROGRAM www.CityofPalmer.org

Questions? Please call Katie at 745-4690

Palmer Public Library’s Summer Reading Program Calendar of Events for June/July: All ages are invited to register for the Summer Reading Program, it is free and has something for everyone.

Baby Lap Sit - Every Tuesday at 10:00 am Preschool Story Time - Every Tuesday at 11:00 am Grades K-5 Program - Every Thursday at 11:00 am

Jul’ Yule: Christmas Music In Summer Will Benefit Kids, Seniors

By Hurricane Dave

Got your Christmas shopping done yet?

No? Well here’s a good place to start.

Hurricane Dave & Friends will present their annual program of Christmas music in mid-July.

For the sixth year this group of Alaska musicians will gather to raise money for local holiday nonprofits, and it’s the second go-round since they shifted the benefit from December to July last year.

The date change was so successful that the group will present two concerts this summer with two beneficiaries: Friday, July 12, 7 p.m. at Trinity Barn in Palmer, to benefit Mat-Su Special Santa; and Sunday, July 14, 5 p.m. in the Starlight Ballroom of the Anchorage Senior Activity Center, to support the University Kiwanis/Salvation Army Holiday Baskets for Seniors & Shut-ins.

Admission to both events is free, but cash donations are encouraged.

“Yuletide music always lifts people’s spirits, but it’s not right that you only experience it in December,” said singer-songwriter Hurricane Dave, the organizer of the musicians’ jam now known as Jul’ Yule.

In addition to Hurricane Dave, a dozen or so other entertainers are expected to perform. “We never know who’s going to show up for these jams, but we

Pet Parade - June 27th, 11am Music Concert - July 11th, 11am Interactive Video Presentation on Dinosaurs - July 12, 11:30 am Teen programs: Sign up is required Fly Tying and Rod Repair - June 18th at 6pm Italian Cooking Class - Tuesday, June 25th Disaster Preparedness with Red Cross -Tuesday, July 9th

always have a great time performing classic and not-so-classic Christmas music and raising money for worthy organizations,” Dave said. Songs will be both religious and secular at the family-friendly shows.

Jul’ Yule also will include a return visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. “They’re not too busy in July, and they live just a short sleigh ride north of here,” Dave said. “They said they’d love to participate, as they did last summer.”

cards will be accepted at the venues.

“We’d love for everyone to reach deep into their pockets to help some children and elders have a better Christmas, but all are welcome at Jul’ Yule. There’s no charge and there’s no pressure. Give what you can, and if you can’t give anything, please come out and celebrate the season with us anyway,” Dave said.

Trinity Barn is at Mile 2.2 PalmerWasilla Highway in Palmer; the Anchorage Senior Activity Center is at 1300 E. 19th Ave. in Anchorage.

There is no admission charge for either Jul’ Yule. Monetary donations are asked but not required. (No toys or other merchandise, please.) Checks can be made out to “Mat-Su Special Santa” or “University Kiwanis,” and credit

> For more information and an

updated list of performers, go to hurricanedavemusic.com.

26

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

June 2013

Community

Friends of Nike Site Summit announces five summer tours for 2013 Contributed

By

Doris

Thomas ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Friends of Nike Site Summit invites the public to tour historic Site Summit in Arctic Valley this summer.

Site Summit, one of eight NikeHercules missile sites in Alaska during the Cold War, is the only one still standing.

The tours will be on June 21, July 21 and August 17. To comply with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson security requirements, reservations in advance are required.

The June 21 tour is a solstice tour from 7 to 10 p.m. and tours on the other two days will be at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Attendees must make reserve no later than four days prior to the tour date either online at the Friends of Nike Site Summit Web site, www.nikesitesummit. net, or by signing up at the Alaska Veterans Museum.

The cost, a non-tax deductible donation to FONSS, is $35 for general admission and $30 for students, seniors (65+) and veterans/active duty. Children ages 12 and older are welcome.

The admission price includes bus transportation from the Arctic Valley Lodge lower parking lot.

Participants should prepare for any weather conditions and wear sturdy boots or shoes. Additional details are available at the Web site and at the Alaska Veterans Museum.

Tour participants will talk to veterans who were stationed at Site Summit, discover how the missiles were launched and learn about Alaska’s role in the Cold War. Friends of Nike Site Summit was formed by local volunteers in 2007 to advocate for the preservation of Site Summit.

In 2009, it partnered with the U.S. Army (now Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson), the National Park Service, and State Historic Preservation Officer to preserve the historic mountaintop fortress overlooking Arctic Valley.

FONSS’ mission is to preserve and interpret the site for the education of current and future generations about the Cold War, and, by doing this memorialize the millions of veterans who served during the Cold War. FONSS is a committee of the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation and works in cooperation with JBER.

> Call 694-3570 or visit the

FONSS Web site for more information about the tour and the organization. FONSS is on Facebook at Friends of Nike Site Summit, and on Twitter, @_FONSS.

Art

Art School:

Copycat

by Gregory Gusse At a recent discussion in my home the question came up as to whether an artist deserved the award she received.

The issue was the work was an exact replication even in spirit to what her master had taught her.

I, of course, asked was it a craft competition or an art competition and said, if an art competition then no, never, not at all. Replication, is a craft it does not meet the definition, even the most banal definition found in dictionaries of art.

Here are four from the Free Dictionary: 1. One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts.

2. A person whose work shows exceptional creative ability or skill: You are an artist in the kitchen.

3. One, such as an actor or singer, who works in the performing arts.

4. One who is adept at an activity, especially one involving trickery or deceit: a con artist.

It is #4 that Degas was on to...

1. virtue of imagination, 2.exceptional creative ability 3. performing art 4 and all the others like the woman in question CON ARTIST. Why would I say such a thing when even Picasso said “art is theft”. T.S Eliot said in better words than I will ever wield what I am getting at; “Immature poets imitate, mature poets steal, bad poets deface what they take and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different. The good poet welds his theft into a whole feeling which is unique, utterly different from that from which it was torn.”

We all learn from route copying. I suspect every poet I know remembers learning to write his letters, with big blocks of dotted outlines we heavily crayoned over that resembled so facsimile of A or B or even C. And when that was mastered, in first grade would come cursive and pencils and then ten or twenty or even fifty years might go by and those learned letters just might have become words and an original assemblage of other peoples ideas might, just might become a poem.

I was listening to some TED talk thirteen year old genius college professor who had been imprisoned by autism when he was young. He said he was saved when he decided to stop learning and start thinking and creating. It was even more compelling because I had suggested the same thing to a young artist. To become an artist she would have to quit copying the brush work and colors of others, stop learning, and steal their thoughts and meanings and merge them with her own and create. I hope she does!

You may be in school painting for the Master with the Masters signature. You may forever make perfect copies and perhaps you should be given awards for such renderings. Grand Champion Copycat for instance. Learning and learning in pursuit of perfect learning.

But an artist educates themselves, frees themselves. Slaves learn but seldom see freedom, free folks think for themselves.

Creativity, meaning, imagination, separate the mundane from the artist.

These qualities define art not craftiness, as helpful as technical precision may be to the artist. Individualism is another trait.

Cezanne, Picasso, Gauguin, van Gogh, Monet, Manet stole from each other like crazy but each stood out as their own soul.

It takes soul to be an artist.

Pulse Dance Company finally finds a home Contributed By Stephanie Wonchala

Pulse Dance Company’s school of dance, dubbed “Studio Pulse,” will serve as Alaska’s premiere center for modern dance, geared specifically for teens and adults of all levels. With robust course offerings ranging from novice to pre-professional, Studio Pulse classes cover a range of styles and will be instructed by Wonchala and members of the company.

Pilates lengthens and tones in a convenient 50-minute lunch slot, yoga for dancers stretches and relaxes, ballet encourages strength and grace and Twerk After Work classes guarantee smiles, sweat and hip shakes. The company’s mission has always been to make the art – the pure joy – of dance accessible to the Anchorage community, and by opening its doors this fall, that’s exactly what will happen.

> Introducing: Studio Pulse 2400 East Tudor Dr. #2422 Anchorage, AK 99503

Pulse Dance Company, Alaska’s youngest, boldest contemporary dance group now has a place to rest their feet. The Ensemble’s talented corps, having time and again flexed their technical prowess to soldout and standing-room-only houses, did so only be rehearsing by any means necessary, whether there was an appropriate floor, or accommodating square footage, or mirrors, or not.

Upon creating the performing company in 2010, Pulse director Stephanie Wonchala had determined that they would grow in talent, size, class offerings and demand, and now, in distinct Pulse style, that vivacious dream has become a reality.

Equally as important is that the high-quality space, complete with Harlequin sprung dance floors, barres, and a dancer’s lounge now provides a sanctuary for local creativity. This safe space, celebrating community through movement, is the beginning of bigger, better things for Anchorage’s hard-working dance company and movement enthusiasts.

This season boasts stunning new talent! Be sure to visit studiopulseak.com and “like” Studio Pulse on Facebook for updates. An “All You Can Dance” open house and grand opening are right around the corner, and registration opens in July!

> Please contact Wonchala

at (907) 301-3208 or pulsedancecompany@gmail. com for press inquiries, to visit the space, or to attend a company rehearsal.

Manny’s Driver Education Training Safer, More Knowledgeable, and Aware Drivers.

We are more than just driver trainers!

Reduced insurance rates for most drivers.

Classes Begin: July 9, August 6, September 9 (10 am - 2 pm)

Class D Road Testing VEHICLE AVAILABLE

Call to register: 841-3639

Do you love to sing? Join the

All vocal ranges.

No auditions necessary.

(Auditions if under 18)

Join us on Thursdays @ 7pm @ Wasilla High School Find us on Facebook: Mat-Su Community Chorus

Mat-Su

COMMUNITY CHORUS

Literature

Thank you for helping MAS reach 6 years in print!

A Form of Parent Hell

By Hillary Saffran

I do not fondly recall the time when my children shared hats and hairbrushes with their friends while attending before and after school care which resulted in: OMG! LICE and PINKEYE! Now, pinkeye I could deal with. You just take little Suzie to the doctor, put in the eye ointment carefully 3 or more times per day, and wash your hands thoroughly in anti-septic solution for 12 hours. No problem.

6

Please be advised to purchase dangerous chemicals to pour on your child’s head, which could render them blind and sterile for the rest of their lives. Please purchase these dangerous disinfectants RIGHT AWAY or your child will never, ever be allowed to set foot in our daycare facility again, or just take a shortcut and shave his/ her head so they appear to have been in chemo for the past month.

Thank you for your cooperation, and please do not forget to bring cookies to this year’s Winter Holiday Pageant, The Management

But lice! Let me regurgitate my lunch now – how gross can you get! Little beings in your child’s hair. Ugh…even menopausal hot flashes are more fun.

After reading this letter I noticed one of my girls scratching her head.

I screamed and begged her not to, then proceeded to purchase 36 cans of RID THOSE SUCKERS from the pharmacy.

First – The Phone call (or letter) from the childcare center:

Then the nightmare began.

Dear Soon to be Very Upset Mother; We regret to inform you that there is a lice epidemic at our fabulous childcare center, “Clean Hair for Johnny”, as one child has been reported to have been sent home with those darn little varmints crawling around his scalp.

Washing the hair, picking out the semiinvisible critters with a microscopic comb, hours in the bathroom – my girls were patient, but both had long hair. They did not want me to cut it.

Not that they had to be a fashion statement at 3 years old, but I did not

FEEDBACK, please...

What do you enjoy reading about in MAS? What would you like to see more of in MAS? Send us your thoughts makeasceneak@mac.com

have the heart at the time to cut their hair a lot shorter, being a softie for my little girl’s pleas to keep their long hair.

So I worked harder and harder, until I had nightmares about lice.

It seemed that the pharmaceutical grade insecticide was not working. So I searched the internet and found an informative video that my daughters loved so much they watched it for entertainment for the next ten years – “Head Lice to Dead Lice”. I’m not kidding - it’s a guy in drag who plays both the father and the mother parts (as well as the nurse) in learning all about head lice. The solution is olive oil!

So my girls went to bed for weeks with shower caps covering their olive oil soaked heads.

I don’t wonder why one of them wants to go to cosmetology school and open a spa someday.

Needless to say, the lice eventually went away, and I will never look at cooking Italian food the same way, ever again.

“Laughing Your Way Through Hell – Tips for Self-Care While Going Through Adversity” is now in print!

Book signing events schedule: June 22nd at Fireside Books in Palmer from 11:00-4:00 June 25th at Allure Day Spa in Anchorage from 5:00-7:00 June 29th at the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry during the Art on Fire Show from 10:00-5:00 sponsored by the Valley Arts Alliance July 31st at Wednesday Night at the Dorothy Paige Museum in Wasilla from 5:00-7:00

Expressions Of Protest

By Stuart Thompson

Our leaders and their advisors are making America commit national suicide.

Afraid of her spirit, Uncle Sam is raping Lady Liberty to make her docile.

Incompetent leadership has made us laughingstocks to the world.

Homeland security measures are a gimmick to sell aristocracy to America.

Mental subservience to government is the foundation of slavery.

Natural human imperfection makes everybody incapable of using unsupervised or unchecked power and authority, yet our leaders still insist they need it.

Information is the democracy (organized Thomas Jefferson --government trying to availability?

of per US its

Covert political monsters are using national law and power to rule Americans for our protection instead of constitutionally leading us at organized liberty.

The Constitution is a living document only to the functionally illiterate.

Protection, by definition, must censor or constrain true freedoms to work.

Therefore saying it’s our government’s duty to protect our freedoms is barefaced, traitorous hypocrisy.

currency liberty) why is suppress

Hypocrites in government power can’t lead people, so they justify ruling us by insisting on protecting us from threats they determine they can successfully propagandize.

US government speaks---half truths stink.

US Government supervised air defense and bomb threat drills (including bomb sniffing dogs) have been confirmed to be under execution concurrent with 9/11 and the Boston Bombing. This is proof that US government anti-terrorism protection isn’t worth spit.

Fake Americans show they don’t believe in our form of government by supporting devices and methods of aristocracies, monarchies or dictatorships to solve our country’s problems.

US government foreign policy rapes our military’s honor.

American leader reliance on secrecy, prejudice appeasement and constituent bribery is now more important than leadership skill.

America won’t bring freedoms to others by wrecking its own.

The militarization of American police forces, and the US leading the world at the percentage of its population imprisoned, shows how the need to control people -- not defense of liberty and justice -- rules our government’s thinking.

Historically, military operations ultimately fail if not joined to economic, political, justice, and religious actions of equal quality. This is why current US military missions never finish successfully.

Population addiction to protective military custody naturally suppresses political self-reliance. This makes current US nation-building efforts a hypocritical farce.

The conduct of our military and civilian leaders show they don’t want to win our wars but just want to fight them. They’re the ones not supporting our troops.

The last world power who justified intelligence gathering by torture as being vital to controlling terrorism and insurrection was Nazi Germany occupying Europe.

Our government is desperately seeking legal justification to detain and torture because all the nations and mercenaries we now bribe or blackmail to be our allies aren’t reliable enough for vital information.

The 1946 Congressional report on Pearl Harbor recommended: “There is no substitute for imagination and resourcefulness on the part of supervisory and intelligence officials”.

So why are US anti-terrorism failures being remedied by granting unsupervised power to “protect us”?

Effective freedom exists only where ordinary people practice it, and are willing to oppose the enforced ignorance and irresponsibility that kills it. Not enough Americans show they care.

Voting doesn’t make free government, only citizens using their minds do.

There are freedom among us masquerading They value being alive entertained more than honor and posterity.

murderers as citizens. and being they value

America’s greatest weapon is the collective mind-power and initiative of its citizens. Why aren’t our leaders using it?

June 2013

Current government measures to “protect” Americans from terrorists are making American liberties Public Enemy Number One.

Our government’s anti-terrorist strategy of being police, prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner is the historic formula for injustice and insurrection, and so guarantees defeat in our war on terror.

Presidential discretion to make war, created from years of bullying Congress, denies our military the accurate deployment and public support by honestly applying our Constitution.

America is no longer ruled by law but by prejudiced official opinions of it.

The president’s role of CommanderIn-Chief is now made more important than his role of chief executor of US law. This is itself anti-constitutional.

Worse corruption in other countries doesn’t justify tolerating our own.

American political excrement is not

The hypocrisy of our leadership’s disdain for history and human knowledge is proven by how they hide, ignore or shift the blame for their failures.

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Our government’s secrecy fixations are a natural symptom of leadership incompetence and corruption.

so sacred that a citizen must eat it or emigrate.

Population protection by government is the most basic excuse for aristocracy.

29

Politics

30

To have your non-profit organization included in this free community resource list, please email your info to:

June 2013

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

makeasceneak@mac.com

SENIORS Palmer Senior Citizens Center, Inc.

The priApry mission of the Palmer Senior Citizens Center, Inc. is to assist individuals age sixty or older, individuals of any age with Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Disorders, individuals of any age on the Medicaid Waiver program and other eligible individuals in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough remain as independent as possible in the least restrictive environment possible and out of expensive nursing homes for as long as possible.

Services include: congregate and home delivered meals, transportation, adult day services, care coordination, senior employment, family caregivers support, information / referral, chore services, senior housing, chore services, Better Choices Better Health classes, HELP program, activities and volunteer opportunities.

745-5454, pscc@mtaonline.net

Alzheimer’s Resource Agency of Alaska

As Alaska’s resource on Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Agency of Alaska (ADRAA) is committed to providing information, education and services for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD) and their caregivers. We have served Alaskans since 1984, and today we help more than 5,000 people annually.

As a non-profit statewide organization, we provide family consultations, care coordination, in-home services for frail elders & individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and education programs to family caregivers and health care professionals. We are your resource for information and can refer you to services in Alaska or the contiguous U.S. Sam Meneses, 746-3432, www.alzalaska.org

Valley Charities, Inc; dba Turn-A-Leaf Thrift Store

Provides medical equipment to all income brackets in the Valley; provides clothing and household goods to Valley residents that are economically disadvantaged.

John Rozzi , 376-5740

Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc. (WASI)

A Health and Wellness Campus for Seniors on the Go! The goal at WASI is to assist and refer services for Seniors 60 and older so they can live as independently as possible for as long as possible.

Some of the services provided are: Meals: Family Style Meals Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Center. Meals on Wheels home delivered meals.

Housing: Independent Housing for low income and Aprket rate individuals. Optional Assisted Living Services Transportation: Partnership with MASCOT Bus $.60 per one way ride. Dr. visits by appointment Other Activities: Cards, Wii, and Painting at the Center Blood Pressure Checks Club50 Fitness Center, Strong Seniors Program ($5/8 weeks) Shopping Trips and other outings Valley Performing Arts Theater Visits And much more… call 376-3104 opt.2 for more information.

Dennie Jaques , 376-3104

Mat-Su Area Partnership (MAP)

An organization of non-profit agencies in the MatSu Valley. MAP holds a monthly meeting on a Thursday at the Menard Sports Complex in Wasilla. www.mapartnership.org/matsu/

Mid-Valley Seniors Inc

Mid-valley Seniors has 3 senior housing units 18 apartments and serves a congregate meal Mon-Fri at 5.30PM Soup and salad bar main meal served at 6 Pm. Home delivered meals served daily fresh Mon-Fri, weekend meals are frozen.

Transportation Department for doctors

appointments in the Valley Wasilla and Palmer area, Mon-Wed-Fri 9.00Am -3Pm. Shopping trips, and pharmacy stops, Tues – Thursday 9Am -1Pm Come up to the Center for activities or dinner,24 hours in advance notice.

Lorie Rounds, 892-6114 mvsc@mtaonline.net www.mid-valleyseniors.org

FAMILIES & CHILDREN Alaska Family Services

Alaska Family Services is a multi-dimensional non-profit that has over 20 programs serving the Mat-Su Valley. Major areas are: domestic violence, behavioral health, WIC, family support, and residential for youth with emotional issues.

Donn A. Bennice, Ph.D. 746-4080 akafs.org

LINKS Mat-Su Parent Resource Center.

We provide support and assistance to families with disabilities. LINKS provides support and trainings, parent to parent connections to mentor, information and referral, and access to library materials.

These services are provided through one-onone assistance and individualized workshops for small or large groups. Our vision is to ensure that every parent and family who has a child with a special need has access to information, education, outreach, and support in a culturally competent environment and to empower then to be advocates for themselves, their children, and their families.

New location on the Palmer-Wasilla Hwy next to North Star Bakery, across the street from MSSCA. Amber Parker, Admin Assisiant. amberp@linksprc.org , 373-3632

Family Promise Mat-Su

Provides a shelter for families without housing.

We mobilize community resources and local congregations to provide compassionate care through shelter, meals, and case management to families without housing. Guest families are housed in area church buildings at night for a week at a time...moving to new host church on Sundays.

Applications are available on our website.

357-6160, www.familypromisematsu.org

The Children’s Place

The Children’s Place child advocacy center is a child-friendly, neutral facility where professionals from many agencies involved in the evaluation, investigation and treatment of child abuse meet to coordinate and bring their services to the child and their family. We provide child forensic interviews, medical exams, linkage to mental health providers, follow-up support and referrals throughout the investigation process. Referrals to The Children’s Place are made through law enforcement and Office of Children’s Services.

The Children’s Place, 357-5157, www. alaskachildrensplace.com

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska

Strengthens our communities by providing mentors to all children who need and want a caring adult role model – special friends who can help them expand their horizons, realize their potential and enrich their futures – changing their lives.

Alaska Center for Resource Families

Provides support, training and education for foster, relative and adoptive families caring for children that have been abused and neglected. ACRF also helps support the Mat-Su Grandparents Support Group in collaboration with Links and Volunteers of America. For more information about foster care and adopting children that are in the OCS child protection system visit our website www.acrf.org or call 376-4678.

376-4678, bwoodin@nwresource.org

Pillows for Kids Foundation

We provide little pillows of support and little scholarships for local children to participate in brain-training activities such as art, music, gymnastics, swimming, skiing, snowboarding, skating, horseback riding, and Aprtial arts..

Mentors and community members contact us when there is an identified need to keep kids, preschool through college, connected with good activities in our community. We plan to publish a book and CD/DVD of Evan’s “Little Pillow” song

(copyrighted) soon. Currently, we are selling washable, decorator pillows of all shapes, sizes and colors for kids and adults as a way of creating funding for the scholarships.

Valerie Koivunen pillowsforkids@gmail.com

The Moose Boosters Wrestling Club

A youth development organization that provides aid and funding to low income recreational facilitates and athletes at the high school level. Funding supports athletes who participate in wrestling programs while meeting academic standards.

Michelle Heun 355-7099

Set Free Alaska

Brief description about non-profit: Our children, friends, co-workers; there is someone we know who is struggling with addiction and destructive behaviors. It is the goal of Set Free Alaska to provide excellent, individualized services to our clients. Set Free Alaska is a Christian outpatient substance abuse treatment center that uses a mind-body-spirit approach to recovery.

Our programs are designed to assist people in gaining freedom from the bondage of addiction and destructive behaviors. Set Free Alaska realizes that cost can be a huge deterrent to people seeking and receiving the help they need as well as a huge relapse trigger. Our assessments are based on a sliding fee scale. It is the goal of Set Free Alaska that no person be denied the services they need due to lack of financial resources. Our offices are open Mon-Fri 10-6 and we are located on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway across from the AT&T Sports Center.

Philip Licht, Executive Director 373-4732, www.setfreealaska.org/

Big Lake Community Clothing Closet Donated by local Alaskans, Big Lake Community Clothing Closet provides quality clothing to people in need, at no charge.

Clothing and footwear for people of all ages is available. Also, assorted household items as they are available.

This unique program helps people locally.

Donations are accepted, to further the program.

Any money donated helps pay the rent for our location at 2955 Big Lake Rd., Big Lake, Alaska.

Financial donation could also be mailed to the Big Lake Community Clothing Closet, PO Box 527069, Big Lake, AK 99652.

Hours of operation: Tues. 9 am – 1 pm, Weds. 11 am – 3 pm All donations of quality clothing in good condition can be donated at the above address during regular hours of operation.

We are a non-profit organization, all donations are tax deductable. Tax ID available to donors.

Check us out on Facebook.

Co-Administrators Stephanie O. 892-5450 Christy M. 775-3238

The ARTs Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums, under the leadership of Pipe Major Aja Stewart, are now seeking Pipers and Drummers who would like to play with our Band. We want to increase the size of our awardwinning Drumline, so if you are already familiar with drumming (snare, tenor, or bass,) or if you want to learn to play, we would like to hear from you! We would like to extend a cordial invitation to anyone who would like to learn to play bagpipes or drums, to FREE lessons with our Band.

You don’t have to be Scottish, or even have any musical background, to start. We firmly believe that you’re never too old to learn; we have active students and performing members of the Band ranging in age from 7 to 70!

We are a grade IV competing, family-oriented Pipe

Band, established in 2005, and we are very active in supporting our community with music at parades, concerts, and special events. Our purpose is to advance the rich cultural heritage of Great Highland Bagpipe music, and to have FUN doing it! ACPD provides free instruction in piping and drumming, with Band practice to follow, every Friday evening at 5:00 and 5:45 pm at Eagle River Presbyterian Church, 12836 Old Glenn Highway, in Eagle River.

Phenomenal!

Those interested in lessons, or in playing pipes or drums with Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums, please contact the Band by email at craigag@mtaonline. net or by telephone at (907) 688-4196. The band’s website can be found at http://www.alaskaceltic. org , plus, we’re on Facebook! “The Pipes, the Pipes are calling...”

Radio Free Palmer

Radio Free Palmer is community radio serving the Sutton and Palmer communities as KVRF 89.5 FM and online at radiofreepalmer.org. On air since 2011, KVRF’s mission is to foster community involvement.

Currently we produce great local shows on topics from health to mushing - and the list of programs is growing. Online we add important community events such as the Borough Assembly and School Board Meetings. Listen to Radio Free Palmer KVRF 89.5 for more community-centric news, music, sports, music or come volunteer to to help bring great radio programming to the valley.

Mike Chmielewski, COO 745-8951, Manager@radiofreepalmer.org Radiofreepalmer.org and on Facebook and Twitter

Valley Fine Arts Association

VFAA was formed to teach techniques, and encourage fellowship among visual artists in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. we strive to promote a supportive attitude toward visual arts in our Alaskan community.

We welcome beginners, students, part-time and professional artists who focus mainly on twodimensional art mediums and want to connect with other creative people and gain more exposure locally.

Throughout the year, we inform our members about opportunities to show their work, participate in group events, view other local artists, and enroll in workshops. During the school year, we organize regular sessions for painting together and host monthly artist demonstrations on the 1st and 3rd Mondays from 4 - 8 p.m.; Room 212 at Mat-Su College. Aprch 7 @ 6:00 p.m., Charles Gause will be the guest speaker.

Membership in the Valley Fine Arts Association provides many diverse opportunities for artists. Check our website calendar at www. valleyfineartsassociation.com for upcoming events.

Mat-Su Community Chorus, Inc.

As Musical Ambassadors of The Valley, The MatSu Community Chorus has provided quality vocal music, in its various forms, for the benefit, education and enjoyment of its members and the surrounding communities since 1970. Our membership is open to the public, inviting all who wish to add their voice in song. We offer complimentary performances at public celebrations and deliver formal concerts twice a year.

We are a 501(c)3, non-profit organization, currently with twenty-two members and we are looking towards expanding the organization to better serve the community. With the support from individuals, businesses and other civic organizations we are able to grow our group by bringing the community together through music and to continue our standard of excellence.

We meet September through June on Thursday evenings at 7-9pm in the Choir Room at Wasilla High School.

Nan Potts 745-8788 matsucomchours@gmail.com

Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums of Eagle River

Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums of Eagle River, under the leadership of Pipe Major Aja Stewart and Drum Sergeant Bryan Gonzales, are actively recruiting pipers and drummers, as well as those interested in learning Great Highland Bagpipes and Highland Drumming (snare, tenor, bass.) We would like to extend a cordial invitation to anyone who would like to learn to play bagpipes or drums, to FREE lessons with our Band.

We are a grade IV competing, family-oriented pipe

band established in 2005, and beginners of any age are welcome. Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums are very active in supporting the community in which we live. Our purpose is to advance the rich cultural heritage of Great Highland Bagpipe music, and to have FUN doing it! ACPD provides free instruction in piping and drumming, with Band practice to follow, every Friday evening at 5:00 and 5:45 pm at Eagle River Presbyterian Church, 12836 Old Glenn Highway, in Eagle River .

Those interested in lessons, or in becoming members of ACPD, please contact the Band by email at jungstensgericht@yahoo.com or by telephone at (907) 376-5060. The band’s website can be found at http://www.alaskaceltic.org

Mat-Su Concert Band, Inc.

Our mission is to promote, plan, support and conduct educational and cultural activities and opportunities for the benefit of the citizens and residents of Alaska. We do this by providing an outlet for the many talented musicians in and around our area to perform and a venue for the public to come and enjoy with us our music.

Rehearsals are every Mon. from 7 to 9 p.m. at Teeland Middle School. For more information, contact Gleo Huyck at 746-0628. matsuconcertband@gmail.com

The Whirling Rainbow Foundation

Grandmother Drum International Peace Project The Whirling Rainbow Foundation is an international spiritual and educational non- profit organization which honors and celebrates the diverse cultural and spiritual paths of the human family. The foundation cultivates the universal teachings of inner peace, loving compassion, wisdom and understanding at the core of every culture and spiritual tradition. We are starting a Global Peace Sanctuary and Sustainable Community in Palmer.

The GrandMother Drum International Peace Project travels the world as the international voice of the Whirling Rainbow Foundation. As a symbol of the heartbeat of love that connects all nations and all races, the seven foot, crystal inlaid GrandMother Drum holds local and global events promoting peace and unity through the universal language of music, dance, cultural and healings arts.

White Eagle Medicine Woman (Suraj Holzwarth) Executive Director www.whirlingrainbow.com

Valley Performing Arts

We’re celebrating 36 years of Quality Live Theatre!

VPA performs seven plays a year from September through June. We welcome actors, volunteers, program advertisers and play sponsors to join in supporting VPA, the Valley’s oldest live theatre. The VPA Summer Theatre Arts Programs take place June through August and are for youth 6-11 and 1217. The VPA Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony is held each June and Annual Fundraiser in October.

Purchase your tickets online or from our office.

Check out audition dates and show times on our website. VPA is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.

373-0195, www.valleyperformingarts.org

Valley Arts Alliance

The Valley Arts Alliance is a group of like-minded individuals who have joined together to encourage, sponsor, facilitate and support artistic expression.

We are a place for both new and established artists of all types—painters, sculptors, musicians, and those involved in the performing arts—to network and to experiment with new ideas and media.

We work with local libraries, schools, museums, art councils, and music and art groups to create more venues for the arts, and to help promote art related events. www.valleyartsalliance.com

ANIMALS Alaska Dog & Puppy Rescue (ADPR)

Alaska Dog & Puppy Rescue is an all volunteer, non-profit organization formed for the purpose of rescuing homeless dogs and puppies. We have rescued dogs throughout Alaska, including various Bush communities. These rescued dogs are placed in foster homes, where they are socialized, vaccinated, dewormed, and taken to the vet to be microchipped and spayed or neutered. It is our goal to have an animal sanctuary, so that all adoptable dogs are given an opportunity to find their forever homes. We encourage individuals to

Alaska Assistance Dogs (Aad)

AAD provides service dogs to Alaskans with special needs (physical, physiological & mental health), and incorporates therapeutic programs into service dog training. AAD works with special education students at school, provides teen mentoring in community training venues, offers domestic violence/PTSD support groups, FASD/ Autism programs, and provides service dogs and support groups for veterans with PTSD and their families.

Therapist on staff, and all trainers are certified by the founder of the service dog concept, Dr. Bonnie Bergin.

Carole J. Shay, Lpc. carole@alaskaassistancedogs.org

Meadow Gates Farm Sanctuary

VARIETY The Sertoma Club - Wasilla

We host the Mat Su Polar Plunge raising funds for non-profits in the Matanuska Susitna Valley, Alaska. February 2011 we saw 85 jumpers raise almost $20,000 which was then given to the Food Pantry of Wasilla and Turn A Leaf Thrift Stores. The Food Pantry provides emergency food supplies to families in need. Turn A Leaf has a medical lending equipment program which is now organized with software purchased with funds received. Both were grant recipients from the Mat Su Sertoma Club. Grant applications for the 2012 Mat Su Polar Plunge are located on our website: www. matsuplunge.com.

Join us every other Thursday at 5:00pm at the Tailgaters Sports Bar and Grill. Our next meeting is August 25th. We always have new speakers and a great time. See you there!

TOPS

Take of Pounds Sensibly Non-Profit Weight Loss Support Group Three (3) Chapters meet weekly in the Valley.

Kathy Miller - 376-9571 or write to matsutops@webtv.net

Valley Community for Recycling Solutions (VCRS)

Our mission is to educate and provide opportunities in our community to reduce, reuse, and recycle for the long-term good of all.

Our vision is to establish the Mat-Su Borough as a model recycling community for Alaska. We are open for residential recycling Wednesday through Friday 12-6pm and Saturday 11-3pm. Businesses can call ahead for hours. Your permanent community recycling center is located in our new green building at 9465 E. Chanlyut Circle, next to the animal shelter at the Central Landfill. Volunteer opportunities available. community@valleyrecycling.org www.valleyrecycling.org, 745.5544

Valley Residential Services (VRS)

VRS provides special needs housing to individuals who experience behavioral or developmental disabilities, low-income levels or those who are homeless. VRS currently has 168 properties in the Mat-Su Valley with special programs to assist with rental assistance and we can assist with linking individuals to social service agencies who can assist with life skills programs.

(907) 357-0256 , valleyres.org

Alaska Attachment & Bonding Associates (AABA) Educates and supports foster, adoptive, kinship care, step, grand and guardianship parents and

professionals who care for children with emotional mental health issues, such as Attachment Disorder.

AABA provides workshops, e-mail/telephone support, resource/referral information, selfadvocacy, AABA web-site www.akattachment. org, RAVEN Respite, newsletters, brochures, lending library, and Mom2Mom/Dad2Dad parent support group. For more information: Laura Wagner 907-376-0366

Food Pantry of Wasilla

The mission of the Food Pantry of Wasilla is: “To provide persons who reside in the Matanuska Susitna Valley with needed supplemental food supplies. Food Pantry of Wasilla distributes goods to its clients in a manner which gives dignity to all.”

All distributions made by the Food Pantry of Wasilla shall be made notwithstanding any person’s race, color, sex, age, handicap, religious affiliation, or national origin.

Our hours of operation are: Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

We offer two food programs to residents of the Mat-Su Valley. We operate a community-supplied food pantry, accepting cash and food donations from individuals and groups and supply clients with food for nutritionally-balanced meals to help people get back on their feet.

We also administer distribution of TEFAP government commodities. TEFAP is (The Emergency Food Assistance Program). This is a needs-based program, which June be accessed monthly by any client who meets the governmentestablished-qualifications. Food distributed is based on availability and instructions from USDA. In case of emergencies such as fire or earthquake in the valley, the Food Pantry of Wasilla also cooperates with other organizations and government agencies to render assistance.

Eddie Ezelle, 907-357-3769 Main 501 E.Bogard Rd., Wasilla www.foodpantryofwasilla.org

OUTDOORS North America Outdoor Institute

The North America Outdoor Institute (NAOI) is a not-for-profit community outreach organization providing outdoor safety and environmental awareness education programs for the general public in an effort to save lives from preventable

outdoor injuries and deaths. Debra McGhan, debra@naoiak.org 376-2898 , www.naoiak.org

conduct fundraising events to keep the birds fed and warm. It’s all “for the birds.”

Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats is dedicated to conserving the natural and cultural resources of Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge through public awareness, recreation, education and enhancement projects. Healthy, outdoor recreation in a safe, beautiful setting is what APH helps provide to all users.

357-8712, info@palmerhayflats.org www.palmerhayflats.org

AWBRC has recently signed a long-term lease for 25 acres in the City of Houston, and is looking forward to the beginning phases of a permanent facility there. To volunteer, donate or for further information, contact AWBRC at 907.892.1670, 907.230.7049, or visit www.akwildbirdrehab.org.

Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats

Alaska Frontier Trappers Association

The Alaska Frontier Trappers Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the ethical and lawful practice of trapping Alaska’s fur bearers.

We work to educate fellow trappers, children and the public in general about trapping as a necessary wildlife management and research tool.

Our monthly meetings usually include a guest speaker and/or a demonstration and fur handling information. Meetings which are held at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Palmer Library. Everyone is welcome to attend. www.akfrontiertrappers.com

CONSERVATION The Alaska WildBird Rehabilitation Center (AWBRC) The Alaska WildBird Rehabilitation Center (AWBRC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that offers bird rescue and rehabilitation services for the growing Mat-Su Valley community. Our mission is to rescue and care for injured, orphaned and sick wild birds with the goal of returning healthy birds back to their native habitats, and to educate the public about Alaska’s wild birds through live wild bird programs.

Wasilla Soil & Water Conservation District (WSWCD)

The WSWCD is a non-profit formed in 1948 to assist landowners & land managers with conservation & development on land through technical assistance, projects & education programs & services. WSWCD is an active, yearround community-based organization; a nonregulatory agency; a strong partner with various government & non-profit agencies/groups; a credible, knowledgeable advocate for conserving soil & water resources supported by the time & energy of neighbors & volunteers dedicated to making a positive difference in their communities. Our priorities are: Salmon enhancement & restoration; Soil, forage crops & manure testing; Stream & lake bank stabilization; Water quality & instream flows; Arbor Day activities & tree planting; Invasive weed assessments – land & water; Trail use & salmon stream crossings; Cooperator & community conservation needs; Public information, involvement & education.

Chuck Kaucic, District Manager 357-4563 X 103 distmgr@wasillaswcd.org

The Center is operated by dedicated volunteers helping to feed the birds, administer medical treatment, clean cages, and do whatever it takes to help these wild birds survive and gain strength for their eventual release or participation in our education program. Volunteers also plan and

July 12 – Kevin Worrell’s Beer Money 11:30 – 3 pm

August 2 – Paul Pike (of Medicine Dream) – 11:30 - 1:30

June 28 – Lulu Small 11:30 – 1:30

July 19 – John Cook – 11:30 - 1:30

August 9 – Dan Mac Quintet – 11:30 1:30

July 5 – Kevin Worrell – 11:30 – 1:30 Diana Z - 11:30 - 1:30

July 26 – Lulu Small and Band – 11:30 1:30

August 16 – John Cook – 11:30 - 1:30

June 2013

June 21 – Larry Zarella 11:30 – 1:30

Friday Fling 2013 - Music Schedule

Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

Meadow Gates Farm Sanctuary has provided shelter and care for unwanted pet rabbits since 2001. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable corporation. Rabbits are taken in when space is available. They are evaluated for behavior and personality, spayed/neutered, then adopted to new pet homes. Bunnies not able to be adopted are maintained permanently at the sanctuary.

Responsible adult volunteers are always needed.

907-357-6437, www.meadowgates.com manager@meadowgates.com

We have a wonderful club of volunteers! On a weekly basis you’ll find a Mat Su Sertoman at the Food Pantry, Wasilla Senior Campus, Valley Charities, helping Special Olympics and the list goes on and on! Our goal for 2011/2012 year is to raise more than, $25,000 in polar plunge funds.

You can pledge or sign up to jump! Just visit our website for more information.

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volunteer for this very worthy cause.

745-7030 adpr03@yahoo.com

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Visit www.MakeASceneAK.com

June 2013

Calendar June 2013 CALENDAR SUBMISSION 10th of month by 5PM Email information to: makeasceneak@mac.com Second Saturday Art Show Artist, Yvonne Gossett At The Gallery in Palmer Sat, July 13 Mocha Moose presents Moose Barn Market June 25th 10am-7pm Join us for shopping local arts/crafts & home buisness’s at our outside market, to kick off an awesome summer hot dogs & refreshments for purchase door prizes & 1 lucky winner in our basket drawing Market located in Mocha Moose parking lot 340 N. Lucille St. Wasilla, AK Calling all vendors $30.00 a space please contact Karena 354-6824 “Drawn to Palmer” sketch walk Palmer, June 18 at 10am finish with lunch at Rusty’s at 12 Facebook page, Suzie Althens Studio email list at suziepaints@yahoo.com or call at 745-0948. $15.00 includes lunch 4th annual Mendeltna Creek Music Festival Memorial Day Weekend June 24-27 Mendeltna Creek Lodge and Campground mile 153 on the Glenn Hwy Music from 5pm on Fri to 10 pm on Sun “Family Friendly” $40 per person for the weekend Kids under 16 are free HAMS The Homeless Actors of Mat-Su A Dinner Theater Benefit Production of Cream Puff Pioneers

By Dan Strouse For the Palmer Historical Society Fridays and Saturdays 630pm and Sundays 1pm At the Eagle Hotel downtown Palmer June 7-30, 2013 Tickets $30 per person, seniors and students $25 Reservations call 376-4252 Alaska Theatre of Youth Presents Cirque Week!

Mon. July 8 - Fri. July 12 9am-4pm Alaska Theatre of Youth 610 W. Fireweed Ln. Anchorage, AK $250 call (907) 338-4901 or visit www. alaskatheatreofyouth.org Alaska Theatre of Youth 907-338-4901 www.alaskatheatreofyouth.org Marian Call concert at the Talkeetna Roadhouse Sun June 26 5pm-7pm Talkeetna Roadhouse 13550 E Main St., Talkeetna, AK Free 907-733-1351 Alaska Agriculture Appreciation Day at the Farm Thursday, August 8, 2013 Noon - 6pm UAF Matanuska Experiment Farm 1509 S. Georgeson Drive, Palmer AK Free UAF Matanuska Experiment Farm 907-746-9450 http://www.uaf.edu/snras/afes/palmerresearch-extension/ Alaska Theatre of Youth Presents Summer Youth Theatre Conservatory Mon. June 10th - Sat June 29th

9am-4pm Alaska Theatre of Youth Aquarian Charter School & UAA Fine Arts Buildling Harper Studio Theatre $495 Call (907) 338-4901 or visit www. alaskatheatreofyouth.org Alaska Theatre of Youth 907-338-4901 www.alaskatheatreofyouth.org The Wasilla Marketplace on the scenic Wasilla Lake local vendors Local musicians, Thursdays and Saturdays from June 23rd to August 31st 10am-6pm Alaska Theatre of Youth Enroll online for Summer Programs www.alaskatheatreofyouth.org or admin@alaskatheatreofyouth.org (907) 338-4901.

Summer Youth Theatre Conservatory June 10th – 29th 9am–4pm, Mon-Fri (8am-5pm program supplements available) Actor’s Conservatory Ages 8-19, Tuition $495/session (Ask about sibling discounts and scholarships.)

Fairy Tale Program – Ages 5-8, Tuition $295 (Mon-Thurs 10am-12pm) 3-week Conservatory Program, Cirque Week!

July 8th – July 12th (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm) Ages 8–19, Tuition $250 At Alaska Theatre of Youth – 610 W. Fireweed UNBEETABLE summer concert series At Bistro Red Beet 5031 E. Juneflower Ave. Palmer/Wasilla Highway July 4, Emma Hill July 25, Tom Begich 7pm, Ticket Price: 10.00 Ticket Reservation: call 376-1400 or email redbeet@mtaonline.net Intimate concerts – limited space – reserve now!

Native Jazz Quartet Tours Alaska 6/15/13: TBA, Sitka, AK Quartet (opening concert: Native Jazz Workshop) www.nativejazzquartet.com Chili & Jam: Enjoy a hearty bowl of chili and a heaping spoonful of music Every Tues 6:30pm-8:30pm Starlight Ballroom, Anchorage Senior Activity Center 1300 E. 19th Ave., Anchorage Music is free; chili and other refreshments available for purchase.

Anchorage Senior Activity Center & Hurricane Dave AK Tues Night Fights Every Tues through Apr 30, 2013 Doors open 6:45pm Show starts 7:45pm Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center 1001 S Mack Dr $16.00 - $35.00 Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s Store Outside Your Door Alaska Plants as Food and Medicine Symposium June 24 – 27 Aleyeska Resort Anchorage Folk Festival Jan 17 at 7pm until Jan 27 at 10:30pm Wasilla Market June 23 – August 31 On Parks Hwy, Next to Fred Meyers, Wasilla Alaska Theatre of Youth Upcoming Events

Enroll online www.alaskatheatreofyouth.org or admin@alaskatheatreofyouth.org or (907) 338-4901.

Glee! Camp June 28th – June 1st (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 10am-4pm) Ages 8–18, Tuition $250 At UAA Fine Arts Building – Harper Studio Theatre Summer Youth Theatre Conservatory June 10th – 29th 9am–4pm, Mon-Fri (8am5pm program supplements available) Actor’s Conservatory – Ages 8-19, Tuition $495/session (Ask about sibling discounts and scholarships.)

Fairy Tale Program – Ages 5-8, Tuition $295 (Mon-Thurs 10am-12pm) Craft & Market Day Museum of AK Transportation and Industry Sat, June 22, 10 am – 5 pm Free to public Spaces still available $25 Sherry Jackson, 376-1211 mati@mtaonline.net Medicine Dream performs “unplugged” show June 20th at 6:00pm Dena’ina Center Anchorage Alaska Christ First United Methodist Church Rummage/Flea Market Sale Christ First United Methodist Church 5137 W Fairview Loop, Wasilla, AK 99654 Corner of W Fairview Loop and KGB June 28th and 29th 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

If you would like to rent out space: $25 for 1 day or $40 fir 2 days cfumrummageflea@gmail.com (907) 3763109 FIRST Anchorage Mini Maker Faire!

Going to be an AMAZING event! Fun for all!

Art meets sciences meets DIY! Fire breathing salmon! Robotics! Open courses! Demonstrations & more!

Sat, July 27th, 2013 12pm-6pm $5 per person Loussac Library 3rd Annual Pig Roast Skwentna Lodge July 6, 3 pm Please Call 907-733-2726 $25 All You can Eat Trapper Creek 8 th Annual Fireweed Festival Saturday July 20th, 11:am – 7:pm Family Fun Event Live Music, Local Vendors with Hands On Arts, Crafts & W ilderness Skills by a fire FREE parking & admission Mile 115.2 Parks Hwy Trapper Creek Community Park Rain or Shine / Bring a picnic TCFireweedArts@hotmail.com (907)733-1546 Lawn Establishment & Maintenance Class When: Thursday, June 27, 6:30 - 8:00 Description: Learn the fundamentals of site preparation, soil sampling, seed selection, thatch management, weed/disease prevention, and management strategies.

MAX Class Size: 40 Advance Registration is requested: Call 745-3360, e-mail: matsu.ces@alaska. edu or visit our website at: www.uaf.edu/ces/ matsu Classes Instructed by Steve Brown, UAF-CES Agriculture/Horticulture Agent Cost: FREE! CLASSES HELD AT: Matanuska Telephone Association, Meeting/ Conference Rooms (downstairs), 480 Commercial Drive, Palmer, AK 99645 Rummage/flea market sale for our church CFUMC

(Christ First United Methodist Church) June 28 and 29 We will be renting out spaces only for $25 for 1 day or $40 for 2 days Part of the proceeds will go to the Wasilla Food Pantry!

Contact us by emailing cfumrummageflea@ gmail.com or leave a message at 376-3109 fax 3573109 to get more information or to reserve space MTA Race for Technology 5K or Youth 1 mile Palmer Public Library Saturday, June 29, 2013 @ 10:00am (registration and packets available 8:30a-9:45a the day of the race) Pre-Registration (Prior to June 26): Adult: $25; Youth (12 & Under 1 Mile) $13; Family – First 4 (5K) $47; Family Rate – Additional Family Member $9 After June 25: Adult: $27; Youth: $15; Family Rate (up to 4): $50; Additional family member: $10 Mat-Su Library Network (made up of the public libraries in Big Lake, Palmer, Sutton, Talkeetna, Trapper Creek & Willow), with sponsorship from MTA Any one of the seven public libraries in the MSLN, also on FaceBook, cityofwasilla. com/library and www.matsulibraries.org City of Wasilla 2013 4th of July Parade Hosted by the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce This year’s theme submitted by: ABC Travel Time….Freedom Rings!!!

Street map of parade route available at: www.wasillaevents.com Thurs, July 4th. Parade line up begins at 9am.

Parade begins at 11am Parade applications $ fee’s located at: www. wasillaevents.com www.wasillaevents.com or call the Wasilla Chamber office at 376-1299 Baby Lapsit Time Date: 6/7/2013 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM Cost: FREE Location: Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, Alaska 99654 Hearing Tests, Sales and Service Wasilla Area Senior Center 1301 S. Century Circle June 3 & 17 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Free Hearing Tests, Batteries, Repairs, Sales Alaska Hearing Institute Barry White 907-344-4900

Estate Planning 101 Wasilla Area Senior Center, 1301 S. Century Circle Friday, June from 28th from 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Free to the public Constance Aschenbrenner, Esq. Constance Aschenbrenner, 907-334-9200 Wasilla Lions Club Meeting Wasilla Area Senior Center 1301 S. Century Circle June 10th & 24th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Lions Club members and potential members Wasilla Area Lions Club Phyllis Beer 376-4263 Weight Watchers Wasilla Area Senior Center, Meeting Room 1301 S Century Circle Wasilla AK 99654 Every Tuesday from 6:30pm to 8:00pm Every Saturday from 8:30 am to 10:00 am Every Friday from 10:00 am to 11:00 am Weight Watchers Sherry, 376-3620 “Rumplestiltskin” presented by the WorldFamous Marionettes of Stevens Puppets Wasilla Public Library

391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, June 13th 11am AND 2pm FREE Bring your lunch for a picnic with the puppeteers from Noon to 1:30pm!

Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library Annual Summer Reading Pet Show Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, June 20th 11am FREE *Will be cancelled in the event of rain* Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library Make & Take Craft Day Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, June 27th 11am FREE Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program, Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library Andy Mason Live in Concert!

Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, July 11th 2pm FREE Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla. com So You Want to Be an Archaeologist?

Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, July 18th 11am FREE Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton www.cityofwasilla.com/library Mighty Machines Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, July 25th 11am FREE Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton www.cityofwasilla.com/library Advanced Wilderness First Aid – Youth ages 12-18 North America Outdoor Institute, Mile 110 Glenn Highway, Palmer, AK Monday-Friday, July 8-12, 10am to 4pm (daily) $100 per person (This program is typically $495 per person but is supported by Meadow Lakes Development Center and Wells Fargo.)

North America Outdoor Institute Dorothy Adler, dorothy@naoiak.org 907376-2898; www.naoiak.org Basic Wilderness First Aid North America Outdoor Institute, 281 N. Main Street, Wasilla Saturday, June 22 – 9am – 5pm $125 per person (Certification through American Safety & Health Institute - ASHI) North America Outdoor Institute Dorothy Adler, dorothy@naoiak.org 907376-2898 Child and Babysitting Safety

North America Outdoor Institute, 281 N. Main Street, Wasilla Thursday and Friday, June 27-28 $200per person, includes national certification for Child and Babysitting, CPR and AED North America Outdoor Institute Dorothy Adler, dorothy@naoiak.org 907376-2898 CPR/AED Training North America Outdoor Institute, 281 N. Main Street, Wasilla Thursday, June 20 – 5:30-8:30pm $55 per person (Certification through American Safety & Health Institute - ASHI) North America Outdoor Institute Dorothy Adler, dorothy@naoiak.org 907376-2898 Little Explorers (Ages 8-11) – Wilderness Safety Challenge Meadow Lakes Senior Center, 1210 Kim Drive, Meadow Lakes Thursday, July 18, 10am to 2pm $25 per person North America Outdoor Institute Dorothy Adler, dorothy@naoiak.org 907376-2898; www.naoiak.org Vic Fischer: “To Russia with Love, An Alaskan’s Journey” Thurs., June 6, 2013 11:30am-1pm Kinley’s Restaurant 3230 Seward Hwy, Anchorage, $19-$25 http://www.akprocom.org/meetings.php Alaska Professional Communicators 907-274-4723 http://www.akprocom.org/meetings.php Child and Babysitting Safety Thurs, June 27-Fri, June 28 10am-4pm NAOI office 281 N. Main Street Suite 101B 200.00 North America Outdoor Institute 907-376-2898 www.naoiak.org CPR/AED Training Tues, July 16 5:30pm-8:30pm NAOI office 281 N. Main Street Suite 101B, 55.00 North America Outdoor Institute 907-376-2898 www.naoiak.org Basic Wilderness First Aid Sat, June 22 9am-6pm NAOI office 281 N. Main Street Suite 101B, 125.00 North America Outdoor Institute 907-376-2898 www.naoiak.org Solstice Showcase June 20th, 2013 10:15PM Bear Tooth Theatrepub 1230 West 27th Avenue, Anchorage, AK $10 General Admission Bear Tooth Theatre Box Office Alaska Film Forum, Alaska Filmmakers (AKF), and Bear Tooth Tehatrepub 907-440-2641 www.alaskafilmmakers.com Cardboard City 2013 Fri, July 19 - Sat, July 20 5pm-8am Alaska State Fairgrounds Palmer, AK Donation $50 Register at familypromisematsu.org Family Promise Mat-Su 907-357-6160 familypromisematsu.org [title of show] July 4 - August 5 Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7pm

and Sundays at 3pm Cyranos Theater Company 413 D Street, Anchorage, AK 99501 $16.50 - $18.50 CenterTix.net www.cyranos.org Film: Bruckner’s Last Finale Tues, May 28 7pm & 9pm Cyranos Theater Company 413 D Street Anchorage, AK 99501 $5 www.cyranos.org Annual Summer Reading Pet Show Thursday, June 20 11am Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. FREE WILL BE CANCELLED IN THE EVENT OF RAIN Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program - Sara Saxton 907-376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library Hope Auction Sat, October 27 6pm-8pm Hilton Downtown Anchorage 500 West Third Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501 $50 www.HopeAlaska.org Hope Community Resources 907-433-4914 www.HopeAlaska.org Solstice Showcase June 20th, 2013 10:15PM Bear Tooth Theatrepub 1230 West 27th Avenue, Anchorage, AK $10 General Admission Alaska Film Forum, Alaska Filmmakers (AKF), and Bear Tooth Tehatrepub 907-440-2641 www.alaskafilmmakers.com So You Want to Be an Archaeologist?

Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, July 18th 11am FREE Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library Andy Mason Live in Concert!

Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, July 11th 2pm FREE Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library Make & Take Craft Day Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, June 27th 11am FREE Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library Mighty Machines Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, July 25th

11am FREE Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library Annual Summer Reading Pet Show Wasilla Public Library 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, AK 99654 Thursday, June 20th 11am FREE *Will be cancelled in the event of rain* Wasilla Public Library Summer Reading Program Sara Saxton 376-5913 www.cityofwasilla.com/library RECURRING Salsa dance lessons Wasilla Lake Resort Every Wednesday 8pm-10pm Wasilla Lake Resort/Club Hydro 1850 E Bogard $10 per person, $14 per couple Liz Robinson 907-315-7304 Free Community Concerts Palmer Salvation Army Every Sat Night 8:30 pm $5 suggested donation StrongWomen - Palmer Mon - Wed - Fri 11am - 12 pm Mat-Su Cooperative Extension Service 809 S Chugach St.., Ste #2, Palmer, $5 for a two month session Julie Cascio 907-745-3360 http://www.uaf.edu Palmer Public Library’s Events Every Tues at 10am: Baby Lap Sit Every Tues at 11am: 2 year old Story Time Every Wed at 2pm: Open Room for Preschoolers Every Thurs at 10:30am: 3-5 year old Story Time Fri, February 8th: 7pm. Foreign Film, Hospitalite (see library website www. cityofpalmer/library for synopsis) Mon, February 18th: 7-8pm. Friends of the Palmer Library Meeting Sewing Circle Meets the first and third Wed of the month 1-3pm, Free Mat-Su Senior Services 1132 S. Chugach St. Palmer 745-5454 mat-suseniorservices.com Caregivers Connection Last Mon of each month 1-3pm Free Mat-Su Senior Services 1132 S. Chugach St. Palmer, AK 99645 745-5454 mat-suseniorservices.com sueann.smithatmat-suseniorservices.com NuKreationZ Art & Creativity Center Tues-Sat Noon-6pm Art gallery, classes and workshops Make your own pottery Palmer Museum New Hours Wed-Fri 10am-5pm Sat, 10-2pm Free Admission Art Exhibits & More Mat-Su Community Chorus Rehearsal Thurss @ 7pm

Wasilla High School All vocal ranges welcome No auditions necessary, unless 18 years of age or younger Mat-Su Concert Band Rehearsal Musicians Welcome Rehearsals are every Mon. 7 to 9 pm Teeland Middle School.

For more info, contact Gleo Huyck at 7460628 Learn to Skate 60 minute class for ages 3- Teens Curtis D Menard Memorial Center Class schedule and registration forms are available online: www.cityofwasilla.com Wasilla Strong Women Strength Training Mon * Wed * Fri 10-11 am * Year Round Program * Call Sharon 376-4434 Tues * Thurs 4:00 pm. Call Peggy 715-6338 Lower Level of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 501 E. Bogard Rd. Improve balance, strength, stamina and fight osteoporosis. $5.00 per 8 week session.

Women, Wine & Wed Third Wed every month Presented by Lakeshore Studio East Lake Mall, Big Lake 6:30pm $25 RSVP 230-0935 Free Hearing Screening provided by Mat-Su Sertoma Club First Sat Every Month 10am-1pm Wasilla Physical Therapy Deana Moore 761-5229 Whatever! Teen Lounge Featuring Wii gaming at Palmer Library T-Th, 2-4pm 746-4700 Alaska Celtic Pipes and Drums Free piping and drumming Instruction Every Fri Evening, 5-5:45 pm Eagle River Presbyterian Church 12836 Old Glen Hwy, Eagle River Wasilla Meta-Rose Library: Toddler Storytime Wed at 10:30am and 1:30pm Preschool Storytime Thurs at 10:30am and 1:30pm Baby Lapsit Storytime Fri at 10:30am Discussion Junction Family Book Club First Tues of each month Wasilla Meta-Rose Library Reading Rendezvous Last Sat of every month.

Wasilla Meta-Rose Library Palmer Public Library: Baby Lap Sit Every Tues at 10am 2 year old Story Time Every Tues at 11am Baby Lap Sit Every Wed at 2pm 3-5 year old Story Time Every Thurs at 10:30am Foreign Film Every Second Fri at 7pm Schwabenhof Live Music Every Fri & Sat 9pm until…

Sun Blues Open Mic Jam 9pm Tues Dart Night

Fairview Inn Music Talkeetna Every Thur at 9:30pm Open Mic. Every Fri at 8pm and Sat at 10pm Live Music.

Valley Arts Alliance Meeting Thurs at 11:00am Sophia’s Cafe Neo, Palmer Wasilla Hwy Tammy’s Turf for Tots!

For children 6 & under $5 per child Mon - Fri 10am-1pm Tues & Thurs FREE! Menard Memorial Sports Center: 357-9100 BABY STEPS Walking Program for New & Expectant Moms & Dads Mon & Wed 8AM-Noon Menard Memorial Sports Center 357-9100 Business Networking International Every Tues 9am Menard Memorial Sports Center 357-9100 Wasilla Bible Church Sun Menard Memorial Sports Center 357-9100 NAOI Outdoor Safety Classes Full schedule of classes online www.naoiak.org 376-2898.

The Crystal Mandala Classes A variety of creative classes Every Sat 2-5pm Palmer Museum of History and Art Open Everyday 9am-6pm Free Admission and light refreshments 725 S Valley Way, Palmer 746-7668 www.palmermuseum.org Museum of Alaska Transportation Open Everyday10am-5pm 3800 W Museum Drive, Wasilla 376-1211 Mat-Su Central School Enrolling K-12 Homeschool Support & Distance Delivery Education www.MatSuCentral.org Wasilla 352-7450 Mat-Su College Apply for scholarships now New dance and music classes available spring semester Current employment opportunities Wasilla www.MatSu.Alaska.edu RECURRING Free Community Concerts Palmer Salvation Army Every Sat Night 8:30 pm $5 suggested donation StrongWomen - Palmer Mon - Wed - Fri 11am - 12 pm Mat-Su Cooperative Extension Service 809 S Chugach St.., Ste #2, Palmer, $5 for a two month session Julie Cascio 907-745-3360 Palmer Public Library’s Events Every Tues at 10am: Baby Lap Sit Every Tues at 11am: 2 year old Story Time Every Wed at 2pm: Open Room for Preschoolers Every Thurs at 10:30am: 3-5 year old Story Time Fri, February 8th: 7pm. Foreign Film, Hospitalite (see library website www. cityofpalmer/library for synopsis)

Mon, February 18th: 7-8pm. Friends of the Palmer Library Meeting Sewing Circle Meets the first and third Wed of the month 1-3pm, Free Mat-Su Senior Services 1132 S. Chugach St. Palmer 745-5454 mat-suseniorservices.com Caregivers Connection Last Mon of each month 1-3pm Free Mat-Su Senior Services 1132 S. Chugach St. Palmer, AK 99645 745-5454 mat-suseniorservices.com sueann.smithatmat-suseniorservices.com NuKreationZ Art & Creativity Center Tues-Sat Noon-6pm Art gallery, classes and workshops Make your own pottery Palmer Museum New Hours Wed-Fri 10am-5pm Sat, 10-2pm Free Admission Art Exhibits & More Mat-Su Community Chorus Rehearsal Thurs @ 7pm Wasilla High School All vocal ranges welcome No auditions necessary, unless 18 years of age or younger Mat-Su Concert Band Rehearsal Musicians Welcome Rehearsals are every Mon. 7 to 9 pm Teeland Middle School.

For more info, contact Gleo Huyck at 7460628 matsuconcertband@gmail.com Learn to Skate 60 minute class for ages 3- Teens Curtis D Menard Memorial Center Class schedule and registration forms are available online: www.cityofwasilla.com Wasilla Strong Women Strength Training Mon * Wed * Fri 10-11 am * Year Round Program * Call Sharon 376-4434 Tues * Thurs 4:00 pm. Call Peggy 715-6338 Lower Level of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 501 E. Bogard Rd. Improve balance, strength, stamina and fight osteoporosis. $5.00 per 8 week session.

Women, Wine & Wed Third Wed every month Presented by Lakeshore Studio East Lake Mall, Big Lake 6:30pm $25 RSVP 230-0935 Free Hearing Screening provided by Mat-Su Sertoma Club First Sat Every Month 10am-1pm Wasilla Physical Therapy Deana Moore 761-5229 Whatever! Teen Lounge Featuring Wii gaming at Palmer Library T-Th, 2-4pm 746-4700 Alaska Celtic Pipes and Drums Free piping and drumming Instruction Every Fri Evening, 5-5:45 pm Eagle River Presbyterian Church 12836 Old Glen Hwy, Eagle River Wasilla Meta-Rose Library: Toddler Storytime Wed at 10:30am and 1:30pm Preschool Storytime

Thurs at 10:30am and 1:30pm Baby Lapsit Storytime Fri at 10:30am Discussion Junction Family Book Club First Tues of each month Wasilla Meta-Rose Library Reading Rendezvous Last Sat of every month.

Wasilla Meta-Rose Library Palmer Public Library: Baby Lap Sit Every Tues at 10am 2 year old Story Time Every Tues at 11am Baby Lap Sit Every Wed at 2pm 3-5 year old Story Time Every Thurs 10:30am Schwabenhof Live Music Every Fri & Sat 9pm until…

Sun Blues Open Mic Jam 9pm Tues Dart Night Fairview Inn Music Talkeetna Every Thur at 9:30pm Open Mic. Every Fri at 8pm and Sat at 10pm Live Music.

Sahara Storm Studio and Circus Arts Clinics 982-4955 Valley Arts Alliance Meeting Thurs at 11:00am Sophia’s Cafe Neo, Palmer Wasilla Hwy Tammy’s Turf for Tots!

For children 6 & under $5 per child Mon - Fri 10am-1pm Tues & Thurs FREE! Menard Memorial Sports Center: 357-9100 BABY STEPS Walking Program for New & Expectant Moms & Dads Mon & Wed 8AM-Noon Menard Memorial Sports Center 357-9100 Business Networking International Every Tues 9am Menard Memorial Sports Center 357-9100 Wasilla Bible Church Sun Menard Memorial Sports Center 3579100 NAOI Outdoor Safety Classes Full schedule of classes online www.naoiak.org 376-2898.

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June 2013

Politics

22 Veterans Take Their Own Lives…

Every Day.

By James Hastings US Army Retired, Alaska’s Healing Hearts

Today I learned of three Warriors killed in Afghanistan, and another who took his own life on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. I received this information from two Warriors who recently joined us in our Alaska’s Healing Hearts Spring Camp & Bear Hunt. What a small and interconnected world we live in. This is sad news and hurts the heart and soul to hear, but worse yet, they are not the only ones who will meet their end this day.

Each day an average of 22 Veterans take their own lives. So you know what that means… 21 more are going to do this today as well, whether we hear about them or not. So this brought me to thinking on WHY each of them took an action that ultimately sacrificed their lives.

Despite the rhetoric and bunk that you hear from the mainstream press or the “water cooler” talk about War for Oil or Copper, or even human rights, I can most assuredly express to you that not One of these brave men walked into a recruiter’s office looking to fight for any of that. I’ll wager that they each willingly walked in seeking to serve and defend this nation and her people, and our inalienable rights, as American Citizens, as set forth in our Constitution, and further, to fight and die for them if need be. They signed the papers and raised their right hand, knowing full well the commitment

and consequences, and despite any reservations they may have held, they fulfilled that promise to us all.

The decision to take one’s own life surely cannot come easy. I’ve never tried it personally, although admittedly, it once crossed my mind as a solution to facing my own perceived failures and shortcomings. Fortunately in most cases the mind will move on and find other ways to end the occasional need to torment itself. That being said, I truly care not one iota for what is written about suicide, (by those who have obviously never successfully done it), nor do I care about the religious beliefs and positions to this regard.

We, as mere mortals, can only guess and make proposals at what thoughts

and images may press so deeply on one’s soul as to weigh the results of living or dying, and then to find living to be the lesser of two evils.

However the fact remains that every single day, and I will restate this so as to drive the point home: TWENTY -TWO Warriors “purchase a one-way ticket home” because of the demons that have been forced or allowed to take up residence in their minds.

Can we in good conscience sit idly back and allow this to happen without taking every single possible opportunity to reach out to someone in need and offer a helping hand, a shoulder, a moment to listen with the most genuine desire possible in order to make a difference for the greater good, not just of

Mankind itself as a whole, but for the “man” himself?

It’s not enough to “paint the wall” my friends. We must patch the holes and create a solid base BEFORE we even attempt pick up the brush. Otherwise we are simply whitewashing the problem rather than making inroads to repair the source of an existing situation.

Please be a “Producer” of good. Please set as your personal goal the mission to help save the life of a Warrior through your genuine caring and support.

God bless and keep the families of the Fallen and know that you are in our thoughts and prayers

“WAR,” my loyal counsel

By former state representative Vic Kohring

the House and Senate which narrowly cost him his confirmation. There were other lesser reasons as well such as his conservative philosophy, pro-life stance and a strong advocate of our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. But the word on the street was, WAR’s rejection was primarily due to his unwavering support for me and his firm belief that I was wrongly convicted. He was right of course, but cowards in the legislature chose to beat the war drums against me as part of public posturing and grandstanding to gain a few cheap votes.

I will always feel gratitude for WAR’s incredible support and the huge price he paid, losing his confirmation as attorney general in large part because of me. You don’t find many people in this world that loyal who will stand up for you in the face of serious adversity and risk so much personally. Pols would be well advised to read Profiles in Courage,

by John F. Kennedy and adhere to its message. Instead, most cower and turn their backs on friends when the pressure’s on. But not WAR. I’m forever grateful to him.

> Vic Kohring is a resident of Wasilla. He can be reached through Facebook His blog is available at simplesite.com/vickohring.

June 2013

was waiting in the wings to sabotage me in his court room. As I look back, I didn’t have a prayer to win my trial regardless of the strength of my case as Sedwick used every weapon in his arsenal to defeat me, from denying my witnesses from testifying on crucial issues, to protecting the prosecution’s primary witness Allen by not allowing his ugly personal background to be disclosed during the trial which would have destroyed Allen’s credibility.

There were others too.

WAR was appointed by the governor as state attorney general in 2009 to replace Talis Colberg who had resigned. I’ve also known Talis as a friend, dating back to the 1980’s when we were big Reagan fans and actively involved in the Republican Party including attending the state convention at Denali Park in 1986 while camping outside together in the snow with a two-man tent. I found out about WAR’s appointment as AG while reading a copy of USA Today from my prison cell at the Taft Correctional Institution near Death Valley, California. Despite my dismal situation, it was neat to see my attorney achieve the state’s highest legal post, despite the fact that it was short-lived from the ensuing fiasco in the Alaska Legislature.

WAR’s appointment as attorney general was subject to legislative confirmation, which is where things got dicey. During confirmation hearings, he was asked what he thought of the Polar Pen investigation (the so-called political “corruption” case which ensnared Ted Stevens and me) and stated publicly that I was innocent and falsely accused by the government with grossly trumped up charges. Of course this upset my Leftist political opponents, who in response voted against WAR during a joint session of

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Well-known Anchorage lawyer and former state attorney general, Wayne Anthony Ross, or “WAR” as he likes to be called, initially represented me as I fought the mighty U.S. government and later served as my co-counsel.

WAR has practiced law for many years, has been active in politics and the NRA and was the Alaska Independence Party Candidate for governor in 1998.

He’s well liked and a flamboyant kind of guy with his cowboy hat and Humvee with customized “WAR” license plates. And most important, a Christian man with good values.

As a longtime friend and campaign supporter of mine, I immediately sought WAR’s legal guidance when armed FBI agent thugs raided my legislative offices in August 2006. In a state of shock and not knowing where to turn, WAR was the first person I thought of. He proved to be a source of strength and encouragement during those first dark hours, reassuring me that somehow everything was going to work out no matter how bad things appeared at the time. I’ll never forget his advice. He said don’t sweat things and “look at all of this as an adventure, an interesting trip down life’s road.” I thought he was a little nuts to say this.

How could anyone possibly find good in the federal government bearing down hard on you with all barrel’s blazing and with such a viscous determination to achieve a conviction?

Now that I look back though, I realize WAR was right. It has indeed been a fascinating trip when you consider the high profile nature of my case

and the players involved including several state legislators, U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, Veco CEO Bill Allen and well known criminal defense attorney of Seattle, John Henry Browne. Not to mention WAR himself.

WAR accompanied me when I first met with prosecutors in January 2007.

He and I were duped into thinking we would be meeting one individual for a brief get together. But when we arrived, we were ambushed by a large group of prosecutors and FBI agents waiting in a large conference room at the U.S. Attorney’s office in downtown Anchorage. It was an intimidation tactic, a strategy designed to scare me into “admitting” wrong-doing (even though none occurred) in hopes I would cave, fall at their feet and quickly agree to a phony plea deal that wasn’t in my best interests. I sat silent while WAR announced that the prosecutor’s charges were “bull s...”

Nothing more needed saying because those two words, as course as they were, summed things up best.

The day before my trial began that October, WAR, by then my cocounsel, met with me and my primary attorney John Henry Browne at an Anchorage restaurant to discuss my case. He warned me that my assigned judge, John Sedwick would not be on my side, that he had a reputation for being “pro-government and proprosecutor.” I appreciated WAR being so candid, but my heart sunk because I knew it would be an uphill battle as a federal district court judge is in a position of power to where he can make or break a case. This was the first I heard about Sedwick and was floored to learn he had a history of bias against defendants. Little did I realize he was personally biased against me over political battles I fought as a legislator with his wife and

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June 2013

Politics Let Them Listen!

By Josh Fryfogle It’s not often that I write about politics these days. Honestly, I hardly even think about it. Phases of life take me in and out of certain interests. A few years ago, if there had been public acceptance that our freedoms were being infringed by the all-seeing eye of government surveillance, I would have been writing vehement condemnations, publishing my disapproval.

However, this information that our leaders have been working to spy on us, using laws passed under fear of terrorism, chipping away at our privacy is not new, so it’s not really news.

Many people, for many years, have been talking about these sorts of infringements. We pretend that when the corporate media acknowledges it, then it is reality. It’s akin to the human ego’s ability to claim to have ‘discovered’ some truth. The truth always was, and in our uniquely human arrogance, we claim to have discovered it.

Well, I’ve got news for you: Columbus didn’t discover America, there were already people there, lots of them.

Santa Claus didn’t stop being real when you found out he wasn’t real.

He was never real.

The government has been monitoring our lives, invasively, for a long, long time.

Now that the corporate media is introducing this information to the public, along with talking points that divide the argument into two camps, we can be assured it is serving the purposes of the same people who’ve failed to report this known information for decades.

I don’t want to present some paranoid sounding idea, making you think I’m losing sleep over this. I’m not. I’ve read alternative news reports for years about government surveillance.

Again, this is not news, though it may be new to some.

In this controlled debate, the two camps are gathering support, again with the corporate media herding the people into sides. One side, the Democrats, blaming the previous Republican administration for setting these things in motion. The Republicans on the other side are pointing to Obama as a symbol of the opposition. Meanwhile, the ‘if you don’t have anything to hide’ argument is peppered throughout the public dialog.

Really, this is the new norm, introduced into the public awareness in such a seamless way, on the heels of so many scandals that the average person can’t help but be overwhelmed by the confusion of it all. We will not debate whether the government should surveil the public, but rather, we will debate when and how they should. It is a forgone conclusion that we should be willing to accept some level of infringement, right?

Don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying we should do anything about it. Just thinking outside of the two-sided paradigm is enough to free us. The debate over specifics, while ignoring the big picture, is how we lose our

freedoms. Simply seeing this guided public discourse as the problem is enough to fix the problem. When we stop being divided, we are united.

We have more in common than we know, because we don’t get to know each other. We are divided, so as to be conquered.

Whatever the hot-button topic of the day, whatever hell, death, chaos and confusion the corporate media disseminates to the public, we can always just tune it out, and think.

Celebrate your freedom this Independence Day! Just be free.

Imagine if you were locked in a room, with only corporate media as your view of the outside world. After years of fear-mongering media, you might be afraid to step outside that room, into the wide-open world. But, if your human curiosity overcame your fear, you might walk outside to find…

Peace, blue skies, birds singing, rivers flowing, seasons changing, all in perfect harmony.

We are not really divided. This is an illusion, sleight-of-hand, keeping our attention with distractions.

We are really at one with our reality, but we create a false world where we worry about the government breaching our privacy. I say, Let Them Listen!

Things tend to take a natural course, even unnatural things.

Tyranny has a lifespan.

Government overreach is a sign that we are near the end of the cycle.

They are grasping at straws of control… they are worried. Why are we worried about the inevitable - instead go outside, look around, talk to people.

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