The People's Paper April 2021 by The Peoples Paper

Wasilla’s Local Bookstore is Back!

MORE ON PAGE 7 OF THE PEOPLE’S PAPER

COMMUNITY Contributed by Taylor Jordan, Black Birch Books Black Birch Books Grand Re-Opening 5/5/2021 – 7AM Black Birch Books 2901 E Bogard Rd. #104 FREE Admission The pandemic hasn’t been friendly to small business. Throughout the last year, we’ve seen several businesses temporary close or close their doors entirely. The bookstore in Wasilla was no different. Once located on Main Street, Taylor Jordan of Black Birch Books closed her brick-and-mortar location and built a bookstore in her garage. While operating from home, they offered in person, delivery services, book repairs and all of the wonderful community interaction you’ve come to know and love from them. Now, Black Birch Books is back at

Contributed by James Embree, Alaska Vintage Market Alaska Vintage Home Market & Food Truck Fest May 14-16, 2021 – 2PM Alaska Vintage Market, Alaska Chicks Alaska State Fairgrounds 2075 Glenn Hwy. Palmer Tickets: $5 Day Pass, $5 Weekend Pass, $10 Early Bird Shopping As Alaska works to resume normal life coming out of the pandemic restrictions, this event promises to help you kick off a great Alaskan summer. The spring event will take place at the Alaska State Fair Grounds in Palmer on May 14-16, 2021. There will be an open-air market atmosphere as the vendors will be set up in and around the giant State Fair Barn. This semi-annual event is the biggest and best of its kind in Alaska with over 100 vendors, plus over 40 food trucks. The vendors are local Alaskan small businesses who design and many of whom hand make their wares. With so many of the regional fairs and markets canceled in the past year, many of these businesses have been greatly affected. This market will be a chance for them to be back to selling their unique products and re-grow their businesses. Many of the vendors spend most of the year crafting their products like, up-cycled furniture, woodwork, custom clothing and accessories, household décor, pottery, etc. and look to sell their goods at events like this. In most of the booths, you will be buying directly from the artist/ craftsman who made the products. We have food vendors from around the state, including new ones to delight your tastebuds. This spring, the event will also include free performances on the Blue Bonnet Stage by three local Alaskan bands, Roots and Branches, Braided River, and Ava Earl. We also have a Family Break Room for kids and nursing moms, yoga, chair massage, get a photo on a “Hank” the Moose, free photo booth in Stella the Bus, and so much more. Weekend passes are available online for $5 at www.alaskavintagemarkets. com, or you can also buy a day pass

at the gate for $5. If you want to enjoy “Early Bird Shopping”, you can pay $10 at the door for Friday, May 14th from 12pm-2pm, or upgrade your weekend pass for $5. Free parking all the time.

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a brick and mortar! Their Grand Re-Opening is May the 5th, on their three-year anniversary at 2901 E. Bogard Road #104 in Wasilla. Taylor boasts that it’s a 10-minute bike ride from Wasilla High and still close to their favorite non-profit, MY House. You can expect to see plenty of parking, local author events and space for gathering. When asked why this location works for the bookstore, Taylor said, “It’s great! The open floor plan is perfect for what I needed: There’s space for my coffee shop to open in August, it’s fully wheelchair accessible and I’m close enough to the school that kids can still walk over for a safe place to hang out and do homework.” Drop by Black Birch Books on May 5th to see it all for yourself! The bookstore hours will be TuesdayFriday from 7AM-7PM and Saturday from 10AM-4PM, closed Sunday and Monday.

COMMUNITY Contributed by Ken Helander, Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska For older people, going to a gym on a regular basis gives the opportunity to build strength and stamina by exercising the body in systematic, increasingly exerting ways. The results can be a lowered chance of falls, better coordination, improved sleep, stronger muscles and improved selfimage. As we age, our brains need consistent challenge too. Aging brings with it a host of “senior moments” when we begin to second guess ourselves, becoming more easily distracted, forgetful, and less able to concentrate for long periods of time. Taken together, these “senior moments” can add up to unsettling feelings of fear and anxiety. Is it Alzheimer’s or some other kind of dementia, or is it just normal aging? For healthy, community dwelling older adults, Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska has some good news. Beginning May 18th, we will be offering a new program for those who find themselves worrying more about memory loss, but who haven’t felt a need to see a doctor about it. The

new program, Mind Aerobics™, was developed by the non-profit, New England Cognitive Center, as a nonmedical intervention to help stabilize and in many cases to improve function across six domains of cognitive functioning. Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska (ARA) will offer the Mind Sharpener™ as a virtual program which targets persons who are healthy community dwelling older people with concerns about their own forgetfulness. Independent research studies have shown that there can be improvement/stabilization in the six cognitive domains the Mind Aerobics™ targets - reaction time, visual/spatial, attention and concentration, memory, language and problem solving. Each of these have real-life implications in how we move through our daily tasks, and just like with physical exercise, regular brain workouts help strengthen our minds and keep them fit. Participants in ARA’s Mind Aerobics™ program will work out on Zoom two times a week for one hour for a total of twelve weeks (24 sessions). Prior to beginning the course of workouts, each participant will have a complete

Contributed by Stacy Barnes, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation Approximately 2,500 applications were submitted from the Mat-Su Valley for consideration for financial assistance with their rent and utilities as a result of hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has been charged with administering the federally funded program on behalf of the State of Alaska, but has key partners working behind the scenes, including Valley Charities. AHFC received 30,047 applications from across the state before its March 5, 2021 deadline. AHFC has been working steadily to verify identities, review required documentation, and issue payment to landlords and utility companies on behalf of the

applicant. Valley Charities is among the agencies that has been tapped to reach out to applicants to confirm AHFC has the most current and accurate information related to income, rent and utilities. “Valley Charities has consistently done good work to prevent homelessness in the Mat-Su Valley and they are a credible partner in our work to get payments to Alaskans under financial distress because of the pandemic,” said Bryan Butcher, CEO/executive director of Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.

Contributed by Steven Brown, VCRS Executive Director

Denali Borough and Denali National Park in a zero-waste initiative working in conjunction with the National Parks Conservation Association in a pilot project with Yosemite National Park, and Grand Teton National Park, which was funded through the support of the Subaru Corporation. This project illustrated the need to focus attention on the necessary diligence to provide the opportunity for park visitors to conveniently recycle clean and sorted material in park boundaries.

Valley Community for Recycling Solutions (VCRS) has been active in the Mat-Su Borough for over 20 years. Our reach during this period has expanded beyond the borough to regional, statewide, national and even international reaches. Did you know that cardboard recycled at VCRS is sold to International Paper, who has numerous mills that create fiber products from cardboard such as the brown paper grocery bags Carrs/ Safeway uses? Check out the label on the bottom fold of one of these bags, and you will see the stamp that indicates International Paper made the bags from recycled material some of which comes in directly from the Valley. This is just one example of the cycle of material in the reduce, reuse, recycle realm. We have also collaborated with the

In an effort to prevent fraud and to successfully connect with applicants, each was assigned a unique confirmation code. Before the applicants are called by a Valley Charities Rent Relief Specialist, an email and text

With eight national parks in Alaska, VCRS hopes to take the information gathered in the pilot project and employ it in not only the National Parks, but any government sponsored outdoor nature experience. Currently, delineated recycling kiosks seem to be in vogue which helps limit the level of garbage in the recycling stream and makes a convenient collection area for clean and sorted

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assessment of their baseline functioning conducted by an independent researcher from Minnesota State University. Following the 24 sessions, the assessments will be conducted again to evaluate progress in the six domains. The same assessment will again be conducted at three months after the last session to test the durability of progress. Participants will be able to see for themselves the benefits of their participation, as well as identify areas needing additional workouts. There is no limit to the number of courses in which an individual may participate. In the event that an individual learns through their medical care of the presence of a dementia, including those that are progressive, like Alzheimer’s disease, eventually ARA will be offering specially developed Mind Aerobics™ programs for each stage of the illness. For more information about this exciting new program and to see if you qualify, you may contact the Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska’s Mat-Su office at (907) 746-3413. As of now, the Mind Sharpener™ program is virtual and is therefore available to Alaskans with computer access anywhere in the state.

message will alert them to an imminent incoming call, and the name of the individual who will be responsible for the applicant’s information. Information about the program is available at AlaskaHousingRelief.org or by toll-free telephone at 1-833-440-0420. About Alaska Housing Finance Corporation: For 50 years, Alaska Housing Finance Corporation has provided Alaskans access to safe, quality and affordable housing through home financing, energy efficiency programs, public housing and more. Since 1986, Alaska Housing has contributed more than $2 billion to the State of Alaska’s General Fund. Contact: Stacy Barnes Director, Governmental Relations and Public Affairs (907) 330-8445/301-4556 sbarnes@ahfc.us

materials available to consumers. On April 22nd, the Nation celebrates Earth Day. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, but all festivities in recognition were pretty much cancelled because of COVID. At VCRS, every day is Earth Day, but we respect this special occasion to bring attention to our responsibility as individuals to be good stewards of the Earth. We are also happy to collaborate with Bearpaw River Brewing, who will be launching a specialty brew called “Small Planet IPA” on Friday, the 23rd at their brewery located on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. Feel free to come out from 5pm – 8pm on the 23rd and join us in celebration and respect of this great planet on which we co-exist. CHEERS!

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on experiences and opinions on food and housing insecurity among college students. Those who wish to share more about their story or opinions can contact Dr. Carraher to sign up for a confidential interview with her or one of the student researchers. Contributed by Charlotte Rupright

housing insecurities.

conduct a UA system-wide study.

The Hunger and Homelessness Support Network is located on the UA main campus in Anchorage and is dedicated to helping students with food and

This semester, the HHSN has enlisted the help of Dr. Sally Carraher and her Anthropology 487 class – “Field Methods in Cultural Anthropology” to

The professor and student researchers have created an anonymous survey for any UA system student that is 18 or older. The survey is collecting data

Contributed by Julie M. Cascio, University of Alaska Fairbanks

may benefit heart health. However, to obtain heart-health benefits from coffee, be sure to use a filter when making the coffee. Coffee filters trap the lipid-raising agents in coffee known to increase cholesterol and triglycerides.

Are you a coffee drinker? How much coffee do you drink each day? “Here’s the good news: Moderate coffee consumption, which is 3 to 5 (8-ounce) cups per day, is associated with decreased mortality, improved cognitive function and a decreased risk of depression, among other chronic diseases,” says Julie Garden-Robinson, PhD, RD, NDSU Extension. Coffee contains many health-boosting components, known as antioxidants and polyphenolic acids. These healthboosting components assist the body in fighting disease, reducing inflammation and protecting the body against chronic diseases.

No long-term increase in blood pressure results from moderate coffee consumption in individuals with or without high blood pressure. However, you should listen to your body’s physical response to the caffeine in coffee because everyone’s tolerance to caffeine is different.

Coffee consumption in moderation also

For example, if you feel your heart rate

Contributed by Josh Fryfogle Last year, around this time of year, I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. Apparently, I’m fortunate. I caught it early enough that I can reverse most of the symptoms (if not achieve complete remission). I was working on a local event, “Who Let The Girls Out”, doing my marketing and advertising services for that cooperative event in the little hamlet of Palmer, Alaska. As usual, I was going door to door, talking with local leaders in the business community, mostly women who contribute to this walk-aroundtown event. My job is help them get the word out, and to make sure that the format of the event - being a voluntary, cooperative event - and its creative origin is honored. Last year was a strange year, with COVID becoming the defining characteristic of 2020. But for me, it was Graves’ disease that defined it. I love symbolism, so you can imagine my intrigue when I came across the Empower Medical office, in downtown Palmer. Their logo included a phoenix

rising, and I knew that I needed to stop in and let this new business know about our event. As if by fate, the owner of Empower Medical had an accent that was so distinct, that I recognized it immediately! Tyfanae Brinke, one of the newest business owners in downtown Palmer, was from my hometown, 3400+ miles from Palmer! My sense of symbolism already engaged, I felt like I really had stumbled into a meaningful moment in my life. As I asked her about the nature of her practice, she told me how most of her patients were women, but that she also treated men. The more I learned, the more I felt like those unspoken things that I had been burying for the last few years - a laundry list of symptoms that had slowly been building since around 2015 - should be spoken. Right there, with this familiar voice that I’d never heard before, I said what I didn’t want to say for several years. I was sick. I didn’t want to talk about it, but the symptoms had only increased. For the

increasing, or you become anxious or begin to lose sleep due to caffeine consumption, you may want to decrease your caffeine intake. Metabolic syndrome is a combination of conditions, including high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high cholesterol and abdominal obesity. This combination of factors increases your chance of heart- related diseases. Coffee contains a complex protein and various other compounds that have been linked to improved blood sugar control and a decreased risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular

first time, I said them all, all at once, and out loud. Tyfanae, in a voice that sounded like home to me, reassured me that we could quickly discover what was wrong. I could tell that she already had a clear idea of what it might be. We did a series of tests, and within a few weeks, I was back at Empower Medical, where I learned that I had Graves’ disease. Reassuring me that I had caught the condition early, I was put on several medications - both pharmaceutical and naturopathic - and given some guidance on how to adjust my lifestyle, in order to facilitate healing. Graves’ Disease - a common form of hyperthyroidism that is an autoimmune disease. I had previously been pushing through my midday crashes, thinking of them as irrational laziness. I didn’t understand why I felt so bad, so often, so my work ethic became a liability, preventing me from healing. I needed rest, whether I wanted to accept that or not. I was making my situation worse, by not resting when I needed it. Finally, I was empowered with a rational reason to accept my limitations, though my work ethic found that unacceptable. I learned to make time to rest when my body demanded it. I learned to proactively respond to the problem, with the help of a trusted advisor.

Dr. Carraher’s email: sfcarraher@ alaska.edu Survey Link: https://uaa. co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/ SV_1yVk4sN5V1Zmrwq

conditions. Moderate caffeine consumption should not harm bones, but if you drink coffee instead of consuming calcium-containing beverages and foods, you may be shortchanging yourself on bone-building calcium. Adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to your coffee offsets the osteoporosis risk associated with coffee. Be sure to consume 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day if you are 50 years old or younger and 1,200 mg of calcium per day if you are more than 50 years old. Read Nutrition Facts labels to learn more about the calcium in your food and beverage choices. Moderate consumption of coffee also has been shown to lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes for men and women.

In the last year, I’ve made incredible progress, and I would credit that progress to the empathetic and empowering treatment I received at Empower Medical. They’ve recently moved down the road from downtown, at 1901 N Hemmer Rd, Ste. 211, Palmer - and I couldn’t recommend them enough. I wouldn’t normally talk about my physical ailments. Like many men, we’ve been taught that our long-suffering is expected, that we should “man-up” and it’s killing us. Graves’, if ignored, can be deadly. I feel like God had another plan for me, and created a perfect scenario for me to discover something that I had already ignored for five years. Who knows if I would have ever accepted my limitations, or if I would have ever gotten the treatment I needed otherwise? Not only have I learned to tell a professional the details of my ailment, I’ve realized that I need to use my writing to tell you, the reader. Men need to receive medical treatment, and men will - WILL – ignore that need, because society doesn’t allow men to suffer with dignity. I implore you, reader, to look after yourself (or the men in your life), with empathy and understanding. While receiving a medical diagnosis can be devastating, and disease feels like destruction, it is from those ashes that the new you must arise. There are things we simply can’t undo, so we must learn to become new.

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tion makes a homemade, streak free window cleaner.

Contributed by Travis Buckmeier, Hempire Co. We feel it is critical to talk about the current viral enemy we are facing and some simple ways we can effectively be pro-active against it, and better protect our families and even our furry friends! So, let’s talk about some things you may already have around the house and in the kitchen that contain terpenes and can benefit you in some surprising ways.

negative side effects such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, and even losing your sense of smell. To get a little extra zinc without the risk of these negative effects, we prefer to avoid zinc supplements and instead eat foods high in zinc such as beef, chicken, oatmeal, almonds, cashews, chickpeas and kidney beans. Other things that may already be in your pantry, like honey, contain both vitamin C and zinc.

We are sure you’ve already heard about boosting up on your vitamin C, so while you’re loading up on your oranges, make sure you save your peels, as we will talk about those later! Vitamin C is known to protect the immune system and is proven to help fight off infections. Studies have shown that taking vitamin C at the onset of a cold can reduce the length of your cold. Some natural sources of vitamin C include lemons, strawberries, oranges, raspberries, pineapple, kiwi, kale, spinach, and many more fruits and herbs. They also contain terpenes like limonene and valencene, which provide many of the immune-boosting and energizing effects!

Ginger is very high in vitamin C and boasts both terpenes linalool and limonene.

Zinc is another great way to be proactive during the flu and cold season.

Alpha pinene is the main component in pine-sol and provides the smell we are all familiar with. While killing bacteria and viruses on your floor, A. pinene also acts as a bronchodilator, a compound that relaxes the muscles in your

Studies have shown that zinc can help reduce the onset of a cold, but some sources warn that zinc tablets can have

Oregano and thyme are commonly cited as great home remedies for colds. When we take a closer look, we notice that both of these herbs have a similar terpene profile. These terpenes have expectorant properties, meaning that they may help calm coughs by thinning mucus and allowing it to drain from the lungs, which is soothing your respiratory system. Even everyday things like cleaning the floors of your home can be beneficial in multiple ways.

airways to help clear and expand them. Terpenes that act as bronchodilators include both alpha and beta pinene, linalool, limonene, and menthol which is a terpene found in mint that acts as the key ingredient of Vicks Vapor Rub. Adding these terpenes to a spray bottle and misting your home (dog beds, furniture, door handles, remote controls...) is an easy way to stay on top of the bacteria. Aromatherapy is a tested and proven way to boost your immune system and if you use a diffuser in your home, now is a better time than ever to be utilizing it! Most essential oils are made up of an array of terpenes giving them their diverse range of beneficial properties. Tea tree oil, eucalyptus, frankincense, and bergamot are all common and excellent oils to diffuse into your home as they have antibacterial and antiviral properties. When diffusing water is vaporized into the air along with the oils. This allows for your respiratory system, and that of your pet, to absorb the essentials into your body through inhalation and your integumentary system (your skin) has the ability to absorb the vapors that are in the air. Now, remember those orange peels mentioned earlier? Instead of tossing them away, you can toss them in a glass of water. This makes for a simple infusion, that along with other peels and rinds from various fruits boast antioxidants and other beneficial properties. Adding vinegar to that concoc-

We feel it is important to note that water helps to regulate our body temperature. It also helps carry nutrients to the proper areas in our body, as well as aid in digestion and circulation. It is important to get enough water to allow our body to do these things. When we are ill, our water intake helps keep mucus thin rather than it being too viscous and clogging our airways. We believe understanding the importance of our endocannabinoid system, or ECS, is critical. It is important to know that cannabinoids support your endocannabinoid system, which is critical to maintaining a healthy immune system. Our ECS regulates all of the systems in our bodies and CBD, or cannabidiol, is a powerful anti-inflammatory that has been known to help reduce pain. We are seriously boosting our immune system and providing it with terpenes, other botanicals, and using CBD and other cannabinoids found in our full spectrum oils here at Hempire Co. When it comes to terpenes, we all have a specific blend that we like to add to our oil. Mine, in particular, is actually the terpene profile from one of my favorite cannabis strains called Durban Poison. Its terpene profile boasts terpinolene, humulene, beta caryophyllene, linalool, myrcene, limonene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and caryophyllene oxide. For me, it’s the perfect energy booster, anxiety killer and pain reliever. All the while helping with mental focus and providing my system with immuneboosting, antiviral and antibacterial fighting properties. Stay healthy and stay well.

exposed to toxic secondhand smoke.

Contributed by Alyssa Keill Thanks to COVID-19, health, immunity and sanitized surfaces have been at the forefront of our daily lives for months. In the January 2021 publication of the “Alaska Pulse”, there was an article on how two out of three Alaska adults have underlying health conditions that increase their chances of serious illness from COVID-19. One of those health concerns was smoking, which continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Many Alaskans have made the decision not to smoke in their homes. However, residents of multi-unit housing are still

exposed to drifting, toxic, secondhand smoke. According to the 2006 U.S. Surgeon General Report: “Secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in their children. Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer.

The scientific evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke.” The Alaska Smoke-Free Workplace Law (A.S.35.301) states that no smoking is allowed in common areas, 20ft. from air intakes, doors and windows of multiunit dwellings. However, tenants and property owners of multi-unit properties would benefit greatly from stronger smoke-free policies for their buildings. Smoke-free properties are easier to maintain, cost less to turn over, and rent for more than smoked-in units. Smoke-free properties ensure that residents are not being

FAITH & OPINION Contributed by Brett Ahern When Israel was enslaved in Egypt, God offered to Passover the sin of Egypt and the sin of Israel. Hundreds of years before, Israel was invited into Egypt as an honored guest, because of Joseph’s good work. As Israel increased in numbers Egypt grew phobicly fearful and thought Israel would side with their enemies in a someday war. They enslaved them, tried killing off their males at birth, and tried to destroy the nation’s identity in one generation. But Israel resisted and found ways to keep their babies alive. God said, “Amen,” to this act of righteous rebellion with Moses’ birth, pulled right out of the river he was supposed to die in; an Israelite child miraculously raised in Pharaoh’s house. While Moses grew up with an Egyptian identity, as a man he chose to side with his people Israel and was chased out of the land. But God had a plan. He brought Moses back to Egypt 40 years later. God of-

fered to heal the broken relationship between the two peoples. He told Egypt to let His people go. They needed to travel three days into the wilderness, all their people and animals, to worship the way God would instruct them. Egypt mocked and resisted, God responded with plagues, and everyone learned God was serious. Then Egypt tried to negotiate, maintaining Israel’s owned-as-slaves identity; instead of letting them be a people with their God, freely worshiping. God resisted Egypt’s stubbornness with more plagues. With the 9th plague, God plunged the land into utter darkness for three days. Unable to see their own hands in front of their faces, they had to sit, wait and consider what had transpired since God’s request weeks earlier. How should we respond to God’s request now? Then the judgement plague was issued. The firstborn of every family in the land, people and animals, would die, Egyptian and Israelite.

Let’s protect our neighbors, children and ourselves by decreasing exposure to toxic tobacco smoke. To learn more about smoke-free multi-unit housing policies go to www.smokefreehousingak.org, or call your local American Lung Association in Alaska office at (907)8917443 (smokefreehousingak@lung. org) for free resources, services, and feedback on smoke-free policies. If you are working on quitting smoking or vaping, Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line (1-800-QUIT-NOW) offers free support and nicotine replacement therapy to Alaska adults.

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Identity is irrelevant when it comes to judgement. Judgement looks at a deeper level of life, deeper than actions, addressing the sin nature that keeps rising and poisoning our lives. It culminates in that first birthed resource of our strength, maturing into our hope; that we mistake for the needed Messiah, relying on it as if it can handle all of life’s challenging issues. We see sin differently than God does. After all, we had a good reason for it. It made sense at the time. But after those choices, we see more than we understood before. We see why standards matter, why we needed God’s wisdom at that point in time, and why it takes a personal relationship with God to trust His care for us. He wants to help us obey His wisdom standards, no matter what we see and fear in our world. His world is so much bigger than we can imagine! Fear doesn’t work here. We can’t live under the influence of fear, phobic about what others might do, enslaving them to our desperate point of view. We have to release them to walk with God and worship Him as He directs.

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You would think after all Israel went through as the recipients of this abuse and God’s restorative rescue, they understood and gladly chose to live the faith life. When they left Egypt, they spent three months walking under God’s guidance, provision and protection. They reached Mt. Sinai, made an agreement with Him, and built the Tent of Meeting. The core of our existence is living with the integrity that allows us to meet with Him. They left Mt. Sinai after 9 months, on their way to live in God’s Promises, in God’s Promised Land. And the first test they ran into, they failed. Nine months of building a new life and it turned out stillborn. This showed humanity sinnature is more powerful than we can handle. We need a new Passover, one that resurrects the dead, enslaved spirit out of the self-centered life. A Passover that enables us to pass through the baptism that makes us born again for the love-centered life. This life lives in God’s kingdom, at liberty to walk in all of God’s Promises. Have you made this decision yet? Or are you still reinforcing lies, resisting your integrity’s attempt to get you to come clean? Will you end up stillborn or born again? Will you let his Spirit inside? Only you can decide.

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Contributed by Alys Culhane Remember the old joke? What’s black and white and red (read) all over? The answer to this riddle is, of course, a book. As kids we all knew this. Nowadays most children know the answer. However, here in Alaska some kids will be mystified. This is because, sad to say, some have never had a book read to them or even held one in their hands. The recent finding is sobering. Apparently, Alaska now ranks fiftieth, yes, fiftieth in the nation in terms of literacy for those in the third grade or lower. The question isn’t how did this come to be, but rather, what might we do about it? The answer is, get books into the hands of parents and encourage them to read to their kids. This, right now, is the primary goal of those involved with newly formed Bright Lights Book Project, a Valley Community for Recycling Solutions (VCRS) based program. The secondary goal is to get books into the hands of those of all other ages. The project began last October and in a rather auspicious fashion. At about same the time, VCRS Volunteer Sue Benz and I both discovered that the VCRS Quonset hut was filled with 20 or-so chest-high boxes of books. Like Sue, I pulled forth several books, took several home and gave a few to friends. We were subsequently told that the books in the boxes were slated to be shipped out to a paper mill as a “mixed paper” commodity but with a market downturn for that material, shipping was on hold. It occurred to us both that some of these books might be salvaged and passed on to a general readership; we were willing to devote some time and energy to the possibility. Sue and I then decided to put aside the best books and have a pre-holiday book sale. Enter Bill Schmidtkunz, the owner of Matanuska Woodworks. Bill assisted with the sorting, which initially took place on the VCRS warehouse bale storage floor. We went through the big boxes, pulled forth books, and put them in small boxes, categorizing by subject matter as we went along. I came up with the project name. Bright Lights Books seemed most appropriate given that our first sale was scheduled for December 21, the solstice. The sale

was a huge success. All day, readers came in the door and walked out with books in hand. And in the days following they returned, some with friends, and purchased more books. As importantly, prior to, during, and after the sale, all involved were picking up books and either talking about what a good read the book might be or once was. Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie was a huge favorite, as was Garth Stein’s The Fine Art of Dancing in the Rain. My two best finds were a signed first edition of Alaska Explorer Norman Vaughn’s With Byrd at the Bottom of the World and children’s author Maurice Sendek’s Higglety Pigglety Pop. The pen and ink illustrations in Sendek’s book were so beautiful that they brought tears to my eyes. The project has since continued to ride on the wave of good will and fellowship that materialized on the solstice. We began a distribution program and are now providing books to area schools, daycare centers, restaurants, hospitals, and hair salons. Our neighbors at the Mat Su Animal Shelter have their own literacy program, and so welcomed our donation of several animal training, how-to, and narrative based books. And we have continued to encourage individuals to come and purchase books for a nominal fee. We’re currently organizing a second sale which will take place on February 15th , this event being our gala book store opening celebration. We’ll again be selling baked goods. In honor of this sale being on Valentines Day weekend, we’ll have plenty of cookbooks and Romance novels for sale; this in addition to numerous books in a variety of other genres, children, young adult fiction and nonfiction, autobiography, and selfhelp included. We’ll also have music as well as a featured reader; Bill Schmidtkunz, the poet Laureate of Sutton, will be reading from his poetry collection, entitled Home. The Bright Lights Book Project is community-based so volunteers will continue to be greeted with open arms. We can always use an assist with sorting, cleaning, labeling, stacking, and distributing books. For more information check out our Facebook pages, @Valley Community for Recycling Solutions and @Bright Lights Book Project, or contact me, Alys, by e-mail: alysculhane@ hotmail.com.

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COMMUNITY Contributed by Kerry Nelson New Musk Ox Book Alert! The Musk Ox Farm is thrilled to announce the launch of our new children’s book, Luna’s Big OXcident! The book is inspired by Luna, one of our musk oxen on the farm who lost her leg due to badly breaking it. After a year of intense rehab and recovery, it was decided that her story needed to be told to the world. So, we reached out to two local Alaskan talents to help bring Luna’s story to life to celebrate her and celebrate how beautiful being different can be. Written by P.T. Custard, with whimsical illustrations by Amanda Rose Warren, Luna’s Big OXcident is a gentle tale about differences, acceptance, and inclusion, with an important lesson for readers of all ages! Coming June 2021! Luna’s Story In March 2020, Luna was found with a badly broken leg. Unfortunately, the break was up too high on her leg for us to fix it, so we decided we would fight and give her a chance by amputating her leg. After a successful surgery, Luna became our first three-legged musk ox, only adding to her already robust character! The next month of healing and relearn-

Contributed by Charles Dean Walker An ivory cube sat for all to see in this shack of a church. The light of the sun shone the beautiful idol. Inscribed on the top right corner was the name “Quär”, the God of simplicity. Popular among Nymirrians, such as Bert’s family. Of whom were here this morning. Sitting alone together with only his wife’s friend, to join them. Bird was a troubled, loving woman. Fear grew in her of losing everything. Her husband made their farm, in hopes of gaining their own wage. Rather than mooch off Bird’s parents. The chairs were pulpy wood. A mere sprinkling of various brown and grey hues. How they still sat without breaking nobody could say. So, they believed it was a miracle of Quär’s love. There was no carpeting to be spoken of, nor paint on the walls. Only four rows of chair sitting beside another in fours. Bert and Jackson were in the furthest row, while Bird opted to sit alone in the front. This was for quite some time, until her friend, Faraday, sat beside her. Faraday was a petite woman, wearing her nicest formal church dress. The color of which was a soft yellow on the eyes. Eyes were lightly grey, hair was strawberry blonde, of medium length. She sat with her arms crossed, showing her milky white skin. Her poster was hunched slightly. While Bird was upright, with a blank stare at the Idol. Her long black hair was straightened. She wore too, a formal church dress. The color was a light purple. Her clothes held no folds. Her arms let her hands to touch her knees, and her legs were placed straight together. Faraday looked to Bird, seen the light tanned freckles on her right cheek. “Good morning, Bird,” she said sweetly. Bird ignored her friend. Faraday took no offense to this, knowing Bird as long as she has; she knew this was a sign of troubled deep thought.

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ing how to walk was a hard one, with checks on her every four hours, around the clock. She received pain medication morning and night, along with antibiotics, some special treats and bandage changes. We also made a one-of-a-kind musk ox sling! We would strap her up every day so she could stretch out her legs and start building her muscle mass back up. This also helped her figure out how to move, and where to put her weight so she would be able to walk on her own again. With a little over a month of sling work, we would find her standing all by herself, and eventually hopping around her pen! Within the past year, she has completely healed and recovered, even managing to escape from her pen, of course! She is one tough musk ox, and we couldn’t be happier that she’s still here on the farm with us. Pre-Orders Now Available! Order any one of Luna’s Big OXcident Book Bundles during the month of April and receive a copy signed by both the author and illustrator! Oh – and did we mention Luna stickers? Head to www.muskoxfarm.org/luna to see more sneak peeks of the book and learn more!

“Come on honey, talk to me. It’ll make you feel better,” Faraday whispered in a loving tone. Bird still a stone in her chair, thought to herself. “I know she’s right,” then she spoke quietly, so Bert wouldn’t hear. “I’m having trouble with my life, everything is stressful lately,” her tone was somber. Something out of ordinary to her usually cheerful can do attitude. “Could you say more Bird? I promise I’m here for you,” Faraday said. Bird motioned to see her friend. “Yes, but not here,” Bird said. “Okay,” Faraday agreed. This was an aspect Bird liked about Faraday. Bert walked up to Bird and Faraday, he wore a black formal dress shirt and pants. In his big arms was a sleeping Jackson, who was wearing the same as his father. Bert looked down to his wife. “Honey, if you choose to stay longer, then I’m sorry to leave, but Jack has fallen asleep,” he said. “It’s okay, I’ll be back home soon,” she said back emotionless. “I’m really sorry,” he said before he walked away. Bird knew he was remorseful, he always was with her. Still, even after all the downward spirals, and the uplifting moments, this farm failing, was just a spiral too far. The farmland had the colors of death, along with the stench to compliment it. Spoiled brownish yellowed corn stalks. Dry cracked soil, resembling an overdone devil’s food cake. Where their land met with the dessert, was the only beauty left here, though it only added to the problems. The drought was easing over to Nymirria. Bert had a change of clothing now that Jackson was put to bed. He wore warn coveralls that were blackened with the cake of dust and dirt. His shirt was checkered with light red and blue. He shoes were browned from walking on the sand and soil. Sweat stains were visible around his neck and arm pits. The day was particularly hot. Bert held a corn stock in his left hand.

Feeling the leaves. Dry and delicate like ancient papyrus. “What am I going to do? I can’t just start over again,” he thought desperately to himself. “Quär please help us, bring us a miracle,” he prayed aloud. He started north towards the white chipped fence. When he got there, he learned on tiptoe to gaze at the sand. Beads of sweat streamed down his forehead. In his view there was a tubular tremor in the orange ground. Then spontaneously there was a small parting, that formed an indented hole. Bert decided to haphazardly hop his fence. Falling flatly on his side. Slowly he got up, pressing his left shoulder blade. “That was foolish of me,” he thought to himself. Using the fence with his back, he lifted his heavy body with his legs. Once up his stretched his body, popping his back. Then he knelt close to the hole. Moment after moment the hole while small in size, grew noticeably deeper. Bert’s fat face was emotionless with shock. His eyes rarely closed, as to not miss a moment. Then there was a sudden stop. The tube of sand dissipated, giving off a light coarse sound. Bert rubbed his eyes finally. The sting of the dryness was heavy. He then straightened his body back up. While still glancing at the hole. Wondering why, as well as what just transpired before him. He decided after awhile that, perhaps he had imagined it all. So, he began to walk away, opting this time, not to jump the fence. When suddenly the desert ground shook, and a loud sound of coarse sand was audible to him again. He again got close to the hole and knelt down to get a better look. Within seconds, he saw the formation of a puppy’s head. “By God,” he uttered aloud. He grabbed towards the dog. It’s tricolor brown, black, and white fur, was perfectly visible to him now. His arms were crossed to cradle the whimpering puppy. Without any thought, he picked

himself up, with his legs, and headed to the house. Bird was close to home, after talking with her friend. Though she felt a bit better about the world; she still wasn’t prepared for the rest of today. She held a brown paper bag. Visibly could be seen were bagels. Her face was a false smile. The knob of the door made a clanking noise, while the push made the door creek. “Wait!” said Bert. Confusing Bird, “What?” she yelled back. She motioned her foot forward fast, hearing a yelp. Her heart jumped, her arms let go of the bag, she stepped back. She caught herself as she began to trip. “What the hell is going on?” she exclaimed. A mix of fear, rage, and confusion blended within her. Her body felt warm with the negative emotions coming to her all at once. “Oh God, I should’ve payed more attention,” Bert thought to himself. Bird, decided to listen to Bert, against her better judgments; knowing full well she didn’t owe him this. She sat in the middle of the couch, with her back straight and arms crossed. Awaiting Bert to finish cleaning up. The puppy now laid in the middle of the living room. Jackson now awake, was with the beagle, gently petting it, like mom said to do. “Bagels,” Jackson said, while looking at mom. “No baby, puppy,” she said back, with her fake smile. This helped keep Jack calm. “I’ll be out there in a moment,” Bert said. He walked out to the living room. The look on Bird’s face, and body language, said all he needed to know. “Bird, I don’t know how to explain this. I should just say it straight. I don’t know how, but there was a miracle,” he said. “What?” she said in disbelief. Bert continued seeing she was unamused. “I was outside and saw the sand move in a worm-like way, and in a hole the ground made, this puppy was formed,” He said.

ARTICLE CONTINUES ONLINE thepeoplespaper.news/charles

COMMUNITY/ OPINION

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if you experience digestive issues, or if your cuts and wounds heal slower than they used to… You may have a collagen deficiency. Contributed by Dori Cranmore RN, All About Herbs, Inc. Collagen is a protein that is part of cartilage, face, skin, nails, teeth, bones and other tissues in animals and humans. It provides the infrastructure of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissues, which is necessary for mobility and it is the most abundant protein in the body. Peptides are short chain amino acids naturally derived from collagen protein. These natural peptides are highly bio-available, digestible and soluble in cold water. Collagen is like the glue that holds our skin tightly together, keeping us young looking. Taking collagen ensures the cohesion, elasticity and regeneration of skin, hair, tendon, cartilage, bones and joints.

Studies show by using chicken collagen, it works by allowing the body to naturally reduce inflammation. It also contains chondroitin and glucosamine which can assist in rebuilding cartilage. It’s successfully been used for many years for joint pain, arthritis, back and neck pain and pain following an injury. How do you tell if your body needs more collagen? Normally our bodies produce less and less of collagen as we age. Environmental pollutants, smoking, over-exposure to the sun and an abundance of free radicals in your body can negatively affect the collagen in your skin. If you have a vitamin C deficiency, collagen absorption and synthesis will struggle to occur. If you see wrinkles on your face, if your joints and bones get achy,

There are so many benefits of using supplemental collagen: Radiant, youthful skin: Helping erase wrinkles! Many describe collagen as “Mother Nature’s Botox”. Healthy hair and nails: Collagen peptides contain proline and cysteine which creates Keratin. Help fights inflammation: Inflammation seems to be linked to every disease known. Helps reduce symptoms of autoimmune disorders, like arthritis, celiac disease and psoriasis. Weight loss: It’s difficult to lose weight if the body is inflamed. Joint, hip and knee pain improved Gut issues: The gut mucosa can be stabilized by decreasing damage from excess acid. Wounds and fractures may heal at a faster rate.

The Endangered Species Act and a bill to investigate and mitigate the effects of agricultural poisons also made it through Congress. Contributed by Sammy Taylor While I was still in elementary school a scientist published a book describing the killing effects of air- and water- born chemicals on birds. Later in 1969, there was a huge oil spill off the coast of California. People started to consider the human impacts on our planet home. The bombs dropped in Vietnam did not improve their outlook.

tive Pete McCloskey (California) cosponsored a bill to establish Earth Day teach ins across the country. As young Americans learned more, they demonstrated to protest the industrial pollution and the war in Vietnam, both of which wrecked the lives and homes of so many. They got results!

The following year, Senator Gaylord Nelson (Wisconsin) and Representa-

The Environmental Protection Agency, environmental education and Occupational Safety and Health Administration were established, and later Clean Air and Clean Water Acts were passed.

Contribtued by Tammy Ostrom

may have)

(Please follow all COVID-19 Guidelines.) All the winter snow is melting fast, and some of those bare areas are revealing some unsightly trash! Get the family out of the house and help brighten the local parks, right of way, and public lands around Wasilla. Take pride in beautifying your local community by picking up that ugly trash and participate in the area wide City of Wasilla Clean Up Days May 3rd – 8th!

Wasilla City Hall, Menard Sports Center, Wasilla Museum, and the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce.

How it works: Pick up your free yellow ALPAR (Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling) bags at the following locations: (or use any trash can liner you

Contributed by B. Montgomery, Wasilla I never thought much about what a privilege it is to be able to state and discuss my opinions openly, reading and viewing whatever I choose to formulate them - until others began trying to silence my conclusions if they ran contrary to their own. I never thought that voices and ideas would be stilled before even being heard by denying them a platform or smothering them in ridicule, accusations, and innuendo - until it happened. I never thought the guidelines for democracy as set forth in the Constitution would be subverted, twisted, and used to snuff out spirited debate, and that the very laws created to protect it be manipulated and threatened - until it happened.

Families are required to provide their own personal protection and safety gear to pick up trash alongside the City streets, parks, and public lands. Don’t forget to secure your load if needed by tarps, ropes, bungees, nets, and/ or straps during transportation to the dumpster! Fill your yellow ALPAR bags and take them to the dumpster (it will be labeled Clean Up Days) located in Iditapark by

I never thought our history would be viewed out of context and rewritten to sow and fuel discontent and guilt, thereby depriving future generations of the ability to learn from our successes and failures - until it was. I never thought that celebrity would become widely confused with expertise and the opinions of anyone with a public platform, regardless of their qualifications - athletes, entertainers, etc. - would be deemed more informed or important than those of anyone else - until the “fools’ names and fools’ faces”, Thomas Fuller (and my grandparents) spoke of began to appear more often in an increasing number of “public places”. I never imagined that the lines between fact and fiction, news and entertainment, journalists and commentators, and politicians and public servants could become so blurred - until blatant political narratives and wholesale partisan soliloquies dropped into plots and interviews wherever possible infiltrated every type of media and programming, eliminating possible breaks from the stress surrounding us that would allow

Earth Day became a global event by 1990 and the first Earth Day summit was held in 1992. Once again, we humans are confronted with a future rife with disaster if we don’t change our attitudes and actions. We Americans can’t continue to accept pollution and poisons in someone else’s backyard so we can continue our lifestyle of the elite. We must face the facts that fossil fuels, feed lots and other planetary degradations will lead to an impoverished life for our grandchildren and their neighbors.

Wonderland in the parking lot next to the basketball courts off of Nelson Avenue. Drop off your bags during these designated times: 5pm – 7pm daily May 3-7th, and from 10am – 2pm on Saturday May 8th. The dumpster will be monitored to prevent any household garbage, car parts, appliances, or hazardous materials from getting into the dumpster. DO NOT drop off any unattended bags at the dumpster site. DO NOT take Clean Up Days trash to the dump; they will charge you for it. Items not allowed in dumpster: Acid Adhesives

us to step back, assess, and act with due consideration and forethought. I never thought of myself as racist and regarded character first and above all - until I was designated as such, with my own color making it acceptable for others to label me this if I disagreed with them. I never thought much about the right to bear arms - until measures were proposed to limit this right for law-abiding citizens without affecting the ability of those outside the law to obtain and use arms against them. I never thought the American flag and the pledging of allegiance to it or performing the national anthem would be subject to protest - until so many who could never have achieved their station in life - or even have the right to protest declared them symbolic of prejudice. I never thought the U.S. public education system, which was implemented to foster opportunity and unity and strives to respect diversity and individual beliefs would be employed to undermine and replace critical thinking with conformity, bias, and indoctrination -

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What type collagen is best? While 28 different types of collagen do exist, they’re all still the same protein. They are sourced from beef, chicken, and fish. As far as what to look for, find out where the collagen is being sourced. There are many organic forms and some from marine cod. Structurally, collagen is the same whether it’s coming from a cow, chicken or fish. Hydrolyzed collagen is just a more processed form of collagen where cold enzymes were added to break it down. The more broken down the protein is, the easier it is for your body to digest and use. Currently, there is no vegan collagen source and scientists are currently researching to find a plant that’s structurally similar. The best source for vegans is Matcha green tea. It’s indisputable that collagen is good for you. It’s definitely a good idea to use supplemental form of collagen before problems arise.

In 2021, can we cooperate to get things done as happened in the 1970s? Can we reduce of our use of fossil fuels (by supporting legislation like HR 2307) and curb our garbage-producing consumer habits? Can we recycle, repurpose or reuse materials that now to a hole in the ground or to some else’s back yard? Can we treat ALL our relatives and planetary neighbors with the respect and dignity which we want for ourselves? Earth Day. org folks think so. “The social and cultural environments we saw in the 1970s are rising up again - young people are refusing to settle for platitudes.” What can we do now to ensure that in another 50years a site like www.EarthDay.org can say the same for us?

Antifreeze Batteries (NiCad, Lithium, etc.) Brush, Leaves, Stumps Car Parts Caustics Disinfectants Engine Oil Floor Wax Hazardous Waste PCB’s (and PCB Ballasts) Pesticides Photography Chemicals Poisons Printer ink Cartridges Propane Tanks Resins Transmission Fluid Thank You!

until it was. I never realized that so many U.S. citizens would be so complacent and easily swayed into accepting whatever they are told, relinquishing their responsibility to continuing and strengthening our democratic way of life to the loudest voices, without a thought to the longterm consequences - until I discovered that many I meet focus only on regaining a superficial approximation of the past status quo in their own lives. here and now. I never thought America’s commitment to being a haven for those seeking a better life would be distorted to encourage access and support for those intent on enjoying the fruits made possible by American society without contributing to it, or worse, seeking to destroy it - until our protections from this were dismantled. I never thought that greed, corruption, hypocrisy, denial, and the willingness to exploit the gullibility of those seeking to pursue the American Dream would destroy it. I pray they do not.

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Wes Keller I’m guessing you underestimate the angst of your legislators right now. They are engaged in complex and frustrating annual budget manipulations and their options are awful. Believe it or not, very few legislators simply ignore voter demands to reduce spending - rather, they are forced to “balance” them against even stronger demands to spend! The perceived job description and power of an Alaska legislator are warped compared to what we learned in “Civics 101”. The “warp” results from living in an intentionally created “administrative” state where executive and judicial branches are on “steroids” at the expense of an anemic legislature! This becomes obvious when you consider the “legitimate” fiscal influence of the Courts, the Department of Law, Administrative “law” (regulations), lobbying power, and “legal opinions”, all sourced in the Administrative and Judicial branches. The power to appropriate money has actually been legally perverted in Alaska. Another complication: Alaskan voters almost never vote for a legislator based on what tax he or she may impose! Rather, selection is primarily based on what they will fund! The painful realization that budget revenue must be taken

Contributed by Stuart Thompson Senator Ben Stevens is now guiding HB 72, (a bill requiring successful civics testing to graduate high school, through the legislature). All readers should lend support to it through their own legislators. Why? In answer, below is my telephonic testimony given on April 8th to the Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee about SB 72. “The testing of graduating high school students to verify effective grasp of civics is critical to posterity. It is constitutionally justified. Alaska Constitution Article 7 reaches to the implied duty of Alaskan government to enable citizens to ensure our form of government works. There are Article

Contributed by Robert Shields For over 50 years now, people the world over have celebrated April 22nd as Earth Day. Like many other days of remembrance, this is hallmarked as the time when we come together and celebrate all the bounty the earth gives and to rally to protect it from destruction. However, while many people have made lots of money writing books, giving lectures, and creating organizations tasked to the challenge, things have gone from bad to worse. Like many holidays, the meaning is lost and soon forgotten as the pace of progress sweeps us along like locusts, consuming more faster, until there is nothing left. The climate crisis is a crisis of consciousness as the root of the problem is less about the number of people and more about the individual impact we collectively have. The root cause of this problem is a system that we created called capitalism, because as Gandhi said, there is plenty to meet the needs of the

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from us (as taxes) is suppressed unlike any other State! Media “heats up” when interest groups line up in opposition to compete for funding with armies of advocates. None of us like to admit we NEED the dynamics of legislators defending tax legislation! But without it, we cannot realistically define what we “need” to spend public money on. What one “needs” to eat, for example, changes depending on whether hunger must be dealt with for a dollar or with hundred-dollar bill. For example, our compassionate expenditures for children’s education or senior’s retirement programs, have stubbornly continued to grow in spite of good intentions to be frugal. It has not been very convincing for a legislator to say “no, we cannot afford it” when Alaska’s government was constitutionally funded copiously by the one novel granddaddy constitutional “tax” we all seem to have forgotten! 80% of all revenue generated from our natural resources is directly routed into the State checkbook balance. The traditional legislative power to tax is still in the Constitution, probably because it was ratified before the influx of billions and billions from oil sales! We have spent freely for over 40 years! Legislative “duty” simply has not included the burdensome job of levying taxes on citizens to pay for what government spends. Campaign promises to “not

support new taxes” are hollow indeed! Now, impossibly high tax loads cannot be imposed to sustain services.

1 Sections 1&2 that become useless nonsense without each citizen knowing that the entire success of Alaska government is dependent on his knowing how to honor his civic obligations; and how to enforce the People’s Will on and through government. Alaska’s Constitution states it is dedicated (the exact word) to civic rights and corresponding civic obligations of each citizen. It is philosophically justified. Using Abraham Lincoln’s useful phrase, we have government OF, FOR, and BY the people. The methods of monarchies, aristocracies, socialism, and dictatorships all perform government OF and FOR the People---but not BY. It’s easily proven that modern Alaskan adults are most educated and practiced in the methods of monarchies. The family is

a natural monarchy (first observed by Aristotle) and most businesses are the same. Accordingly, some people often show they think that citizenship is just electing somebody who uses desired prejudices and shows willingness to get them government hand-outs; and only complaining when that official doesn’t deliver. It is strategically justified. America has suffered from long-term decline in quality literacy and numeracy. What was the expected 5th grade literacy quality in the 1800’s is now classed as complex literacy today. See US Dept. of Education’s assessment of US adult literacy 20 years ago---reporting only 13% of Americans are capable of complex literacy. It is better demonstrated in records of US military induction failures from inability

people just not their greed. Like the first computers, this system of economically managing limited resources was a step forward but unlike computers, capitalism, as a management tool, stopped evolving and adapting to the rapidly changing climate. Today we have a much greater understanding of the Natural world, including that “she” has a blueprint for regenerative (quantum) economy that acknowledges the Earth is a living organism and we coexist with her in a symbiotic relationship. Our knowledge awareness and skills give us the power to change our world and with this power we must equally accept the responsibility of stewardship. This global perspective of shared value is balanced with the fair share of responsibility by locals for managing regional resources as needed to nurture the next generation of critical thinkers. Reliable innovation is the motor at the core of a regenerative economy and it’s the job creating solution to put the world back to work healing the planet.

Even more hollow is the tragic belief our savings will get us through! It will instead make our problem worse because it will further obscure where it comes from. It is a terrible option because it expands the “granddaddy” tax by taking the earnings from the restricted 20%, the Permanent Fund ironically - money set aside to prevent it from being similarly consumed by budget spending. Budget politics has already permitted the “boring of a drain hole” in the Permanent Fund earnings account. Laws, traditions, and policies all combine to prevent legislators from cutting spending to avoid bankruptcy! Every penny transformed directly into budget revenue reduces our chances of getting through this. If the 16+ Billion goes up for grabs, Alaska’s prosperity from government spending will only get a temporary, comparatively short, extension until it too is gone. If you doubt me, tune in to the weight of the demands of credible doctors, teachers, social workers, state employees, government contractors… all “mining” for state dollars because it is the thing to do - it pays off! Each identity group cannot avoid/resist fighting selfishly for its own cause.

While coal, oil, natural gas, and mineral extraction industries have gotten us where we are at; with human suffering, environmental degradation, and generational cycles of institutionalized violence this system will not get us where we want to go. 2020 has created the opportunity to see the world from a new lens and from this perspective it’s become clear that we need a new paradigm on money, the economy, and how these systems can serve to meet the needs of the people today in a way that doesn’t compromise future generations ability to meet theirs. All over the planet, businesses are finding ways to see this need for change as the greatest opportunity of our times. Private equity investors are putting millions into ecolodges, zero-waste manufacturing, and the driving factor is the shift from food security, (regular access) to food sovereignty (control of the means of production). For the last decade, the Alliance for Reason and Knowledge, (ARK) has been

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A solution is obvious even if it is a “long shot” politically: Immediate passage of a statute or constitutional amendment to clarify ownership of the PF would properly re-define the fight once and for all: The 20% Permanent Fund, and ALL of the earnings from investment of the PF, must be banned from becoming mere budget revenue. It must be clearly destined to become real property for Alaskans (PFDs). At the same time, we need a “tax” law enabling the legislature to “claw back” (keep) what they dare (a tax) to get us past the crisis and find a proper level of limited government spending determined by the real values of the voters (PFD “owners”). Once the budget is balanced and debts are paid, the offensive “clawback” (tax) would be appropriately moderated politically. PFDs could continue to be generated at a sustainable rate according to the trust model that inspired it. Any professional financial manager can confirm we now have the potential for continuing, much larger, PFDs applying current standards for investment. PFD “check stubs” would confirm who “owns” money in question, and, how much the government keeps for the budget… keeping everyone honest. This is not magic or impossible. If it seems that way, it is only because of the false “normal” we have settled into! Wes Keller | WesKeller.com

of tested enlistees to read at a 4th grade level. World War I saw 2% functional illiteracy; WWII saw 4%; the Korean War saw 19%; and the Vietnam War saw 27%. You also see evidence of mediocre literacy in legislative body dependence on lobbyists, and public dependence on either left or right leaning media explanations of reality. Therefore, under current conditions, if graduating students aren’t made to demonstrate citizen practices to the same quality as they can demonstrate riding a bike or operating computers and phones, illiteracy will provoke escalating government perversion and eventual government collapse.” Stuart Thompson lookitover@att.net

working to bring economically viable, innovative, and grassroots solutions to Alaska, focused on the pillars of food, energy, and zero waste to support diverse local living economies. Recognizing the wealth of culture and language along with the natural abundance of maintaining healthy wild lands we believe Alaska’s next economic boom will take the form of serving as a living laboratory on how over the next decade America can emerge as leaders of the fossil free world. As an energy source fossil fuels have limited capacity that comes at a high cost. As a locally manufactured sustainable building material (carbon nanofibers) it has the potential to transform us into a global hub of culture and commerce where the low cost of living (taxes) don’t impact the high quality of life. Even with a great deal of focused effort, such a transition will take many years. With support from the Climate Reality Project, the Earth Day Network, Natives Rising, and Evolutesix, we are using Earth Day 2021 to mark the beginning of a 10- year shift in Alaska as we explore various models of economic organizing. Food serves as the seed of all civilization and as the focal point for growing a regenerative Fairshare economy in Alaska, the US, and giving the world choices and solutions on how to leave an enduring legacy. Hailed as the first Regenerative Planet Summit, this virtual Zoom webinar runs from 8am-4pm on Wednesday April 22nd. An interactive format the schedule provides professional insights and tools for local action. Head on over to www.a-r-k.us/rps21 to get your tickets. $20 each and seats are limited.

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Kelly Tshibaka Many of us remember when Alaska was prosperous and safe, and opportunity abounded. That was when my parents moved here. My dad became a union electrician and my mom helped start up Prudhoe Bay. Life was hard at times… My parents were even homeless and living in a tent for awhile. But they instilled Alaska values in me, fought their way to the middle class, and changed the course of our family for generations to come.

As your next senator, I will rebuild our economy and fight to protect the jobs of the thousands of Alaskans who work in our energy industry. We need a senator who will defend us against the leftists who want to shut down our oil and gas production and destroy our way of life. We must support and rejuvenate our small businesses and give our young people hope that they can find good jobs here at home, instead of leaving to find employment elsewhere.

In the nearly 20 years Lisa Murkowski has been our U.S. senator, our oil and gas jobs have died, our education scores have plummeted, and our crime rates have soared. While Lisa Murkowski has voted with the liberal D.C. insiders, hurting our way of life, we Alaskans have felt forgotten. That is why I am running as a Republican challenger for the U.S. Senate in 2022. I am running for Alaska.

I will be a strong voice in opposition to illegal immigration and, as the proud descendant of Americans who fought in virtually every major American conflict from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War, I will be a tireless advocate for our military and our veterans. I will fight to preserve our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms and, as an unapologetically pro-life Alaska Conservative, I will be a voice for the unborn. And I’m for America first, always.

I want to be a voice for the forgotten Alaskans who feel like D.C. insiders are not listening to them - for the men and women in oil and gas whose jobs are in jeopardy, for the children who are not getting the education they deserve, and for the women and youth who are victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking.

We Alaskans have seen what happens when politicians get too comfortable and become part of the D.C. establishment… They forget that the seats they hold belong not to themselves, but to the people who elected them. Lisa Murkowski’s father, Frank Murkowski, gave her his Senate seat when he was elected governor. As a result, there has

Contributed by Ruth Wood, Talkeetna Talkeetna loves Tam! For many, Talkeetna is a destination for a beautiful Saturday or Sunday drive. For those of us who live here, it is a community, and a community that gets a lot of visitors - Alaskans, people from the Lower 48 and international travelers. The kind of visitation we get provides economic opportunity, but also creates problems for a 900+-person unincorporated town that must deal with several thousand

Contributed by Doug Ferguson Last month, many were finding comic relief in the world’s current chaos by listening to all the soap opera prattle that dominated internet podcasts and the media over the Oprah Winfrey interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Since then, there has been even more distracting drivel about Markle running for president! Currently any serious talk is about“what do we do next?” by the so-called “middle of the road” and “conservative” media commentators. A few of them are just starting to wake up to the modern Orwellian coup taking place before our eyes in our own country. By the time this article gets into print, the possible passage of HR-1 may well cement this coup in place! The rest of the media, and the public in general, are refusing to address the evil that is in the process of dominating and changing all of our lives. One of the few that do is Dennis Prager, the nationally known talk show host. In a recent op-ed on his website titled The Denial of Evil: The Case of Communism, he says, “The most glaring example of the denial of evil is communism, an ideology that, within a period of only 60 years, created modern totalitarianism and deprived of human rights, tortured, starved and killed more people than any other ideology in history.” He goes on to state facts from The Black Book of Communism by the Harvard University Press to drive this reality home.

visitors a day in summer and on some shoulder season weekends. We depend on the Borough to help us find solutions and keep this town a great place to live as well as visit. And, who from the Borough do we call on the most? If you guessed our Assembly representative, Tam Boeve, you guessed right. Tam listens and helps us find solutions or find the right person at the Borough to contact. She has been right there when we’ve needed her for the

“--- the numbers of people murdered — not people killed in combat; ordinary civilians trying to live their lives — by communist regimes were: Latin America: 150,000. Vietnam: 1 million. Eastern Europe: 1 million. Ethiopia: 1.5 million. North Korea: 2 million. Cambodia: 2 million. The Soviet Union: 20 million (many scholars believe the number was considerably higher). China: 65 million.” He goes on to say that this doesn’t even begin to count the suffering endured by hundreds of millions of people due to the totalitarian policies of the communist governments and goes on to describe many of the terrible torture and starvation practices that the various leaders employed to force compliance and loyalty to their regimes. His final summary of the case presented is that all this is pure evil and references the bible to show if you believe in God, or if you don’t, you at least love people, you have to hate communism. Why do people deny evil? Praeger explains: “People associate evil with darkness. But that is not accurate: It is easy to look into the dark; it is very hard to stare into bright light. One should therefore associate evil with extreme brightness, given that people rarely look at real evil.” People are slowly awakening to this damage of our democratic republic, but

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been a Murkowski in the Senate since the first year of the Reagan Administration. It is time to replace Lisa with an Alaskan who is not a D.C. insider politico, and who understands she works for and serves the people of Alaska. Lisa Murkowski has abandoned us, declaring it with every vote and action she has taken against Alaska’s interests. Consider: She enabled Joe Biden’s radical “green” agenda to end drilling and kill Alaska jobs. She voted to allow illegal immigrants to remain in the country, and she voted against commonsense judges who protect constitutional rights. She voted to keep Obamacare in place, leading to higher costs and fewer health care choices for Alaskans. The last straw for many was her vote to remove President Trump from office, even though his term already had expired. For that particular display of poor judgment, she was censured by Alaska’s Republican Party. Alaskans will never have to wonder where my loyalties and interests are: They are right here. I was born and raised Alaskan. I am not a senator’s daughter… I watched my parents struggle to make their mortgage payments for years, much like how countless Alaskans are struggling today.

past three years. We call Tam on the phone. We text her. We email her. We ask her to attend Community Council meetings, Road Service Board meetings, Sewer & Water Board meetings and countless other meetings. You’d think she’d be “meetinged” out, but she keeps at it. She responds to issues as they arise, and it makes a big difference.

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After graduating from Steller Secondary School in Anchorage, I fought to be first in my family to pursue a college degree and attend law school. Then I went to work exposing fraud and abuse in government, improving outcomes and results, and saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. I am grateful to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who appointed me Commissioner of the Department of Administration, where I served the people of Alaska from January 2019 until I stepped down when I decided to run. And I thank God for my wonderful husband, Niki, and our five beautiful children, who strongly support me in this decision. The coming election presents a unique opportunity to chart a new course for Alaska. We deserve a senator who remembers us, and who believes the Senate seat she holds is of, by, and for the people of Alaska. It is time we had a U.S. Senator who represents Alaska to Washington, D.C., rather than one who represents D.C. insiders to Alaska. Kelly Tshibaka is a Republican candidate for the United States Senate in Alaska.

communities. That’s the way she is. After three years on the job, Tam still attends almost every District 7 Community Council meeting. Our last council meeting had a particularly full and thorny agenda, and she stayed on the zoom call with the community until nearly midnight. Sure, we’ve had other hardworking assembly representatives before, but Tam is a stand-out in terms of both engaging with the community and putting in the hard work and long hours. Let’s return Tam Boeve to the Assembly for another term… District 7 needs her!

And, I know she does this in all of our

unfortunately, they tend to want the federal government to fix these problems. This takes even more power away from the states. Lest we forget, the independence of the states is the basis of our democratic republic as a check on abusive federal power. The result? More power to the federal government to “fix” problems can more easily allow our country to evolve into a singleparty ruled “communist style” state as has happened to countries like Russia, China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Venezuela. A good example of this new awareness is our sorely corrupted and vulnerable voting system. In a recent Rasmussen survey taken at the beginning of March this year, just 26% of those polled believe the right person was declared a winner in the last two presidential elections and 56% believe that at least one of the last two presidents was illegitimately elected! Today In both elections only 60% of all voters think that the right person was the legitimate winner. With these numbers, no wonder politicians have backing to enact election reforms! However, the problem is the new totally Democrat controlled congress is using this distrust of our system to push Federal Bill, HR-1 that has been passed in the House and at this writing, is being debated in the Senate. Ironically it is titled in 1984 “doublespeak” language as “For the People Act” and described as a “voting rights” bill! A federal bill might help if it put in place

features like: 1) voting machines must be independently tested and openly certified before they can be sold in the U.S., 2) voters must prove citizenship in some way, 3) voter marked paper ballots are required in all elections and 4) mandatory certification audits are required in any federal election. If HR-1 gets passed, it will NOT do these things. It WILL take election powers entirely away from the states and federalize things like unverified mail-in registration and voting, automatic voter registration when getting a driver’s license whether you are a citizen or not, etc. There are dozens of other terrible provisions in this 790-page bill that do this also and most are unconstitutional. The irony is, increasing public awareness of our voting problems is being used by the radical left in our country to make things even worse! Our only hope starts with large numbers of Americans finally facing up to this actual evil and getting directly involved with local and state reforms and also demand that their senators push back against this federal disaster. There is no doubt: HR-1 would leave our country ruled by a one-party system. Hopefully it is not too late! Welcome to the modern version of Orwell’s 1984 and beware! Doug Ferguson is a retired engineer living in Palmer, Alaska who has had a lifelong interest in science, computer technology, history and, of course, politics.

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Contributed by Huhnkie Lee Greetings Sirs/Ma’ams, this is Huhnkie Lee who is running for US Senate 2022 as an independent, unaffiliated candidate. I used to be a Republican, and I learned a great deal from Republicans. Then, I realized it’s time to graduate from Republican school of thoughts after three years of learning from them. It’s like, teachers stay in school as they need to teach next generations of students, but students leave school after graduation. It’s like, children grow up and leave their parents to see the bigger world out there. It was about time for me to leave one of my parental figures, the Alaska Republican Party, who taught me well. About 55% Alaskans are Independent, 25% are Republicans, 15% are Democrats, and 5% partake other parties like Veteran’s Party, AIP, etc. See https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_ Alaska#Parties_and_registration. A typical party-affiliated candidate may say in her/his campaign advertisement, “As a US Senator, I will represent Alaska in Washington DC.” Well, I do not think that is a truthful statement. A Republican candidate represents 25% of Alaskans, because only 25% of Alaskans are Republicans. A stereotypical partyaffiliated candidate accepts 100% of the laundry list of the party’s platform. It is because s/he can’t get party support if s/he disagrees with the party’s ideological rules. For instance, to run for an office as a Democrat, a candidate must believe in pro-LGBT-ism, pro-life-ism, anti-gunism, open-border-ism, etc. To run for an office as a Republican, a candidate must subscribe to post-Jan-6-pro-trump-ism, pro-life-ism, America-First-ism, etc. In sum, a party-affiliated candidate is as good as a parakeet, who’s only known

vocabulary is “Yes”. A party candidate says yes to everything that the party requires her/him to say. That’s how President Obama was, that’s how President Trump was, that’s how President Biden is. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to America’s Political Puppetry Show, the greatest show on earth! When I ran for the Republican Primary for Alaska State Senate in District D (Greater Wasilla Area) last year of 2020, 110 kind and generous citizens voted for me. I am eternally grateful to the kind voters. Of course, I ended up in the last place, but I don’t see it as a loss, as I gained everything. I met wonderful people during my campaign trails, whom I would not have met but for the campaign. I learned wisdom and knowledge from the voters, political activists and local politicians. It was like a political schooling. So, the incumbent gentleman won the primary by the margin of about 400 votes more that the first runner-up. Some losing candidates’ supporters came to me and said, “You stole our votes. We lost because of you. Next time, do not run. You won’t win. You will only cause us to lose.” Of course, I’m dramatizing, exaggerating the plaintive comment greatly. But I did hear that kind of comment from others once again, after I declared my candidacy for 2022 US Senate. Let us mathematically analyze whether such accusation is correct. In the 2020 Primary Election, I got about 100 votes, the winner got about 1700 votes, the first runner-up got about 1400 votes. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_ Alaska_Senate_election. Let’s kindly assume that all the kind 100 voters who voted for me would have voted for the first runner-up, had I not run in the 2020 Primary Election. Even then, the first runner-up would have

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gotten 1500 votes and would have still lost to the winner who got 1700 votes. We can see, the accusation against me had no mathematical soundness. This is what happens when a person gets angry and emotional, and s/his rationality gets paralyzed. Now, let’s look forward. I intend to keep running for something every two years. Why? Every time I run for a public office, I will get more famous little by little. And such gradual increase in name recognition is my long-term political strategy, so that I would get elected at some point in the future. Next, why do I want to get elected? Is it self-serving pursuit of glorious money, power and fame? Yes. I won’t deny it. Prestige and heightened social status, it’s a big motivator for any politicians to run and re-run, whether they admit it or not. Some people just can’t get enough attention and yes, I’m one of those Attention-Deficit-Disorder, an ADD case just like any politicians or entertainers out there. Jokes aside, I believe a time will come when the nation needs to be united once again. In history, America, like any other countries, have gone through the cycle of division-unity-division-unity, ad infinitum. America has been divided for about 15 years. When will America start to unite again? That’s a question no human can answer. But when that time comes, the turning point, I want to be there as the nation’s leader; yes, as the President of the United States. I am an ambitious man. In America, ambition is not only allowed but welcomed, because America values freedom, liberty and courage. I take it as my moral and ethical obligation on this planet earth, that I keep running, so that one day, I’d get there. Thank you.

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me of my own unsafe, freewheeling childhood that I miraculously lived through.

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Daffy Duck, Road Runner, Wile E Coyote, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird and Yosemite Sam only exist because of their crazy out-of-control activity. They hunt, they eat and try to kill over and over, in the desert, in the forest, on the mountain or in the backyard. One day, they’ll all be banned, so treasure them while you can. As a child, I knew the difference between a cartoon and real life. I knew that animals could not talk. I knew that it was all “just silly”, and the point of the cartoon was to make me laugh. Why can’t the “woke adult” of today figure that out? We must expose how counterproductive it is to remake a 90-year-old cartoon. Contributed by Marilyn Bennett

ment.

I don’t understand why the creators of Looney Tunes creations are changing their cartoon characters because of the loud voices of a few. I have never felt offended by any of the Looney Tunes Cartoons.

How crazy is it when they take away Elmer Fudd’s shotgun and give him a scythe? Really, a scythe? What hunter carries a scythe? Actually, it looks just as violent and potentially more bloody for Bugs Bunny. It seems the “woke crowd” has no problems with violence, but draw the line on guns. They even took away Yosemite Sam’s pistols, which seems to lose the whole point of the character, as it is hard to imagine an old-time prospector without a gun. He will apparently carry a “grass hook”! How useful is that when he has to fend off a claim jumper? Since this is a cartoon, if they are looking to bring him into the modern-day world, I would rather they give him a lightsaber. That is why I painted an image of Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam with lightsabers, having a down-and-out-talk with Pepe Le Pew about his too amorous advances to Penelope Pussycat!

I have always thought that Pepe Le Pew, the sophisticated-if-too-fresh French Skunk, was a caricature of an over-thetop Frenchman. It served me well later in life when I met a real-life Frenchman who was definitely more forward than a unsophisticated Minnesota teenager was ready for. Because of watching Pepe Le Pew as a child, I knew enough to never be alone with such a “scary” hands-on Frenchman. What is interesting about our new culture of constantly being offended is, that there is no end and there cannot be an end. In Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Three, Whoopi Goldberg issues a warning about the characters she felt could hurt women and/or people of color. I never did believe that Looney Tunes was in the business of representing positive images of anyone. In my opinion people of non-color are not portrayed in a very positive way either. Take for instance, Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam. However, you do see positive images of ducks of color, roadrunners of color, and tweety birds of color. I think it is a reach to call any of these cartoons racist or sexist or accuse them of being anything but entertain-

Regarding guns, as a child, all the cowboys had cap guns and our indians had bows and arrows. (Girls were allowed to be cowboys and/or Indians with no explanations necessary). Sometimes the indians stole the guns, but usually they didn’t bother as they liked the idea of scalping the cowboys. Now, we were all white kids and to my knowledge, not one person in our neighborhood ever shot anyone or scalped a person as an adult. Sorry, this has nothing to do with cartoons, but the subject is reminding

I always thought Speedy Gonzales was a very positive caricature of a Mexican, as the only other Mexicans we saw on the big screen were drug dealers. Don’t know why this guy is biting the dust, guess he was just not quite fast enough... The other reason I noticed the “woke crowd” found for erasing Yosemite Sam, was that he was always shoving dynamite down his pants. The “woke crowd” decided that could make children consider suicide. Just show me one kid in the past 90 years who blew himself up with dynamite after watching Yosemite Sam and I will concede that they have a point. I have noticed that in the Looney Tunes World everyone had dynamite, even Tweety Bird always had a cache of dynamite available to put in the jaw of Sylvester the Cat. So, what are we to do? Nothing is perfect! The problem I have with rewriting everything is that what is replacing our past is not necessarily better. Please contact your libraries, teachers and media outlets to put a stop to this assault on our past. When you hunt “wabbits”, you need a gun, when a prospector confronts a claim jumper, he needs his six guns. A scythe or a grass hook, or even a lightsaber doesn’t do it. Let’s get back to common sense and stop letting the constantly-offended control what our children read and watch.

COMMUNITY Contributed by Cathy Mosher, Valley Republican Women of Alaska Spring Forward to Freedom Fundraiser 5/14/2021 – 6PM Valley Republican Women of Alaska Palmer Train Depot 610 S Valley Way, Palmer Tickets: $30 Our guest speaker for the “Spring Forward to Freedom” Fundraiser will be Kelly Tshibaka. She is engaging, informative and energetic. Kelly Tshibaka wants to be a voice for the forgotten Alaskans who feel like D.C. insiders are not listening to them: for the

men and women in oil and gas whose jobs are in jeopardy, for the children who are not getting the education they deserve, and for the women and youth who are victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking. “As your next senator, I will rebuild our economy and fight to protect the jobs of the thousands of Alaskans who work in our energy industry. We need a senator who will defend us against the Leftists who want to shut down our oil and gas production and destroy our way of life. We must support and rejuvenate our small businesses and give our young people hope that they can find good jobs here at home, instead of leaving to find employment elsewhere.”

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We are selling gun raffle tickets for a Charles Daly Model AR-12 S; 12 GA Semi-Automatic Shotgun; 1 - 10 Round Magazine; 1 – 20 Round Pro Mag Drum Magazine; Two 25 Round Boxes of 12 GA Ammo. VRWAK permit #2862. Tickets $20/200 Tickets being sold. Drawing will be held Friday, March 14th. You do not need to be present to win. There will be a wall of guns from Sportsman Warehouse: silent, dessert and outcry auctions. Affordable Catering will be catering the event. The cost of tickets are $30. You can purchase tickets online at www.vrwak.com. Paid for by VRWAK P.O. Box 876739, Wasilla, AK 99687

Throughout the pandemic, the labor and delivery specialists at Mat-Su Regional’s Family Birthing Center have helped hundreds of moms welcome new life into the world, while encouraging expectant women and new mothers to get pre- and post-natal care.

Contributed by Alan Craft, Mat-Su Regional Medical Center Preparing for the arrival of a new baby is exciting and a little frightening, even in the best of times. Giving birth during the COVID-19 Pandemic has reshaped the childbirth experience, adding another layer of anxiety and altering the birth plans of most expectant moms. While the added stress the pandemic has induced is understandable, experts encourage pregnant women to not neglect prenatal and postnatal care. “Prenatal care is crucial and getting early, regular prenatal care can help mothers have a healthy pregnancy and a fullterm baby,” said Dr. John Houghton, an OB-GYN with Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialists in Palmer. “Fear of COVID-19 should not prevent women from seeking prenatal care.”

“We have so many precautions in place – both at our clinic and at the Family Birthing Center – including temperature scans, face coverings for staff and for family support members, screening questions and lots of hand sanitizer,” Houghton said. In addition, with its stand-alone entrance and private, enclosed space that is physically separated from the main hospital, the Family Birthing Center is its own little world that functions independently. Here, doctors and nurses specialty-trained in obstetrics work exclusively with moms and babies, providing comprehensive care from prenatal to postpartum, including highrisk pregnancy care and advanced labor and delivery. While the pandemic has impacted all facets of our lives and radically altered our societal group behavior, Houghton said much of the birthing experience has really remained unchanged. One notable exception is that every

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Contributed by June Mahler May 1st, 2021 10AM-11AM, at Iditapark Wonderland Playground in Wasilla. Funds raised from The Out of the Darkness events allow us to fund research, create educational programs, advocate for public policy, and support survivors of suicide loss. Please contact June 907-310-1462 for more information or volunteer opportunities www.afsp.org/MatSuValley

expectant mom is tested for COVID. “If it’s for an earlier-than-planned delivery, she is tested when she arrives. If mom has a scheduled delivery or appointment, we usually have her tested two-to-three days ahead,” he said.

been the theme: the pandemic has definitely provided a more intimate birthing experience for the family. Mothers don’t have to feel sad about excluding anybody because they don’t have to make that decision,” she said.

The other notable exception has been limiting visitors to one support person during a mother’s stay at the Family Birthing Center. This was recently increased to allow laboring mothers to have two support persons, as the risk of infection from COVID-19 has diminished with the rollout of the vaccine.

“It removes the anxiety of moms or dads saying, ‘It’s time to go, mom needs some rest now,’” Hernandez added. Moms have adapted well to this new level of intimacy. “It gives them more rest and the ability to bond with their baby in this little pocket of peace and quiet,” she said.

Although the visitor restrictions have been disappointing for some, Houghton said, “Most women have been very positive about the experience.” “Lack of siblings and other family members being able to visit hasn’t been ideal for everybody,” he said. “However, many women have commented on how much they have enjoyed the special one-onone time with their newborn and their partner “before they have the chaos of all the family coming in”. That’s been one positive we’ve seen from this (pandemic),” Houghton said. Mary Hernandez, director of Mat-Su Regional’s Family Birthing Center, echoes Houghton’s observation. “I’ve visited with many mothers and that’s

“It’s much different than having bleachers of people coming to watch you give birth,” Hernandez said. “We’ve seen moms simply embrace this time of bonding and quiet and say, ‘We’re just going to stay and chill.’” For expectant moms who may still feel a little uneasy about giving birth during the pandemic, Houghton offers this reassurance: “The safety of pregnant mothers and the safe delivery and care of newborns is at the heart of everything we do,” he said. “That’s our mission.” To learn more about Dr. Houghton and Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialists or to take a virtual tour of the Family Birthing Center, visit www.MatSuOBGYN.com.

PETS & ANIMALS & COMMUNITY

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Typically, short-haired dogs shed year-round, while dogs like Huskies, shed twice a year. Controlling your dog’s shedding will make life a bit more bearable. Provide a well-balanced diet, which will help minimize shedding. Brushing your dog is a very important aspect of grooming and lessening shedding. If daily brushing is not possible, at least once or twice a week. Of course, a dog groomer can help make sure that your dog is getting his grooming needs met.

Contributed by Angie Lewis, Alaska Animal Advocates Why do dogs shed their fur? Most dogs shed their undercoats during spring or fall. This is referred to a seasonal shedding. When the weather is warmer, a dog needs less fur to be comfortable. Of course, the

Contributed by Angie Lewis, Alaska Animal Advocates These two girls are SO ready to be in a permanent home. They haven’t been formally named because they haven’t been in a foster home as yet. They are Black Lab and Munsterlander mixes – beautiful and lovable babies, a bit over 8 weeks old. They still need to be vetted and that will happen shortly. Come meet these lovely gals and add them to your family! Call Alaska Animal Advocates, Angie at 841-3173.

opposite is true when it is colder out. Dogs with double coats shed more. Another reason for shedding is stress. When a dog is stressed, he often sheds more than he would under normal circumstances. Skin issues or allergies can add to the amount of fur that is shed.

No matter how diligent you are about grooming, you will still have to deal with fur around your house. Getting a good vacuum is very important in this battle against fur. Look into specialty vacuums for dealing with pet fur. Put blankets on your furniture to cover up couches and chairs. In a pinch, don’t forget lint rollers for your clothing and furniture. Air filters can help you deal with this overabundance of fur. Bottom line is that your dog or cat, for that matter, comes with fur. No matter how much they shed, they are worth any extra work involved in dealing with fur.

COMMUNITY Contributed by Michele Harmeling, United Way of Mat-Su As we move into spring, we are hopeful and planning to continue, or reinvigorate, our usual programming and services. We are comforted and inspired by stories from around the Valley of neighbors helping neighbors, friends checking in with one another and Mat-Su residents banding together to help others in need. Applications for both non-profits seeking assistance and interested volunteer groups are open as we finalize details for “Week of Caring”! If you are either a Mat-Su agency, or a volunteer group leader, interested in our largest annual volunteer event, you can read more on how to apply below. Other summer projects will be announced as they are finalized, so be on the lookout! It is shaping up to be a busy few months. There will be several opportunities to volunteer throughout the summer. If you are interested in volunteering, visit www. unitedwaymatsu.org/volunteer to get started! The “Meals for Mat-Su Littles” project will continue through May. Volunteers and delivery drivers are always welcome! Special thanks to Mat-Su Health Foundation for funding this community effort. Thrive Mat-Su has a full schedule of events for youth, and is adding more every day!

The 2021 UWMS Mat-Su Valley Resource Guide and Pocket Guides are available for pickup in our offices, by appointment only. Please call 745-5824 to schedule a pickup! If you are unable to pick guides up, please let us know and we will do our best to delivery some to you. We are excited to see things improve in our community, especially the weather! We look forward to Summer of 2021 and a renewed energy here at UWMS. Read on for a look at what we’re up to! We are now accepting applications for 2021 Week of Caring projects and partners! It’s been a year since we were able to engage in our biggest annual volunteerism project, and we are so excited to see it return! What is “Week of Caring”? Week of Caring engages volunteers from local, community-minded businesses in providing volunteer assistance to non-profits in the Valley who need a helping hand. Past projects include spring cleaning and repairs at the Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center and Girl Scout Camp Togowoods, park and playground clean-ups, donations sorting at turn-aleaf, grounds work at Family Promise, and more! Our business volunteerism partners have come from establishments across the Valley, like Wells Fargo Bank, MVFCU, First National Bank Alaska, and other energetic volunteers who give their time to assist.

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We recently expanded from a single day of activities to an entire week, to accommodate our partners’ schedules. Week of Caring 2021 will take place May 17-21, 2021! How Do I Get Involved? Register your project and receive assistance, or register as a volunteer group at www.unitedwaymatsu.org/ volunteer. Messages of Hope Are Springing Up Around the Valley! Thrive Mat-Su and United Way of Mat-Su have partnered with local artist, Audra Niekamp Reger of Stardust Dezignz to spread some words of hope and encouragement around the Valley. Audra combines her whimsical, uplifting style with window paintings and phrases intended to help spread joy and a sense of belonging through art. Her work appears around Palmer at participating businesses, Sutton Public Library and Wasilla Public Library just to name a few. Funded through grants coordinated by Thrive Mat-Su, the “Messages of Hope” project began as a collaboration between Thrive staff, youth and members of the AK Valley Rocks rockpainting group. We then decided to go a step further, and enlisted Audra’s assistance in making Messages of Hope visible around the Valley. Are you a local business owner interested in participating in “Messages of Hope”? Please call 745-5824 for more details. See more “Messages of Hope” on Audra’s business page: Stardust Dezignz.

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Thrive Mat-Su is hard at work planning awesome activities for youth! Thrive is beginning to offer both online training opportunities (Thrive University) and virtual field trips monthly. Please let us know if you would like to be added the invite list for these on-line opportunities Our interns work hard creating and sharing content on our social media channels. Please show your support by following our pages below: Please subscribe to our YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/ThriveMatSu Please follow our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/THRIVEMatSu Please follow our Instagram page at: www.instagram.com/thrivematsu/ Please follow our TikTok page at: www.tiktok.com/@thrivematsu