My husband was arrested for domestic violence in 2012.
Contributed by Carol Montgomery In the last issue of The People’s Paper, we covered the incredible story of how people in the Mat-Su came together to reduce waste), resulting in the creation of Valley Community for Recycling Solutions (VCRS), Mat-Su’s very own state of the art recycling center.
But you may wonder, what happens to the material you drop off at VCRS? Perhaps you have heard that recyclables in some parts of the country are ending up in the landfill, so why bother recycling? In this article we’ll explain how recycling works and why, when you recycle at VCRS, you can rest assured that the material will be reborn as a new product and not end up in the trash. After you drop off your clean, sorted recycling, the materials are baled, resulting in a product called a feedstock. This feedstock is then sold to manufacturers who create new products. In order for VCRS to receive market pricing, it needs 43,00045,000 lbs. of each separate type of material, baled to industry standards. These bales need to be “clean”, which means they contain only the material the buyer can use. For example, when a buyer opens up a bale of #1 plastic bottles, they do not want to find other types of plastic or trash mixed in with what they paid for. Quality is important. Poor quality means the material is dirty or contaminated from improper sorting. Poor quality bales can end up in the landfill. Some recycling operations are based on what is called “single stream” or “co-mingled” recycling. That means recyclables are collected
That morning, one of our kids called the police, no doubt terrified.
at the curbside all mixed together, and later sorted at an automated facility. This model of recycling creates a lower quality product because it is contaminated with other materials. In fact, China, which used to buy much of the world’s recyclables, has greatly restricted their buying due to the poor quality they were receiving. This has created a glut in the market for recyclables, and a resulting crisis for the industry. But thanks to the foresight of the Valley’s recycling pioneers, the willingness of our community to bring clean and sorted recyclables, and the diligence of our staff and volunteers, VCRS offers a high-quality product that is valued by USA manufacturers, and will not end up in a landfill. In fact, did you know that some of the materials are recycled right here in Wasilla? Thermo-Kool, a local Wasilla company, buys all of the recycled newspaper and a lot of cardboard. They turn this paper into cellulose insulation, cement emulsifier, animal bedding, an absorbent, and astro mulch. It’s exciting to think that when you bring in your newspapers to the recycling center, you may see them transformed into the bright green astro mulch often seen with new highway construction. Soon, other bright local minds will find new business opportunities using recyclables, knowing that they have access to quality feedstock right here in the Valley. New technologies open all kinds of possibilities. VCRS’s plastic film is now purchased and used by Trex, which turns it into composite decking. Sonoco, a manufacturer in Washington State, buys our mixed paper because of our quality. The recycling industry is huge, it is global, and brokers negotiate between buyers and sellers. Having a consistent reliable product helps secure a place for material when markets fluctuate. Developing VCRS from a Walmart Parking lot drop off in 1998, to a state of art recycling center was an amazing level of activity, accomplishment and community support, which all went towards the
building, equipment and the costs of operations. This recent market downturn has shown that this is not enough.
SPORTS: BOOM TOWN GETS NEW COACH MORE ON PAGE 2 OF THE PEOPLE’S PAPER
VCRS needs to take a further step as a non-profit and create a financial safety net. While markets will always go up and down, expenses do not go down. The current crisis caused by the recent market downturn has driven some recycling centers out of business. VCRS, on the other hand has a mission to stay in business to reduce waste regardless of whether it is profitable to do so. But crisis can be turned into opportunity, and the next opportunity for VCRS is the Sustain Campaign (www.facebook. com/Sustain-Campaign-withVCRS-586954498389181). The Sustain Campaign is committed to raising a million dollars for a financial safety net for VCRS, which includes an endowment. An endowment is a donation that can be invested for long-term growth and produce interest earnings providing stable funding for a nonprofit organization. $500,000 will be invested in this endowment and the other $500,000 will be used to cover operations during market fluctuations, and to ensure that VCRS continues to recycle whatever can be turned into a new product, regardless of its profitability.
PETS & ANIMALS: ADOPT MYSTERY THE CAT MORE ON PAGE 10 OF THE PEOPLE’S PAPER
LIVE MUSIC: MAT-SU CONCERT BAND
MORE ON PAGE 8 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE
VCRS also plans to work toward matching the days and hours of the landfill to make it more convenient to recycle. You can make a right hand turn before entering the landfill and drop your sorted recyclables for free at VCRS, before you go back and get in line for the landfill’s weight scale. In the next edition of The People’s Paper, we’ll look at how it helps all of us when we reduce waste!
THEATRE: THE SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY MORE ON PAGE 15 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE
COMMUNITY & EVENTS Contributed by Jaida Gough Boom Town Roller Derby welcomes Coach CobraShark to the team for season 8 as head coach! Cobra brings 8 years of Roller Derby experience to Boom Town. Six of the 8 years were spent skating for various men’s leagues, both jamming and blocking. He started skating for the Cowtown Butchers in Kansas City, eventually moving to Omaha, and ending his skating career with Your Mom Men’s Derby in Des Moines. Cobra learned Boom Town was looking for a coach, and after a few months of consideration, he contacted the team and asked to come out for a practice to see if it would be a good fit. Cobra fell right into place with the team, and after a 30-day trial period, the team voted
Contributed by Kaitlin M. Rock Alaska Chicks Vintage Home Market May 3rd, 4th & 5th, 2019 Alaska Chicks Co. Raven & Hoskins Halls, Alaska State Fairgrounds Join us for an amazing shopping experience at the Alaska Chicks Vintage Home Market Show, May 3rd, 4th and 5th, at the Alaska State Fairgrounds!
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him in as head coach. Boom Town’s first game with Cobra as coach was January 12, against the Ragnarok Rollers. It was a victory for both Cobra Shark and Boom Town, making both undefeated this season. Cobra anticipates more wins from Boomies this season and had as much fun coaching as he did playing competitively. Boom Town has a few more home games coming up, and will end their season at a tournament in California, with Coach CobraShark. Boom Town is always looking for men or women as skaters, nonskating officials or volunteers. Please contact Boom Town Roller Derby via Facebook or email at boomtownderbydames@yahoo.com
Browse furniture, clothes, jewelry, accessories and decor from over 100 local vendors, and don’t forget to stop by a food truck (or two!) to grab a delicious treat!
Tickets are $5 a piece on Saturday (ages 12 and under enter free!) and admission is free all day Sunday. Come support local designers, upcyclers, crafters, artisans, vintage/ antique collectors and take home amazing finds!
The show will be held in Raven Hall and the Hoskins building at the Alaska State Fairgrounds, 2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer, AK, 99645 and will be open Friday, May 3rd, 3PM-9PM, Saturday, May 4th, 9AM-6PM, and Sunday, May 5th, 10AM-5PM.
Contributed by Cheryl Homme Lorraine “Lorie” M. Kirker died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Houston, Alaska on January 18th, at the age of 75. Lorie was born to Noel and Marge Goodenough on January 1, 1944, in Wisconsin. She attended grade school in a one-room schoolhouse. She received her bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in science and math and attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, where she received her master’s degree in Education. Following graduation, she married Benjamin Kirker on December 23, 1967. Lorie and Ben moved to Adak, where they taught for a year. They briefly returned to teach in Newberry, Michigan where their first child, Benjamin Jr., was born in 1971. Alaska beckoned again, and in 1972, they secured teaching positions in Unalaska. In 1973, Lorie and Ben had a daughter, Loriann. The family moved to King Cove in 1976 where Ben became principal of the school and Lorie taught history and discovered her love for photography.
She often loaned books to researchers. Those who needed money and came to sell their collections to Lorie left with top prices. Lorie worked it out so that those who couldn’t afford to pay at all were still able to leave with what they needed. Lorie was warm and engaging. The bookstore provided comfortable chairs with footrests, for customers to relax, read and share. And always, there were free cookies and hot coffee. Alaskana Books drew patrons from all over the state and shipped books to nearly every country.
After Lorie retired from teaching in the late 1980s, she designed a large 3-story log home in Houston which she and Ben built together.
Lorie’s business model wasn’t about money, but rather was about promoting Alaska and reading. She offered her bookstore as a meeting place for tutoring sessions. A young couple even became engaged at the bookstore – their favorite public place. She enjoyed employing young people. I can personally attest that she was the world’s best boss.
Lorie loved to read and had an encyclopedic knowledge of Alaska. She opened Alaskana Books in 2000, near the water tower in Palmer’s historic district. She initially thought the books were her greatest treasures, but soon discovered her customers were the real treasures.
Lorie drove all over Alaska and sometimes to Canada, to conferences and expositions in her large truck, heavy-laden with banker’s boxes of all things Alaskana. She retired for the second time in 2014, when she sold the bookstore inventory to a private collector.
She loved owning the bookstore, and said those years were the happiest of her life. The store housed the largest retail collection of books about Alaska, more than 25,000 in all. She actively sought out books and maps to add to her already-extensive inventory. She enthusiastically supported Alaskan authors.
Lorie’s love for Alaska was complete. She enjoyed all aspects, even the harshest winters. She was truly a “hands-on” Alaskan. Until recently she was still mushing dogs and cutting and splitting firewood.
Everyone who entered the store automatically got a discount.
She didn’t tend to ask for help for herself, but would drop anything she was doing to help others. Lorie was fiercely independent, charmingly stubborn, politically astute, and
respectful of all opinions. She was smart, and a friend to all. She was an animal lover, always traveling with at least one dog. She had a great sense of humor and laughed easily, but was serious about history. She published two books: King Cove 100th Anniversary Scrapbook, and Matanuska Colony 75th Anniversary Scrapbook, which she co-wrote with her dear friend Lynette Lehn. Lorie also received permission to republish several Alaska books, because she felt they were important to keep in print, including two books by Louise Potter: Early Days in Wasilla, and Old Times on Upper Cook’s Inlet. She also republished The First Ten Years in Alaska – the Memoirs of a Fort Yukon Trapper 1911-1922 by James A. Carroll, retitled Above the Arctic Circle. But most of all, Lorie was generous – to individuals and to various agencies. She donated countless items she felt deserved to be preserved in a museum or library. Her generosity, firmly in the Alaska tradition, was unmatched. Lorie was deeply loved and will be missed by all who knew her. She is preceded in death by her husband, Ben. She is survived by her son, Ben Kirker Jr (Sherry); daughter Loriann Kirker (Richard Taylor); grandchildren: Dusten Kirker and Lily Taylor; brother, Dennis Goodenough (Karen); nephew Dean Goodenough (Kim) and niece Robin Dillon (Pat); numerous grand nieces and nephews; and countless friends and happy customers. At Lorie’s request, there will be no funeral. Her ashes will be spread along her favorite mushing trail. Lorie Kirker 1/1/1944 - 1/18/2019
COMMUNITY & EVENTS Contributed by Michael Consalo Laughter and music filled the air, the night of Saturday, February 2nd, at The Palmer Train Depot, during Hearts 4 Hunger. The annual event held by Matsu Food Bank was a huge hit, with a packed depot, filled with people conversing and traveling from table to table, making bids on silent auction items, including an autographed Eagles album. Marty Metiva was the MC and helped guide the evening, as The Jerry Wessling Band rocked new songs from their setlist to a busy hall. The “Wine Pull” offered guests a mystery wine, valued anywhere from $10-100 for only $10 a pull
Contributed by Ember Haynes Save the date for the Grand Opening of Susitna Valley Naturals in Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna! February 16th - March 24th. It’s not just a weekend... but 6 weeks of celebrating Local Artists, Crafters and Makers of the Susitna Valley! This is such a wonderful opportunity to meet some of your favorite Alaskan Artists and creators! Talkeetna’s own Dave Totten will present works from his Wildlife North Art Gallery, along with Susitna River Studio’s Laurie Cartwright. We are showcasing local makers known for their quality creations, such as Patti Jo’s Studio, Rabbit Acres, Alaskan Crochet Design’s fine pieces, unique baby onesies and toddler T’s by Owl House Batik and the magical inspirations of Reiki Artist, Heather Dawn Krompacky. Laurolle of Ravenway Studio is not only helping us design our store sign, she will also be one of our featured makers. Some of our friends from the lower valley will also be sharing their art, such as multi-media artist Sommer
Contributed by Jen Burkmire The Palmer Community Foundation’s 2019 competitive grants cycle will be open from February 1 to March 7. Visit www.palmer.org/grants to apply online. Please direct general grant questions to PCF’s Program Manager, Jen Burkmire, at jburkmire@alaskacf. org. Please direct eligibility and technical questions about the online grant system to The Alaska Community Foundation at grants@ alaskacf.org or 907-334-6700.
Contributed by Steve Behnke Peggy Behnke, loving and beloved wife and mother, passed away on Saturday, February 2, in Wasilla, Alaska. Peggy (Margaret Jo) was born November 5, 1928 to Oren H. and Margaret L. Stevenson in San Diego, CA. She married Mel Behnke there in November 1948. They moved to Alaska in 1955 where they raised four children on their homestead in the Meadow Lakes area. Her love and nurturing qualities drew many friends into the family circle over the years. Rescue dogs also played a special part in her life.
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and the silent auction items left in the hands of happy guests one at a time before the live auction erupted around 7pm. Alaska Events & Catering provided an amazing meal, with Beef Tenderloin served on salt blocks – locking in the flavor. They also helped raise money through a dessert auction, in which tables bid on their favorite desserts! The event was truly something special and we couldn’t have done it without our wonderful sponsors. Thanks to everyone who attended and a special thanks to everyone that helped make Hearts 4 Hunger better than ever! Stay in touch for next year’s event, already in the works...
Florian and the brilliant eye of Donna Marie Photography. The original hand painted artwork of Off the Wall Artistry is always a bright spot, and Kristen Spohn is even working on some new pieces just for our event! Frieda Marie will be bringing her super comfy scarves, headbands and functional bags... her growler bags are a must-see! We will be scheduling a nostalgic reading by Alaskan author Dan Walker, which will be accompanied by light snacks. Amanda Rose Warren will be adding her signature whimsy and color to our show, with her fabulous Alaskan themed stickers & paintings. Winterheart’s cozy comforts and up-cycled ski-creations, combined with the aromatherapy of The Bear Scentials candles & scents, along with new pottery pieces by Ember Haynes of Tundra Mudd, will complete the classic feel of any Alaskan cabin. We are proud to feature Alaska grown and harvested products, such as Silverbear Sundries, Kahiltna Birchworks, Flying Squirrel Bakery granola, chips & crackers, Alaskan Saltworks, Alaska Flour Company,
As an Affiliate of The Alaska Community Foundation, the Palmer Community Foundation’s (PCF) goal is to support projects that enhance the quality of life for Palmer area residents, addressing immediate needs while working toward long-term improvements. We are continually listening and learning about what is important to you. We use proceeds from our growing permanent endowment, to award yearly grants to support charitable
Peggy grew large vegetable and flower gardens. She loved poetry and nature, and wrote articles about her homesteading experiences that were published in the Christian Science Monitor. Many people in the valley remember Peggy as their childhood librarian. She volunteered at the Wasilla Public Library and served on its board for many years. She was also active in her church community, where she served as organist. Peggy was also a fabric artist and quilter. One of her quilts hangs in the entry to the Wasilla Library. She and Mel celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last
Heather’s Choice foods, Susitna Superfoods and Alaskan honey. Mosquito Mama will be sampling out her Borealis Buzz Dressing, and Monica’s Confection Connection is bringing their handmade brittles and candies. Denali Hemp Company will also have the amazing Denali Hemp for pain in stock. Natural products and handcrafts to enhance your daily life, along with the basic necessities, will stock the shelves of Susitna Valley Naturals... fine goods & local favorites!
organizations and programs in the Palmer area. Grants support a broad range of community needs, including but not limited to health and wellness, education, the great outdoors, arts and culture, and community development. We seek projects that have the potential to impact a broad range of residents and show collaboration with other organizations.
November. Peggy is survived by her husband, Mel, and her children, Steve (Larri) of Juneau; Dan, of Timonium, MD; Jean (Ron), of Longview, WA; and Melissa (David), of Palmer. She has seven grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. Cards may be sent to the family c/o Mel Behnke, 889 North Elkhorn Drive #109, Wasilla, 99654. Donations may be made in Peggy’s honor to the Wasilla Public Library. (907) 864-9170.
HEALTH & COMMUNITY Contributed by Dori Cranmore RN, Holistic Health Practitioner Hawthorn is known as the ‘heart herb’ for its many benefits as a heart tonic. Traditional use of hawthorn berries has been confirmed by German studies to strengthen and normalize the heartbeat, prevent and reduce heart arrhythmias and guard the heart against oxygen deficiency.
Hawthorn has been known to strengthen and regulate the heartbeat. In addition, hawthorn has been used as a natural remedy for blood pressure regulation because not only can it help lower blood pressure by decreasing heart output and enlarging blood vessels, but it can raise low pressure in cases of a weakened heart muscle. It’s good in the treatment of damaged heart muscle in old age, with inflammation of the heart muscle, has a beneficial effect in the treatment of obstructive blood vessels and is a good natural remedy for angina pectoris.
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These dilate and relax arteries and can enhance blood circulation to the heart muscles and reduce symptoms of angina. These bioflavonoids are also powerful antioxidants which can help strengthen blood vessel walls and decrease and prevent oxidative damage.
Hawthorn (Crataegus species) has been used to treat heart disease as far back as the 1st century.
In other words, Hawthorn has a beneficial effect on all heart disease. Hawthorn also has a positive effect on calming the nervous system. Studies note that it may take 6-12 weeks before improvement is noticed.
Antioxidants are substances that destroy free radicals, which are compounds in the body that damage cell membranes, tamper with DNA and even cause cell death. Scientists believe free radicals contribute to the aging process (such as wrinkling), as well as the development of a number of health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants in hawthorn may help stop some of the damage from free radicals.
In the early 1800’s, American doctors were using it to treat circulatory disorders and respiratory illnesses.
Hawthorn berries owe much of their beneficial action to high bioflavonoid content, mostly rutin and quercitin.
Heart disease is very serious, and you should never try to self-treat with hawthorn. Ask your health care
Contributed by Sarah Viola
me. I feel like I must do everything for him, and it is really starting to weigh on me emotionally and mentally. When I try to do things for him that he can no longer do, he gets angry at me, which increases my frustration. Why won’t he let me help?
A VIEW FROM THE PERSON WITH DEMENTIA: I am feeling a little lost these days. Inside, I feel the need to stay busy with what I’ve always done, but sometimes I get lost and can’t remember what I’m doing. Because of this, I jump from project to project. When I get overwhelmed, I just sit and internalize – I go to my safe place where there are no expectations. Deep down I just want to be a productive member of society like I used to be. I want to feel included, but since people often think I am a nuisance and that I can’t do anything, they leave me out of fun activities and conversations. They often talk right through me as if I’m not even present.
There is research to suggest that hawthorn might also be effective when used in the treatment of mild-tomoderate heart failure.
A loved one looking at dementia and its symptoms from the outside has a much different perspective on the disease than a person who is living with it. As a person progresses through various types and stages of dementia, they begin to view the world differently than they once did. Understanding how people with dementia experience the world around them can help bring valuable insight to their caregivers and loves ones – and assist them in developing a better sense of patience, empathy, and understanding. A VIEW FROM THE CAREGIVER: My loved one has lost the ability to take care of himself. I heard this may happen with dementia, but the day I needed to help with simply getting him dressed was when the reality hit
Contributed by Anthony Delarm It’s one of the fastest growing products in the nation... CBD. But what are all these new products coming with it? Tinctures? Salves? How can we tell which is best for us? What concentration of CBD is enough? In this article, I will try to make this complex world as simple as possible. As always, anyone should do their research before making any changes that will affect their health. The top CBD products coming out include
My loved one is generally busy and active, yet at times he seems to withdraw and disengage from the world around him. I try to help by getting him involved in his previous hobbies, but he just can’t. He either quits doing the things I set up, or he simply walks away. It is so frustrating for me as a caregiver – he just can’t focus. As soon as I feel like he is content, like I can perhaps get a few moments to myself, he ends up getting into something he shouldn’t. I feel suffocated.
tinctures, topicals, concentrates, capsules, sprays, and vapes. Tinctures: “Tinctures are the most common usage of CBD on the market. Compared to any other products, tinctures and concentrates are probably the purest applications of CBD, as manufacturers don’t do any separate processing of the CBD oil. Some brands do add a little flavor to their tinctures, which makes it easier (and more enjoyable) for customers to take” (MOH, 2016) Tinctures come in mg doses of CBD, anywhere from 500mg to 2000mg. Use is easy, by simply placing drops under the tongue as directed on the bottle.
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My family must think I am helpless. They try to do everything for me, which makes me very frustrated, because I’m
CBD concentrates typically contain the highest available dosage of CBD, sometimes 10x higher than other CBD products. These products can come in syringes and are typically not “flavored”. Drops are also placed under the tongue, similar to tinctures. Another product includes capsules. Probably the easiest to use, capsules contain CBD oil and can come in various dosages. Capsules are simply swallowed and typically contain 1025mg of CBD. Topicals, such as lotions, salves, and lip balms are typically applied to the skin or areas of pain. “CBD topicals are known to help with chronic pain, inflammation, acne, psoriasis, cancer treatment, anti-aging, and so many more” (MOH, 2016). Sprays are one of the least popular,
practitioner if hawthorn is right for you. Side effects of Hawthorn are very rare, but can include headache, nausea, and palpitations (a feeling of a racing heart). Dori Cranmore RN is the owner of All About Herbs, Inc in Wasilla, AK. This information is intended for educational purposes only.
not a baby. I can do things myself, but I sometimes get lost between each step in the process of completing a task. If my family would simply tell me what to do next, I could prove that I am still capable of doing things physically for myself. I just need to have my world simplified, with less steps so I can focus on one thing at a time. After I’ve completed something on my own, I feel great, like I matter again! At Primrose, we know that the effects of dementia can be emotionally and physically taxing on families. You don’t always have all the answers, and that’s okay. Remember to take time for yourself and your family, and know that if you need help, we would be honored to assist you. Just visit our website at primroseretirement.com for more info.
only introducing 1-3mgs per spray, and are hard to track amounts of CBD. Serving sizes are typically labeled on the bottle. Finally, vapes can offer a familiar delivery system of CBD to the growing vaping community. Vaping offers quick adjustments to level of CBD but do not offer the same levels as capsules or tinctures. These require devices that can be expensive but advances in technology are dropping prices every day. So, there you go! Now you are equipped to experience the various types of CBD. As always, please do your own research, but if you would like to talk about CBD, stop by our “Sweet Lounge” on 224 N Yenlo St. Wasilla!
COMMUNITY & OPINION Contributed by Abby Lampley On one evening in 2015, MY House’s executive director, Michelle Overstreet, called me and a few other clients into her office and told us that we were going to be MY House’s next leaders. In response, I looked her in the eyes and said that I was not a leader, she was wrong about me and to find somebody else. Then, I walked out of her office. I was 19 years old at that time. Despite having a history of leadership roles as a teenager, I had the mentality that what I said did not matter and that
Contributed by Jeff Hewitt Children, all children, are our future. The investment we make in them will be revealed in the way society values them in the future. I pray that revelation shows we regarded them as the greatest treasure of all. Unfortunately, there are times when bad circumstances place these treasures in desperate situations. One of those circumstances occurred last winter when three young brothers between the ages of 4-7, were abandoned in Anchorage. Fortunately, they were taken in by a loving foster family in Anchorage, Alaska. Chaplain Ruthann Crosby is the founder of Chessed Alaska, a nonprofit educational organization in Wasilla, Alaska. When Chaplain Crosby related this story to her students, they all agreed that something needed to be done for children found in situations like this. One student donated backpacks and then each student took a bag and filled it with clothing, hygiene essentials, and a warm coat. The packs were tagged for different
nobody was going to seriously listen to someone who had half of her brain removed as a child. Little did I know, Michelle saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I am 22 years old now. I’m not sure when it happened, but I have become a leader in my local community. I am part of the staff at MY House now, both as the administrative assistant and as an advisory member of the board of directors. I am also a member of the Wasilla Noon Rotary Club because I believe in giving back to my community. On an international level, I am involved with the Brain Recovery Project and the Hemispherectomy Foundation as a role model and peer to
sized kids and a few comfort toys were added. The backpacks were taken to The Children’s Place in Wasilla, Alaska. The Children’s Place is a Child Advocacy Center and their mission is “To offer hope and healing to children and families impacted by child abuse and neglect through a coordinated community response.” The Children’s Place fulfills this mission by working with children, using a team approach that includes family advocates, medical providers, law enforcement officers, child protection workers, and the legal system. When children experience severe abuse, The Children’s Place provides a safe place for the child to talk about their experience once, as it is being recorded for evidence. By doing so, the child can begin healing because they don’t have to re-experience that traumatic event multiple times, to multiple agencies. Victims and their caregivers who come to The Children’s Place are welcomed by highly trained and experienced professionals in a
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those who have undergone the same type of brain surgery that I had done. One of the biggest things that I have learned since that evening in 2015 is that sharing my story is important. There is power and healing in being able to talk about what I have been through and being able to say and believe that my past does not define my future.
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voice and learning to use it, they move on from our program with confidence in themselves and what they have been through. Everybody has a story that is their life. Some are good; some are very traumatic. But, there is power and healing that comes when you find the strength to talk about what you have been through.
Spreading this message is one of my favorite things to do at MY House. MY House’s youth all have a past. Taking the time to teach these youth that their voices matter and empowering them to use their stories to impact others and heal is so powerful. By finding their
Verbally voicing your experiences can help you move forward, and in the process, your experiences can help someone else who may be struggling.
child-friendly atmosphere. Children receive medical evaluations, forensic interviews, advocacy, and referrals to mental health services. They receive all this with a coordinated team providing support through the emotional, physical and legal processes ahead of them.
awareness and publicly show our deep and sincere appreciation to foster parents who open their hearts and homes to children in need of stability, love and support.
Very often, when Law Enforcement or Child Protective Services brings a child to The Children’s Place, the child has been removed from an unsafe home/ guardian. When asked, Carol Clausen, Program Manager at The Children’s Place, confided, “There are times when children come in and have nothing but the clothes or pajamas on their back. A backpack with clothing, hygiene essentials and a stuffed animal or blanket can bring comfort to a child when their whole world has been turned upside down. We are very grateful to the Mat-Su community and people who take time to bring supplies for the children who are seen here. It means so much, and every little bit helps.” Many of these victims find themselves in the state foster care system and we at Chessed Alaska would like to raise
Never underestimate the power that is in you!
If you find yourself wondering what you can do to help children in crisis situations, please contact Alaska Center for Resource Families at 1-800-4787307 or 866-478-7307 or visit their website at www.acrf.org/. The foster care system needs safe homes to place children who are being abused or neglected. We all share a responsibility to invest in our future generations. It is the community’s job to protect them. Children can’t protect themselves! We can stand alongside families to provide support when a crisis happens, while other organizations, like Reach 907, stand beside families to help restore those children who have experienced traumatic situations. Please help to protect children experiencing abuse. Child abuse can be reported by calling the Office of Children’s Services at 1-800-478-4444 or by email: reportchildabuse@alaska. gov.
intensive intervention focused on rejoining their peers.
Contributed by Robert Griffin, Senior Education Research Fellow, Alaska Policy Forum & Bethany Marcum, M.S., Executive & Policy Director, Alaska Policy Forum The Problem: Statistics for literacy amongst Alaskan children are dismal. Alaska’s K-12 education system has arguably the worst student outcomes in the nation in the fundamental task of teaching children to read by the all-important age of nine. The most recent national test results show Alaska lags dramatically behind the U.S. in fourth grade reading – Alaska’s public schools scored 51st (dead last) in fourth grade reading for both upper-to-middle-income and low-
Contributed by Linda Myers-Steele Senior Ed is directed toward adults 50+ years old, who are interested in keeping mentally active, curious, learning something, and having fun. No tests, no grades, and homework only if you want to. And, here’s the best part… the classes are free of charge. WASI (Wasilla Area Seniors Inc.) has
income students – behind every other state and the District of Columbia. In fact, Alaskan students have been ranked in the bottom ten states in fourth-grade reading scores since test results were first published in 2003. The achievement gap between Alaskan students and the U.S. average in fourth grade reading is significant. In 2017, upper to middle-income Alaskan children were 12 points below the U.S. average and Alaskan low-income students were 18 points below the U.S. average. This policy brief provides statistical data to refute many of the explanations commonly used for Alaska’s poor educational outcomes: “This is a rural problem.” “It’s because Alaska has more
been kind enough to host the classes and the instructors will volunteer their time. A series of six classes launches the program on February 12, meeting from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. REDUCING MATH ANXIETY will be presented by instructor Bobbie Ackley. Bobbie holds a BA in mathematics and a MA in educational psychology. If you avoid
poverty.” “We just don’t spend enough.” “It’s due to our higher diversity rates.” “Pre-K is the answer.” The Solution: Proven solutions exist. Reading reform programs adopted in other states have led to enormous increases in reading scores over very short periods of time – despite less spending. The Florida model, in particular, has had great success. A variety of important components make up this policy solution, including early intervention, parental involvement, summer school programs and science-driven instruction. However, the key is the final safeguard: students who do not meet proficiency are retained in third-grade with more
mathematics or react with anxiety when required to deal with numbers, this course will introduce you to techniques for overcoming your fear and discovering how mathematics can be interesting, even fun, and definitely within your ability. There will be no textbook, no homework, and no quiz. This startup series will be held February 12, 19, 26,
Within just two testing cycles after implementing comprehensive reading reform to include retention, Florida jumped into the #1 spot in the nation. Florida is not the only state to have implemented third-grade literacy reform, but it was the first. Many others have followed. By 2018, 35 other states had adopted some form of the reading program that Florida enacted. All have seen improvements. Florida’s winning streak and the ripple effect through other states provides a proven policy model that Alaska should emulate. Alaska must give our children the fundamental skills they need to succeed. Alaska’s children deserve to read by age 9. Alaska’s children must Read by 9.
and March 5, 12, 19, at Wasilla Senior Center, 1301 Century Circle, Wasilla, in the meeting room. The Senior Ed program will continue on Tuesdays, at the end of March, with a gardening series instructed by Master Gardener, Linda Myers-Steele, with 40 years of Valley gardening experience. Other topics of interest are in the planning stages with hopes of continuing the sessions for the coming months.
ADULT PIANO LESSONS Hitchcock Piano Studio ........ 745-3134 APPAREL & CLOTHING All Seasons Clothing ........ 357-0123 D’s Tuxedo ........ 707-6585 Mila’s Alterations ........ 830-8339 ART & CRAFTS Artists Uncorked… 982-2675 The Gallery ........ 745-1420 BOOKSTORE A Black Sheep Shop ......... 376-8198 Black Birch Books ...... 373-2677 Fireside Books ........ 745-2665 CAFÉ & COFFEE Alaska Artisan Coffee ........ 745-5543 Gathering Grounds ........ 376-4404 Vagabond Blues……..745-2233 CANNABIS RETAILER Matanuska Cannabis Co. ...... 745-4211 CREATIVE ENTERTAINMENT Artists Uncorked ........ 982-2675 EDUCATION Learning Essentials ........ 357-3990 FOOTWEAR Northern Comfort ........ 376-5403 HEALTH & WELLNESS All About Herbs ........ 376-8327 Just Botanicals ....... 414-3663 Lone Wolf Aura ........ 631-0482 HOME DÉCOR Peak Boutique ........ 746-3320
COMMUNITY & OPINION Contributed by Mike Anderson, Office of US Senator Dan Sullivan U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) wrote the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, to clarify Facebook Marketplace’s policies regarding the sale of products or artwork made with any “part, pelt or skin from an animal, including fur.” Senator Sullivan was made aware of the policy issue by the Sealaska Heritage Institute – which informed the Senator that Sitka skin sewer Robert Miller posted a sea otter hat for sale on Facebook and received a message saying it was not approved, because it didn’t meet Facebook’s commerce policies. Facebook has since indicated the removal of these ads was a mistake. However, Senator Sullivan is requesting greater clarity on the scope of prohibited items for Alaska Native craftsmen and their customers around the world. “The Alaska Native community has for thousands of years used animal products for survival, subsistence,
and as a key means of cultural expression,” Senator Sullivan wrote. “Inhibiting the sale of these items not only limits the cultural exchange Facebook has empowered the Alaska Native community to share, but also threatens one of the key economic opportunities in remote Alaska villages. “Going forward, I hope we can work together to positively use the power of Facebook to the benefit of Alaska Native people and their communities. An important part of my work in the Senate is to try to correct the problems caused when public officials and entities like online vendors do not fully understand the unique circumstances of my constituents.” Senator Sullivan’s full letter to Mark Zuckerberg can be found online. Background: In February 2018, Senator Sullivan worked with Alaska Native artists to resolve an issue with Etsy – an online
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marketplace of crafts and handmade items – that initially refused to sell Alaska Native artists’ products or artwork with sealskin, sea otter and ivory. In October 2016, Senator Sullivan convened a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee field hearing at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention, to discuss a series of reported problems and confusion surrounding state laws across the country that prohibit ivory sales and harm Alaska Native artisans. Following the hearing – working with Alaska Native leaders and those negatively impacted by these bans – Senator Sullivan introduced S. 1965, the Allowing Alaska IVORY Act. This legislation, cosponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski, would have preempted states from banning walrus ivory or whale bone products that have been legally carved by Alaska Natives under the Marine Mammal Protection Act; in addition to preempting states from issuing bans on mammoth ivory products.
PIZZA Humdingers Pizza ........ 745-7499 PHLEBOTOMY SERVICES Valley Phlebotomy ........ 376-6435 PRINT SERVICES The UPS Store ........ 746-6245 REPAIR, RESTORATION Comtronics ........ 373-2669 S&S Drilling ...... 746-0225 The Powdercoat Shop .... 841-1300 SPECIALTY GIFTS Alaska Midnite Scents ........ 357-7364 Non-Essentials ........ 745-2258 The Boardwalk Shop ........ 357-8980 TANNING The Tanning Hut ........ 376-3324 THRIFT SHOPS Red Barn Thrift Store ........ 745-5050 Steam Driven Boutique ........ 376-4404 Turn-A-Leaf Thrift Stores ........ 376-5708 TOYS Just Imagine Toys ........ 357-1543 Learning Essentials .......... 357-3990
Contributed by Paul Maguire Alaska has developed a legacy of not "doing the right thing" (Spike Lee) when it comes to access for people with disabilities. We are not honoring the American’s with Disabilities Act by neglecting to clean sidewalks and ramps for people with disabilities. This has happened for decades -- people with disabilities are not able to successfully participate in our communities. Elected leaders seem to accept and promote this neglect as the norm. I expect better for people with disabilities, Veterans, and young children. Elected leaders need to address this, so that people using wheel mobility devices can successfully participate. Any promises from local elected officials are just “background noise” until I see ramps cleared at Pioneer Home, Just Sew, near the Delphi Pizza intersection, etc. You’ll have to earn
Contributed by Scott R. Laney JR. I used to work on the drilling rigs making over $100,000 a year, working 2 weeks on, 1 week off. On February 6th, 2014, I got ready for work. When I was ready, I took a shower, prayed, and went to bed. My mother was at work and felt the Holy Spirit telling her to pray for her son. So, when she was off work, that’s what she did. She prayed that God would forgive her of her sins and she as well prayed that God would
Contributed by Gene Kelly It is common that famous actors and actresses become weary of being identified in public, by admiring fans. They disguise themselves to evade annoyance from autograph requests. Being elderly is an advantage if their film persona was recorded in their youth. But still as senior citizens, evading admiration has challenges. By coincidence, two legends of film met while strolling along Hollyweird’s Walk of Fame. Daffy Duck and Donald Duck simultaneously saw through each other’s camouflage. Both were attired in trench coats, hiding their feathers, sun glasses and fedoras. Instead of telltale waddling, they engaged in Prussian goose stepping.
my trust. I’m just one voice, but I know one person can make a difference. Regarding my advocacy for “scraping ramps and sidewalks to surface” in Palmer, so wheel mobility devices like wheelchairs and strollers can roll... Your starting point with me regarding credibility is for me to witness the change in access for fat bikes and wheelchairs around Palmer -- unobstructed ramps, intersections and sidewalks. Several months since first snow and 18 ramps haven’t been touched. We’ve gone from blocked by snow, then ice dams, now snow on ice dams. I drove a sidewalk plow with a shovel, for many winters in the Boston area, in the ‘70’s. It takes a lot of work driving a Bombadeer with a V-plow and shoveling through many stormy nights. I had quit my masters at University of Wisconsin and moved home to support my mom with 9 kids, because dad died at the age of
send his son down to hold and protect me from death. She was unsure if I was ready to meet the Lord.
48, while jogging. He was a father of 10, Harvard, Michigan State, and Temple grad. I learned hard work and determination from my dad. My daughter and godson have the same work ethic and smarts. When I was 17 and struggling with teenage angst, dad gave me a plaque specifically made for me saying, ‘It takes a man to say “No!”’ My version today is: ‘It takes good discernment to say “Yes!”’ So, my “No” to our elected officials and the City of Palmer is — it’s inappropriate and illegal to ignore access for people with disabilities (Stop it!), and my “Yes” is to doing the right thing. Think about our most vulnerable citizens! So, as said by Cuba Gooding, Jr. in Jerry Maguire, “show me the money!” Change your behavior. Respectfully, Paul Maguire
lights, hopped out of my car and started to walk down towards the gas station. By the time I was 7 car lengths in head of my car, I noticed some headlights coming.
I woke up in the morning around 3:30 AM, got dressed and went outside to my car. I packed all of my bags in and started my car. I noticed how low I was running on gas, so I started to drive down to the gas station on KGB Rd. By the time I reached mile 8.4 I ran out of gas!
My neighbor and his girlfriend could both see me and said I was standing off the road on the other side of the white line waving my arms. The driver was blind in his left eye and had his cellphone out and swerved around my car, over the white line and hit me going 60 mph. I broke both legs, my left shoulder, fractured my skull, and I started to bleed inside my head.
I could see the gas station, so I called my neighbor, turned on my hazard
CONTINUES ONLINE: www.ThePeoplesPaper.news/ScottLaney
As they approached the intersection of Hollyweird and Vine, they tipped their sunglasses up for eye ball contact. Quacks of amusement made a duet chorus. Both our famed, feathered fowls took to reminiscing about days of old black and white, Daffy and Donald. While strolling along, they distracted each other by reminiscing. They lost track of just where they were, but for the moment weren’t concerned. Daffy told how he had quit the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Ducks, due to their absorption of Marxist ideology, common within Hollyweird. Donald told of disgust from being slandered as a cracker quacker deplorable. Then they commiserated over past
studio manipulations of their speech impediment lisps, common amongst ducks. They also expressed disgust with the toxic masculinity stereotype, and “me too” mania, metastasizing through judicial culture. Soon, our duck duo had bonded beyond their youthful rivalry as film star competitors. They knew they were fortunate to never be cast in the Marx Brothers Duck Soup. And they resigned themselves to not finding a relaxing swamp to paddle about in, since swamp creatures were in an uproar over EPA drainage issues. Donald and Daffy soon came to casually refer to each other as Don and Daff for short. CONTINUES ONLINE: www.ThePeoplesPaper.news/GeneKelly
COMMUNITY & OPINION Contributed by Emelia Vigil Congratulations to the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault’s Volunteer Attorney of the Month, Jon Marc Petersen! One of the ways that ANDVSA’s legal program supports survivors is through pro bono legal services. Volunteer attorneys are central to this mission, donating their time and skills to improve the lives of survivors. Jon Marc is no exception – his devotion to helping others did not begin when he started volunteering with ANDVSA, but his pursuit of justice through ANDVSA on behalf of survivors is certainly commendable. Jon Marc moved to Alaska as a twoyear experiment in 2005 – fifteen years,
Contributed by Anonymous Abuse Victim Note: In the interests of the privacy of my children, I have omitted names and obscured genders. My husband was arrested for domestic violence in 2012. That morning, one of our kids called the police, no doubt terrified. The night before my husband had stayed up all night drinking, and when I woke up, he was already raging. I don’t know if he ever even went to sleep that night. Seeing the rage and red face, I immediately started trying to put him at ease, offering concessions - anything to get him to relax. Usually that worked, but not this time. This time he was beyond appeasement. Still, I tried, and it only seemed to enrage him all the more. He became violent, screaming and cursing, striking me several times. Our oldest came down the stairs, crying and begging. In that moment that I turned to our child, assuming my husband would stop his assault, considering that our little one was in the room with us. While I tried to console our child, my husband picked something up from the kitchen table, hitting me in the head. I collapsed on the floor, on the verge of losing consciousness. I can still hear my child’s voice, saying that he was going to call the police. My husband continued to assault me while I was huddled beneath him. The police arrived, and took my husband outside, while our three kids all came from their room, hugging me all at once in a pile of tears and trauma. I didn’t know at that time that the abuse wasn’t coming to an end, it was only beginning. I foolishly thought that the system would help me bring this to an end. My husband admitted to assaulting me, and of course they arrested him and took him to jail. They enforced a restraining order on him for one year, and for six months we talked on the phone about reconciliation. I kept telling him that I felt he had secrets that were causing him to drink, and lash out, and that we needed to seek counseling. He wanted me to ask the court to remove the restraining order, and let him return home. I kept refusing, insisting that we seek counseling and work through these
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several career moves, and six children later, he and his family have fully woven themselves into the community in which they reside. Moreover, Jon Marc has invested time into the lives of those in need, citing the empowerment of clients as a driving force behind his volunteer work.
his office in the midst of a domestic violence-related custody case in tears and in need of legal assistance. Jon Marc consulted the woman and undertook the entire case pro bono, gaining custody, and more importantly, changing the life of his client for the better.
He initially served as a District Attorney in Palmer, before establishing Denali Law Group in 2007 with Richard Payne. Before volunteering with ANDVSA, Jon Marc independently took on pro bono work, stating that people feel drawn to his practice in search of support. It appears that his reputation as an empathetic, dedicated advocate for survivors precedes him. In one instance, a mother found herself in
The positive impact that Jon Marc has had on the legal affairs of his clients is large, but his impact on their socialemotional lives is even greater: “Once you’ve dealt with the DV dynamic over and over, you see patterns emerge. You have empathy.
problems. After half a year of this same back-and-forth pattern of ‘let’s go to counseling’/‘we don’t need counseling’, he stopped calling. A year had passed, with little to no communication, when I received divorce papers from him. It was painful, but I knew that without his willingness to talk and open up with a counselor, we would never be able to live together peacefully. Divorce was unavoidable at that point. I began to read through the paperwork... My shock and confusion at what was in those papers is still with me today. ANDVSA, or Alaska Network for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, was representing my husband, my abuser. I was the defendant, defending myself once again from my abuser, and despite my husband’s admission of, arrest for, and conviction of domestic violence, somehow he had gotten the Alaska Network for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to represent him. I cried in confusion, and felt myself slipping into a deep state of sadness. I felt that my abuser had simply gone and gotten a legal weapon, to reach beyond the restraining order that kept him at a physical distance. I was on the defense, legally, while my abuser was making use of the very organization that should have been helping me. For 4 1/2 years after that, we were in court. Although that same court system had already found my husband guilty of domestic violence, it was as if he had magically turned the whole thing around on me. With ANDVSA at his side, we found ourselves in endless delays, debating the safety of our children - an ironic situation that is not uncommon in family court. A custody investigation was done, under court order, a year later. The custody investigator’s report recommended that the I should have primary custody, but the court ignored that report, sticking with their previous order that gave my husband and I 50/50 custody in the interim, while we would decide the final custody arrangement at a later date. Much later, I would come to find out. For the following years, my husband would manipulate our oldest child into living with him. Our child was entering puberty, and my husband would offer ‘freedom’ to do as they pleased.
Clients have sometimes felt hopeless for so long.” He adds that he utilizes words of affirmation to rebuild the
Of course, this only led to our teenager getting into some seriously dangerous situations, and legal predicaments. Watching from a distance, as my childwas alienated from me, and led into a series of dysfunctional scenarios, was terribly painful. Knowing that our child deserved to be raised with love and limits, and seeing what the lack of those two boundaries was doing to our oldest child... it still wrecks me emotionally. So much lost potential, and lost hope. Now as a young adult our oldest child is still alienated from me almost completely. Our other children were also terribly impacted. I was unable to wrest away the power and control that my husband had harnessed through the ANDVSA, and minimize the damage that my husband could do to them. While in court, my husband testified that he had locked our middle child out at -14 degrees, to sleep outside, to teach him a lesson. His ANDVSA lawyer asked him if this punishment was effective. He laughed and said, “I think [they] learned [their] lesson.” I cried, and was overwhelmed with anger, and sadness again, and confusion. Here my husband was, on the stand, under oath, confessing to child abuse and neglect, and the lawyer assigned to him by the Alaska Network for Domestic Violence was framing this testimony - his own testimony, not cross-examination - minimizing his heinous and outrageous treatment of our 13 year old child as if it were normal parenting. So many emotions rushed through me, and so much confusion... and the judge said nothing. Years came and went, with delay after delay in court, while our children languished in this 50/50 situation. Their safety and welfare were constantly damaged, with too many incidents to list here, but nothing was ever done. Other parents, concerned about how our kids were impacting their own, even called OCS on my husband. OCS did nothing to help. Nothing. Finally, after begging the court to allow for psychological evaluations to be done, we received diagnoses for both my husband and myself. Once again, the results were in my favor, and clearly diagnosed my husband with several psychological issues, making some sense out of his otherwise senseless behaviors. I wish that had been the end of it, but even a qualified professional psychiatrist couldn’t sway those within the system
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confidence of individuals who may have been subjected to violence and abuse. For attorneys new to family law, Jon Marc names empathy as the most valuable tool in helping others. Outside of his law practice, Jon Marc enjoys spending time with his family – sledding and ice-skating in the winter, and dip-netting in the summer. ANDVSA thanks Jon Marc for everything he’s done for the organization as a whole and survivors in particular! If you are an attorney interested in volunteering for us, visit http://www. andvsa.org/volunteer-now/ or contact cpate@andvsa.org for more information and to sign up!
to do anything. It was simply brushed aside, just another waste of time and resources, while my children continued to suffer in the interim. Now we’ve finally reached a settlement agreement, but the people involved did everything they could to intimidate me into signing the settlement, telling me that it was a great deal, and that I might lose my children entirely if I didn’t sign. I received 2/3rd custody of our two younger children, with the oldest having aged out over the course of 6 years. Six years is a long time, and a lot of horrible things unfolded in that time. The abusive behaviors of my husband were well-documented - remember, he was convicted of abuse. None of that stopped ANDVSA from empowering him to do worse and worse. Years of continued abuse at the hands of the very organization that receives funding from the State of Alaska to help victims. Over the years, my husband continued to prove that he was abusive and manipulative, and my children continued to be impacted so terribly... And it all started with ANDVSA making the decision to partner with my abuser, at the expense of my children, and continue his aggression with an unlimited legal fund. Shameful. Everything I’ve written here is true, except one thing. I reversed the genders of my ‘husband’ and I. Really, I’m talking about my wife - a woman. Clearly, ANDVSA would never have taken this course of action with a ‘husband’, but apparently because of my spouse’s gender, she was believed. Even though she admitted to abusing me. Even though she was convicted of abusing me. None of that mattered, and not even the damage it did to our children was enough to cause ANDVSA stop. They were relentless in their abuse, and they deserve to be defunded. Any organization that represents people in court, and receives funding from the State of Alaska, should respect the rulings of that same court, and the will of Alaskans, who assume that ANDVSA will not use that funding to further attack the victims of abuse. I am keeping my anonymity, because my life has already been invaded in so many ways, and for so long. I am weary, my children are heartbroken and damaged, and I am certain that the abuse we’ve endured at the hands of ANDVSA will echo through to my grandchildren... And just like my abuser, ANDVSA will never be held accountable.
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POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Wes Keller John MacArthur is one of the finest Christian scholar/pastors of our time. He is a respected author and radio teacher. He was recently interviewed by Ben Shapiro, a political pundit, also respected and well-known. Shapiro, an orthodox Jew, explores the rationale behind Christians and Jews’ involvement in politics. Both MacArthur and Shapiro acknowledge the Old Testament as God’s revelation to mankind, but Shapiro, as a Jew, does not acknowledge the validity of the New Testament. It is a captivating interview. MacArthur includes a succinct explanation of Christianity’s core elements, to include the centrality of Jesus Christ and the authority of Scripture. They mutually agree modern politics actively deals with real, moral issues of concern to both Christians and Jews. However, I believe MacArthur seems to distance himself, and by implication Christianity, from too much political civic responsibility by prioritizing the church’s primary goal over any particular involvement in political issues. His separation of submission to the US constitution and submission to Divine authority
Contributed by Barbara Andersen It’s a natural reaction to survive. Every one of us are born with this sense and value our lives. We run and hide to get away from things that will harm us. We weren’t even taught this, it comes automatically from within. When we see others being harmed, we step in to help them. As mothers and fathers, we guard and protect our children with our own lives for their safety. As we grow, it is no question that, across the board, EVERYBODY knows it is wrong to harm another individual. It is a natural thing to have these convictions. Thus, we have a conscience. A conscience which innately knows right and wrong. Have you ever wondered from where it is that our moral code is derived? How can it be, if we are simply atoms clumped together into cells as the result of a big bang, a chaotic unordered event, possess any type of orderly systematic thought process to understand “right and wrong”? Honestly asked and humbly concluded, we are not products of a big bang. To the contrary, we were given life by our creator who is master of the universe. The omniscient and majestic God almighty. He has a purpose, he has laws and commandments which he has
Contributed by Boadicea Victoria We face a daily, institutionalized assault on our liberties, language, values, and culture. The LGBQT movement is trying to place strongholds in our schools. This is a difficult conflict to win, as bullets will not be the primary weapon with which to fight this war. No, the primary weapon will be uncompromising truth, knowledge and bravery. And to the school board I say: it’s time we get some. This is a war on evil. This is a war for souls. Thanks to years of the Obama administration and aggressive liberal and socialist propaganda, the LGBQT gang movement has managed to infiltrate our schools, by the psychological ploy of claiming “victimhood”. These gangs (whose purpose is to sexualize kids at school) are forcing people into submitting to the LGBQT agenda. These are the new bullies; not the new victims. In fact, the victims are anyone who dare oppose the regime. Teachers do not want to hang up gay pride signs, or teach gay pride propaganda from textbooks, but are being pressured to do so anyway. Students are being threatened with suspension should they disagree with the teachings of gender. In this way, these bullies are undermining the liberties and well-being of students and teachers, right here in our school district.
seems an oversimplification to me. He uses scriptures like Romans 13, 1 Peter 2, and Acts 4, in ways implying Christianity and Judaism should not be too aggressively involved in changing (maintaining?) original constitutional values. He believes a revolution (including the American Revolution) is not a Christian action (minute 3:25). He also commented on the danger of the church chasing issues and politics to the point we forget what the church is to be about. But isn’t this true in any element of Christian community? While these points are defensible, I cannot resist suggesting there are some qualifications. I would argue it is the church’s responsibility to continue what our founding fathers gave so much to start. Bible authors were not addressing an authority structure where every citizen holds a portion of the national sovereignty, no distinction was made between America and all previous government authority structures. “We the People” describes the sovereign authority established by God, which is very different than royalty – the distinction America built to honor. Biblical principles of course apply, but application is certainly not simple when we all hold a portion of the responsibility for the veracity of our laws. MacArthur also states the
told us in his Word that we must obey in order to live and worship him. He created us with purpose, ON PURPOSE. He is the author of life. He makes no mistakes. How can it be that we write laws against God’s holy order of things? Subsequently, our own Constitution states that we have been endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights. If you are a person who loves your liberty and freedom, you must acknowledge God as the origin of those rights. And forget not, which one of these is listed first... LIFE. Without life, there is no liberty nor pursuit of happiness. Regrettably, we, as an American culture, have embraced the brutality of abortion, as a “constitutional right”. Interesting how far we have come, from acknowledging LIFE as a primary gift, given by our creator, to allowing MURDER of humans in the womb, the place of God’s order in which we are to pass in ORDER to become the people we are today. Yes, we all acknowledge that we value our lives and would not allow any harm to come to us or our children. We want to survive. We are born with this, because it is God’s order. Why then, do legislators write bills to allow the murder of innocent
And it will only get worse. Take for example the Fairbanks school board resolution from October 2018, proclaiming that October is LGBQT history month. You can see the resolution online at the Fairbanks School District website under ‘resolutions.’ This agenda is already working its way into textbooks. Who is going to be expected to teach this stuff, you might ask? Good question! And where is the propaganda coming from? You guessed it. The union and private interest groups! A grade 3 “socio-emotional” learning curriculum, called “positive action” has a huge poster in it that says “follow the rainbow”. Don’t believe me? Ask to see the curriculum and look it up online. Asking a teacher who is not LGBQT to teach this stuff appears to be an infringement upon constitutional liberties. Increasingly, if a teacher says ‘no’ they risk losing their job or getting forced out by the LGBQT movement (gang activity). In other words, openly homosexual teachers and administration threaten the religious liberty of teachers and students who openly disapprove of homosexuality for religious reasons. Teachers are now being trained and asked to circumvent traditional family values. Leaders of the gay clubs can call OCS on a parent who does not support their son or daughters sexual conversion into the LGBQT movement. And the union, who is supposed to protect teachers, are guilty of helping the LGBQT movement into violating teachers’ constitutionally protected
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founders “were not Christians, but Deists” (minute 8:19)!
of a nation that is “one nation under God”. Our motto is, “In God We Trust”.
In spite of the fact that I respect and appreciate John MacArthur and have no doubt he is God’s servant, I admit to some frustration and perhaps defensiveness regarding our level of civic duty. I am painfully aware of my own inadequacy, so I rather tentatively write this review. To explain, I am a Christian very similar to MacArthur, and just as he stated he was called to preach, I am confident I was led by the same authority (Jesus Christ) to be a politician. I believe his definition of politics to be simplistic and insufficient (minute 2:30). I had to process the same Scriptures he uses from the context of having sworn to defend and uphold the constitution (“...so help me God”).
In these roles I had to merge unspiritual activities with religious priorities. An excruciating daily calendar demanded utmost attention for the majority of each working day... day after day.
I was elected by my constituents to not be passive or submissive on governing decisions consistent with my conscience and those I represented. Many times, I had to deal with having non-negotiable views on issues where I was clearly in the minority. By definition in America, passive submission is not a viable option! I also swore the same to serve in the US Air Force. In both roles, any authority I had was because I was “under” a higher human authority who was presumed to be under God’s authority. Both of these roles are compatible with Christianity under the authority of Jesus Christ. In America, “We the People” are sovereigns
children at certain times, under certain conditions, when they have reached a certain length of life, when someone can detect their heartbeat, whether their father is a violent criminal, or their mother selfishly wants them murdered and removed? More significant than what the legislators do, is the fact that many of us put them into those positions and condone their actions. It is unnatural to allow these convictions. Inequity is iniquity, and we are responsible if we allow them to write such decrees. We must repent. We must show our repentance by our actions. Murder is not a right. Stand up, speak out, take the blinders off of your eyes, open your ears to hear the truth. REPENT for allowing such insanity and lawlessness. The time for justice is always NOW! Let us abolish the practice of abortion, deeming it what it truly is, murder. Murder is already against the law, yet for some reason, abortion is not in that definable category in Alaska. Abolitionism, not pro-life rhetoric, is what will end the lawlessness. Urge legislators to take action and Support HB250, The Alaska Life at Conception Act. They all know about it, yet they ignore It because they do not fear God. If LIFE is truly important to them, they would waste no time
rights. So, where is the union for Christians now? It’s compromised. “Well, it’s all legal,” you might say. And on the surface, this might appear to be the case, but the larger question is: is it ethical to have this aggressively political LGBQT agenda in schools with our kids stuck in the middle of it? What about the Constitutional rights that are getting trampled on? Take for example, marijuana. Sure we could go down to the corner store and buy some marijuana. That’s legal. But it’s not ethical. It doesn’t mean we can all start rolling up in school and start puffing away. And this is essentially what is happening in schools with the LGBQT movement. You’ve got these GSA/GSLEN clubs on school campuses now and during lunch they are having big parties, passing out pride stickers and pushing people to join their club and “making allies” every chance they get. All in the cause to celebrate their lifestyle. IN A PROTECTED AREA. And believe you me, these are NOT victims. From my experience, the LGBQT movement is a snarky, self-entitled one, which pushes its agenda into peoples’ faces every chance it gets, and revels in seeing people punished who oppose it. And the biggest abomination are the clubs which recruit kids without the parental consent of its participants, and who can call OCS if the parent doesn’t agree with the child’s choice of gender (after being taught about it at school). Parents, I say to you: there is an enemy in the public school, who wants to turn
I presume there are many Christians who, while perhaps not swearing an oath, are led to use their talents and initiatives to govern or impact government (political or not): Attorneys, reporters, radio talk show hosts, lobbyists, soldiers, policemen, social workers, school teachers, soldiers, policemen... I propose the perspective of these Christians who are part of human government had better not be overly passive! I admit to wondering if MacArthur (and too many others) have forgotten the utter uniqueness of America... “we the people” individually hold a portion of the total sovereign responsibility. I respectfully disagree with MacArthur and believe this responsibility must be inevitably fulfilled in the context of “politics”. To finish reading this article please visit my blog at WesKeller.com/respectfuldisagreement. Ben Shapiro interviews John MacArthur, youtube.com/watch?v=F-ofKxfYqGw
seeking justice for the innocent. Remember that defending ourselves against murder is a natural reaction, when violence comes our way. Abortion is violence to the unborn and they cannot be heard as they scream within their God given home, the womb. You have a voice, use it for them. Call, email or meet with your representative/ senator and urge their support of HB250, The Alaska Life at Conception Act. If they tell you that they are prolife, that is not good enough. Pro-life legislators merely support prolonging the process and never want to truly end abortion. They will continue to tell you that it takes time and must be funded because it is complicated. This is untrue. If they have the power to write bills incrementalizing murder, they can use that same power of the pen to put an end to abortion now. Unborn children deserve their life to continue, which requires protection from all of us. We all began our lives in a womb. It is God’s perfect order for growth and development. Remember, five Alaskan babies are being sacrificed every day. The count continues while pro-life legislators ignore them. Visit FreeTheStates.org for more info
your child against you and your values. Do you want to protect your child at school, and not fall victim to these ‘protected’ gay clubs that recruit and indoctrinate members? Then call your principal, school board members and speak out. Ask about these clubs. Visit schools and don’t be shy. As a former teacher myself, it is my constitutional right to teach in a public school that does not force me to accept, promote and push LGBQT propaganda and agenda, unto unsuspecting and innocent children. God created man and woman. Democrats, socialists and liberals created all the other genders. So, why should we be forced to follow this madness? The liberal sympathizers are becoming the enablers as well. These days, it seems everyone has rights but white, conservative, Christian people. And this is why good teachers and students are fleeing the schools. But it does not have to be this way and should not be this way. As a parent, I want to have the right to know if my child is going off to school, into the class of a transsexual, where that person will promote that lifestyle. But school administrators claim they are not at liberty to disclose this information to parents. See, we need transparency, not transparent see. Please call or e-mail your school official today and ask how your child could be affected by the LGBQT movement.
MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA
POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Jim Sykes Last month in these pages, I wrote about the need for people to be able to ask questions and get actual facts about how healthy air levels in Butte might affect the community and people living in other areas in the Borough if healthy air violations continue. People have been asking. About 50 people gathered at Butte elementary on January 22nd and were able to talk one-on-one with representatives from Alaska DEC, the Borough and the American Lung Association. After brief presentations, people’s questions were answered and some expressed strong opinions, like usual. Additional questions are still being answered. After the meeting, some folks who had been critical of DEC or the Borough thanked them for coming. It was good to see honest dialogue from the community and officials. There seems to be more understanding that the Butte has an air quality problem that needs to be dealt with locally and that enforcement by the EPA needs to be avoided. At the end of
Contributed by David Eastman This week will go down in infamy in Alaska. If we are unlucky, it will also make its way into the story of Alaska that people outside Alaska tell each other about Alaska. Along with talk of seeing Russia from your front porch, allusions to this year’s record-breaking achievement in the legislature may well become part of everyday descriptions of what it is that makes Alaska different from 49 other states. Earlier today, our state government reached entirely uncharted territory. Never in Alaska’s history, have House legislators from one party refused to participate in the peaceful transfer of power for more than 90 days after an election. Never. On Election Night, Alaska voters withdrew their support for the Democrat Majority then in power and elected a Republican Majority to the Alaska State House. Republican legislators represent roughly 110,000 more Alaskan voters than do their Democrat (and Independent) counterparts. Even so, Democrats continue to run the State House and have refused to cast a vote in the election of a new Speaker of the House. At no point in our state’s young history has the legislative branch of government refused to begin doing the work of the people for more than 90 days after the election. In Congress, and in the vast majority of legislatures throughout the country, the
Contributed by Vic Kohring As I watched President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech this week, the fake press once again went all out to discredit him and further divide our country. Within 60 seconds of the end of his speech and right on cue, major network commentators attempted to tie-in the president’s remarks with the Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon legal debacles. Trump makes a brief reference to the phony Russian collusion claims in his defense and is now supposed to be on par with Clinton’s impeachment and Nixon’s Watergate. The problem is, no concrete evidence of a connection with the Russians has surfaced, yet the media keeps their deceitful narrative alive, hoping it will eventually resonate with the public. Instead of praising the president for his call for a unified country (“We must reject politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution” and “Choose between greatness and gridlock and pointless destruction”), the hateful press chose to throw fuel on the fire of division,
2017, just a few additional violations could have triggered a “non-attainment” classification that could have forced the Borough into 20 years of onerous and expensive regulatory drudgery with the EPA. Luckily, those violations didn’t happen before the end of 2017. Then, 2018 was an excellent year, with only one violation. Was it the good weather? People burning drier wood? Fewer slash piles? All of the above? We don’t know. Now that we literally have a little breathing space, it’s a good time to find a solution that keeps air levels from exceeding healthy limits and avoids possible enforcement action by the federal EPA and state DEC. Last December, the Borough Planning Commission began considering a proposal that asks people not to burn outside trash, slash and burn barrels and such when air quality alerts have been issued. The goal seeks to minimize adding unnecessary PM2.5 (extremely tiny smoke particles) into the air from outside burning when the air quality levels are already bad during an “air advisory alert” that tends to trap the
first order of business for a legislative body is to elect an officer to lead that body. At no point in our nation’s history that I am aware of, have half of the state legislators in a legislative body refused to support even a single candidate for election to lead that body. Other states have had protracted impasses in their state legislatures from time to time, but ours is truly unique, historic even. Alaska’s Constitution provides no contingency for passing a budget or passing law, if half of a legislative body refuses to participate. Conservative estimates place the cost of holding sessions for the Alaska House of Representatives at $57,664.57 per day. As 40 legislators and the agency and legislative staff hired to support them have sat idle for the past 23 days, this means that our legislature has now spent more than $1.3 Million on a legislative session at which nothing more than administering each legislators’ oath of office has been accomplished. For the past 23 days, Democrat legislators and former Democrats in the State House have refused to cast even a single vote for any candidate, to lead the House of Representatives. The election of permanent officers requires a majority vote. By refusing to vote for any candidate (Republican or Democrat), they can prevent that election from taking place. Former Democrat, Rep. Gary Knopp (R-Kenai) made clear earlier this week (https://www.360north.org/gavel/vid eo/?clientID=2147483647&eventID=2
by cutting the man down. Instead of celebrating our strong economy, record employment, low inflation, and a prospering American people, the media chose to nitpick the president like a bunch of mutts yipping and biting at his ankles. Their two-year-long crusade to destroy the man since his inauguration has failed and they’re in a frustrated state of confusion on why the president continues to stand tall and remain popular. Democrats in Congress are also increasingly frustrated that their attacks have failed, from Nancy Pelosi to Chuck Schumer to Maxine Waters. Their refusal to work with Trump to solve our country’s pressing problems on immigration and national security is sad. It’s clear their primary goal is to remove the president from office, not come together and work in the spirit of togetherness. You could see the dismay on the faces of Democrats during Trump’s speech – the frowns, smirks, blank stares, indifference, and the “I-don’t-care-becausehe’s-a-Republican” attitude. The long, sad face of Bernie Sanders was especially telling when Trump proclaimed that we will never be a
particulates in the Butte area. This usually happens about two to four times during cold air months. Another goal is to have a local solution that keeps healthy air levels from exceeding violation limits so that it does not trigger the federal EPA classification “non-attainment,” which would allow federal regulators to decide what steps need to be taken to remedy the violations in an area they define (Butte or larger areas of the Borough) for a period of 20 years. By designating the Butte Air District and continuing air alerts and education as a prevention measure, the Borough gets a seat at the EPA table on behalf of residents. While EPA still has the final decision, the local efforts and designated air district give the Borough added leverage. The proposal also protects Mat-Su residents’ way of life, including their right to heat their homes with wood, and does not allow Borough regulation of wood stoves or other heating sources. One Planning commissioner asked what would happen if the borough went into “non-attainment” and did not have an air quality program and left it up to
019021017&startStreamAt=3451) that he has nothing against the Republican candidate for Speaker, and that he believes he is the perfect candidate for the position. Knopp will vote for him. He simply isn’t ready to cast his vote “yet”. What this means is that, under the current rules of the legislature, the public safety legislation put forward by Governor Dunleavy to repeal SB91 cannot be voted on or passed. The legislation put forward by the governor to protect the PFD cannot be voted on or passed. The legislation put forward by the governor to bring our state’s spending in line with revenues cannot be voted on or passed. In other words, while Democrat legislators pursue an agenda of stalling, none of the policies supported by the new administration can even be considered in the State House. Rule 13 (http://akleg.gov/docs/pdf/ uniform_rules.pdf#page=25) of the Alaska Legislature requires the State House to meet at least once each day during the legislative session. When Republicans voted to enforce this rule on Monday, Democrat legislators responded by simply ignoring it and refused to attend the Tuesday floor session. Not a single Democrat legislator came. The twenty legislators who have refused to cast a vote for Speaker of the House, who refused to attend the floor session, and who are precipitating this constitutional crisis are:
socialist country and allow government coercion, domination, and control. It was as if Bernie was thinking, “How dare you put down my illusion of a fool’s paradise!” Trump knows that when his opponents scowl and cry foul with such a fever pitch, it means he’s succeeding and doing his job. The president’s opponents in the House Chambers behaved much like petulant school-age children on a playground whose feelings were hurt. When they were forced to applaud Trump’s remarks about the achievements of women in today’s America (so they wouldn’t be seen on camera as sore losers), they rose to their feet to back slap and highfive each other as if a group of teenagers whooping it up in a locker room, instead of acting as dignified congressmen and women. It was a childish display. I see the divisions as a direct result of a lack of God in society. If one is sincere in their faith and has God in their heart, you become humble with a natural desire to be cooperative and willingness to work with others. Psalm 133:1 talks about how good it is when God’s people live together in unity. 1 Peter 3:8
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the DEC? Basically, EPA tells the state it needs to develop a “state improvement plan (SIP) for that area to improve air quality. EPA decides how much area will be included and also approves the required improvement plan for continued monitoring, enforceable actions and strategies for 20 years, which can be onerous and expensive. Both Fairbanks and Juneau got larger areas designated by EPA than they wanted, but they didn’t have a designated district or a prevention plan before they went into “non-attainment”. Leaving responsibilities to EPA and DEC is risky because they decide where and when to classify an area into nonattainment, and they don’t have the local knowledge that the Borough has. Because Mat-Su is currently “in attainment” and not forced into federal regulations, we have the opportunity to implement simple steps to avoid federal regulation and have healthier air. The Planning Commission proposal was approved unanimously and will be introduced at the Assembly on February 19th with its first public hearing probably on March 5th. We simply need to find the best way. An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of EPA cure. Jim Sykes serves as a Member of the MatSu Borough Assembly and the opinions expressed are his own.
- Rep. Gary Knopp (R-Kenai) (Former Democrat) - Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux (R-Anchorage) (Former Democrat) - Rep. Grier Hopkins (D-Fairbanks) (Democrat legislator) Rep. Adam Wool (D-Fairbanks) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Harriet Drummond (D-Anchorage) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Zack Fields (D-Anchorage) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Matt Claman (D-Anchorage) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Louise Stutes (R-Kodiak) (Republican legislator) - Rep. Sara Hannan (D-Juneau) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Andi Story (D-Juneau) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D-Sitka) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan) (Independent) - Rep. Bryce Edgmon (D-Dillingham) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky (D-Bethel) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. Neal Foster (D-Nome) (Democrat legislator) - Rep. John Lincoln (D-Kotzebue) (Democrat legislator) Rep. David Eastman has served in the Alaska State House representing the Mat-Su since 2017; He ran on a platform of fighting for genuine conservative reform, fiscally and socially, and remains committed to delivering on that promise.
says one must “Have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” And the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that there should be no divisions among Christians and that we should be united in mind and thought. The problem is, too many in this country, including an increasing number of leaders, are not godly and therefore unable to overcome their anger, bitterness, and hatred toward our president and those with conservative ideals. Without God as a guide and moral compass, our leaders flounder and drift away from the principles that made our country great. That’s why traditional family values have been scrapped, the sanctity of human life is no longer valued, and Soviet-style socialism is embraced by many. And it’s why Democrats in Congress can’t stomach the thought of working with our president. They long for the days of Barack Obama and his brand of anti-God, anti-Christian totalitarian government. But it’s a new era and a time to find common ground and cast aside politics and our personal differences as we work to make America a better place.
PETS & ANIMALS
MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA
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Contributed by Kelleigh Orthmann Pixie, she looks the part. Very cute with her brown tabby markings splashed over a soft ivory coat. She maybe 2 or 3 years old.
Contributed by Kelleigh Orthmann
Contributed by Angie Lewis This sweet girl might be a Lab/Spaniel mix, but really, we are just guessing at that. She is about 13 or 14 weeks old and has had a rough start in life. She was severely dehydrated and malnourished. Shuri was loaded with round worms, which was bringing her to the brink of death. So, after spending almost $1,200, we got her on the road to health. She is now a very energetic, fun-loving little puppy. Everyone who meets her says she is the sweetest dog. Come meet this great little gal! To get more information about Shuri, call Angie at Alaska Animal Advocates at (907) 841-3173 or email at akaarescue@hotmail.com
Contributed by Angie Lewis, President of Alaska Animal Advocates Approximately a half million dogs and cats are euthanized on a yearly basis after their guardians pass away. We share our lives with these beautiful creatures; love them and consider them part of our family. However, so many of us do not deal with the issue of who will care for them when we are gone or incapacitated. It is a difficult situation to even contemplate, but making arrangements for your pet is not actually complicated. The most important step in this process is deciding who will become your animal friend’s next guardian. Make sure to discuss your choice with the person you have in mind. This should be a mutual agreement, not a surprise. Family members are not always the best choice when delegating this responsibility. Make sure that this person has
Love in a pretty package. That’s Anley. She’s a soft, silky, ebony girl with a chocolate ruff and an adorable face. She’s a slim, trim, little girl, and full of affection. She is maybe 7 years old. Anley loves a lap. She loves being petted. She loves keeping you warm on cold nights, making music with her contented purrs, and she would LOVE to share her life with a loving family.
Contributed by Susan Fujimoto Mystery is a wonderful year and half old, spayed silver tabby and tortoise shell cat. Where she came from is a mystery, hence the name. She showed up pregnant and had her litter of kittens in a family’s home. Mom and babies were taken great care of and all the kittens have been adopted to new homes. Mystery loves to be held over your shoulder and enjoys kids and dogs but can feel bullied by more dominant cats. She is looking for her forever home, too.
Pixie is super-duper loving with her people. She wants so much to be loved. She will roll on her back and stretch and get into the cutest yoga poses. She’s a people pleaser. She is still adjusting to a place with strange cats. She is curious about them, but not interested in a close connection.
If you’re looking for an easy to love, cuddly ray of happiness, Anley would be your girl. In Houston.
Her identification number is A100405. We are located at 9470 E. Chanlyut Circle, Palmer, beside the landfill, and open from 11am until 6pm, Tuesday through Saturday.
That may be totally different in a home where there is more room with a cat that does its own thing. We don’t know about dogs. She’s a girl for a person who wants to fill their heart with the beauty and affection of a sweetheart kitty. She is young and curious and loves to stroll through the yard and observe the beauty of outside. She will need a safe yard. She is located in Houston.
Call (907) 315-9510
Call (907) 746-5500
Call (907) 315-9510
She causes no trouble whatsoever, very well behaved. Her goal is to snuggle up, purr, and catch a good nap. Preferably with loved ones. She can tolerate other cats, but would prefer that they stay out of her bubble.
the ability to care for your pet. They should have enough time, share in most of your pet care philosophy, and be able to provide for your pet financially. If possible, choose a second guardian in case something happens to your first choice and they become unable to provide care for your pet. Make every effort to create a fund to help with the financial burden that ensues with a pet’s care. Discus your expectations and hopes with this caretaker – don’t leave anything to chance. It is best to plan for your pet’s care in writing and make sure that family members, neighbors, or other involved people have a copy of this plan. This information can even become a part of your will. If you do not have anyone that would provide appropriate care for your pet, things become a bit more challenging.
You may need to utilize other resources, such as a shelter, a rescue organization, your veterinarian, or the group that you adopted your pet from. Another option would be an animal sanctuary that you have researched thoroughly. There are many such organizations nationally. If you do not prepare and make arrangements for your beloved pet in your will, he will automatically go to your beneficiary. Name one or more individuals as your pet’s caretaker in your will. These individuals should agree to care for your pet, and you should provide financially for the required care for the remainder of your pet’s life. If you do not have a will, your pet will go to your next of kin. A legal document called a “Pet Trust” should be included in your will. This document will allow for you to have a great deal of control about your pet’s
care after your death. This document will allow for you to choose a trustee, who will handle the finances for your pet, decide on the type of care your pet will receive, and what will happen to your pet, should the caretaker no longer be able to care for him. Another type of trust is a “Revocable Living Trust”. This document helps avoid probate, which reduces the chance of disputes concerning your will. There are a number of different sources for funding pet care. Cash, life insurance policies, stocks and bonds, and assets such as your house or vehicles. It would be wise to consult an attorney to determine the best way to go about setting up a viable process for caring for your pet. Although none of us wants to think about our own death, we would certainly feel more comfortable knowing that the animals we love so dearly will be cared for when we are gone.
COMMUNITY
Contributed by Debra McGhan Thanks to support from the City of Palmer, BP Employees Foundation, Mat-Su Parks and Trails, Fishhook Community Council and dozens of individual donors, the Hatcher Pass Regional Avalanche Center, part of the Alaska Avalanche Information Center, is now producing one forecast per week along with mid-week updates and observations for Hatcher Pass. Forecasters Jed Workman and Allie Barker live in Chickaloon, and often make the drive to Hatcher Pass to look for avalanche activity, dig pits to determine the stability of the snow and carefully check snow crystals for fracturing or cohesive bonding. On other days, Jessie Haffener and Sam Galoob, caretakers at the Independence Mine State Historical Park, spend their time recording their observations or teaching school children the basics
Contributed by Sara Buie Join us as we celebrate with the groovy style of the 60’s & 70’s. March 9th, 2019 from 5-7pm, at the Curtis D. Menard
MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA
of avalanche and backcountry travel safety. All of this work is done in an effort to keep the Hatcher Pass visiting public aware, informed and ultimately out of fatal avalanches. The goal is to provide current, relevant information that will help visitors to Hatcher Pass better know and prepare for snow conditions. Some days forecasters may describe stable conditions, but on other days have been known to recommend visitors pause on the sidelines and wait for conditions to improve. Since 1997, there have been nine people lost in avalanches in Hatcher Pass. Workman and Barker, recognizing the void and need for avalanche safety information for Hatcher, Pass, spent numerous years managing and providing a weekly forecast as unpaid volunteers. With years of training
Memorial Sports Center (Turf Side) in Wasilla. Tickets are $20.00 per person. You can purchase your tickets at the Wasilla Museum & Visitor Center,
and experience, the two avalanche specialists set out to establish a nationally recognized forecast center but lacked the resources needed to make it happen. Joining forces with the statewide, Alaska Avalanche Information Center in 2010, and working in collaboration with the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center, Workman and Barker formed the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center advisory committee with local residents. In 2016, the group began fundraising efforts in earnest. Thanks to growing support from the City of Palmer, the Fishhook Community Council the Mat-Su Parks and Trails Foundation, and dozens of individual donors, the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center now produces a weekly funded forecast along with paid observations. These efforts are helping to sustain the forecast center and bring critical information on a regular basis to MatSu Valley residents who regularly visit Hatcher Pass. For Janet Talley, the mother of Dr. Liam Walsh, this comes as good news. She lost her son to an avalanche in Hatcher Pass in November 2016. “Our family was shocked when we discovered how popular this area is to the public, yet there was no official forecasting or information available,” said Talley. “Not even any obvious signs to warn people about the danger.” Talley and a host of friends joined together after Walsh’s death and contributed funding to support the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center’s ‘Are
City Hall Finance Department and the Curtis D Menard Memorial Sports Center. Your ticket includes food and a DJ! So, come on out and boogie off those winter blues!
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You Beeping’ sign project. Today, there are three of these interactive signs located at Hatcher Pass State Park kiosks. The signs warn visitors to the area about the potential danger, provide critical safety tips, and ensure visitors are transmitting a signal from operating avalanche transceivers. Skeetawk, a non-profit group dedicated to building a controlled ski area in the lower area of the pass, is moving forward with their plans to construct the first mechanized ski lift. This ski area is expected to bring even more visitors to the pass and further increase the need for avalanche information for this region. “As the number of visitors to Hatcher Pass continues to grow,” said AAIC President Sean Wisner, “we want very much to see the Hatcher Pass avalanche center continue to grow and become a solid fixture and information resource for this region of Alaska. And more importantly, we want to see the number of fatalities in Hatcher Pass stop happening.” In addition to forecasting and observations, the Alaska Avalanche Information Center Hatcher Pass team provides educational opportunities and outreach across the Mat Su Valley. Thanks to funding from the Alaska Department of Public Safety, Mat-Su Health Foundation and First National Bank Alaska, the education team is visiting schools and communities across the Mat-Su Valley, providing free or lowcost workshops. Don’t head out to Hatcher Pass without taking the time to get educated. Your family will thank you. Learn more and see all the training opportunities available at www.alaskasnow.org