The People's Paper May 2021

Music in the Park 2021 Event Guide ON PAGE 7 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

VAA Art on Fire Iron Pour Art Fest ON PAGE 6 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

Contributed by Josh Fryfogle Social media in print. That was the idea from the beginning, before that phrase - Social Media - became a household term.

I started publishing Make A Scene Magazine as a way for local musicians to take their fate into their own hands, promote their performances and projects, and to support each other by writing about each other. It wasn’t about “making it big”, but making a scene in our own community. Honestly, it didn’t go how I expected.

The core idea was to give the pages of a widely distributed paper to the people of the community, of whom musicians were few. First, the people of the arts community (a few were musicians) flooded my inbox with content. Then, non-arts content started coming in, leading to the eventual development of The People’s Paper. Even though my original idea was to allow local musicians an easy path to publishing their own words, the idea appealed to a much larger group of community members.

Recently we’ve taken over the radio station, 95.5 The Pass. It’s a commercial music station, allowing me to fulfill my original mission – to promote local music... to make a scene. We play local music on the air that I’ve curated, some of the best recordings of the best performances from the best Alaskan musicians I’ve found along the way. It’s a dream come true for me.

But more than that, and true to our mission at Make A Scene, where we first converted a traditional medium

into a social media platform on paper, the radio station receives content from you!

Any community member can contribute, just by picking up the phone! (907-373-0955) A song request? Of course, but we also enjoy a public announcement, a poem, a joke, your favorite quote, or a word of encouragement for our continued effort to empower local voices like yours - while listening to an awesome mix of popular music (that doesn’t exclude local Alaskan artists.)

New Children’s Book: Jared the Giant

MORE ON PAGE 11 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

Fourteen years ago, I printed the first issue of Make a Scene. Like Facebook, or MySpace before them, Make A Scene Magazine gave a medium for community to communicate. But unlike those online platforms, my company was seeking to decentralize that platform into local-level intellectual action.

Unlike those internet bottlenecks, my company was not about consolidation of power, or to create content that trades in outrage, but instead to create a locally-owned platform that truly respects the First Amendment in all its clauses, and thereby truly reflects the spirit of the People in my community.

It’s altruism as an antidote to the corporate centralization of our culture.

Terri Phillips Art Display at Kaladi Bros.

MORE ON PAGE 14 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

We are social media in print, we are social media on the air - and it all started 14 years ago this month.

Thanks for reading and writing.

Make A Scene.

Museum of Transportation Opening!

MORE ON PAGE 3 OF THE PEOPLE’S PAPER

COMMUNITY

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Contributed by Dustin Morris, AFSP Area Director In the era of Covid-19, as we all try to protect our mental health and cope with uncertainty, it’s more important than ever that we be there for each other and take steps to prevent suicide.

Residents from the Mat-Su Valley joined thousands of people gathering in towns across the United States to draw attention to the suicide prevention movement. The Mat-Su Valley Out of the Darkness Community Walk, hosted by the Alaska Chapter, was held over the weekend at the Idiapark in Wasilla and online, www. afsp.org/matsuvalley. This gathering supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s education and support programs and its bold goal to reduce the annual U.S. rate of suicide 20% by the year 2025. Suicide rates are in Alaska are at their highest, according to the latest reports from the CDC. “Suicide touches one in five American families. By connecting and sharing our stories with each other, we will keep going in the fight to stop suicide.

Together, our community sends the message that you are never alone, that healing is possible, and when we connect, we create hope. Together we keep going,” said June Mahler, Alaska Board Member and Walk Chair.

The Mat-Su Valley Out of the Darkness Walk is one of hundreds of nationwide events this year. Speakers can be seen through video and included local personalities and the Alaska State Fair Teen, Dakoma Epperly-May. “We can all learn new ways to help each other save lives,” said AFSP Area Director, Dustin Morris. “By joining an Out of the Darkness Experience, you can show people that we are strong, we are resilient, and we are hopeful.

Together, we can create a culture that’s smart about mental health.”

Local sponsors for the Mat-Su Valley Out of the Darkness Experience include The Grape Tap, Mat-Su Health Foundation, Orion Behavioral Health Network, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Orion Construction, Inc., Tutka LLC, Bristol Alliance of Companies and KHITZ 107.1.

Contributed by Katie Stavick, Nine Star Education & Employment Services With everything we have all endured during this past year - the devastating pandemic, crushing job losses and furloughs, an unprecedented mental health crisis, just to name a few - many people have been exploring their options for a more secure career moving forward.

“Where do I begin?” “What resources are available?” “How can I make connections to the training or career I want?” It can be overwhelming, but there is help available through Nine Star Education and Employment Services in Wasilla.

According to the Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, adults who have earned their high school diploma or GED will earn thousands of dollars more in their lifetime than adults who don’t have this crucial, career-building education. Nine Star offers GED preparation classes

To donate or learn more about this event, visit: www.afsp.org/matsuvalley.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide.

Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Contact: Dustin Morris 907-201-9273 dmorris@afsp.org

create goals, assist with job search training, resume writing, interviewing, developing positive work habits and attitudes, education exploration, and stress relief.

designed to help students prepare for the GED and move forward.

Reading, writing, math, science, and social studies are, of course, offered.

But what about after the GED? Where can students find assistance moving forward?

Nine Star Wasilla is now proud to offer a Career Readiness Course!

This 12-week course is designed to support students in obtaining, retaining, and advancing on the job.

The program begins with an assessment of your current skills, interests and work values, career exploration, and training options to help move forward. We also work with you to

Nine Star Education and Employment Services continues to offer GED preparation classes through distance education. And something new for the summer, Nine Star Wasilla is presenting “Summer Intensive Courses”.

Don’t let the title fool you. These courses are designed to keep students studying while also having the opportunity to enjoy the Alaskan summers we all love! Course offerings include Creative Writing Workshop, Greek Mythology, Book Club and the Vietnam War, with more course titles coming soon.

Contact Nine Star to learn more about GED preparation, career readiness, and summer intensives at (907) 373-7833. Don’t wait - you have your whole career ahead of you!

Contributed by Tammy Ostrom The City of Wasilla and the Parks and Recreation Commission would like to express their appreciation and sincere thanks to all who helped with Wasilla Clean up Days that was held May 3rd-8th.

Our sincerest gratitude goes out to this year’s Clean up Day’s sponsors: Alaska Railroad, ALPAR, and the many volunteers who participated.

The City of Wasilla would also like to express their gratitude to the Mat-Su Borough for providing a large dumpster and Reliable Appliances in Big Lake for offering free drop off of used appliances for the event.

Clean up Days is a continual community effort to keep our public areas around the City clean and beautiful.

Thank you for your participation, and keeping our community one we can be proud of!

Thank you!

The City of Wasilla , Parks and Recreation Commissioners & Staff

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the car that isn’t a Ford, Chevrolet or anything identifiable. So, the title says “homemade”. Al Gagnon used anything he could find to make the truck. He used pieces from tractors, mining equipment and anything else he could find. The story says there is even a spoon used to make the truck.

Can you find the spoon?

Contributed by Nancy Hall, Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry Great news. The Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry (MATI) will be open in Wasilla this summer.

We will be open four days a week, Friday through Monday, starting Memorial Day weekend from 11am to 3pm.

We have several new and exciting additions to our museum. We recently received the Spartan aerial platform fire truck, originally used on Prudhoe Bay, then used by West Lakes Fire Department, who in turn donated it to us. The ladder extends an amazing 100 feet into the air. Imagine being on the platform that high in the air to rescue someone or to control the pressurized fire hose directed at a burning building. This Spartan truck joins our other many fire trucks located outside in the 15 acres adjoining our building.

Other new items are our picture boards where you can stick your face

through the hole in the picture board and now you can take your picture.

You can be a successful fisherman reeling in that giant fish. Pretend to be a pilot flying around the inside of the building. As a train conductor, you can signal the oncoming train. Or you can take a picture of mom and dad pretending to be a 1930 Palmer Colonist farm couple in the Alaskan version of American Gothic. Three picture boards are scattered outside located near the exhibit areas they most closely represent, and one is located inside the museum building.

See and learn the real history of Alaska. Inside the building learn about the bush pilots both male and female who explored and developed the Alaska we know today. They soared through valleys, over glaciers and around mountains to deliver mail and to provide supplies and to rescue people.

On the floor inside, see the beautifully restored car that President Harding used when he visited Alaska in 1923 among many other restored cars. See

The outside 15 acres have many exhibits. You can board the six cars of the train that was a WWII troop train, where you can walk through the history of mining in Alaska. Throughout these cars you can see photos that introduce you to the struggles and hardships early miners suffered to extract gold, coal and 95% pure copper from mines throughout the state while living and working under the extreme Alaskan conditions. Under the pictures are the actual implements and equipment necessary to operate these mines and rail lines.

Heading up these trains are two train engines, the 1500 and the X1000, that were used in the exciting 1985 movie the Runaway Train starring Jon Voight, Eric Roberts and Rebecca DeMorney.

Imagine fighting the tide and the role of the ocean in a double-ended fishing boat that doesn’t have an outboard or inboard motor. See some of the original snow machines, which are nothing compared to our new sleek versions.

Did you know the early railroads in Alaska included a school bus, ambulance and an auto-railer?

Farm equipment, the original Anchorage airport tower, radio and communication equipment, gold mining, Native crafts, experimental aircraft and other Alaskan historical memorabilia are only some of the other exhibits you can enjoy at our museum.

Come learn the history of our Alaska.

Fun for the entire family, this is a fundraiser for the National MS Society, to go for research for a CURE for this debilitating disease that affects so many people and families throughout the world.

We hold this event every year - and it has been growing - with help from many local companies and volunteers in our community. We hope that you can come down and participate in this too. You don’t need a motorcycle… You can drive car or truck too.

The event is held at Denali Harley Davidson on July 11th at 10:00am. There will be opening presentations with coffee and doughnuts, hopefully with some people from our state government, and local seated officials, and a representative from the National MS Society.

Then we will begin our ride preparations (TBA), for those who wish to go on the ride, that will end up back at Denali Harley shop for a delicious BBQ and music.

Plus, did we mention… door prizes?

Contributed by Glenn Butts, aka The DUDE 12th Annual MS Ride for a Cure 6/11/2021 – 10AM Midnight Son Riders, Chapter

801of Christian Motorcyclists Association & Denali Harley-Davidson Denali Harley-Davidson 1497 S Hyer Rd. Palmer Cost: $25+

Per person entry fee will be $25 (or more). With signed participant rider/ driver waver form, for a ticket into festivities, and you’ll revive a t-shirt provided by Denali Harley-Davidson to show your participation in the fundraiser.

We hope to see you there.

COMMUNITY

Contributed by Scott (aka Flaco Joe), Alaska 49ers Cowboy Action Shooting™ (CAS) is a western-themed shooting sport utilizing a combination of different “cowboy” guns through various courses of fire against the clock. A number of sanctioning organizations engage in a form of western-shooting, but the largest organization is the Single Action Shooting Society® (www.sassnet.com), which recognizes hundreds of local clubs in every state and over 20 foreign countries.

There are three SASS-affiliated clubs in Alaska, including the Alaska 49ers in the Anchorage-Mat-Su area, the Golden Heart Shootists Society in Fairbanks and the Gold Miner’s Posse in Juneau.

typical of the guns used in the taming of the 18th century “Old West”. SASS maintains a list of legal firearms, but most single-action revolvers, pistolcaliber, lever-action rifles, double-barrel, side-by-side shotguns, and certain pump-action and lever action shotguns are acceptable. Some vintage guns that are safe for shooting show up from time to time, but most competitors use modern reproductions which are generally made of more durable materials than guns original to the time period. SASS members are notoriously friendly and willing to let new shooters try out their guns, so they have a chance to handle and shoot a variety of different models and calibers to see which type of cowboy gun suits them best.

Shooting involves single-action firearms

Cowboy action matches involve a series

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of various scenarios where shooters compete against the clock firing revolvers typically drawn from holsters and long guns that may start out held in the hands or staged on a prop or table. The number of rounds fired, the order in which each gun is used, and the number and arrangement of targets varies for each scenario. Targets are typically reactive steel plates that “ring” when hit, but knockdown plates and clay pigeons may also be used. Competitors may be required to shoot from a single location, or move to multiple shooting positions during the course of fire. The variety of targets and shooting situations adds to the fun and challenge. The raw time score for each scenario is increased by five seconds for missed target and ten seconds for procedural errors. The goal is to achieve the fastest adjusted time.

Safety is paramount, so time penalties also apply to the final score for minor safety missteps. More serious safety violations may result in disqualification of the stage or the entire match. Of course, all competitors and spectators must wear appropriate eye and ear protection when any shooting is taking place.

One of the unique aspects of CAS is the requirement for participants to adhere to a “Western” theme and a state of mind known as “The Spirit of the Game”. Each participant is required to adopt a shooting alias that represents their character within the Old West genre. Each alias is registered with SASS and must not duplicate or be easily confused with any other member’s alias. Participants are also expected to dress in a style reminiscent of 18th century attire. Just imagine what actors in a western movie might look like or explore some vintage photos from

was a milestone too. Sadly, Fred passed away in January 2021 with Stella by his side.

Contributed by Fred Maestas & Anna Benedict We are very proud to announce that Stella Maestas will be a new member of the centenarian club as she turns 100 at the end of May. She is currently a resident at the Veteran’s Pioneer Home in Palmer.

She was born in Olathe, Colorado in 1921 to Teodoro and Sofia Baca on a

Contributed by Darean Doniz Parenting is one of the most challenging, thankless jobs a person can have with the worst hours, pay and benefits possible. Zero. No money. Parents are often losing money trying to keep hungry and destructive forces of nature fed and entertained. Parents are often looking for better health benefits to keep their accident-prone dependents healthy and taken care of in times of injury doing the most unimaginably ridiculous things. They have terrible hours. Try 24/7 on top of the job meant to keep food on the table and medical expenses covered. And, to top it all off, parents are under constant scrutiny to be better, do better, and parent better. Keep a nice job, food on the table, a clean house, and happy, smart, healthy and entertained children. With Facebook, Instagram, and yes, even Pinterest, it is easier to compare your parenting skills with other parents’ skills and make yourself feel like you are constantly missing the mark.

We are listening. I and the other helpful staff at Gille Learning Center are

farm. She was the baby of the family with four brothers and sisters. She attended school in Olathe and graduated high school in 1938.

She met her future husband, Fred, soon after graduating at St. Patrick’s Day dance in Montrose, Colorado. It was March 17, 1939 and that was the beginning of their romance. On December 8, 1940, they were married and spent the next 80 years as a happy couple, which

not here to make you feel like you are failing. We are here to help and support you. Parenting isn’t easy. Having a healthy, smart and happy child isn’t easy. You cannot win every battle and do everything perfectly right. But there are some things you can do that will help you be an exceptional parent. One such thing that is relatively simple and straightforward to do most days if not every day is read with your child.

I will not promise that reading with your child will make them the smartest person in the world. I will not promise that reading with your child will take away all of their academic struggles. I will not promise that reading with your child will keep learning disabilities from occurring. But reading with your child is important and has value in many ways.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics as of their 2020 report, in the 2018-2019 school year 7.1 million students in public schools were receiving interventions for learning disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act known as IDEA. About 30% of those students were

During their marriage, the had three children: Nancy (who passed away in 1948), Fred Jr. and Anna. The family started to grow, with the marriage of Anna to Kevin and then Fred Jr. to Marlun. Anna and Kevin had two children, Jarret and Kyle. Fred Jr. and Marlun had three children, Michelle, Janice and Michael, giving them five grandchildren.

Then came the great grandchildren, Jack, Jace, Avery, Jaden and Oliver. The grandchildren and great grandchildren

receiving services for specific learning disabilities of which dyslexia is the most prominent. Dyslexia affects about 5%-10% of the population and can be a nightmare for a child’s educational achievement. It is a learning disorder caused by a lack of phoneme (the basic building blocks of language) awareness that prevents children from effectively learning to read and write. What is the number one prevention for dyslexia currently recognized?

You guessed it. Reading with your child daily from an early age, generally, from the time the child is born.

Reading with your child is important.

Children learn language through exposure to the language. Not exposure on a tv screen that cannot respond to them, or from a tablet or video games that have the same problem, but from exposure with other human beings. One of the best ways to ensure that your child is getting that exposure is through daily reading and continual communication with your child. Reading with a child gives them quality time with their guardians whom they love and crave

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the years 1850 to 1900. While some competitors wear a minimum of boots, a long sleeve shirt and a cowboy hat, other participants enjoy the costuming aspect of the sport as much or more than the shooting competition itself.

Each member enjoys the sport in their own way.

One variant of CAS sanctioned by SASS is called “Wild Bunch”, inspired by the 1969 Western film of that name. This form of the sport uses firearms typical of the Old West just after the turn of the 20th century. Competitors fire 1911 pistols instead of revolvers and two models of pump-action shotgun are also allowed. Categories include “traditional” which involves military-specification pistols and “modern” which allows 1911s that have more contemporary features. Other than the type of firearms used, Wild Bunch stages are similar to cowboy action shooting stages with slightly different rules necessitated by the different firearm functions.

CAS is a family-friendly sport with a number of competition categories to suit the age and skill-level of every shooter. All competitors are strictly amateur, and anyone can participate in all sanctioned events. There are no cash prizes. Trophies, “bragging rights” and a whole lot of fun are the rewards. The focus of every event is to ensure everyone has a good time.

The Alaska 49ers encourage anyone interested in Cowboy Action Shooting to attend one of their regular matches at the Mat Valley Sportsman’s Range at mile 38.5 of the Glenn Highway a few miles south of Palmer. The club shoots year-round on the second Saturday and fourth Sunday of most months.

They also hold the Alaska championship Wild Bunch match in May and the championship CAS match every 4th of July weekend. For more information, visit the Alaska 49ers’ website at www. alaskacowboyshooting.com.

are the greatest joy to Stella.

We all continue to keep in contact with Stella through video chats, pictures, cards and visits. It is a blessing to have Stella with us to love and be loved by her.

We are delighted and thankful to be a part of this significant event as Stella enters a new century of life and wish her many more years of health and happiness.

Love you, Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma

spending time with. Reading can teach children lessons about life, happiness and general knowledge they’ll need going into school. Reading promotes creativity and imaginative thinking in children. If reading is a part of a routine, such as a nighttime routine, it is one of the best ways to get your child to wind down for sleep and facilitate a better sleeping schedule making you and your child’s life that much happier and easier. And, to top it all off, reading with your child allows you the opportunity to spend time supporting your child’s growth and sharing new exciting adventures with them.

As previously stated, reading with your child will not 100% prevent learning disabilities and it can prove challenging for some parents who have very busy schedules. But it helps and it is worth the challenge.

Parenting is hard. Reading is important.

Strive to read with your child daily. And remember, the Gille Learning Center staff will be there to help and support you on your parenting journey.

COMMUNITY

Contributed by Marilyn Bennett The seeds I planted in March have produced plants that are ready to go in the ground as soon as I am sure they will be safe. Tulips are thrusting up out of the ground and our old faithful rhubarb is showing it will return bigger and better than ever. I have learned that there are 67 species of rhubarb but have no idea the name of the four in my yard. Apparently, the rhubarb plant originated in Tibet and China and came to Alaska when the Russian trader, Gregorii Shelikhov, brought it with him to Kodiak Island in 1784, I believe they used it to prevent scurvy.

That reminds me that I had better hurry and remove and do something with all the frozen rhubarb in our freezer before I feel obligated to harvest the new crop, (Norwegian guilt).

But getting back to my seedlings. My daughter stopped by and noticed that I had an aphid infestation on almost all my new plants, “The Horror”. This started a day long project to find a remedy for the problem before it got totally out of

hand. Luckily, I have a special man in my life who loves a challenge. Doug initially went to Palmer to get some sort of pesticide or treatment for the aphids. it was soon apparent that, except for extreme chemical bug killers, nothing suitable could be found in town. Thus, he had to go into Wasilla. He first stopped at MidValley Greenhouse to see what they might have.

It turns out aphid infestations are a problem around Alaska and especially in an area like ours with heavy birch tree populations. Of course, the woods surrounding our house is full of birches.

The owner recommended a store in Wasilla that had natural treatments that weren’t regulated by the government since they didn’t contain man-made chemicals. The “Garden Supply” store he recommended on the Park Highway was not easy to find. It turned out to be an organic gardening supply outfit that caterers to the large cannabis growing business here in Alaska.

After discussing our “aphid problem” with a personable young employee there, he recommended the concen-

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trate called “Plant Therapy”. It is expensive! A small 12oz. bottle of the concentrate cost $48 with tax. It contains soy oil that suffocates the aphids, peppermint Oil that repels bugs, citric acid that is an anti-fungal, natural soap that helps keep all the ingredients in suspension and ensures surface coverage, isopropyl alcohol that dehydrates insects rapidly, sodium citrate food grade that stabilizes the mixture and eliminates powdery mildew.

This mixture when spayed on the plant leaves, suffocates the aphids. Supposedly they haven’t developed any immunities to the mixture’s ingredients.

For aphids, they recommend doing this several times for a week or more!

Doug came home and we took all the plants outside and placed them on the lawn! After spraying all the plants thoroughly and leaving them out in the sun to dry out, we brought them into the garage for the night and repeated the application the next day. Thankfully, it seems to have totally taken care of the aphid problem.

I was especially concerned, as besides all the pansy, petunia and impatiens seedlings, I had several hanging baskets that had survived in my garage over the winter and I didn’t want to lose them.

But the most important plants were the four phlox plants that I had ordered from a greenhouse in Ohio and have been nursing along since March. These tall garden phlox were one of the mainstays of my garden in Minnesota, and so I was amazed that I could not find

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any garden center here in Alaska that carried them.

When I contacted Hirt’s Gardens in Ohio on the first of March, I thought they would take my order and send the plants at a later date for me to plant.

Imagine my surprise when they immediately mailed out four live plants, which I received on March 6th. The plants were only 4” high, but since I knew they would grow to 36”, they needed some special attention as my shelves of grow lights were just not high enough. Doug went out and bought a couple of large sun lamps and set up a nice sunny area in the garage, just for my phlox. I am hoping they will be happy in my garden, although they are rated for zone 4. It seems that although we don’t have the hot summers, the winters seem to be mild enough for them to thrive.

We shall see.

Other gardening items... I repainted the iron table and chairs that I had originally purchased when my granddaughters were little. They make a colorful addition to my garden, especially this early in the year when nothing has come up yet.

Hope the information on the aphids has been helpful. I am looking forward to another wonderful year of gardening.

Marilyn Bennett was a Master Gardener in Minnesota and is experimenting and learning about gardening in Alaska.

ourselves in our community,” adds Odom.

The mission of Daybreak, Inc. is to provide a consumer with the Power, Hope, Choice and Responsibility for his or her own recovery.

Contributed by Alecia Ormsby, PowderHorn Consulting Daybreak, Inc., a dynamic case management agency that assists people in connecting to the services and resources identified to best meet the consumer’s mental health recovery goals, recently received the highest CARF accreditation of three years for their Mental Health Case Management program for adults.

“Daybreak is unique in that our focus is mental health case management,” says Polly-Beth Odom, MS BSW, Daybreak, Inc. Executive Director. “We do not provide any clinical services at Daybreak; our role is to assist the consumer in identifying and accessing the right set of services and providers to meet their recovery goals.”

CARF accreditation is a rigorous process, but Daybreak pursued it, showing its commitment to quality patient care, safety, and services to foster recovery.

Established in 1988, Daybreak provides comprehensive case management ser-

vices to adults that allows them to live a complete and largely self-sufficient lifestyle in both the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage. Those with a mental illness diagnosis, have experienced traumatic brain injury or are re-entering the community after incarceration can engage in tailored plans to make the most of their capabilities.

“The relationships that we forge with our clients and their support systems are the foundation for all that we do,” says Odom.

“Initially, Daybreak pursued accreditation because it was a requirement of the State of Alaska, Division of Behavioral Health,” says Odom. “After the first site visit and successful accreditation in 2015, the leadership at Daybreak saw the value of accreditation to ensure consistent quality improvement of the programs and services we provide.”

For an organization to become CARF accredited, the staff and facility must establish and meet rigorous CARF stan-

dards of policies and procedures and undergo an in-depth peer review process that ensures excellent patient care.

Accreditation provides a framework for continuous improvement. It often requires the assistance of consultants that have CARF accreditation experience.

“The process of a site visit during a pandemic was a challenge, but I believe we were well-prepared to move to a virtual site visit after twelve months of on-line meetings,” says Odom. “One thing that really made the difference was using PowderHorn Consulting to help us prepare for the survey.”

It is a tough job to seek accreditation, with policy making and adhering to over 1,500 CARF standards, so when the word of accreditation comes in, program employees are excited.

“The staff at Daybreak are in the community working a challenging job every day with very little fanfare. Receiving that three-year accreditation acknowledges the time and dedication the staff have put in and the high standard we set for

CARF International is an independent, non-profit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process and continuous improvement services that center on enhancing the lives of the persons served. CARF establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services. For more information, go to www.carf.org.

Over 315 rehabilitation facilities, and 100% of clients, have received accreditation through the assistance of PowderHorn Consulting. Specializing in The Joint Commission and CARF accreditation, the consultants, with over 160 years of experience, offer a wide range of services to health and human organizations in the United States and Canada. Fifteen years in business, PowderHorn Consulting has a proven record of accomplishment. For more information, Tom Sefcik can be reached at 740-272-1935, or at tsefcik@PowderHornConsulting.com.

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Doug Ferguson Except for a small, but very concerned and aware minority, most Americans who don’t live in cities like Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis, and those on the Mexican border, are ignoring the early stages of a movement to promote conflict in society with the eventual goal of staging an actual modern Marxist style revolution. They ignore this in our own country, even though it is taking place in right before our very eyes, whether it be outside of our Valley, in Anchorage, or cities in the Lower 48.

They seem oblivious to the thousands of illegal immigrants crossing our southern boarder with the increase in violent crime, the doubling of drug smuggling, the abuse of children and the taxing of local resources that has resulted. Nor do they see in the centers of many of our once proud cities, the thousands of homeless tent camps lining the streets of large multi-ethnic and even commercial neighborhoods, those that haven’t already been physically destroyed or burned down by looting and rioting mobs. They ignore the majority of those few who did manage to be arrested for this wanton destruction having the charges against them dismissed by the current administration’s federal authorities.

They do not see the connection between these chaotic events and the conversely strict edicts and freedom robbing regulations now imposed affecting their own daily lives accelerated by the COVID crisis, plus new federal

Contributed by Wes Keller Our oldest grandchild is in Navy OCS (Officer Candidate School) getting “authority orientation” designed to convince him he needs to obey orders! As vets know, basic training is an “in your face” challenge to whatever you thought was your previous selfdetermined life. While basic training is a learning experience, it makes no claim to be an in-depth analysis of the nature and source of human authority — just a practical application at the level of “Yes Sir!” — “No Sir!”.

As the ditty goes, “It is ours to do or die… not to ask the reason why!” Finding our ultimate niche in the complex hierarchy of autonomous human authority varies in every culture and with every world view. Coming to terms with when/why to obey (submit), revolt, give orders, or expect obedience takes time and is called “wisdom” because it requires constant adaptation to deal with a myriad cultural “boundaries”. It is impossible to discuss the nature of authority in any culture without getting into religious/ philosophical questions. This is because after each person decides whether Ultimate Authority exists, the next in-

legislation that will make their lives even worse if passed.

Examples are: 1) Allowing mask edicts forever in public places; 2) Involuntary substandard remote schooling for our children; 3) New restrictive mandates dealing with travel and vaccinations; 4) Without public input, indoctrinating children in public schools and colleges that our country is based on racism; 5) Federal agencies like the FBI harassing those seen as political opponents as recently in our own Homer, Alaska; 6) House passed HR-5, the so-called “Equality Act”, allowing “transgender” males to compete in women’s sports; 7) Unconstitutional and also House passed HR-1 election law bill forcing our government into a one-party system if it passes in the Senate.

These destructive lawless events and their opposite, the draconian increase of regulations imposed on the average law-abiding citizen’s life around our nation, are too numerous to list even a fraction of them here. However, opposite extremes in the following two examples can give you the flavor of how this movement is working to try to divide our country and prepare it to submit to a Marxist, or at least a “One World” type modern takeover with a central, dictatorial government ruling our lives.

Last year, a number of small local restaurant owners in New York, Michigan, Connecticut, California and Minnesota were arrested as a result of defying their state’s draconian COVID “lockdown”

evitable question is, “What is expected, what does He want? The question of faith in God is directly “in our face” for any consideration of authority. If a person decides there is no god — they are still part of the same authority equation when they use the word “should” or “shouldn’t”. Rules and authority are part of every human relationship.

As proof we are all in this together, consider the universal human reaction when someone tries to make you do something you do not want to do. We all experience the feeling called “resentment”. The resentment, just a “feeling”, may or may not generate action. We all must cope with resentment starting from day one, when we encounter tension in relationships starting with our parent or guardian! It makes us smile to watch the “terrible two’s”, but the stakes get higher as each human matures.

Some seem more naturally compliant than others, but nobody is exempt. One of life’s first lessons in reality, beyond “Mom”, is the painful realization others may not have our best interests at heart!

In fact, military, government, and even family authority can prove to be abusive and profoundly devastating, even lethal.

Consider how resentment naturally puts us on a quest to find some authoritative person or standard (rule) to insist or judge on what is “fair” as a fundamental response option next to physical force or revenge. It is simply not ‘human’ to instinctively squelch

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restrictions while trying to save their businesses. Even as the COVID crisis is winding down, a most egregious cases of those owners is that of Lisa Hanson, who owns “The Interchange”, a breakfast and coffee bistro in Albert Lee, Minnesota, a small city of 17,000 near the Iowa state line. She was recently arrested and taken into custody for allegedly not responding to a court order. She is now out on bail and appealing her case along with 20 other counter-claims and lawsuits against over 30 individuals in the state of Minnesota alone.

At the opposite extreme, look at Portland, Oregon after the “George Floyd Peaceful Protests”. After over 100 nights of riots, looting and building burnings last summer, the cost to the city was an estimated $30,000,000, plus $2,300,000 more to federal property. The latter caused the Trump Administration to send in federal troops to protect it. At the time, 97 people were arrested with federal charges filed against them for the destruction. Since then, the Biden Administration has dismissed or deferred 58 of these cases with 32 pending without spending so much as a day behind bars. So far, only 7 have pleaded guilty, and only one of these is heading to prison, having been caught setting fire to the Justice Building in a video showing his name tattooed on his back!

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There are many groups besides our foreign enemies, including the “cancel culture” in our own media and big international companies, pushing for this radial change in our government. It doesn’t matter whether they want world-wide domination and power, or just believe in “Socialism” or “One World” government. They are all contributing to this divisiveness in our society. We should know from history that all previous attempts to achieve these ends, whether idealistic or not, have only resulted in cruel and deadly dictatorships. We have only to look at the tens of millions killed and imprisoned in China, Russia and other nations under communist rule during the past 100 years.

We are at a turning point in our history as a country and as a civilization.

If more citizens don’t start waking up and pushing back on these movements, we surely will see Orwell’s 1984 come to life. How? By getting involved and supporting politicians and leaders who promote legislation, lawsuits, education programs and demonstrations that counter these challenges to our democratic republic and freedoms in whatever legal ways we can, if it’s not too late already.

But first, we must see “The Elephant in the Room”!

Total riot costs across the country for the 2020-21 time period are estimated by insurance companies at over 2 billion dollars, the costliest in history with few rioters doing any jail time!

Doug Ferguson is a retired engineer living in Palmer, Alaska who has had a lifelong interest in science, computer technology, history and, of course, American politics.

resentment — to forgive and forget. We must learn a preference for the selfless “golden rule”. Whether you think fairness (justice) is based on God’s law, or some humanistic evolving standard, we all long for equal justice before your approved version of “good” rules when we feel the “excitement of passion which proceeds from a sense of wrong offered to ourselves, or to those who are connected with us” (Webster’s 1828 definition). We rely first on our inner knowledge of good and evil to decide if resentment is a just response, but we also look for the authority of “law” to validate or squelch the feeling.

of belief in a “Supreme Judge” and in “Divine Providence” (also acknowledged in the Declaration of Independence) as the legitimate basis for a constitutional governing authority. Despite the best efforts of many in academia, America still stands on this foundation! The argument stating American government is intended to be “secular” because it was prohibited from “establishing” religion is rubbish. The Establishment Clause is a monument to the founder’s intent to limit the power of government — not to limit belief in God’s authority! America’s future ultimately depends on the faith (religion) of voters … it really is that simple!

Keep in mind America was spawned from resentment! The Declaration of Independence includes a robust list of complaints against the King. The fruition of the founder’s resentments include: the American Revolution, the Constitution, Bill of Rights… each allowing more freedom and prosperity than mankind had ever known! Our founders rationally justified defying the authority of Great Britain. They staked out a new national authority by positioning themselves under the moral authority of one true God! This is the way any legitimate authority is honored … “chain of command” to an ultimate authority. The Declaration of Independence clearly references what Jefferson called “Natural Law” sourced in “Nature’s God”. In the ‘cultural moment’ of global history, there was a consensus

In light of America’s official standing, it is difficult to process the resentment we are seeing under the banners of Black Lives Matter, Cancel Culture, Woke, Identity Politics, Defunding Police, Critical Race Theory, even the general intolerance of “intolerance” feels as if the resentment is aimed at America ... at ourselves! It is difficult to imagine positive consequences resulting from this round of resentment, but the answer is not to squelch those involved beyond enforcement of our laws. The only valid answer must start with each voter so he or she selects representatives and laws truly “in the chain of command”.

Wes Keller | www.WesKeller.com

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Gene Kelly Somewhere in the space time continuum…

It is time that diversity celebration boldly goes where diversity has gone before. I am a Trans Viking. Noticing the Goth Renaissance amidst zombies was not my sole inspiration. The yellow vest rioters on the heels of the Paris Climate Accords motivated me to consider a GoFundMe Viking Apology Tour. Surely those yellow-vest-folk would appreciate my humble regrets, for my ancestors trashing their neighborhoods? Or maybe the antithesis would apply, and they would appreciate coaching on rioting techniques. Equal opportunity pillaging makes for lots of travel destinations. As a Trans Viking, I exemplify my ancestral multi-cultist, cosmopolitan, equanimity.

Contributed by Vance Ginn, Ph.D. & Quinn Townsend, Alaska Policy Forum Families in Alaska, whether in good or bad economic times, practice responsible, priority-based budgeting. They must make decisions, often difficult ones, on how best to spend their hard-earned dollars. The same is true for small business owners who must prioritize their spending to keep their doors open, meet payroll, and provide for themselves.

Alaska’s government should do the same, and even more so given it’s not their money.

The way to do this is for the state to practice priority-based budgeting, whereby legislators take a close look at how every taxpayer dollar is spent.

By doing so, state officials can allocate funding so that it doesn’t exceed the state’s ability to pay for it, as appropriately measured by population growth plus inflation.

Considering Alaska budget trends

Contributed by Hunter Hill By now most of us have heard about the massive infrastructure plan that President Biden has released. You may have seen it as yet another bill that few actually care about, or maybe you see it as something that needs more discussion. Most people’s opinion on it can fall into the same two categories that most politics always end up falling in. If you lean to the Left, then you’ll probably say this is a great plan that will fix America’s failing infrastructure and it will help strengthen public transportation and help out the poor. If you lean towards the Right, you might either say that only rails, roads and bridges need to be our focus, or more likely you may think that it is simply another bill that wastes our tax dollars and that we should focus on it when the economy gets back up and running. But there’s another opinion that I hold that I rarely see discussed; one that is more complex and deals with how individual cities build themselves from the ground up.

Cities used to be built from the ground up with people making small bets in the community. They’d set up small temporary shacks to house their businesses

Contributed by Stuart Thompson Following is the text of testimony I gave to the Senate Education Committee in support of SB119 Oath of Office--which legally requires Alaska legislators to submit to supplemental education about civics and how to keep Alaska’s constitutionally set Oath of Office. Start of text: “This bill is a good idea---being constitutionally and philosophically justified.

I celebrate looting and pillaging diversity, anywhere on the planet, not just Portland. Would the Italian government pick up my hotel bills if I asserted I was an illegal alien climate refugee? It would be a borrowed strategy from Mexican invaders. I must consider if my Trans Viking identity will inspire Persian, Hun, Mongol or Carthaginian invasions. Only time will tell.

Maybe my Viking Renaissance can interface with another carbon-fired, capitalist Industrial Revolution. Given those travelling traits in Vikings, I might go to Tibet and persuade the locals they should follow that Swede Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. They could blast tunnel networks through the Himalayas, culturally appropriating the Swiss example in the Alps. Rail lines and freeways might lead to the development of shopping malls and burger

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joints. It would inspire the “Save Tibet In Crowd” during their tourist visas.

Tibetans could utilize unemployed Iranian or North Korean atomic bombs, to form cavities in the mountains. Then factories resembling Soylent Green using soybeans, shipped in from Central Asia, could employ ardent hippie mommy Gaia vegans. They could read Dostoyevsky’s Notes From Underground, while avoiding climate change, just like Mr. Potato Head. We will stop short of considering the implications of him being a white potato.

There is a multiplicity of opportunities for recruiting Trans Vikings, from other identity persuasions. Ongoing Hollyweird collapse might attract experienced make-believe identifiers.

I will mull over the past blonde-only trait amongst Vikings, in common with

over the last two decades, there has been an improvement since 2016.

During the period from 2001 to 2015, the average annual budget increased by 9.9%, which was three times faster than population growth plus inflation.

Since then, the budget has declined annually by 7.3%, on average, while this key measure increased by just 1.6%, meaning that the recent growth of state government has helped to correct for prior excesses.

difficult decisions are necessary. Just like a family or business prioritizes their budget based on necessities before wants, Alaska must be responsible and do the same.

From 2001 to 2021, the budget grew on an average annual basis by 4.7%, which was nearly double that of population growth plus inflation. The excesses in the earlier period compounded over time to result in an inflation-adjusted state budget per capita in FY21 that is 10.9%, or $601 million, more than this key metric.

If the budget had matched population growth plus inflation over the last two decades, the state could have saved about $800 per Alaskan this year. This means the state would be budgeting about $600 million less in FY21 thereby helping to avoid its current attempt to dig itself out of a fiscal crisis and would probably not have drained its savings accounts either.

Some in Alaska have argued that there is no more fat to trim from the budget, that the state has cut everything it can since the highest spending years. But because the enacted budget, year after year, allocates more state funds than the state is able to sustain, it’s clear that

that would grow increasingly popular and would slowly gain wealth. Eventually, they would build taller buildings that would be able to house more people and make it easier to run a business.

Once the community produced enough wealth to afford it, they would invest in things like basic water and sewage services, fire and police, schools, and roads.

As the city grows even more, the city could invest in more expensive things, such as a streetcar or niche services. This process would continue on because the way we used to build our buildings produced a steady return on investment that is a reliable way of building and growing a city. Many byproducts of this way of building included well maintained infrastructure, excellent walkability and the lack of need for the automobile.

Later on, we quickly turned away from this with the massive suburbanization of cities in the pursuit of the American Dream. Most of the city was zoned for single family homes and nothing else.

Businesses had to be built away from residential areas for fear of people disliking a business in their neighborhoods. Those temporary businesses that were designed to be upgraded were

It fixes the problem of politicians being--so sorry to say this---the foremost hypocrites about education in our society. All major professions in America insist on continuing education to maintain professional standing---except the profession of elected political official.

Apparently whatever elected politicians think they know or are told by lobbyists is enough to wield power over their fellow citizens. Not good.

I recommend certain additions to this

This is why a fiscal rule of a responsible spending limit on state funds in Alaska is essential. This can be achieved by capping state appropriations to growing no more than population growth plus inflation every year.

But we can’t change the past, only learn from our mistakes and do better.

Much better. This will take responsibility and discipline, two things common to Alaskans.

prevented by zoning laws to continue upgrading, and thus were frozen in time. In residential areas, before a home is built, all municipal services are placed into the site so that it is shovel-ready.

For the average American, this seems quite normal, and that there isn’t much harm in giving everyday Americans the ability to own their own property in a quiet neighborhood.

Those single-family homes have a small amount of taxable value, far too small to pay for the maintenance of the infrastructure around it. Gas tax, property tax and sales tax aren’t great enough either to pay it off either. Cities can easily afford it in the short-term because the funding mostly comes from the state and federal government, while maintenance is left entirely to the local government. Simply put, we can’t afford to maintain our infrastructure because there is too much of it. We need to slow down our building of new infrastructure and improve on what we already have available.

Some may reasonably say that people want to live in the suburbs and don’t want to give that up. People can still live in a suburban community if they wish to, but they should be expected to self-sustain themselves in terms of services that would otherwise be provided by the city. If you want to get

bill to effectively educate elected public officials on how to honor their oaths of office. Remember. Truly educated people can reason. People indoctrinated by others who think for them cannot.

Alaska Constitutional Convention Minutes---so lawmakers better understand the rationale and compromises behind Alaska Constitution construction.

“The Federalist Papers” and “The Anti-federalist Papers”----so lawmakers better understand the rationale and compromises behind US Constitution construction John Locke’s “Two Treatises on Government” (particularly the second) and Charles Montesquieu’s “The Spirit of Laws”---two references that US Founding Fathers used to educate themselves

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Blondie and Dagwood. Can the truth about exclusion of blondes from Viking expeditions, based on the premise that they lacked upper body strength for rowing, be told today? Those he Vikings were leaving the she Vikings behind, because they would complicate the search for Sophia Loren’s maternal ancestors on the coast of Italy. It preceded the concept of male chauvinist Vikings.

Perhaps blue, green and pink hair petrochemical diversity celebration should have no place amongst true Trans Vikings. A nucleus of Harley-Davidson enthusiasts might be a civic catalyst.

Will my identity transition open up Barbarian Studies Programs employing me as director, in consultation with Peer Gynt? Would publishing a Critical Viking Theory text advance systemic stupidity civic shattering? Again, only time, and consideration of Soren Kierkegaard will tell.

Postscript: The author is founder and president of Freight Train University.

Alaska Policy Forum’s Responsible Alaska Budget sets the maximum threshold on state appropriations based on population growth plus inflation over the last year, similar to what a meaningful spending cap should do.

Specifically, our maximum threshold on FY22 state appropriations is $6.18 billion after an increase of 0.92%. Achieving this feat and working to increase the budget less than this amount will help immensely in reducing the cost of funding government.

History has demonstrated that governments cannot spend and tax their way to prosperity. Alaska’s spending over the past two decades has proven that.

Policymakers should consider Alaska Policy Forum’s Responsible Alaska Budget and work to further limit spending.

Keeping spending levels lower will not only serve Alaskans’ interests, but it will also make Alaska more economically competitive so that residents have more opportunities to achieve their hopes and dreams.

a more in-depth explanation of all this, I strongly recommend reading the book Strong Towns by Charles Marohn, which discusses how we can revitalize our cities to become prosperous again.

Finally, what might President Biden’s Infrastructure do in this case? Wouldn’t that help solve the problems that I just talked about? Remember that several US presidents have proposed something similar to this, including Trump.

This bill is designed to be a band-aid, where the federal government will likely use it to fix all that overbuilt infrastructure and possibly use it to build new infrastructure that they will not maintain themselves. My main fear is that, if the bill passes, that cities will see maintenance as something that can be paid for by the federal government. $2.3 trillion is expected to be spent by this, but the return on investment will never be enough to justify the price tag. Pretty soon, we’ll have to do this again and again, where another massive bill that we can barely afford has to be proposed again so our infrastructure that we can’t pay off ourselves has to get maintained. If we want to fix these problems, we need to build upon what we know and on what we already have available. We must create wealth that is sustainable enough to give a reason to pay off the infrastructure we have.

about representative government and constitutions, and referenced in debates.

In case anybody needs more ideas on the value of education to address keeping the Alaska government’s Oath of Office, here’s some more points: If given more time and a good setting, I can empirically prove that the modern definition used by elected public officials for the word “represent” is NOT the one used by our Founding Fathers.

This miss-education sabotages the application of our Constitution’s Article 1 Section 2 SOURCE OF GOVERNMENT. Here’s an excerpt from my Dereliction

Continued on the next page.

POLITICS & OPINION A Civic Dream Continued. of Duty Complaint, presented to the Legislature’s Rules committees, that applies: ‘Infraction #1: In the voting for the extension of the COVID Disaster Declaration, offending legislators demonstrate repudiation of our Constitution’s Article 2 by refusing to wield legislative power--pursuant to the constitutional limitations and requirements of the Alaska Disaster Act. Instead of using Article 2 power to rationally and scientifically reduce or minimize the waning threat of COVID using far-sighted law, offending members

Contributed by Nan Potts I often wonder, when the world falls into chaos and insanity, whatever happened to common sense?

In an age where the meaning of words and phrases change on a daily basis, thus causing confusion, frustration and conflict, let’s begin by defining some.

Common sense: noun, sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence. (www. dictionary.com) Well, that sounds straight forward. If we all step back and get a greater understanding of what’s going on around us (whether it be World, national or local events), I think we’d agree something is happening. But what?

We see continuous riots in certain cities, murders within ethnicities, assaults of one ethnicity against another and violent crimes rising across this nation.

Why? One could blame injustices for these occurrences. Okay, injustices should be dealt with. However, does that mean it should be dealt with by inflicting another injustice? Thomas Paine would disagree.

You recall Thomas Paine’s essay - “Common Sense; Addressed To The Inhabitants Of America, On the following interesting Subjects: I. The origin and design of government ...

II. Of Monarchy and Hereditary Succession III. Thoughts on the present State of American Affairs IV. Of the present ability of America . . .”?

If you don’t, you should.

When Paine first published his 46-page essay in January of 1776, and his new edition in February (adding specific monetary value to his proposal and addressing the Quakers), he listed grievances the American colonials had with King George III. He cited examples and evidence against the Crown’s interference in American matters and argued his solution with proposals how he foresaw the government of the New Continent. Simply put, it was a call to Independence. None refuted it. Why? At that time, Americans were British subjects, which meant they were governed by British Law. Paine debated the idea that Americans knew best what was good for them and the colonies, not the abusive ruler living over 3,000 miles away.

As far as the colonialists were concerned, King George III was a tyrant.

The more the Americans resented his authority, the more Parliamentary overreach and abuse from the Crown was put upon them.

Let’s pause here and define tyrant and tyranny - Tyrant: noun, a sovereign or other ruler who uses power oppressively or unjustly. Tyranny: noun, arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority. (www.dictionary. com) King George is best known for the taxation he put upon the Americans. Yet his authority went far beyond his taxation without representation (breaking traditional English Law). Other acts included extortion by suspending the New York’s legislative assembly until it complied with quartering English troops, which

are thrusting their duties & responsibilities onto the Governor. While this constitutional perversion could reasonably be laid at the door of systemic ignorance, it does not excuse legislators from competently knowing how to honor their oaths of office.’

It is a shame that for all Alaska Government’s pontificating and pumping money out to educate our Youth; elected officials don’t help realize quality education by applying the most powerful social tool there is---leading by example. Leading by example would show our Youth the true objective of

was greatly resented. Now, England had a “standing army” in the Colonies which protected the King’s interests not the Colonials’. The Americans’ rights, under English Law, were being denied and they no longer thought of themselves as Englishmen.

Rebellions resulted throughout the 1760s and early1770s. The most famous, the Boston Tea Party, 1774. And, as Parliament claimed legislative supremacy over its empire in response - it militarized the Massachusetts government, revamped her court system, erected a naval blockade to Boston and demanded the colonies provide for the regular troops.

Author, Thomas Wendel, Thomas Paine: A Call To Independence, states in his introduction, “The American patriots had come to believe that over the past decade there had developed in England a concerted conspiracy against liberty, a conspiracy formulated by wicked and corrupt ministers of the Crown who, through pensions and patronage, bribed a supine Parliament to do their bidding.”

What befell the Americans and the British are well archived in history. Tyranny was ousted and a new nation resulted. It promised a government for the people, by the people - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I’ll leave that up to you to review.

Does Paine’s common sense apply to today’s events? It appears the echoes of the past carries sounds of resemblance.

My common sense tells me there is tyranny at the root. Speculation can be made - monarchists, socialists, communists, fascists, anarchists, oligarchs, globalists and others. All of these have one thing in common: abuse of authority.

Paine’s following quote caught the woes of being under the rule of a monarchy and hereditary succession; England’s tyranny of the time. if one substituted any of the above-mentioned ideologies in its place, the quote would bear out truth. History has proven it so.

In short, monarchy and succession have laid (not this or that kingdom only) but the world in blood and ashes. “‘Tis a form of government which the word of God bears testimony against, and blood will retain it.” - Thomas Paine, Common Sense Under the U.S. Constitution, “We The People” are the governing body. We select our local, state and federal representatives via votes. Why would any people wish government to intervene and takeover their lives, including their happiness? Yet this is happening. executive orders and edits may benefit society, temporarily. Too many, and just like our colonial founders, our rights (which are inalienable) are being gradually and insidiously stripped from us.

A true student of world history would agree that fear is the driving factor for authoritative control. When a people feel threatened and demand protection, they allow and tolerate a certain amount of control over themselves.

And a tyrant, once in power, is in fear of losing that power. Look at Great Britain and its reason for the creation of serfdom - The Roman Empire (i.e. Britain) had been worked by gangs of slaves (of different ethnicities) and eventually broken up into peasant holds. “These peasants of the late Roman Empire, many of who were the descendant of slaves, came to depend on larger land owners and important persons for protection from state tax collectors and, later, from

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public education: that acquiring second hand knowledge; practicing what’s learned so as to successfully apply it; and seeking new knowledge to make life glorious is a lifetime effort that they have only just begun.”

I omitted reference to the methodologies of 18th Century Iroquois Confederacy---a model (directly familiar to our Founding Fathers) used for the pre-US Constitution Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. They had several hundred years of successful cooperation despite competing interests. And then

barbarian invaders and oppressive neighbors.” - www.britannica.com Paine’s response to the folly of hereditary rights of kings can also be applied to corruption in any organization: “Most wise men, in their private sentiments, have ever treated hereditary right with contempt; yet it is one of those evils, which when once established is not easily removed; many submit from fear, others from superstition, and the more powerful part shares with the king the plunder of the rest.” - Thomas Paine, Common Sense A common sense conclusion would be: If people are unwilling (to take responsibility) or unable (due to suppression and fear) to govern themselves, another person or persons will use their authority or power (suppression) over them to govern or control that population (oppression).

The current push of systemic racism and critical race theory are but distractions from government and Big Tech overreach in our pocketbooks and civil rights. The titles of proposed and passed bills in our Congress and Senate (COVID Stimulus and HR-1[The People’s Bill]) may “sound good”. However, a closer look into them (www.congress.gov and www.senate.gov) demonstrates so much pork and wasteful spending, they are on track to bankrupt this country and leave the debt for generations to come. This is not common sense.

Neither are the ideologies, created by intellectual thinkers who think their ideas are “special” and therefore they should be adopted. Ideologies based on how they feel things should be, not how they are, without practical experience of what they preach. Hence, Marx, Lenin and Hitler to name a few. Consider how those turned out?

“A government which cannot preserve the peace [or dismantles the peace], is no government at all, and in the case we pay our money for nothing…” - Thomas Paine, Common Sense Ask yourself regarding the following if this rings of common sense: A leader (who is white) calls for unity in this country, then names all white people - white privileged, white supremacists and domestic terrorists?

Penalizing law-abiding citizens by removing their rights to bear arms and protect themselves and their property, then allowing rioters, looters and lawbreakers to walk free?

Calling for reparations regarding unjust acts, done so long ago, that have been rectified.

One injustice being “righted” by another injustice (see the definition of revenge)?

The First Amendment right in this country, Free Speech, currently being censored?

Unruly and unlawful mob rule being allowed to threaten lives of fellow countrymen whose ideas differ from theirs?

Changing laws and definitions of words arbitrarily to suit a narrative?

To espouse false allegations and untruths, then repeating them loud and long enough that people believe they’re true? (see Saul Alinsky, Rules For Radicals) People want socialism over capitalism, when socialism has always brought bloodshed, death and destruction to nations (a well-documented historical fact)?

That people must be taught and believe in unproven ideologies (i.e. Antiracism and critical race theory) because others say so?

To claim that humans are causing the Earth’s climate to change when the cli-

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there is the wildly successful Potlatch System of Alaska Natives. Its democracy power was so great, that the US militarily suppressed it for decades to control Alaska natives. Oh, if our legislators had the humility to study such government success stories! Wouldn’t that be better than using binding caucuses and Legislature control by an aristocracy of big shots-----who jealously punish those who think differently? It’s just a pity.

Stuart Thompson lookitover@att.net

mate has been changing since the time of its creation?

Listening to biased media outlets instead of self-research to come to one’s own conclusion?

Paying unemployment benefits for workers not to work?

Printing money without value to stimulate the economy, leading to inflation?

Law and order being disbanded in the name of social justice?

The list goes on.

By applying common sense and having an understanding of history and human nature, one will find peace and prosperity lies within the Liberty of individuals, groups and nations, to be productive.

Paine recognized this. The American colonies were prospering with a budding economy, creative ingenuity and resources. Britain was in debt and with dwindling resources, the expenses of maintaining her Empire tugged at her manpower and purse. In her desperate attempt to survive as the ruling nation on the planet, the King and his Parliament decided to use more control and rein in the rebellious colonies. The result, a rebellion with “the shot heard around the world”. The rest is history.

Yet, there will always be those who wish to throw off any form of authority or government - enter the anarchists.

Anarchist: noun, a person who seeks to overturn by violence all constituted forms and institutions of society and government, with no purpose of establishing any other system of order in the place of that destroyed. (www.dictionary.com) I shake my head at anyone who declares there lies any common sense!

Rebellion and war are last resorts when diplomacy and communication breakdown. There has always been a very high price to pay in the devastation of lives and property. Is it worth it?

Freedom of any sort, and the struggle to maintain it, by definition, comes with that price tag.

Looking through U.S. History, rebellions have happened more than once. It could happen again. Too, much government control put upon a people who have known liberty and whose rights are defined by our ruling document, the U.S. Constitution, is setting up similar conditions to those of King George’s.

Rereading Thomas Paine has pulled into perspective how dear our liberty in this country is. Just ask the people who are fleeing other countries to be here! Those living here and attempting to “change” it through senseless rioting and destruction, and by more and more government control, probably should go elsewhere. Common sense would ask, “Why are you here?”

Common sense would also ask, “Are you truly applying common sense or are you going along with the rule of the mob?” Mob: noun, Sociology. a group of persons stimulating one another to excitement and losing ordinary rational control over their activity. (www.dictionary.com) Either way, “We The People” do have commonalities: we are freedom loving people and we are all Americans. It is amazing what a people can achieve when liberties are given. Why any people would want otherwise, even in fear, is beyond my kin. Common sense dictates otherwise, as well as Thomas Paine.

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Anonymous Have you ever wondered why we go to war? Or wonder why you never seem to be able to get out of debt? Why there’s poverty, division and crime?

What if I told you there was a reason for it all? What if I told you it was done on purpose? What if I told you the ones corrupting the world, poisoning our food, and igniting conflict were themselves about to be permanently eradicated from the earth? You might think that an idealistic fantasy. Well, let me tell you a story…

We acknowledge there are criminals, of course… They’ll rob your house, steal your phone, and they’d murder you too if they think they can get away with it.

We have all experienced criminals in one way or another. Criminals as you know, are those who choose personal gain over the rights of others and have no regard for the law.

But here is where you need to expand your thinking.

Criminals can also succeed in business and politics, and can be elected as our leaders. If a criminal could become the president, imagine what they could achieve. They could use the full wave of their executive power to commit much larger crimes, and ensure they and their friends were enriched to the fullest extent possible. A criminal president could create alliances with other criminal presidents, and then collaborate on more global criminal activities. Anything goes: drug running, human trafficking, anything that makes the big bucks.

The twentieth century was turbulent with war, economic disaster, famine and displacement. We accepted these things as just human nature, and simply the way the word works. Something inevitable, and due to the weaknesses of human nature that drive us to these actions. This is where we were all tragically wrong. You’re not a criminal. I’m not a criminal. How can we assume that it’s just human nature that is driving all this pain and misery? What if it wasn’t human nature at all, and was a result of something more deliberate? We were taught that capitalism was the cause of a rich-poor divide, and the reason for poverty, which in turn was the reason for war, crime and starvation. Others were taught that communism, a system of equal wealth, was really to blame for the mess.

But you see folks, it is none of these things. It is not in our nature to fight and be racist. It is not in our nature to rob others. What you must learn is that it was the criminals all along. Yes, they got power, more power than a criminal should ever have. They rose to the top of media companies that control our news and entertainment, they ascended to the top of the banking system, also to the Oval Office. To process, to the Vatican… to the crown. They crept in quietly. They became leaders of agricultural companies who have control over our food supply, also big pharmaceutical companies, the ones we trust to help us

Contributed by Gene Kelly, 2017 There is a long list of authors outright ostracized. The ancient Greeks used oyster shells as ballots, when voting on whom to kick out of town. So the word “ostraka”, Greek for oyster, morphed into “ostracize.” Many writers have avoided direct rejection, through phantom ghost arrangements or a multiplicity of pen names.

Members of past and present Scriblerus Clubs have a mix of comedic and tragic traits. Milton, Dostoyevsky and Solzhenitsyn were incarcerated. Dante, Ibsen and Swift went into exile, willing or not. Kierkegaard hid behind a series of pen names, until they were connected. It didn’t go well for him, when the gig was up. Kafka’s works were burned on German campuses, during National Socialism. Andre Malraux wrote a paradoxical Voices of Silence. J. D. Salinger

when were sick. Nobody stopped them, and they just recruited more criminals to help them. First, they accumulated the world’s wealth, and invented a system of money called “Central Banking”, which lends money to governments with interest, placing countries into eternal debt. People’s wealth got less, their wealth got more, much more.

When a criminal is already as rich as they can get, then protecting their illgotten gains becomes a priority. Angry citizens who are tired of being poor become a major obstacle, and can revolt if they suffer enough. The criminals needed to prevent this, so they diverted attention to the last remaining competitor; the people of the world, you, and me. We were not happy being ruled by criminals and having to work three jobs just to survive. They know we won’t accept it. So they used the media to set black against white, woman against man, young against old, Muslim against Christian. They convinced us that we were the problem so that we would fight and destroy ourselves. To get the job done faster, they attacked all aspects of humanity that make us strong, like family. Using influence over culture they popularized lifestyle choices that lead to a surge in broken homes, lost youth, and substance abuse. I could talk all day about how they deliberately weakened us, and it would turn your stomach. We were just trying to get on with living.

So where are all the good guys? Good people just wanna get married, have kids and enjoy their liberty. Well, there were good guys, many. One became the President of the United States in January of 1961. He knew about these criminally and wanted them gone. He knew their intentions for us all, and we wanted to fight them. Sadly, he had no idea how powerful they had become.

Reagan also had good intentions for the American people. He knew this criminal mafia, controlled almost everything by this stage including the powerful rouge intelligence agencies. His economic policies were promising, but the criminals needed a weak America to hold onto their power. Reagan was shown with a bullet that a growing U.S. economy and prosperous citizens were not what the criminals wanted.

It was looking pretty grim for good people, every time someone wanted to stand up and do the right thing they got stopped. Were we ever to be freed?

These criminals are known as the DeepState, or Cabal, because of how they control things behind the scenes. Every president after Reagan was one of these Deep-State criminals. And their empire got even stronger. With each bad president came new depths in which America and the world would sink. The world collapsed into darkness. Do you need me to tell you how? Destroyed factories, declining job numbers, sicker people, opioids, destruction of Iraq, Seria, Yemen, with pointless war.

Displacement in the people of Europe, isis, terrorism, collapsed governments, poverty and genocide. Total misery.

Do you think that was inevitable? Hell no. Here is where things start to take a

surrounded himself with barbed wire and quit being a public personage altogether.

The ultimate ghost writer, God, was ostracized. So what within all that ouch would motivate this expose? Does misery actually take comfort in company? Yes, cathartic common company finds the middle ground, between those Greek comedy and tragedy masks. Employing the intrinsic Irish satirical trait liberates from ouch.

An incompetent, postured as a teacher, with probably fifteen years in front of a middle school classroom, taught me an unintentional lesson in writing. A first ever assignment employing creativity was given. With enthusiastic 12-year-old innocence I completed my theme. It never occurred to me that my work was any better or worse, than the work of my peers.

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

U-Turn, and the full picture comes to be known. It will forever be regarded as the greatest story ever told. Here is the top line; some good people still held positions of power. They valued humanity and the rule of law, while the criminals discussed their game plan at the annual bilderberg meetings, the good guys were making plans of their own. The Information Age was coming to change history forever as the internet flooded into every home, and appliances became smarter, and when people started to carry tracking devices, an opportunity to end criminal control over the world was emerging. We became connected, trackable and servaled. But so did they.

They became dependent, just like we did; E-mail, SMS, instant communication. It made crime much easier, but also put. them on a grid that if accessed by the right people would expose their crimes to the public and end their iron grip on us once and for all. In this new age of information, it was thought that the military should have its own intelligence agency to focus on cybercrime and espionage. They called this the NSA <National Security Agency>.

Here we had every email, phone call, and text from every device, stored and archived. Whether it be someone setting up a doctor’s appointment, or the Deep-State setting up a massive heroin purchase from the Taliban. In the right hands it will be enough information to expose the entire sinister criminal plot to rob us blind and wipe us out.

Hold that thought now I need to explain the plan.

The good guys were devising a plan to reclaim the world from the cabal and return it to the people. It would involve alliances with multiple countries since the criminal had global ratlines, trade and other infrastructures that would need their cooperation. It came down to two choices for America: launch a military coupe to seize the government from whichever cabal puppet was in the White House at the time, or win legitimately, take control of the NSA and expose the criminals for what they are and arrest them all. Obviously the first option would be very concerning for the public. With people still preoccupied with cabal engineered social issues, they would likely revolt and hurt themselves and others. No. So they needed a candidate who could win and could win big. Many states like California had been so heavily inundated by criminals that even the voting machines were electronically rigged to switch votes any which way. It would need to be a very decisive victory. Good patriots in the U.S. military and their global partners asked trump to run for president so that they could take back the country legitimately without alarming the public. Trump was a good choice, obviously, because he overcame the voter-fraud and won, but he was a patriot, and he was loved and admired by the public.

He was not interested in joining the cabal because they hated America and he did not agree with them on that point.

As soon as he showed interest in taking power, they activated their media assets to viciously turn on him. That’s when we saw the sudden hatred emerge. Even when he won the cabal still had no idea

After grading our themes, the teacher dictated that the better papers be read by their authors, before the class. Mine was last. After reading my piece, I was publically told before my peers that the work was the best by far, but that it was the work of an adult. It was inferred that one of my parents had written the paper for me. My family was defamed, and I was made out to be a cheat and liar. I objected once and was told to sit down and be quiet. For the rest of the time I was in a public school, I warmed a chair. Displaying no more cognitive engagement than a sack of potatoes seemed to be the best course. My peers mercilessly ostracized me over the matter. I went silent on the subject for some twenty years.

For the remainder of the time I was within the walls of a school house, nobody directly asked me why I didn’t like school. The meme about finishing school as the formula for success and going anywhere in life was repeated, akin to the stuck phonograph needle.

PAGE 9

what he was a part of, and the sophisticated plan that was about to unfold against them. Shocked at their loss they mobilized their full arsenal of intelligence, media, money, and technology to try to win back power. Their people at the top of the DOJ (Department of Justice) and FBI put together a plan to try and frame Trump and have him impeached, this is where we come back to the NSA again. The SMS messages and emails could be used to prevent Trump’s overthrow. An entire book will be written about President Trumps’ victory, false flag terror attacks, downed planes, missile alerts, assassination attempts.

Here is the point. We are experiencing a covert war of Biblical proportions, literally the battle between Heaven and Earth. Between the forces of Good and Evil. I can’t put it in simpler terms, but what I can say is that it appears the good guys are winning.

The Cabal had complete control over North Korea, they hijacked the Kim Dynasty, took them hostage and worked together to build up a nuclear arsenal to threaten the world. Kim Jong Hun suddenly embracing peace was simply because the Deep-State were beaten and driven out. ISIS was also destroyed following Trump’s win. We are all seeing the pattern now, that enough time has passed, that our biggest global concerns are starting to recede, and peace is returning. It is all evidence that the good guys are winning. But we’re still in the middle, while a lot is improving, it still puzzles people that many of these known criminals are still free. Especially the higher-ups like Hillary Clinton, the Bushes, and Obama. That is coming in the next chapter of the story.

That’s why we have Q. The good guys with control over the NSA began the “Q intelligence dissemination program” to evoke the online grass-roots movement that came to be called ‘The Great Awakening’. It started in online internet channels and moved its way mainstream.

Q has been a fun distraction for those who follow world events and desire truth. But it is about to begin a much more important and necessary phase; keeping the public informed when the Deep-State war breaks out onto the surface. By this, I mean high-profile arrests.

Yes, folks, the criminals I’m referring to are famous politicians, actors, singers, CEOs, and celebrities. People who have earned our trust, respect and admiration. They have done very bad things, fully known and documented and they WILL be severely punished. Those of us who have followed Q from the beginning will be here here to help you make sense of the coming events. We were among the first to realize that our petty partisan divisions were just trivial distractions, and we were all enslaved by a hidden enemy. We realized that the problem was never capitalism or socialism, democrat or republican, black or white, Muslim or Christian, we know it was just very powerful criminals who just had too much power. Fellow slaves, it’s time to buckle your seat salts, recognize your enemy and embrace a future we all owe to the brave patriots who risk their lives to achieve this victory against the greatest force of evil the world has ever known. May God bless America.

God will judge our enemies.

We will arrange the meeting.

Within a few years, Tolkien’s trilogy made it onto my reading list. His primordial belrock was emphatically told by Gandalf, “You shall not pass!” and plummeted into the bowels of the earth. I couldn’t care if I passed or failed in a classroom. Eventually, I jumped onto a freight train and went somewhere to get away from the repetitious, “You’ll go nowhere” proclamation. I kept going even after I circumnavigated the earth.

Aristotle’s peripatetic model works now, just as it did for centuries, before the present classroom model. His teacher Plato’s Academy continued for 800 years, before it was closed by a Byzantine emperor.

Over forty years passed before I entered a public university with open enrollment. With no transcripts in hand from the private college I studied upper division courses in, I was made to take a competency test in writing. What an intersection with destiny was within the prompt. I was to write a letter to a school board, persuading them to

Continued on the next page.

POLITICS & OPINION Oyster Ostracized Continued. implement programs to remedy juveniles dropping out of high school. The poignancy was a Grand Cooley Dam of writer’s block. Not a civil syllable would come out of me. School districts employ doctors of education now, unlike when I was a boy. And they need to hear from me, a refugee from high school about doing their jobs? I flunked the exam. It was insisted that in order to be admit-

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

ted, I would attend a remedial writing class.

invited me to share a bottle of scotch with him.

After writing an assigned, concise autobiography for the first session, including my fervent persuasion about the value of studying philology, the teacher asked me to stay after class. He asked, “What are you doing here?” After I explained the circumstance, he told me to go back and argue for full admittance, and

I went back to admissions and quoted Shakespeare, asked if my syntax was sensible and my grammar was correct.

Still, the only way I was released from remedial writing requirements, was through the ruse of claiming I was incompetent at word processing. I agreed I would take a hand written exam

PAGE 10

instead, and was granted full admittance. I neglected to take the exam, so I effectively burglarized the bureaucracy.

Edmund Burke was right, “Education is the state manufacture of echoes.” I do so thoroughly understand the adage, “Look before you leap.” Regarding the pursuit of fame and fortune through writing, it can include getting rocks bounced off your ostracized head.

COMMUNITY and programs in Matanuska River communities. This year, grant awards focused on promoting health and wellness and economic development in the Palmer area.

Contributed by Erin Dwyer, Palmer Community Foundation Program Manager Palmer Community Foundation (PCF), an affiliate of The Alaska

Community Foundation, is pleased to announce the seven recipients of its 2021 competitive grant cycle. PCF uses proceeds from its permanent endowment to award grants that support charitable organizations

PCF awarded a total of $20,850 in grant funding to the following 2021 competitive grant cycle recipients: $6000 - Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers: Monkshood Descender mountain biking trails $5000 - Hatcher Alpine Xperience: Skeetawk ski patrol building foundation $3250 - Mat-Su Ski Club: Adult Learn to Ski program equipment $2500 - Connect Vets: metal fabrication workshops $2000 - Alaska Farmland Trust: Telling the Story of our Properties video $1500 - Mat-Su Trails and Park Foundation: Palmer Outdoor Activity Guide. $600 - Veterans Retirement Home: Outdoor walk sculptures About the Palmer Community Foundation: The Palmer Community Foundation (PCF) is a permanent charitable fund for the greater Palmer

area and one of 10 Affiliate Community Foundations under the umbrella of The Alaska Community Foundation. PCF is committed to growing an endowment to strengthen the charitable nonprofits serving greater Palmer. Gifts to PCF help continue to foster philanthropy in Palmer by supporting nonprofits through grant distributions, working with local donors to help them support the causes they care about, and partnering with other organizations to improve the quality of life in Palmer. For more information, visit www.palmercf. org.

About The Alaska Community Foundation: Established in 1995, The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF) is a statewide platform for philanthropy that connects people who care with causes that matter. Managing more than $165 million in assets and over 2000 funds for the benefit of Alaskans, ACF and their Affiliates grant $7 million to $10 million each year to charitable projects and nonprofit organizations across the state. ACF’s mission is to inspire the spirit of giving and connect people, organizations, and causes to strengthen Alaska’s communities now and forever. For more information, visit www.alaskacf.org or call 907-334-6700.

MEDIA CONTACT Erin Dwyer Palmer Community Foundation Program Manager edwyer@alaskacf.org

COMMUNITY APPAREL & CLOTHING All Seasons Clothing ........ 357-0123 D’s Tuxedo ........ 707-6585 Mila’s Alterations ........ 830-8339 ART & CRAFTS Artists Uncorked… 982-2675 The Gallery ........ 745-1420 BOOKSTORE A Black Sheep Shop ......... 376-8198 Black Birch Books ...... 373-2677 Fireside Books ........ 745-2665 CAFÉ & COFFEE Alaska Artisan Coffee ........ 745-5543 Gathering Grounds ........ 376-4404 Vagabond Blues……..745-2233 CANNABIS RETAILER Matanuska Cannabis Co. ...... 745-4211

Contributed by Lauralynn Robinson, MatSu Food Bank The MatSu Food Bank is participating in the Summer Food Service Program, this coming summer 2021!

MatSu Food Bank provides a wonderful program for the children in our Valley, FOOD4KIDS. Good nutrition is a building block for proper development that strengthens the immune system, enhances cognitive and physical development and increases concentra-

tion in school. Children who do not get the foods and nutrients necessary to maintain proper nutrition are denied all these benefits. At FOOD4KIDS, we believe in the power of food to change a child’s life! FOOD4KIDS was designed to provide nutritional meals for the children in our Valley, during the summer months, while they are engaging outside with exercise and activities.

FOOD4KIDS begins this summer on May 24th through August 12th, and will be available Monday through Friday.

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

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We are serving at Wonderland Park, Newcomb Park and the MatSu Food Bank’s Pantry (3 locations). If you are out with your children, getting some recreation time, stop by and collect a nutritional lunch, provided by our fabulous volunteers.

If you wish to volunteer for this event, please call or visit our office to sign up.

We may be reached at (907) 357-3769 or visit our web page https://www. matsufoodbank.org.You can also follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/MatsuFoodBank.

Meal Service Locations & Meal Service Times: Matsu Food Bank 11:00AM to 1:00PM Newcomb Park 11:30AM to 1:00PM Wonderland Park 12:00PM to 1:30PM

CREATIVE ENTERTAINMENT Artists Uncorked ........ 982-2675 EDUCATION Learning Essentials ........ 357-3990 FOOTWEAR Northern Comfort ........ 376-5403 HEALTH & WELLNESS All About Herbs ........ 376-8327 Just Botanicals ....... 414-3663 Lone Wolf Aura ........ 631-0482 HOME DÉCOR Peak Boutique ........ 746-3320 PIZZA Humdingers Pizza ........ 745-7499 PHLEBOTOMY SERVICES Valley Phlebotomy ........ 376-6435 PRINT SERVICES The UPS Store ........ 746-6245

Contributed by Glenn Butts, aka The DUDE 8th Annual Rally 2 The Ranch 6/5/2021 – 10AM Second To None M/C & CMA’s Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801 Northway Mall 3101 Penland Pkwy. Anchorage Donations Welcome On June 5th, we will be having a fundraiser/support rally for Nugen’s Ranch, Adult Long Term Recovery Center.

We will be stopping at three locations along the way, and it will be a poker run too. Also, there will be shirts made for the run, sold along the way. The profits from shirts go to support the rally to Nugen’s. 10am meet at Northway Mall, kick stands up at 10:30am.

Special thanks to: Second To None M/C, they’ll be leading the pack out to Nugen’s Ranch, and putting on the poker run. And CMA’s Midnight Son Riders Chapter 801, for correlating the event.

It’s a great way to show support for the RECOVERY community, and have a good time while doing it. So, get your BIKE ready (even your car) and come out to Northway Mall to ride with us.

Staring from Northway Mall Arrive at 10am, Leave at 10:30am

Contributed by Lauralynn Robison, MatSu Food Bank

building needs to be prepared for the new administrative offices and the newer pantry area. Our existing offices/ pantry will remain at our location 501 East Bogard Road, until our new location is ready. We will let everyone know with ample time when this move takes place.

1st stop: Denali Harley Davidson Arrive at 11am, Leave at 11:30am

2nd stop: Adult Teen Challenge Arrive at 11:45am, Leave at 12:00pm 3rd stop: Kink Three Bears Gas Station Arrive at 12:15pm, Leave at 12:30pm Arriving at Nugen’s Ranch Center 1:00pm Rolling thunder for clients!

Announcement: Due to the COVID 19, at least week before June 5th, please check our Facebook site, @Rally 2 The Ranch, for any and all updates, and if you wish to donate - a list of donation jars throughout the Valley.

REPAIR, RESTORATION Comtronics ........ 373-2669 S&S Drilling ...... 746-0225 Steve’s Toyostove Repair ..... 376-9276 The Powdercoat Shop .... 841-1300 SPECIALTY GIFTS Alaska Midnite Scents ........ 357-7364 Non-Essentials ........ 745-2258 The Wagon Wheel ........ 357-8980 THRIFT SHOPS Steam Driven Boutique ........ 376-4404 Turn-A-Leaf Thrift Stores ........ 376-5708 TOYS Just Imagine Toys ........ 357-1543 Learning Essentials .......... 357-3990

It’s official… the MatSu Food Bank has secured a new building for the purpose of expanding our facility to better serve our growing Valley community. We are very excited for what comes next. This process has many moving parts, and will be done in multiple phases, over the new few months.

us make this endeavor happen. Visit our web page for details how to donate to help with our new location. “No One should go hungry!” Please take a minute to visit our web page https://www. matsufoodbank.org. See the many ways you can help us help our community.

You can also follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatsuFoodBank.

PHASE I: Moving of the warehouse is now completed.

PHASE III: Once we are completely moved in and set up, there will be a “Formal Opening” Celebration with food trucks, prizes, viewing of the facility and silent auction for donations.

PHASE II: This will not be taking place until later. The office portion of the

MatSu Food Bank is very delighted and thankful for everyone who are helping

The MatSu Board of Directors, Staff and Volunteers

Contributed by Kathy Hediger

airshow has something for everyone in the air and on the ground to marvel at and even ride unique aircraft. Aviation enthusiasts can watch talented local pilots show their skill in the STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) Competition.

commentary, announce the winners and provide music for dancing from his extensive playlist.

Wings Over Wasilla Fly-In Airshow June 11-13, 2021 Wings Over Wasilla (WOW) Wasilla Airport 900 S Beacon St. Wasilla FREE Admission Pilots from around the state will be strutting their stuff at this year’s Third Annual Fly-In Airshow at the Wasilla Airport, June 11th – 13th.

Last year’s Wings Over Wasilla brought in over 300 aircraft to the Wasilla Airport over the weekend, some to compete and some just to show off. Some come for the party and camp on the Wasilla Airport grounds.

Over 10,000 aviation enthusiasts, young and old, enjoyed last year’s airshow. The

Justin Giles of G&G Sound and Light will be on hand again this year to provide

Thank You for your continued support, we truly appreciate you, our community!

Settlers Bay Golf Course will be there again this year to provide a beer/beverage garden. Food trucks from around the state will provide a variety of delicious options to satisfy everyone in the family.

“This free, family-friendly event has grown every year due to the support of our community and the great location,” says James Grogan, Airshow Advisory Chairman.

COMMUNITY Contributed by Rachel Martinez My family of five have been living in Alaska for eight years and this coming June, we are headed out on a new adventure. We moved here from just outside the New York City area and will be heading to another coast, Florida! As our departure date grows ever closer, I find myself often reflecting upon the people and places my heart has come to dearly cherish and love.

This sweet little corner of the world is quite the special community. It carries the excitement, beauty, and awe of the great outdoors, a land unlike anywhere else. When friends and family come to visit, one of their first responses is, “Oh, I get it now. I get why you live here,” as they breathe in the glorious mountains that surround our valley.

Among the inspiring nature of Alaska, it is its people and community that makes this place even sweeter. The family style community, where you walk into the local coffee shop and wave to friends from church at one table, and friends from your spin class at the other table. It’s the kind of community where people choose to take the time to ask how the family is, to spend a little extra time waiting in line if it means hearing how the new job is or pausing at the grocery store to check in on the neigh-

Contributed by Lhing McNeal, Kabayan Inc. Filipino-American Community of Mat-Su If you are hanging out by Wasilla Lake to catch some sun or having a picnic, stop by at the pavilion and get a free hotdog on us as part of our community outreach.

This event will be on Saturday, June 26, 2021, from 1pm to 3pm or until all hotdogs are gone. So, come on time before it runs out.

Though we finally are able to go out and getting used to a new norm, we will still be practicing social distancing and require a facial cov-

bor you haven’t seen in a while. It’s a community that by no means is perfect; it has flaws, potholes and dogs that pee on your flowers each spring, but it is one where the good far outweighs all that other stuff.

It is here, in this corner of Alaska, where I learned the beauty, value, importance and worth of small businesses (long before COVID entered our world). I think we all can think of our favorite local coffee hut that we drive through weekly for that cup of java (mine happens to be Perfect Start), or our favorite Little Miller’s ice cream location cause the Miller’s girls give a little extra ice cream on the cone there! Every time I choose to grab lunch from Hebrews Cafe or Cafe Dolce 907, I’m supporting family. I’m supporting my neighbors, my community, my Alaska. Whether it be a business that’s been around a long time, like Krazy Moose Subs, or a business celebrating its upcoming one-year anniversary, like Ema Rose Hair, I’m supporting my people. Whether it’s taking out of town friends for some pie up at Hatcher Pass Lodge, or meeting my friends to workout at Innergy, I partake in this family style community!

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how this community truly embraces LOCAL. I’ve been making some extra trips to those favorite spots, popping into the Wagon Wheel and Poppy Lane Mercantile for one more Alaska shirt, going the long way so I can grab a sandwich at Vagabond Blues, or make sure to pull through my friends new Elwoods. It doesn’t take much to convince me to stop by one. more. time.

So, when it’s easy to just go about your day, maybe today, take the long way home. Stop by your favorite local business. Buy a coffee for a friend, mail a sticker to your mom, say thank you to local businesses that make our corner of Alaska so very special!

Perhaps it’s because in a few short weeks, my family and I will be driving away from this little corner of the world, however my heart is extra grateful for

ering when you come and pick up your food. Don’t worry we will have masks available for you at the event.

We hope you see you and enjoy a good afternoon by the lake.

Contributed by Meg J. Voss, Alaskan Scottish Club Alaska Scottish Highland Games June 26-27, 2021 Alaska Scottish Club Alaska State Fairgrounds 2075 Glenn Hwy. Palmer Tickets: $5 - $30 What’s not to love about the Scottish Highland Games?

Bagpipes. Big weights.

Huge cabers. Dozens of athletes. Shagging. Scotch tastings. Music. Food.

Dancing. And more. All day

long.

Your admission ticket is on us when you volunteer!

The Alaska Scottish Club is looking for volunteers to donate three hours of their time helping out in admissions, merchandise sales, set up and tear down, athletics, children’s games and more.

We are interested in talking to you! Contact us at volunteers@alaskanscottish.org.

PETS & ANIMALS Contributed by Angie Lewis, Alaska Animal Advocates Exercising your dog’s brain is as important as exercising his body.

Very often, negative behaviors occur because a dog is bored. No different than humans. Basic dog training is a great way to challenge your dog and make him smarter.

Any amount of time spent training your dog is well spent. A good place to begin is to teach your dog to make eye contact with you. Then move on to more complex tricks or skills.

One of the best ways to stimulate your dog is to take him for a walk, going to new places to challenge him even more. Exposing your dog to new smells and sights is sure to please him.

Games are really cool to use for enhancing a dog’s life. “Hot & Cold” is lots of fun. Hide a toy or a treat.

Encourage your dog to find the item, using a calm, monotonous voice when he is getting further from the treat and then a more excited voice when he is getting closer.

Put smaller treats in plastic soda or

Contributed by Kelleigh Orthmann, Clear Creek Cat Rescue Kiki and Kili are sweet, gorgeous 11-month-old calico sisters who were abandoned by their owner at the height of winter. That led to them losing their ear tips to frostbite and developing an understandably cautious attitude toward humans.

Once they get used to you, they love

Contributed by Kelleigh Orthmann, Clear Creek Cat Rescue Yui! Young, sweet, lover boy. He came from Dutch Harbor as a feral kitten, but quickly bloomed (in size and purrsonality) into a purring cuddlebug. He is approximately 6 months old and has super soft long hair... gray and white... what I like to call a “blue tuxedo” ...

Loves to play and needs a home where he gets lots of attention. He may take a bit to learn about life in a home, but he will surely enjoy being able to explore new territory. He has siblings he could be paired with or, if you have a nice kitty seeking a companion, he may be happy with that too. But he MAINLY just wants someone to pet him! He’s growing fast and is going to be a big boy.

To visit Yui, please call 980-8898.

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water bottles, put through a rod that has been secured to a wooden base.

Your dog has to use his snout or paw to turn bottles upside down, thereby releasing the treat.

Use storage bowls, stacked together, and place treats inside a couple of them. Your dog has to dig through the bowls to find the treats. Hiding treats throughout the house is lots of fun for dogs as well. Under furniture, pillows, tables, etc. There are many puzzle toys available online and in pet stores. These challenge your pup to search for treats.

If you can, set up an obstacle course using household things – furniture, a garbage, cabinets. Encourage your dog to weave through these items.

Have him go faster, without knocking anything down.

“Hide and Seek” is one of my favorite games to play with my dog. The person has to hide and the dog must search for him. “Peek a Boo” is a game I play with my dog almost on a daily basis. My dog never seems to tire of it.

Remember that your dog’s brain needs to be exercised as much as his

chin scratches and belly rubs and playing with anything on a string that they can bat around. These beauties deserve a loving home where they can feel secure. They tolerate mellow dogs who appreciate boundaries and would get along great with an older child who could enjoy lap time with them.

To meet Kiki and Kili, please call 980-8898.

body. The games described are just a few of the options available. Use your imagination – just about anything you could play with a child would work for a dog. Modify as needed and a good time will be guaranteed for all!

COMMUNITY

Contributed by Marlene Munsell, Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc. Miles For Meals On Wheels Fun Run, Walk & Roll 5k 6/1/2021 – 9AM Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc. 1301 S Century Cir. Wasilla Cost: $25 Back in August of 1989, seniors got together and planned their first Miles for Meals on Wheels 5K. The event was successfully carried out on June 2, 1990 and raised a little over $5,000. There have been many changes over the past 31 years, but the Miles for Meals Fun Run, Walk & Roll 5K continues to be the largest fundraiser of the year for Wasilla Area Seniors Inc (WASI).

Due to lingering concerns about group events, WASI will host this year’s 5K both in-person and virtually, in your space or at our place. We hope you’ll come join us! The virtual 5K event will run from June 1st – 26th ; the in-person event will be held outdoors on Saturday, June 26th. On that Saturday, check-in begins at 9am and the race/fun run starts at 10am. You can register online at www. wasillaseniors.com/miles-4-meals-onwheels/m4m-re/ or stop by the Senior Center. The cost is $25 and t-shirts are

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available for $12.

To make this year’s event even more fun, we have added a virtual silent auction, which begins May 15th and ends June 1st, at 3pm. The silent auction will be the kick-off for our main fundraiser of the year, which as you know benefits Meals on Wheels of Mat-Su Valley.

Follow us on Facebook or check our website https://www.wasillaseniors.com for more details.

Our Meals on Wheels program is on track to deliver over 120,000 meals this year, which is a 41% increase from last year. With your help, we can continue to provide a daily wellness check by our staff and trained volunteers. Besides a daily meal, this greatly needed human connection is a lifeline for a lonely and sometimes forgotten group. Whether it is because of income, lack of mobility, or social or cognitive roadblocks, for many, Meals on Wheels is an essential part of their diet, budget, and social life. It may be the only full meal they get in a day. It really is that important. Together we can deliver!

If you would like to donate or sponsor this event, email marlenem@alaskaseniors.com or call us at 907-3763104. Thank you for your support!