The People's Paper September 2016

MID-SEPT THROUGH MID-OCT 2016

Contributed by Chas St. George

ALASKA HOME COMPANION 2016 page 9 of MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

The Wasilla and Palmer Rotary Clubs are proud to present their annual gala event, “Rotary Uncorked”.

This year’s theme is titled ‘Boots and Bling’, and it features a festive evening of both country and western fun and frivolity for the cowboy and cowgirl in each of us.

This year’s event will feature a menu of eight tapas pairings of exquisite western culinary cuisine paired with specialty wines and craft beer that are sure to create a ‘happy dance’ in one’s palate.

ARTIST BARBARA LAVALLEE IS BACK!

page 8 of MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

Tickets are on sale now for $65.

Wine and beer raffle tickets for a chance to win 100 bottles of beer or 100 bottles of wine are available for $10. Log on to rotaryuncorked. akmobi.org or contact Joni at (907) 354.3382 to purchase tickets. You

can also purchase your ‘Boots and Bling’ tix at Town Square Art Gallery in the Carrs Mall Wasilla, Life Family Chiropractic in Wasilla, and Travel Services in Palmer.

Please note that this event has sold out for the last several years.

So purchase your tickets today!

For those who wait to purchase their tickets until the evening of the event, the ticket price at the door will be $75, and there is no guarantee that tickets will be available.

‘Boots and Bling’ will be held at the City of Wasilla’s Menard Sports Center from 6-9 P.M. There are some very special additions to this year’s event, including country and western band, Against the Grain, and a special appearance from Judge

Moose The Movie

Glenn Massay Theater Mat-Su College Campus October 22nd @ 6:30PM

COMMUNITY Contributed by Josh Fryfogle Talkeetna is a place all its own, instilling a feeling that is hard to describe, a picture-perfect place of poetry.

To quote local lyricist, Larry Zarella: “That’s a quick picture of Talkeetna I know Way up in the northland, that’s how the summers go There’s a change in the leaves, the lake starts to freeze Feathers fly south on a cold... Winter breeze...”

Expanding distribution of The People’s Paper into Talkeetna has taken a little more time than I had originally thought. But things tend to happen when they happen, and you just have to go with it. Make hay when the sun shines, as the saying goes.

The Talkeetna Good Times newspaper had served this tight knit community for many years, but no more.

It wasn’t long after the Good Times stopped publishing that several folks from the Talkeetna area started reaching out to me, asking that I consider expanding The People’s Paper north. I wanted to, and would have sooner, but the timing wasn’t good.

All in good time, as they say.

Last month I made the trip to this cool town on the Susitna River, and found a bustling hot spot of tourist traffic! The locals were quick to tell me that this would drop off in September. Perfect.

The People’s Paper is not expanding to Talkeetna for the tourists! We’re for the people of Talkeetna.

The Matanuska and Susitna valleys are governed by the same borough, hyphenated together as the Mat-Su. It makes sense to expand distribution to accommodate this same area. As the economy in Alaska is influx, with drastic measures taken at the state level to satisfy financial obligations, it is important to look at what each community is doing well.

Clearly, Talkeetna makes good use of their tourist industry, bustling with locally owned businesses that thrive throughout the summer. The rest of the Mat-Su could certainly benefit from this, with a little guidance from our northern neighbors. And the social and political concerns of Talkeetna should be included alongside other Mat-Su content, shedding light on the big picture in Mat-Su area as a whole.

Regular readers already know how this publication works: you write it, you read it! A truly community-driven newspaper, written by local people, and locally-owned too. As winter rolls in and fall fades

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Beautiful Lake Side Setting

Family-friendly fine dining and accommodations

on the shores of beautiful Big Lake

892-8595 | 892-8885

COMMUNITY

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“I look forward to getting to know this community, and hope The People’s Paper can help us get to know each other - our Alaskan neighbors - as one community.”

fast, I invite the people of Talkeetna to use this publication as you will.

Help us shape the paper each month with your words, thoughts, essays and poetry: “Then it’s three feet of snow and it’s twenty below And it’s chopping the wood and it’s loading the snow And it’s warm with the candles in the cabin at night And the sky comes alive with a show...

From the northern lights...”

-Larry Zarella, “Ebling’s Waltz”

I look forward to getting to know this community, and hope The People’s Paper can help us get to know each other - our Alaskan neighbors - as one community.

Along the way, we are also adding some distribution in Houston and Willow, connecting the dots of our Mat-Su community.

Check out The People’s Paper on Facebook for a cool video I made of Talkeetna that’s been shared by people all over the world, and viewed over ten thousand times.

Send your articles and events to be included in upcoming editions of the paper through our website: www.makeasceneAK.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS GABA to Calm the Brain Contributed by Dori Cranmore R.N. GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) is a non-essential amino acid found mainly in the human brain and eyes. It is considered an inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it regulates brain and nerve cell activity by inhibiting the number of neurons firing in the brain.

GABA is referred to as the “brain’s natural calming agent”. By inhibiting over-stimulation of the brain, GABA may help promote relaxation and ease

What is Cupping?

nervous tension. Mostly GABA is used for overactive brain activity such as those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and Autism.

ADHD is one of the most common behavioral disorders in America. It has affected millions of children and the process still continues.

Because of the over-activity with these disorders the body will use up the GABA leaving the inability to focus and concentrate.

People with a GABA deficiency may experience: Anxiety/Nervousness Jumpy or On Edge Headaches Irritability Heart Palpitations Seizures Hypertension

Contributed by Sandy Sandvik

applications of cupping have become increasingly varied. Chinese medicine cupping is used to treat arthritis, asthma, colds, cough, indigestion, skin conditions, snake bites and many sorts of problems where there is stagnation or a lack of blood flow in the body.

Did you see the dark circles on Michael Phelps’ shoulders when he was swimming in the 2016 Olympics?

Cupping moves energy and blood, and opens the pores of the skin to remove toxins.

That was cupping. Although it is not new, it seems to be popular since many Olympic athletes were using this method to increase blood flow to their muscles.

The British Cupping Society claims success in treating: - Blood disorders such as anemia and hemophilia - Rheumatic diseases such as arthritis and fibromyalgia - Fertility and gynecological disorders - Skin problems such as eczema and acne - High blood pressure - Migraines - Anxiety and depression - Bronchial congestion caused by allergies and asthma - Varicose veins

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of healing in which a trained therapist puts special cups on the skin for a few minutes to create suction. That is what caused the marks left on Michael’s shoulders.

Cupping originated in China centuries ago and has been practiced extensively since 1950. Through thousands of years of clinical experience, the

Contributed by Eddie Ezelle, MatSu Food Bank Several folks have mentioned lately of becoming aware through our educational promotions that the “sell by date, use by date” and even the manufactured dates on a can of food does not mean the food inside is bad.

It is a very confusing thing and some states do not require any type of labeling. The federal government is looking into standardizing the labeling and making it easier to read and understand. Some manufacturers do have codes, but you need a play book to figure it out!

At the MatSu Food Bank, we always welcome any food. Anything you would eat, so would someone else.

We occasionally get something from

Contributed by Devynn Maclure It’s 12:01am. Here I sit, cross-legged on the floor of my pink and purple bedroom watching Spongebob Squarepants, dining on a meal of microwave pizza on my favorite Ninja Turtles plate. The beady eyes of worn stuffed animals atop my flower-painted dresser stare over towards me from the corner of the room.

The TV goes to a commercial, and I notice that the gazes of these cherished toys are practically looking down on me. It’s almost in a way that says, “Oh my gosh, this loser still lives here.”

I shrug off the judgmental stare of my childhood toys and take a sip of a half empty Moosehead lager. Just one minute ago, I reached a chronological milestone and turned 21 years old.

And yet, here I am: drinking alone in the same bedroom I’ve been in since

Side Effects: Cupping is fairly safe, as long as you go to a trained health another country that we cannot read, but someone always comes in that knows what it is and are generally excited to receive it.

Staff and volunteers are trained in what to look for and decide if we can put it on the shelves. The rule is always, “If in doubt, throw it out.” (Excluding that use by date!)

It is estimated that we Americans waste, throw out or otherwise dispose of up to 40% of what food is produced.

People have been brainwashed into thinking if the apple has a blemish, if the banana has spots its bad throw it out. There are too many things wrong with this. Think about that for a moment. We can and should address these problems. If we had the resources to store and distribute this amount of

toddlerhood, eating soggy pizza and actively watching an animated sponge who’s constantly faced with the looming dilemma of loving Krabby Patties too much.

If this is any indication of where I am moving with my life, then I have a sinking suspicion that it is anywhere but forward.

Growing up, I always thought that my twenties would be the absolute best time of my life. I anticipated a magical world full of staying out late, kissing members of the opposite sex and making all kinds of new friends.

Fast forward to now, where I instead find myself in bed by ten, regretting just about every ugly mug I’ve pressed my lips against (at least the ones whose mouths stopped running long enough for me to do so) and avoiding social

HEALTH & WELLNESS PAGE 4

A deficiency of GABA in people with autism can contribute to the poor inhibition that allows their brain to become over stimulated, which results in their living in a constant state of anxiety. GABA has also been named as the “anxiety” amino acid as it utilizes vitamin B and Vitamin B3. In case of a proper functioning brain, vitamin B3 unites with benzodiazepine receptors, which helps in dealing with stress, properly. If there is a lack of vitamin B3 or improper utilization of the vitamin, it can affect the proper brain function.

Factors that can reduce GABA levels include: B1, B6, Zinc, Manganese and Iron Deficiency Chronic Stress Chronic Pain Mercury or Lead Exposure Inadequate Sleep

You cannot get GABA naturally from foods. But a variety of foods contain substances such as flavonoids that influence how GABA works in the brain.

These foods include: Fruits, vegetables, teas and red wine.

Drugs for treating ADHD are often over prescribed and are not always very helpful.

The medicines are basically antidepressants or stimulants. Parents become extremely frustrated with the side effects. Amino acids, however, help in restoring the balance and keeping the mind and body calm.

GABA is not recommended for pregnant women or those with bipolar disease. Benzodiazepines, barbiturates and alcohol can decrease the effect of GABA.

professional.

without being moved, for a short time.

You could have these side effects in the area where the cups touch the skin: Mild discomfort, Bruises Burns (if glass cups are used)

Moving Cupping: The practitioner applies oil to the skin (most commonly the back), then puts the cups over the oil and slides them around that region of the body.

The two most common methods of cupping in the U.S are: Fixed Cupping: The cups are placed on a selected area of your body and then left in place waste, we could feed the world and no one would be hungry and I would be out of a job, and that is not a bad trade for me!

The reality however, is 1 in 5 children nationwide are food insecure. That means they do not know when their next meal will be or where it will come from.

And this is in America, one of the richest most vibrant nations in the world. It is a troubling thing.

So you say, “Where do I come in? What can I do? It is so overwhelming that I can’t do anything.” The best answer I can give is: Start local and do what you can.

Every can of food or dollar donated or hour volunteered, chips away at the scourge of food insecurity that we face.

I’ve always said start local. Start with

The cups slide easily because of the oil.

This movement is very stimulating to the skin. To learn more contact Sandy Sandvik at Altair Chiropractic in Wasilla 357-1818. helping your neighbor; then the block, city, borough and onward.

Find a pantry or food bank doing the things you would like to see and donate! Volunteer time or help create a food drive with your neighbors, all can help even indirectly.

On a side note: I like to talk to young children about the importance of helping others and giving back. If we start with the children, maybe future generations will be the ones who solve the problem.

Rotary a few years ago, took up the cause to eradicate polio and are now within a few cases of creating a polio free world.

We could do the same for hunger. It takes a village to raise a child, but only one to feed them. Could that be you?

Thanks for reading.

interactions like the plague. What the heck, ten year old Devynn, why did you make this out to be so good for us?

hit by a car and be granted a full ride with total loan forgiveness in return becomes just another part of your daily routine. In other words, it is not easy.

As it turns out, I am not alone. I mean, I am currently physically alone, but not in the notion that sometimes being a millennial freaking blows. Tell that to any older generation and you will almost always get an earful of, “When I was your age…” and, “Well, if you’d get off that darn phone of yours,” (I will as soon as you stop sending me casino game requests on Facebook, Aunt Brenda).

Straight up, the purpose of this column is to discuss the various issues and successes that millennials face today in hopes to make others in my generation feel understood and represented.

Anything from mental health and social movements to apartment life and college struggles are fair game. You may not like what I’ll have to say (that’s cool with me), but then again you may totally get what I’m putting out there.

However, being a twenty something is nothing like it was when our parents or grandparents were getting down with their bad selves. We’ve found ourselves in a modern society where unrealistic social expectations are shoved down our gullets at lightning speeds, the idea of being able to afford an average apartment or car is but a dream, and recklessly crossing the busy streets of your college campus in hopes you’ll get

Either way, my intention is to formulate topics that will make our community think about and discuss the lives of the younger generation in a way that is both revealing and compelling. In turn, we can then begin laying a solid foundation for our future generations and gain a stronger sense of trust and respect for the beloved and brilliant millennial population.

LOCAL BUSINESS Are You Productive Or Just Busy?

Contributed by Jeanette Gardiner Your day is starting and your ‘to do’ list is filled with tasks that you’re confident will add value to your business and help you reach your goals.

If you’re able to tackle the thief known as busy work, that is.

Busy work shows up as things like re-organizing your desk, or checking your email every five minutes. By the end of the day, these “quick” tasks have interrupted the flow of your day and you realize you haven’t made any real progress on the tasks essential to growing your business and reaching your goals.

Today I want to help you understand busy work a little better, and give you some tips and a downloadable journal exercise so that you can conquer this thief of productivity.

Busy Work = Urgent We’ve all been caught in the trap of busy work that feels urgent. But it’s important to understand that busy work doesn’t add value to your business. Something as simple as

The Financial Corner Contributed by Elizabeth A. Maxson, Lizzy Bee’s Tax & Accounting So, being that this is the first month of this section, I’d like to just begin by sharing some tax and financial tips for the regular ole’ Joe and the busy small business professional. However, I will welcome any and all questions submitted to my email for all future articles and will provide answers within the subsequent edition.

Thank you October, it’s almost PFD season! That’s right, it’s that wonderful time of the year where the price of everything in Alaska goes up by 50%, (so you can get that 25% off PFD special, you know?). Did you ever notice though that taxes are never withdrawn from your PFD? That’s because you’re required to pay them at the end of the year.

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checking your social media account every time your phone dings may make you feel like you’re being productive when in reality you’re not.

reason that you sometimes fill your days with busy, less important tasks instead of focusing on what’s going to grow your business.

In order to say no to busy work, you have to be willing to say ‘no’ to seemingly urgent tasks. It’s easy for busy work to show up and take you off track. Maybe you’re working on your next email to your customers and you get a message that it’s time to update your privacy settings on an online account. Before you know it, your day is over and the unfinished email is still waiting.

If you find that you’re using busy work to avoid overwhelming projects, write down one task in that bigger project to complete and give it a deadline. For example, if you’re planning a big social media campaign for an upcoming sale, one step could be: “By [your date], I will hire a graphic designer to help create visuals for the campaign.” You’ll find that accomplishing even one small step in a bigger project will give you just the momentum you need to keep moving forward.

Busy Work = Procrastination Busy work can also disguise itself as procrastination for many [guilty]. It’s tricky that way. You can rationalize all you want that before you begin a project, you need to make a giant to do list and organize your resources instead of simply starting the project.

If you want to say no to busy work, understand that it causes you to make a lot of plans. But it’s the follow through that makes the difference.

If your busy work shows up as procrastination, try telling yourself this: “Before I begin on this project, I’m going to take ten minutes to make an outline.” Set a timer and when the ten minutes are up, start working even if your outline isn’t completed yet.

Busy Work = Overwhelm Have you ever felt overwhelmed at the thought of starting a big project or learning a new program? I know I have. Overwhelm is yet another

returns that were electronically filed. However, this year due to a large increase in fraud, they have announced that they will not issue refunds prior to February 15th if you are claiming earned income credit or the additional child tax credit. They still are anticipating the typical wait time for electronic filing without the previously mentioned credits, but are cautioning tax payers to not rely on their returns for bill payments and the like.

On a positive note, are you a seasonal employee looking for work? Great!

There are lots of itemized tax deductions that’ll help you save on your tax bill at the end of the year.

But, there are a few stipulations: it has to be within the same line of work you were previously in and there can’t have been a long period of unemployment since your last position. Your job title doesn’t have to be the same per-say. But if you were, for example, a sawyer in the summer and now are a lumber mill laborer, that still can be under the general category - laborer.

I can’t tell you how many amended returns I have filed because my clients did not know that they needed to claim it as income. If you receive PFDs for your children or other dependents, those will need to be claimed with a special form as well, but do not count toward your income (they are still taxed however).

The state of Alaska provides the appropriate federal forms you will need to bring to your tax preparer either online, if you applied via e-file, or by mail.

What you put on your return as your occupation really does make a difference. (Another little tip, if you haven’t purchased a home and are attempting to obtain lending, having the same job title on your tax return will help you with the “2 years” stipulation that you will need to qualify.) You can write off the cost of preparing your resume as well as postage. You may also be able to deduct the cost of travel if you are looking for a new job. This deduction can be claimed if you are travelling outside of your city area and for more than a typical workday.

More excellent news. Typically, the IRS takes 21 days to process

Here are 5 tips for starting a business: Decide early on your business

Now that you have a better understanding of what busy work is and why you do it, you can tackle the real root of the problem and focus on the work that’s most valuable to growing your business and reaching your goals.

And to help you move this information into action, I’ve created a simple exercise for you to download and complete over on my website here: goo.gl/4XiQgM. About Jeanette Gardiner Jeanette Gardiner lives in Palmer, Alaska, and is the owner of SeaStar Strategies LLC where she helps timestrapped small business owners discover the gift of time by streamlining their administrative and marketing systems.

Learn more at seastarstrategies.com

structure. The type of business you choose will determine which tax forms you file. There are many benefits, and some disadvantages to each. Be sure to contact a professional for your specific needs.

There are four general types of business taxes. There is income tax, self-employment tax, employment tax and excise tax. The type of tax you pay depends on the business structure you set up. You may need to make estimated tax payments.

You may need an employer identification number for your business. To see if you do, go to the IRS website at IRS.gov. You can also apply for it online there.

Choose an accounting method.

There are two types: cash and accrual. Under the cash method, you normally report income and deduct expenses in the year that you receive or pay them. Under the accrual method, you generally report income and deduct expenses in the year that you earn or incur them. This is true even if you get the income or pay the expense in a later year.

The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit helps small businesses and tax-exempt organizations pay for health care coverage that they offer their employees. You’re eligible for the credit if you have fewer than 25 employees who work full-time, or a combination of full-time and part-time. The maximum credit is 50 percent of premiums paid for small business employers and 35 percent of premiums paid for small taxexempt employers, such as charities.

And that’s it for this month’s Financial Corner!

ACCOMMODATIONS Sunset View Resort ........ 892-8595 ALL NATURAL BEEF Arctic Alaska Premium ........ 231-7447 APPAREL All Seasons Clothing ........ 357-0123 CW Tack ........ 376-2668 D’s Tuxedo ........ 707-6585 Growing Spurts ........ 376-4404 Mimi’s Closet ........ 376-2661 ART & CRAFTS Stamp Cache ........ 745-4848 The Gallery ........ 745-1420 BOOKSTORE Fireside Books ........ 745-2665 BREWERY Arkose Brewery ........ 746-2337 BUSINESS & MARKETING SeaStar Strategies ........ 745-6127 CAFÉ & COFFEE Alaska Artisan Coffee ........ 745-5543 Espresso Café ........ 376-5282 Gathering Grounds ........ 376-4404 Loose Moose Café ........ 373-3332 CHINESE FOOD/ASIAN FOOD Kings Asian Buffet ........ 357-9977 COOKWARE All I Saw Cookware ........ 376-3177 CREATIVE ENTERTAINMENT Artists Uncorked ........ 982-2675 EDUCATION Learning Essentials ........ 357-3990 FIBER ARTS AK Frayed Knot ........ 521-9276 FLOWERS & GIFTS Charlotte’s Flowers ........ 745-5550 FOOTWEAR Northern Comfort ........ 376-5403 HEALTH & WELLNESS All About Herbs ........ 376-8327 HOME DÉCOR Cover Ups Designs ........ 746-4739 JEWELRY L Forge Jewelry ........ 232-9866

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POLITICS / OPINION Contributed by David K. Fuller, Palmer City Council Candidate For those of you who do not know me, my name is David K. Fuller and I am running for Palmer City Council.

I am married to the beautiful Andrea G. Fuller and between us we have six daughters. I have been active in the community as a Palmer Lion since 1999, as well as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Palmer Museum of History and Art, the Mat Su Miners Boosters and various other community organizations.

I have been recognized with the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award for community service in 2014.

Contributed by Gretchen O’Barr, Wasilla City Council I have always been a cheerful, optimistic person who rarely meets an enemy. When I was a child, one of my nicknames was “little laughing girl”. I love people and if anyone gives me half a chance, I will treat them with respect and loyalty.

One of my favorite quotes is from “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens: “Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were, all my business.”

This has been one of the guiding principles of my life. I really enjoy volunteer activities and using my time to help others. I have a Facebook page where I have listed many of my volunteer activities in a short biography. When I decided to run for the city council in Wasilla, it was a fairly easy decision because it would be a continuation of the type of service I have always been involved in.

So it was with a certain degree of perplexity that I found out what can happen when you get involved in politics. I have no problem accepting that not everyone is going to like me or all my ideas. That’s to be expected. But sometimes the levels of vitriol and negativity have been quite overwhelming. And for those of you who are not wordsmiths, some synonyms of vitriol are: anger, wrath, fury, rage and temper.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you will be aware of many of these

Contributed by Paul Johnson In the bucolic article describing the scent of clover and fresh air, the author may have inadvertently perpetuated a lie in saying, “Our Alaska State Fair has chosen to stand by the irrefutable science that secondhand smoke is not just inconvenient or smelly: it’s deadly and effects the health of those who are exposed to it.”

(The State Fair chose to do this at the suggestion of Breathe Free Mat-Su) Perhaps the author simply repeated the

I came to Alaska in 1978 and have been a resident of the Mat Su Valley since 1983. I graduated Palmer High School in 1990 and shortly after joined the United States Marine Corps as an Infantryman and am a veteran of Desert Storm.

In December of 1997, I returned to Alaska and served as a traditional Army Guardsman while working full time for Air Land Transport and the Alaska Military Youth Academy. After the terrorist attacks of 2001, I volunteered for active service providing security at Ted Stevens/Anchorage International Airport. In 2002, I joined the Alaska Air National Guard, full time, supporting the NORAD/NORTHCOM Mission of Air Sovereignty and Homeland Defense.

I feel that the biggest issue of this campaign is how can Palmer grow

conflicts on the state and federal levels of government. One example are the news channels where the host has two (or more) guests with opposing opinions and they start talking over the top of each other and then the host jumps in. This leaves your head ringing because you can’t listen to three people at once. I could cite many other examples, but I’m sure everyone who has any interest in politics knows what I am talking about. It happens here at the borough and city level also. When did disagreeing with others become such a battleground?

Expressing an alternate point of view in an opinion column, blog, Facebook post or other forum should set the stage for thoughtful public discussion and debate. If it’s a very divisive issue, common sense should dictate that we listen and try to understand what the other side is trying to say.

When I talk with people who completely agree with me, I am only getting an echo. But if I am willing to listen to someone who feels differently than me, I can accomplish at least one of two things. First, I might have a light bulb moment in which I realize why that person feels they way they do about their issue. It might encourage me to be more understanding or more compassionate toward them.

Very few people have strong opinions without a reason. (You or I could think their reason is crazy, wrong or stupid, but it’s still their reason and we need to understand that.) Second, it could help me by giving me “ammunition” for my own viewpoint because I will know how best to counter their argument. Either

lie that has been told so many times for so long that it has become a pseudo truth. I’ll give the author the benefit of the doubt.

Three examples of studies refuting the irrefutable are: The Enstrom-Kabat study on the effects of secondhand smoke on never smokers. This study concluded: “The results do not support a causal relation between environmental tobacco smoke and tobacco related mortality, although they do not rule out a small effect.

The association between tobacco smoke and coronary heart disease

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and thrive during our state’s economic woes. I grew up in Palmer in the 1980’s when the price of oil crashed and witnessed firsthand Palmer’s main street businesses empty and shuttered.

I feel the city can weather this situation and still provide essential city services through prudent and smart fiscal decisions.

A good example of this is the Waste Water Treatment Plant that is under EPA scrutiny and needs to be brought up to standards. This is being addressed through a $5,000,000.00 bond proposal that will go up to the voters for approval in October.

This is something that has been kicked down the road with band aid solutions instead of built up to standards in the first place and now we are forced to address it and pay the fines that go with it. In my opinion, it should have been built correctly the first time round, and

way, I don’t lose anything by listening and giving others a chance to express their opinion and respecting them.

During this process, it is sometimes necessary to make a compromise.

I’ve been told that to “compromise” is wrong and I need to stand firm on what I believe to be right. Yes, that is absolutely true if it comes down to serious moral issues. But as a member of the Wasilla City Council, those types of problems do not come before us. We have an opportunity to compromise and it’s not a four letter word. It should mean that nobody “wins” completely, but nobody “loses” completely either.

Sometimes it is hard to assess how the public really feels about different problems. We elect people to office so we don’t have to have an election and vote on every single issue that arises.

That would be illogical and impossible to do.

I had someone tell me one time that they absolutely knew their side was in the majority because look at how many people with the same opinion were in attendance at the meeting! They were not aware of the phone calls or letters from people who did not attend the meeting because they were worried about being “confronted” by the people who did attend on a controversial issue.

What citizen wants to come to a meeting to be treated to a show of rage and anger? Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease and sometimes we need to step back and investigate the situation a little more. Just because you get more aggressive with your opinion doesn’t necessarily mean you are the “winner”.

and lung cancer may be considerably weaker than generally believed.”

A New England Journal of Medicine study found that even back in 1975, when having smoke puffed into your face was ubiquitous in restaurants, cocktail lounges and transportation lounges, the concentration was equal to merely four one thousandths of one cigarette an hour.

In scientific terminology, that’s a tiny amount. Similar conclusions were reached by the World Health Organization, which concluded in 1998 after a seven-year study that the correlation between secondhand

on my watch things like that will be accomplished right the first time.

So, now that you have a good idea of who I am, I bet you want to know why I deserve your vote? What distinguishes me from my opposition is that I am literally someone new to the political scene and accessible. I am vocal and I am visible in the community, whether I am selling raffle tickets at the Palmer Gun Show or taking notes at a City Council Meeting.

People see me and what I do. I am here for the citizens of Palmer; I will listen to what voters have to say and do my best to serve their trust. I am not in this for anything else but to make Palmer a great place to work, live and play.

I will not pass the buck and I will be accountable for my bad decisions as well as my good ones. Thank you for your time and support and I will see you on Election Day. I will use the ATV issue we had last year as just one example of a very divisive problem. I heard some people basically say that all ATV riders were rude, selfish and destructive and we ought to do everything we can to get rid of them.

On the other side we heard comments about the history and tradition of riding ATVs in this area, how we have too many laws already, how we ought to be able to ride anywhere we want and we shouldn’t all be judged by the bad behavior of a few scofflaws.

Both sides wanted us to enforce existing laws; one side to cut down on destructive behavior and the other side so they would be allowed to continue in their sport. I challenge anyone to say that we shouldn’t have listened to both sides and attempt a workable solution.

This is only one issue, but we face many similar problems at our meetings.

In closing, I would like to continue to encourage attendance at our meetings.

It is so helpful to me (and the other council members) to know how the public feels about our city and the serious growing pains we are going through.

We are there to represent you and our seats are non-partisan for a very good reason.

I am there to represent, you, the citizen of Wasilla and not a particular political party. I take my responsibility seriously and hope that you will take your responsibility as a city resident seriously also. Our meetings are the second and fourth Monday of each month with a few exceptions. You can check Wasilla’s website or my Facebook page where I try to put a link to the agenda for each meeting.

smoking and lung cancer was not statistically significant.

The Enstrom-Kabat Study is of particular interest because it spanned nearly four decades and involved over 110,000 participants. It was initially funded by the American Cancer Society and supported by the anti-smoking Tobacco Related Disease Research program. However, when the results did not support the ACS/TRDRP’s desired outcome, their funding was pulled and they set out to discredit Enstrom and Kabat, both highly regarded epidemiologists at UCLA and State University of

POLITICS / OPINION Contributed by Bert Verrall My name is Bert Verrall and I’m running for the House in District 11. Our district stretches, roughly, from Clark-Wolverine Road to the Seward-Meridian running between the Parks and the Palmer Wasilla Highway. It also angles up at Trunk Road to the Palmer Fishhook.

It is a district that includes nine different precincts and is made up of dozens of little neighborhoods. It is a hodgepodge of little communities made up of a broad range of socio-economic experiences from those of limited means and humble living conditions to gated communities with paved streets and rules regarding where you may park your motorhome. It is a collection of Democrats, Republications, Libertarians,

Contributed by Vic Kohring Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has been under perpetual assault by the liberal, Hillary Clinton press machine ever since “The Donald” established himself as the Republican front runner this spring.

And following his nomination in July, the pace of attacks has increased to a frenzy.

It’s obvious to any thinking person that the media is afraid of Trump, fearing he may actually defeat their beloved Hillary.

So they’re constantly demonizing the man, hoping to destroy his credibility.

The criticisms have accelerated to a circus of around-the-clock bashing, intended to undermine Trump and influence the outcome of the November election, so as to install the first woman president.

I don’t object to a woman leading our country, but Ms. Clinton is a frightening prospect given her unscrupulous background. Most every time I read or hear the “news” (a word I use loosely), it’s a constant attack against Trump with a simultaneous portrayal of the sickly, low energy Hillary as a real leader who’s practically heroic. The media’s bias is so obvious, I’d laugh if it wasn’t so serious.

There are parallels between Trump’s experience and my own as a legislative candidate through the years. I too was

Contributed by Rod Perry Breaking like a clap of thunder out of a clear sky, announcement by the Alaskan Libertarian Party that Joe Miller is running on their ticket for U.S Senate really electrifies this campaign. Suddenly, true constitutional conservatives and Republican Party Platform adherents have someone they can rally behind.

Simultaneously, it has stimulated visibility of the long-standing, widening gulf between the left-leaning GOP leadership and the mid-to-right-leaning party base. Mirroring the national Republican Party, Alaska’s Good Ol’ Boys Club has long brushed aside their own official platform and bullied the party toward liberalism.

They repeatedly demonstrate to all who pay attention that their primary loyalty and effort is not to the jealous upholding of their party platform principles, but the tenacious maintenance of their iron grip on party control and power, principles be damned.

Independents and nonaffiliated voters. Religious affiliations are similarly diverse. All these folks have something in common: they are all Alaskans and all deserve equal representation.

All these folks share something else and that is the cherished right of privacy. As an aspiring citizen legislator, I’m trying to meet as many residents of the district that I can, while being mindful of not crossing the line of the right to privacy that Alaskans love. I respect those rights.

So I’m visiting a district neighborhood every afternoon, parking on a main road and offering folks the opportunity to stop and say hello. I want to know what’s on the people’s minds and I want to share my views as well, in an effort that we may begin working together to solve Alaska’s problems.

A few words on campaign signs and mailers. You’ve probably noticed all excoriated as a Christian conservative who espoused less government and a strong private sector. The old, socialist Anchorage Daily News (the Alaska Dispatch News is a big improvement) led a near constant chorus in a pathetic, but failed attempt to destroy me and elevate my liberal opponents to victory.

The attacks always reached a crescendo shortly before each election. It was like clockwork and certainly by design.

I could count on a major blitzkrieg - usually timed a few days before each general election in November - often with a huge headlined story akin to a presidential assassination. Yet I was “only” a legislator.

So why the big fuss over a single state representative, one of 60 lawmakers in Alaska?

It was because I was achieving fundamental changes in Juneau with my budget reforms and greatly highlighting the need to reduce the size of government’s influence, the likes which hadn’t been seen for years, if ever. I was rocking the boat instead of sitting on the sidelines.

In 2004, the Sunday before the election, the Daily News screamed with an enormous headline on its front page, “Kohring’s Residency in Question,” playing off the fact that I bought my bride a house near Portland, Oregon for her to live with family while I legislated in

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those big, expensive political signs along the highways. I’m sure your mailbox has been filled with those glossy, expensive political mailers that go straight to the trash. That is a lot of spending and a lot of waste, so it’s no wonder that these big money candidates just can’t stop spending when they get to Juneau - it’s already in their blood to spend. I can’t afford that kind of spending, I’m remaining within a budget on this campaign and I’ll do the same when I get to Juneau.

I do have yard signs. My yard signs have been out for a few weeks now and it’s interesting to see what has been put up with them. One of my supporters and contributors has a Trump sign next to mine. Another supporter has a Clinton sign near mine. These folks represent two very different political ideologies that can agree that I’m the best person to represent them in the House. I’m proud that my candidacy has already Juneau. And the attacks were always about my personal life, castigating me as a horrible human being.

Another year, I was beaten about the head and shoulders over the amount of per diem I claimed from spending long hours working on constituent matters.

My sponsorship of legislation to ease the permitting requirements for coalbed gas drilling in the state also drew howls with front page headlines, as did my extra employment for an Anchorage developer to make some side money to support my family and keep the bills paid. As if working two jobs was somehow bad.

On and on it went. The granddaddy of them all was my legal case beginning in 2006 where I was accused of accepting a bribe over a lousy hundred bucks to buy my step-daughter Easter eggs. Despite the near-constant assault by a crazed media salivating over me like a bunch of starving hyenas looking for red meat, I not only survived, but prospered with seven straight landslide elections. I can still see the reporters and editors long faces of disappointment!

As annoying as these liberal political “spokesmen” were for the democrat party (the writers insisted they were fair and unbiased, but in reality were cheerleaders for the progressive candidates whom they adored), it bothered me little.

GOP party bosses’ regard for party politics and power over principle is plainly on exhibit as a matter of open record. The most cursory glance reveals their continued enthusiastic backing of Lisa Murkowski, whose track record is voting counter to the GOP platform and more consistently with the democrats than all but one other US senator identified as Republican.

candidate because he sticks to principles that line up with the Republican platform. Go figure! Many loyalists to the conservatively constructed Republican Platform now find more commonality by gathering under outlying tents. One is the growing Alaskan Republican Assembly, “The Republican Republicans”.

The poster child of State Republican Assemblies, Ronald Regan, called them “the conscience of the Republican Party”.

Attempts by some of the true conservatives remaining active within the party to officially censure Murkowski for her consistent anti-party performance have been forcefully put down by GOP powers.

Another tent is the surging Constitution Party, this election represented by six running for state office. Their platform is very similar to the Republican’s.

On the other hand, those same powers recently censured and damaged Eagle River Republican Senator, Lora Reinbold, for her very straight-up adherence to GOP platform principles. Then just a few days ago, party bosses openly threatened their own recent mayoral candidate and the most conservative member of the Anchorage Municipal Assembly, radio talk-show host,Amy Demboski, for publicly announcing she will back the Alaskan Libertarian Party’s U.S Senate

When asked to explain the difference between the constitution party and GOP memberships, leading Constitution Party candidate Pam Goode stated, “Essentially, the main difference is this: We mean it!”

Another gathering camp whose core values are close to the GOP’s is the Alaska Libertarian Party, the ones who are presently banded behind Joe Miller.

Note: Something these local libertarians would be quick to point out is this: belongs to you. Own it! Now act like it and protect what belongs to you!

Contributed by Pamela Goode, State House District 9 Candidate Governments are like pigs with insatiable appetites. They will never stop devouring unless the people stop feeding them. For the past two years all we have heard is how Alaska is out of money and we need to find more to “fill the gap”.

More means you. The phrase “cut spending” is minimized.

We are not out of money, our government is out of control and has been for a while! Governor Walker has spent tons of money to convince you it’s time for us all to give more of our money to keep the government operating and services flowing. The sad truth is, many of you are believing it. Stop!

The only reason this effort is taking place is because the government feels

they actually have a chance of you believing them. It’s called a Delphi Effort.

They are throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks. In other words, you are being tested to see what you are willing to believe and let happen! The minute you take ownership of what belongs to you and act like it, the government will back off and live within their means just like you and I have to.

Until then, don’t be surprised at what they come up with next. Bureaucrats are getting paid to find ways to get your money.

The resources in this state belong to current and future Alaskans, from statehood. Own them! The Permanent Fund (PF) belongs to you and all future Alaskans. Own it!

The Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) belongs to you, your children and all future Alaskans. Own it! Your earned/ invested/inherited income and property

Men, if a stranger came up to you and literally stuck his hand in your pocket and those of your wife and children and pulled out $1,000 each, what would you do? Stand there and let them do it? That is exactly what is happening right now.

What does that teach the next generation? If a police officer was standing there letting them do it or helping them do it, wouldn’t you fire him or put him behind bars?

This is what our government, who is hired to protect our rights and not violate them, is doing to us and expecting to be rehired (re-elected). Are we insane? So when you get your $1,000 instead of the $2,100 PFD owed, I want you to think about what you just read.

Our founders and framers are rolling over in their graves wondering why they even bothered.

How about the latest assault? The governor’s cronies are trying to convince

started to bridge the political divide so that Alaska may move forward. You know my son told me, “When you know someone in the community who is running for office and you trust them, it cuts through party lines.” He also told me, “Political office should be a hassle that you do for others as a service, not a vehicle for personal success. People know you understand this.” Ah, my boy.

So to sum all this up. I want to meet with folks, listen and share ideas. When you see me in your neighborhood, please stop to visit with me.

And please remember: when you see those giant billboard signs likely placed illegally in the right of way, that you don’t see mine.

And when you throw away all that useless mail with all those glossy pictures of the candidates, remember Bert in the House won’t be sending you any trash.

In fact, I proudly wore the criticism as a badge of honor, deducing that if these hacks were so adamant in seeing me defeated, it must have meant they were afraid of me as with Trump. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have given me the time of day and waste their coverage on yet another spineless, yellow-stripe-downthe-back rhino.

Furthermore, they must have seen me as a threat and that I was doing my job the job I promised on the campaign trail and that I was elected to do. There’s an old saying that, “You’re known by your enemies.” If those on the left couldn’t contain themselves and cease their incessant onslaught through the years, it’s something to be very proud of. After years of assailing republicans including Donald Trump and people like me, the credibility of the press has fallen into a steady decline.

The public now holds them in such low regard that used car salesmen are seen as more credible. People are finally recognizing the garbage, often outrageous, over the top, even child-like reporting and are turning away.

For Trump’s sake and for the sake of our country’s future, I hope and pray that a majority of Americans see the press for what it is and before Election Day this November. God help us if they don’t.

Alaska’s libertarian platform is much closer to the republican platform than is the national Libertarian Party’s. Most notably, the Alaskans veer from tenants of the national platform which so many conservatives take staunch exception to.

Former republicans have gravitated to several other groups such as non-partyaligned Independents and Can’t-TakeIt-Anymore Fed Ups who have thrown up their hands and given up on voting, period.

To make it very simple, every one of these outlying groups believes in and practices platform principles far closer to the Republican Platform than do socalled “Republicans” who run the GOP and their RINO senator.

Now turning from GOP Good ‘Ol Boys grime to focus on something bright and exciting to those on the right: True conservatives of all parties and non-parties now have a U.S Senate candidate in Joe Miller who sticks tighter than bark on a birch as an unbending constitutional, rule-of-law adherent and is as uncompromisingly conservative - both fiscally and socially - as they come. the PF board to buy the refundable oil and gas tax credits he just vetoed? I kid you not! He just asked the PF board to essentially consider using your PF money to purchase over $700 million of promises the legislature made to oil & gas companies. These promises in credits were to be paid from the operating budget, not your PF. This is extremely irresponsible and a bad precedence you do not want to start! Folks, our government has run amuck and is spending out of control. Let’s own the mistake and send the right people down to Juneau!

We need new leadership ASAP! Discipline starts with the people and their ability to say no, and then do something about it. Elections are in less than two months to address this problem and there are recall papers floating around for Mr. Walker. I’m running for state house in District 9. I’m not lukewarm and know when violations have taken place and lines have been crossed. I have a vote and voice and I’m not afraid to use either of them.

POLITICS / OPINION Contributed by Shelley Hughes, Republican Candidate Senate District F Fall is here and winter is coming, and that means the November 8th voting day is around the corner! Before highlighting a few thoughts I hope voters will consider during this autumn election season, I first want to make an important point about the summer election season that just transpired.

I’d like to thank those who voted in the primary election, and especially thank Adam Crum and Steve St. Clair for stepping up to run in the primary, for their willingness to serve, for raising important issues and the level of discussion, and for giving voters credible choices.

As a result of their involvement, I believe I am a better prepared candidate and will be a better leader, and want to

Contributed by David Eastman If you want to know why Alaska’s budget is out of control, you have to shine a light on the indefensibly corrupt process that leads conservative legislators to sell their votes to Juneau even before they are sworn into office. Welcome to the Alaska Hunger Games.

Each year, Alaska’s districts send their representatives to the capital, and most of those legislators offer themselves in tribute to the Republican Majority Caucus. The cost is the same each year: writing a blank check pledging their district’s vote, in favor of whatever budget gets cooked up in closed-door meetings of House and Senate Caucus Leadership. If you thought that the Open Meetings Act applied to all government organizations, think again.

The legislature passed a law requiring itself to apply the Open Meetings Act to itself. That was in 1994. It’ll get around to it - someday.

Under the process that has held sway over the legislature for years, good people find themselves casting their vote for absolutely terrible things, and they do it even before they are sworn into office. The budget isn’t the only blank check that legislators have been expected to write in recent years. They are also asked to write a blank check for so called “procedural votes”, votes that we are told aren’t supposed to matter.

But they do matter!

In the last special session, Sen. Wielechowski called for a joint session to consider overriding the governor’s veto of the PFD, of education funding, of snowmobile trails, of oil tax credits and other items. Majority leadership

Contributed by Rep. Wes Keller, House District 10 Recently the Alaska Permanent Fund has carelessly been called a “Sovereign Wealth Fund”. To equate the two is at best confusing. At worst, it is either evidence of ignorance or an intention to mislead Alaskans who have forgotten, or are careless with their ‘birthright’ (citizenship) sovereignty.

Alaskan “sovereignty” is defined on the first page of our Constitution. The unquestioned authority and power in this state belongs to “the People”, a political entity not equivalent to what we call the “state” government which the Constitution goes on to create. Our constitution creates three distinct branches of government - the executive, legislative, and judicial expressly instituted for the “maximum benefit” (the good) of the people of Alaska, the “sovereign”.

“All political power is inherent in the people. All government originates with the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the people as a whole.” (Alaska

personally thank each of these smart, articulate, conservative candidates for their hard-fought races. I appreciate too their willingness to co-host an upcoming meet-and-greet for David Wilson and me on September 27 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Regan building gazebo on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. You are all welcome, by the way!

The arrival of the autumn election season means you’re likely hearing more than enough input through the media regarding the federal races and Washington D.C, but let’s take a few moments and zoom in on our state.

We’ve got big decisions ahead that will impact your wallet and livelihood in a very direct way.

As you know, Alaska and especially our region of the state, is an amazing place to live, work and play; to raise a family and enjoy life. Like you, I want tomorrow to be better than today, with

decided that they didn’t want to have a joint session. Unbelievably, every single Republican senator present voted against pursuing the special session.

That was a “procedural vote”.

What happens under this system if legislators instead cast their vote for the constituents they represent? Rep. Dahlstrom cast such a vote as an Eagle River legislator. In her case, the majority caucus proposed to spend funds invested in the permanent fund. After conducting a survey and finding that 80% of her constituents opposed spending any money from the permanent fund (yes, even from small side accounts that few even know exist), she voted against it.

For voting to represent the will of her conservative district, she was summarily ostracized by the Republican Caucus, staff she hired were let go, her membership in the caucus was revoked and committees she had been working on were told that representation from her district was no longer needed. You see, in addition to writing a blank check on the budget and writing a blank check on whatever “procedural votes” caucus leadership puts forward, you must be willing to do still one more thing. In order to perpetuate the system, you must be willing to hack off another Republican legislator at the knees (politically speaking of course) when they break ranks and vote with their constituents, their conscience and conservative principles over and against the caucus.

Most recently and dramatically, the caucus collided with Rep. Reinbold, but it has also had notable collisions with many others over the years, including Sen. Ogan, Sen. Ward, Rep. Lynn, Rep. Kohring, Rep. Vezey and of course Rep. Dahlstrom. In most all of these cases, it was the “Republican” Caucus demandConstitution, Article 1, Section 2 and Article 8, Section 2) The Alaskan government, instituted by and for the sovereign, in turn created the Alaska Permanent Fund (PF) to prevent short term legislative overspending of natural resource wealth. The only mechanism this same government instituted to ensure a “maximum benefit” from the PF earnings back to the sovereign, is the permanent fund dividend (the PFD). To argue the earnings of the permanent fund should be used to maintain legislative over-spending is ironic cognitive dissonance. It ignores the spending addiction and feeds this problem caused by state government’s easy access to the other 75% of natural resource wealth. The PF and its earnings truly is “Sovereign Wealth”. It is not state government wealth even if members of state government imply otherwise.

There is a very real, disturbing potential threat to the sovereignly owned permanent fund wealth. It comes from multiple directions: The Executive Branch: Governor Walker is openly promoting use of PF earnings to balance the budget deficit.

He has consistently referred to the PF as a “sovereign wealth fund”, without

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greater opportunities for both individuals and businesses; so our communities thrive, families prosper and children succeed.

For this strong future to be a reality, government must be limited and the budget must be right-sized. These goals have been my focus as representative and will remain my focus as the senator for District F. With your support as voters, we can pursue these goals together as we transition from oil prices that were once high.

I do not take lightly my service to you.

My husband and I raised our children in this district; I understand lives are busy. You need to wake up each morning knowing you’ve got someone in Juneau who has your back, is working to defend your pocketbook, is guarding your liberties and is focused on solving the fiscal gap. I’ll continue to work hard to move our state the right direction, always considering first and foremost what’s in your best interest as an Alaskan.

ing that its Republican legislators be “Less Republican!”, and therein lies the problem with even calling it a “Republican Majority Caucus”. It isn’t, and the current House Majority Caucus doesn’t even include Republican in its title.

Perhaps this explains why the caucus stood in the way of voting to override the governor’s veto of the PFD. You see, Clive Thomas, former political science professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, had it right: “In Alaska, the party doesn’t matter, but the caucus does.” Let that sink in a minute. In Alaska, legislators have historically pledged their support to a caucus, instead of a political party. This is why Republican legislators did not fight to override the PFD, or even put their opponents on record supporting the raid on the PFD this year. This is why government spending wasn’t cut in Alaska this year. In the midst of the current budget crisis, government spending actually grew!

Through extravagant spending, the caucus long ago set itself on a collision course with the PFD. Now that we have arrived, that collision is unavoidable.

While every man, woman and child in Alaska is getting a $1,300 haircut this year, the capitol is currently facing a lawsuit for improperly using taxes to build a man-made island along a causeway to a statue. The capitol has its priorities, and those priorities are not shared by those of us who live in the Mat-Su Valley. Perhaps that is why Alaskans have voted repeatedly to move the capitol and our legislators, back home where they belong.

You can count on me to bring fresh energy to the senate on your behalf. I have a solid track record of working effectively with others to get things done without compromising my conservative values.

Don’t be fooled by “independent” candidates making promises; they are liberals in disguise who want to tax you rather than reduce the size, cost and reach of government.

You can learn more about me and my common sense positions in the graphic as well as on my Facebook page, “Alaskans for Hughes,” and at www.alaskansforhughes.com.

To share what’s important to you or to ask questions, you are also welcome to call me on my cell at 907-841-1634.

I humbly ask for your support and would be honored to have your vote.

Please “Choose Hughes”, that is vote “Hughes, Shelley” on your ballot!

Juneau and Anchorage, and your role as a legislator is simply to rubberstamp the outcome? I spent twelve years wearing the army uniform, and never once did I have to demonstrate such blind obedience as our incumbent legislators have grown accustomed to, certainly not as a military officer. It is a corrupt and failed political arrangement. If our Republican legislators had been men and women of courage, they would have jettisoned it long before now.

When a caucus demands greater allegiance than a legislator’s own constituents, it has defeated the very purpose of representative government.

Those who have spent nearly ten years supporting such an arrangement, as my opponent Rep. Keller has, have set aside the interests of the people they were elected to represent. As an elected representative, there is no excuse for that. And as a state, it is abundantly clear that we cannot afford it.

Alaska doesn’t need a Hunger Games. It needs representatives who will transparently put the interests of their constituents above their own. To her credit, Rep. Reinbold has stood firm these past two years. I hope to see her still standing firm two years from now. And there will be others standing with her.

I hope to be one of them, and other candidates I’ve spoken with have echoed the same. The consequences this year are deadly serious. Either the caucus system (with its blank checks, closed-door meetings and out of control budgets) meets its end, or we will no longer be able to call it the permanent fund. After all, once the government gets its hands on it there won’t be anything permanent about it.

After all, what is the purpose of even having elections in the Mat-Su, when the truly important decisions (like the budget) will be made by people from

David Eastman is a conservative Republican running for the Alaska State House in District 10. Visit davideastman.org for more information.

clarifying that the executive branch is not the sovereign. His presumption goes even further if he now deliberately warps the investment standards used by the Permanent Fund Investment Board. These standards are the product of numerous statutes enacted over time by the legislature in response to its constitutional duty (9.15). The goal of the Permanent Fund Board has been to use our best investment experts and strategies to generate the highest maximum return for the sovereigns without political meddling.

The Permanent Fund Board should not be lobbied by the governor to ‘invest’ with a new goal of mitigating state government budget woes. This could destroy the lofty purpose of the PF.

hand, if the sovereign elects a majority of legislative representation who believe the “maximum benefit” will come from the government spending the money as opposed individuals, Alaska will be redefined as a socialistic state. This would be a sad day and an ironic end of the lofty purpose for the PF.

The Legislative Branch: It appears there is an uncomfortably high percentage of legislators who seem to believe backfilling the unsustainable overspending caused by the historically bountiful ‘non-PF revenue’, is somehow acceptable. The legislature is the only branch which can enact laws to specifically clarify “maximum benefit” for the “sovereign” as it did when it instituted the PFD. By design, the legislative branch is the most reflective of the will of all Alaskans (the “sovereign”). Therefore, the legislative branch is the best (arguably the only) hope to protect the PFD. On the other

The Judicial Branch: Former Attorney General, Craig Richards, has consistently and publicly advocated for the governor’s plan to ‘tap into’ the PF earnings. He advocated for variations of a “fiscal plan” using carefully designed presentations using impressive arguments and data. The sources for his presentations come from entities who would directly benefit, in the short term, from maintenance of government overspending. An Alaskan AG is appointed by the governor (not the sovereign), and is the source of legal counsel for the entire executive branch.

The AG is also the head of the entire Department of Law, including the court system. The court system in Alaska prides itself in being not “political”, which reveals its preference to be insulated from being influenced by the Sovereign.

Beware! The courts are not a safe bet for justice regarding the PFD! As agencies of

POLITICS / OPINION

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A “NO” vote on prohibition means:

Contributed by Joe McAneney, The High Expedition Co. There is currently no question as to whether or not marijuana cannabis exists in the Mat-Su Borough (MSB).

The only question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you would prefer to see that cannabis supplied by a criminal black market or by a regulated and taxed market.

A “Yes” vote on Proposition No. B-1 will effectively ban all commercial cannabis businesses from operating in the nonarea-wide parts of the MSB, allowing the unregulated market to flourish.

A “No” vote will allow businesses to operate and shift the commerce that is already taking place away from the unregulated market, which doesn’t exactly have an age verification policy for customers.

How did we get to this point? The state of Alaska passed Ballot Measure 2 (An act to tax and regulate the production, sale, and use of marijuana) in 2014 by a margin of 53.2%. The state has been constructing the regulations that will govern this new industry ever since.

Section 17.38.110 “Local Control” in the ballot language set out that local governments would have the ability

Contributed by Jim Sykes The Matanuska River looked like a giant wishbone in late July as it flowed beyond the Old Glenn Highway Bridge.

Roughly half the water headed to the Palmer side and the other went to the Butte.

The next morning, most of the water shifted to the Butte. The main current chewed the bank along a piece of remaining dike near Old River Road, and then quit.

But upriver a half mile, the river drilled at the bank near an old gravel pit pond across from Bradford Rd. The pond water and the utilities along the Old Glenn Highway sat a full five feet below the water level in the river - separated by about 150 feet of silt and gravel bank.

If that bank were to erode through at that point, the river could easily wash its way down the Old Glenn Highway or take it out like an unusual surge of water did in 1971. This erosion event was different, but had the potential for disaster. What would be the response?

Inside the borough building, less than a month earlier we received an uninvited surprise in the form of a state budget veto. $5.7 million from the state’s repayment share of the borough’s school bond debt service would not be paid.

the state, they also have an inherent conflict of interest. We need to be very careful about jumping into the court system to solve our problem with the governor’s unprecedented veto of PFD appropriation.

Yes, what the governor did singlehandedly was arguably not lawful, but our courts are not designed to be influenced by/for the sovereign.

I believe a review of high court decisions would reveal numerous

New York, respectively. Also noteworthy is that both gentlemen were staunch anti-tobacco, never smokers. The research was completed at UCLA and published in the British Journal of Medicine in 2003.

As a result of the attempts to discredit them, Engstrom was forced to defend their position in this document: http:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC2164936/ (Enstrom’s defense of the study) No one can deny that smoking is smelly and inconvenient to many non smokers but to perpetuate a known falsehood, supported only by what Enstrom refers to as Lysenko pseudoscience and to use

to prohibit the operation of cannabis businesses by means of an ordinance or voter initiative.

Shortly thereafter, a group supporting continued prohibition of cannabis gathered the required signatures to have Initiative Ordinance 15-088 (Proposition No. B-1) on the October 4th ballot, which could prohibit the operation of cannabis businesses except those involving industrial hemp in the area outside of the cities in the MSB. The cities of Palmer and Wasilla have already enacted prohibitions on operating cannabis businesses within their city limits. The city of Houston is effectively allowing the operation of cannabis businesses by means of a failed vote on an attempt to prohibit operations. If the vote passes and the prohibition is enacted, Houston city limits will be the only area in the entire borough that will accommodate cannabis businesses. It’s not difficult to imagine the tax revenue that Houston will gladly accept because of this.

Who knows, maybe we can use their brand new public pool facility they will build with the revenue after all the other cities in the MSB can’t afford to fix theirs. Not to mention the new and stable job creation, along with reduced

Like the river, the course of the current year’s budget had just been changed less dramatic than Mother Nature, but demanding immediate attention.

Back at the river, people living downstream measured bank loss at more than seven feet per day at the head of Bradford pond. I recorded GPS waypoints along newly exposed bank August 1st. Results showed more than 550 feet of bank had eroded away since the 2011 borough-wide aerial photography.

The locals had measured at least 64 feet of bank erosion within ten days. They felled cottonwoods and cabled them to the stumps on the bank. Immediately, the branches deflected the current away from the bank. While it is a temporary measure, it worked.

access for minors to cannabis. Don’t worry Wasilla and Palmer, you will have another chance in the future to reverse the prohibition after watching the other parts of the state (and hopefully borough) reap the benefits by supporting this industry.

This should help your decision if you are still on the fence about the topic: There will also be a question on the October 4th ballot regarding whether or not to implement a 5% sales tax on cannabis products. That’s right, a sales tax on a product that is already being sold tax-free and will inject the MSB budget with the revenues that are being lost every day there is not a regulated and taxed market in place. If you aren’t sure whether or not the MSB is in need of a new source of revenue just dial your district representative and ask them how the budget is looking.

Not to sound suspicious, but consider the fact that one of the main supporters of this initiative owns an industrial farm in the MSB and intends to cultivate industrial hemp. Notice how that was carefully excluded from the prohibition even though hemp is cannabis. This attempt to prohibit something we already voted on undermines our voice and prevents a new industry from starting in an economy that is in desperate need right now.

It became clear the 500 foot revetment proposed by the state would not be enough, as the river could easily erode downstream of the project and still run down the highway.

I pressed to double that distance and follow the bank of the river in order to protect people and property, as well as better protecting the road at the same cost. DOT agreed and got the work done expeditiously.

The project is now done. For the time being, disaster has been averted. But everyone understands the fix is temporary.

I thanked the governor publicly and asked for his help for a more permanent solution, including the possibility of dredging. He agreed to search for a longer term more cost-effective solutions.

But erosion increased upriver with the main current directly attacking the bank. I used updated mapping data to alert officials at the Borough, State of a possible disaster in the making.

All of the usual strategies of channelizing, dikes and revetments are extremely expensive. Buy-outs that get people out of risky areas is one of the least expensive, but there are still significant costs.

Most officials who examined the situation for themselves agreed that it didn’t look good.

Back in the borough building, the manager addressed the state’s funding cut.

In advance of a possible disaster, I pushed for an emergency declaration from the borough. Manager Moosey signed it, Governor Walker immediately approved it and DOT began work the following day.

He immediately put a freeze on hiring, non-essential travel and deferring construction of most capital projects.

The assembly is still working its way through these proposals that would make up for more than half of the $5.7 million shortfall.

cases of overturned legislative actions based on ‘jaded’ interpretations of the constitution - most recently, the law requiring parental notification for abortion.

We have no reason to expect justice on this matter from the judicial branch.

Alaskan business conflict of interest may be the most disturbing threat: There are many influential Alaskans and Alaskan businesses which directly the protect the children tactic as pawns to demonize smokers is deplorable and self righteous. Worse yet, the anti-tobacco organizations are now applying the same tactics to vapers and the modern vapor industry and have successfully lobbied The Alaska State Fair to be “Smoke and Aerosol (*Vapor*) Free” this year.

They could have said vapor but that doesn’t sound near as scary or harmful as aerosol. The anti-tobacco organizations will argue, “Vapor products have been deemed by the FDA to be tobacco products as of 8/8/16 and therefore we are allowed to regulate them as such.”

While technically accurate, one has to consider the definition of “Deem” (-ed) (-ing). According to Webster: Deem means to come to think of or judge;

benefit from ‘generous’ state spending.

Recent political ads advocating for legislative spending of PF earnings were paid for by such businesses. These ads should have transparently included a ‘conflict of interest’ disclaimer to include the amount and percentage of their revenue generated by state contracts. This threat is particularly disturbing because many Alaskans are prospering because of good jobs created by state overspending, which prospers these businesses.

The unintended consequences of overspending will ultimately include to have an opinion. That is exactly what the FDA did, decide to “come to think of” batteries, cotton, wire, circuit boards and even zero nicotine e-liquids as tobacco products. In other words, I could “deem” my beater with a heater to be a Lamborghini.

Of course it wouldn’t be, but the FDAs deeming is that ludicrous and is the same broad brush that anti-tobacco is painting the vapor community with.

Once again the FDA and anti-tobacco have ignored the science that vapor products are at least 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco to the user and present zero percent harm to bystanders. (FDA funded National Institute for Health Report – March 2016 / RCP Report – April 2016).

The free samples of NRTs that Breathe

> Strictly regulated access to persons over 21 with identification > All products are tested by a licensed state testing lab. > Job and career path availability > Legal taxable income for the MSB and state of Alaska, and a decline in unregulated sales.

The MSB needs to unite and embrace this sustainable industry and set the bar in Alaska by continuing to pioneer one civil liberty and common sense decision at a time. Vote “No” on Prop B-1 October 4th and dispensaries will be open just in time for Thanksgiving dinner with one less trip to Anchorage.

To learn more about the campaign supporting the movement, “Say No To Prohibition,” you can visit the Facebook page, “Say “No’’ to Prohibition in the Valley”, or visit the website www.savethematsu.org.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joe McAneney is a tax paying land owner in the Mat-Su Borough and has applied for a retail cannabis business license on Main Street in Talkeetna that will go by the name, “The High Expedition Company’’. McAneney looks forward to providing quality jobs to borough residents and helping reshape the negative stigma still surrounding cannabis.

Since the borough’s last strategic plan expired in 2012, I’ve pressed for a new one so we can realistically examine our immediate and future risks in time to find good solutions. It’s now in the works.

My push to get the budget online and new open.gov graphic tools are now available to help understand the budget and encourage people’s ideas on what is most important to cut and to keep. We also need more public presentation about each division and its associated costs.

I oppose raising property taxes and also oppose dipping into our reserves to meet the current shortfall. We need to diversify our sources of revenue away from heavy dependence on property taxes.

These tough times need continued strong leadership. Cuts to projects and programs will be made. And like the river, we need to find a more permanent solution, since we may face similar state cuts again next year.

The good news is that we’ve kept the area-wide property tax mill rates low, reserves in good shape and our bond rating high.

With your vote for Jim Sykes on October 4th, I’ll keep asking important questions, inviting ideas and finding reasonable solutions. Together we will get through this rough patch and keep our valley the best place to live. the pain related to lost businesses and jobs as we are forced to pull back.

I believe our legislative branch is the best bet for protecting our PFD. To get the job done, Alaskans must elect a majority of legislators who understand the grave significance of the task and successfully defend the PFD. If the legislature fails, the potential damage from state bankruptcy (“unsustainable”) is unthinkable.

WesKeller.com | LameDuckQuacks.com

Free offers are for the first couple of weeks. They recommend you stick with them for up to 8 weeks or more and of course, you need to pay for that. On the streets, some would call that a drug dealer.

Thanks to modern vapor products, my wife and I are both 100% tobacco free and feeling great. Millions more could reform too, quickly and easily. The only thing you’ll get from our exhaled vapor, if you smell it at all, is an unexplainable craving for blueberry muffins, apple pie or maybe some smores.

Please don’t let the tactics of the past set the standards for all of our futures.

Your deodorant, cologne, perfume, deep fried or flame broiled delicacy could be next.

PETS & ANIMALS

PETS & ANIMALS PAGE 10

Adopt Jack And Jill Contributed by Sumitra Shinde, Mat-Su Borough Animal Shelter Jack and Jill are siblings that are about 4 years old. They’re domestic, longhair cats with lovely manes. They have been raised together since kittenhood, and this dynamic duo will be adopted out together.

primarily have used the outdoors in the summer and litter box inside during winter. They will go to the door when they want in.

Both cats are very well adjusted to family, children, and other pets too - including rabbits and guinea pigs.

They are litter box trained, but

Both are good mousers that also enjoy playing with toys, and they were very good about using their scratchy post instead of causing any damage in the home. Both are inquisitive cats that like human affection, and Jack really enjoys to be scratched while he purrs in your arms.

Contributed by Tracy Smith, Mat-Su Borough Animal Shelter

of exercise. She is not kennel trained, but needs to be to help with her anxiety problems. This will likely need to be a slow and gradual process, as she has also been known to destroy kennels in order to get out.

Ella is a sweet and loyal year and a half old. Ella was initially surrendered to the shelter due to not getting along with some adults in the household.

Her previous owner reported that she was great with children, but scared of adults. She was indeed very fearful during her first week or two here at the shelter. With a lot of work, we were finally able to get her outside on a leash. At that point, she broke out of her shell. She was still very picky about who she trusted, and avoided anyone else.

Now, she seems to have forgotten that she was afraid of adults and just wants a good home. She was adopted from an adoption event, but then returned back to us because of her separation anxiety. She is a very active and loyal dog who loves to play with balls, especially ones that squeak. With her separation anxiety, she has shown destructive habits when left alone for too long.

Ella is house trained and is an indoor dog that’s used to about 3 hours a day

She is used to car rides and has not been food aggressive. Ella can be described as high energy, friendly, affectionate, entertaining, playful, cuddly, smart, goofy, adventurous, nervous, protective and shy. She knows the commands sit, stay, here, roll over, lay down and go potty.

Here at the shelter, she has been extremely treat motivated and has shown that she is trainable. She will, however, need additional training as she is full of energy and a very strong girl. She will need to be around adults who let her learn to trust them without forcing her to do so, and she will continue to need positive socialization.

Contributed by Angie Lewis, Alaska Animal Advocates

Statistics show that over 50% of cats and dogs are overweight.

Being overweight is as unhealthy for our pets as it is for us.

The complications associated with being overweight are many - breathing problems, possible heart disease, skin and fur problems, arthritis and reduced activity. All of these issues can lead to a poor quality of life.

How can you tell if your pet is overweight? > When handling your pet, you notice that the ribs and spine are hard to feel or count. > The waist is distended when looking down at your pet from the top.

Ella will also need a home who is willing to work with her severe separation anxiety.

> The abdomen sags when viewing your pet from the side. Often, you can actually grab a handful of fat.

We believe that Ella would do best in a home where she can be with at least one member of her family all the time, or boarded at a proper facility/doggie daycare when she has to be without her family. While she is full of energy, she also enjoys laying by your side and patiently waiting for your love and attention.

> Fat deposits are often noticeable, particularly on the hips, chest, hindquarters, or at the base of the tail.

Please come by the shelter and see if Ella is the right new companion for your family. We’ll be happy to help you meet Ella.

> Your pet may play less and tire more easily.

Your pet may struggle to get up and down stairs; have a hard time getting on/off the couch or may even be challenged with walking.

What causes pets to gain weight? > Age – As pets get older, they require less calories.

> Breed – Certain breeds, such as labs or cocker spaniels are more likely to be overweight. > Spaying or Neutering – Sometimes metabolism is lower after pets have been spayed/neutered.

What should you do if think your pet might be overweight? > First, talk with your veterinarian. Ask questions about how much your pet should weigh. > Discuss a safe weight loss program – including issues such as exercise, food, treats, etc. > After speaking with your vet, cut back on the amount of food you are feeding your pet. Measure food with an actual measuring cup > Offer fewer treats between mealtimes. Make these healthy snacks, such as beans or carrots. > Talk to your vet about prescription diets. > Feed your pet less often. > Speak with your vet and then increase exercise gradually. Start slowly. Encourage play, using toys when needed. > Hide treats – Make it more challenging to attain snacks. > Work together with your veterinarian to assure that your pet is a healthy weight.

If he is not, then formulate a plan of action that will help him lose the unwanted pounds.

You might even lose a bit of extra weight as you exercise with your pet!

SUBMIT YOUR OWN EVENTS & ARTICLES ON OUR WEBSITE

PETS & ANIMALS

PETS & ANIMALS PAGE 11

Meet Lucky

Meet Heidi

Contributed by Angie Lewis, Alaska Animal Advocates

Contributed by Angie Lewis, Alaska Animal Advocates

Lucky is not feeling very fortunate at the moment. Her family had to move out of state and could not bring her along.

Heidi is a purebred Rottweiler, who despite being a 10 year old gal, has the spunk of a dog half her age. She gets along with everyone – other dogs, cats, and children. Heidi loves people and socializing is a huge part of her life.

Although Lucky misses her people, she has been adjusting to living in a foster home. Lucky is a very mellow girl who stays close to the people in the household. This calm Pit mix is approximately seven years old and is spayed.

Make Lucky feel that life is still good and give her a home. Call Angie at Alaska Animal Advocates, 841-3173, to meet this sweet tempered girl.

Her original family moved out of state and they were unable to take her with them. Heidi is currently being fostered by a wonderful family, but they are only able to keep her for a short time and then she is at threat of going to Animal Control. This sweetheart has never been away from her family and being in an environment that is not a home would be devastating to her.

Please help Heidi continue living with a family in a cozy home. To meet her or learn more about her, call Angie at Alaska Animal Advocates at 841-3173.

PIZZA Humdingers Pizza ........ 745-7499 PLUMBING & HEATING Rock Solid Plumbing ........ 331-0488 PRINT SERVICES The UPS Store ........ 376-6245 RADIO 95.5 The Pass ........ 631-0877 REPAIR, RESTORATION AK Cell Repair ........ 745-4880 Comtronics ........ 373-2669 SALONS B Bella Salon ........ 746-9007 SMOKE SHOPS Alaska Pipe Dreams ........ 746-1500 SPECIALTY GIFTS Alaska Midnite Scents ........ 357-7364 Forever Endeavor ........ 745-4387 NonEssentials ........ 745-2258 Silvertip Design ........ 745-2902 THRIFT SHOPS Red Barn Thrift Store ........ 745-5050 Saving Grace Thrift Store ........ 414-8643 Steam Driven Boutique ........ 376-4404 Turn-A-Leaf Thrift Stores ........ 376-5708 TOYS Just Imagine Toys ........ 357-1543

COMMUNITY Roy Bean! He’s not really a judge, and his name isn’t Roy, but justice will be served at the event, and there will be a ‘Hoosegow’, which is western slang for jail. Let your imagination soar!

Each year, Rotary Uncorked raises funds for Rotary community service projects, scholarships and community non-profit organizations.

This year’s selected recipients are MyHouse, providing housing and workforce development solutions for homeless youth in the Mat-Su, and Sertoma, committed to providing hearing aid services to Mat-Su residents of all ages.

Get your ‘gitty-up’ on, and get gussied up for a great evening of fun and fellowship for a great cause! We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Rotary Uncorked gala event, ‘Boots and Bling’!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! We can’t do it without you!

DIAMOND > Mat Su Regional Medical Center > Mat Su Emergency Medicine Dr. Anne Zink >Country Legends 100.9 >Frontiersman

GOLDEN BUCKLE > Linda Brandon - State Farm > The People’s Paper > Northern Industrial Training RHINESTONE COWBOY > Mat-Su Title > Mt. View Chiropractic

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY PAGE 12

Contributed by Terry Koch

Contributed by Antiqua Libbey

Shine on harvest moon! Come on out to support recycling in the Mat-Su and celebrate our bountiful valley harvest!

Valley Community for Recycling Solutions (VCRS) is holding its 3rd Annual Harvest Recycle Fest on Friday, September 30, from 7 to 9:30pm at the historic Palmer Depot.

Have you ever wanted to overcome your fear of public speaking?

Marge Ford and the Alaska Polka Chips are ready to roll out a fun evening of entertainment and music to polka to!

Don’t know how to polka? Don’t fret!

Marge & the Chips will show you some steps, and after a couple sips of cider or beer, no one will notice or care!

Oom-pa-pa!

Ticket prices are one for $50 and two for $75. Bring a polka-loving friend or a friend who could learn to love polka.

There will be fresh-pressed cider from valley apples, locally crafted beer from the Mat-Su’s own Arkose Brewery, locally harvested and hearty fare, and nifty door prizes. You can also lend your financial support to VCRS by

Contributed by Josh Grissom, Mat-Su Miners

bidding on many fabulous silent and live auction items from around Alaska.

Get cool stuff and help keep recycling alive in the Valley.

So come on out and join us for the evening. Eat, Drink, and Polka the night away while reinforcing the importance of recycling and sustainability by supporting VCRS and its mission and vision.

For more information about this event, or about recycling in the Mat-Su, please visit www.valleyrecycling.org, call 907745-5544 or check out our Facebook page at Valley Community for Recycling Solutions.

Together we are turning it around!

though the struggles of previous seasons might carry over into the new year.

The Miners recorded a total of three hits in consecutive road losses to the Oilers in Kenai.

“Those first few games were tough,” Taylor said. “But there were a lot of positives to take from it. Getting on the road isn’t easy.”

Anxiously Awaiting Mat-Su Miners General Manager, Pete Christopher, paces around the bleachers at Hermon Brothers Field, his brow furrowed in nervous energy. His team holds a commanding 9-3 lead over the Peninsula Oilers in the championship series of the Alaska Baseball League (ABL), but Christopher remains restless.

A roar from the home crowd momentarily breaks his concentration. He peeks around the bleachers to catch a glimpse of the scoreboard before returning to his anxious pacing. Few could understand the nerves affecting the longstanding Mat-Su General Manager. After nine months of recruiting, field maintenance and community fundraisers, a single inning stands between Christopher and his fifth ABL title.

A passing Miners fan greets the anxious general manager with enthusiastic support. “Hey Pete, just three more outs,” he says while pumping his fist. Christopher nods and watches as his defense takes the field for what he hopes will be the final inning of the season.

Summer of Success The Miners entered the summer of 2016 with high expectations, following three straight years as the league runnerup under Head Coach, Ben Taylor. The fourth-year skipper fell to the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks in 2013 and 2014, before dropping the championship series to the Anchorage Bucs the year before.

“We were expecting to win the league and nothing less,” Christopher said. “We came in second three years in a row, but it was time to win.” It appeared as

The Miners scheduled additional practices and team meetings to address the early-season issues. The program rebounded with five consecutive wins to gain an early foothold atop the ABL standings.

“That might be the most complete team offensively that I’ve had,” Taylor said.

“We had guys who could run, guys who could handle the bat. I could shuffle things around a bit.”

The momentum propelled the Miners through the weekend of the MLB Scouts Showcase, as 11 players were named to the league’s annual All-Star Game. Taylor also earned his fourth consecutive coaching nomination for the event.

“It was very humbling to be able coach in this league period, I felt very blessed,” he said.

In the ABL All-Star game, Miners utility player, Jacob Hughey, earned MVP honors after launching an oppositefield home run, pitching an inning and recording the winning RBI for the Gold Team.

Cam Montgomery added to Mat-Su’s accolades by blasting 33 total home runs to win the 2016 ABL Home Run Derby in front of scouts from nearly every MLB team.

“I had a pretty good feeling going in that I had a chance to win,” Montgomery said. “I was really just trying to stay focused and put some balls out of the park.”

As the team entered the final stretch of the regular season, four members of the Mat-Su pitching staff combined to toss

Public speaking is the second biggest fear, only after death, or so the rumor goes. However, we at Toastmasters are dedicated to moving that fear down the list. Making it fun to get out of your comfort zone, stretch yourself and become the leader you know you are It’s free to come and be our guest every Tuesday night in Palmer Alaska and the MTA building at 6 PM. You’ll be joining a fantastic group of people getting together to explore public speaking, leadership and simply have fun.

This past week, we had two of our members, Dr. Anna Altair and Noah Betzen, compete in our regional Toastmasters competition in Anchorage. Dr. Anna came in 2nd overall in the Tall Tails category, just missing her chance to compete for in Fairbanks in the district event. Noah commented in the tall tales category, “If you don’t know

a no-hitter in an 8-4 victory on July 29 against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.

“It was a clunker, but the imperfections of this game make it beautiful,” Taylor said after his team completed the historic feat.

The Miners carried that energy through the remainder of the regular season to clinch home-field advantage and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

“Staying at home and playing in front of our own fans gave us a huge advantage,” Mat-Su Closer Jordan Floyd, said.

“We were really excited. It gave us that extra motivation to play hard.”

The weather took a turn for the worse during the opening day of the playoffs. A torrential downpour forced the Miners to reduce the opening playoff series with the Bucs to a single game, but a strong pitching performance from starter, Connor Higgins, gave Mat-Su a 4-1 win and a berth in the Top of the World Series.

In the opening game of the championship series with the Oilers, Miners’ first baseman, Jake Scudder, drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to propel Mat-Su to a 3-1 win and put his team a single game away from the ABL title.

The Final Out With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, Christopher peers through the chain link fence in anticipation, wringing his hands nervously. The chatter of the Miners faithful grows louder with every pitch, as Floyd quickly notches a 0-2 count against Peninsula infielder, Alex Seifert.

The crack of a wood bat momentarily breaks through the noise of the crowd, as Seifert rips a shot down the third base line, forcing Mat-Su third baseman, Angelo Armenta, to make a play.

Armenta fields the grounder, plants his feet and fires the ball over to first to record the final out.

A swarm of white jerseys bursts from the home dugout in a rush of energy.

what a tall tale is, it’s an often funny story, that’s all made up. As far as table topics, that’s when somebody else gives you a subject and you have 2 to 3 minutes to talk about it impromptu.”

When you come to Toastmasters, we give you plenty of time that you can sit, watch and observe without any pressure to speak. As you warm up to speak, you will also learn about hot topics as that day’s presenters share their speeches; that will make your laugh, teach you somethings new and develop your leadership skills.

Toastmasters has a lot to offer you.

You’re welcome to come and meet us at the MTA building downstairs in the basement floor at 6 PM on Tuesday nights and Palmer. See you there.

Players pile on top of the mound, fans swarm the field for pictures and members of the coaching staff are doused with a traditional Gatorade bath. Meanwhile, Christopher walks around the diamond in jubilation, soaking up the scene of his fifth ABL title.

A New Season A month later, Hermon Brothers sits in relative silence. The lockers are empty.

Field equipment is in storage. A thick lock holds the entrance closed. But for Christopher, the feeling of clinching another ABL title has not yet faded.

“Each title has been important in its own way,” he said. “But this year it was special because we had a bunch of guys who didn’t start out strong in the beginning of the season, but they worked hard to get better every day.”

The Mat-Su General Manager has already begun preparations for next year, combining efforts with Taylor to recruit players for the 2017 season.

Despite the shift in focus to next summer, Taylor said it was a rewarding experience to bring the Mat-Su Valley its first championship in over six years.

“It was the most satisfying day I’ve ever had on the baseball field,” Taylor said. “It was incredibly surreal.”

The 31-19 record of the Miners catapulted the program to No. 19 in the final national rankings released by Collegiate Summer Baseball.

“Everybody worked hard at their position,” Christopher said. “They always seemed to battle back, and that’s what made this season special.”