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www. MAKEASCENEAK .com MAR 2017
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Non-Profit Directory Families & Children: March of Dimes Alaska Chapter
Non-Profit Organization? Join our growing list for as little as $15.00/mo! Non-Profit’s Help Our Community!
www.makeasceneak.com/nonprofitdirectory Families & Children: Family Promise Mat-Su www.familypromisematsu.com (907) 357-6160 A community response for families without housing. Family Promise Mat-Su, “FPMS” uses area churches for shelter while providing meals and case management to help homeless families move back into housing and self-sustainability. In addition we provide state funds(BHAP) for homeless prevention.
OTHER Mat-Su Health Services, Inc. www.mshsak.org (907) 376-2411 Dedicated to improving the health of our community, one person at a time – through affordable medical, dental and behavioral health care.The clinic is a Federally qualified Health Care Center and we accept Medicare, Medicaid, and most other third-party insurances. For those who qualify, there is a sliding scale payment, based on household income. We offer early morning and evening appointments appointment. You can also contact our 24/7 behavioral crisis intervention line by calling the main number: 376-2411.
MAR 2017
Valley Fiber Arts Guild www.valleyfiberarts.org The Valley Fiber Arts Guild began in 1983. Our purpose is to provide educational and cultural enrichment for the community by promoting a greater interest in the fiber arts. Fiber arts include spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, dying, felting, lace making, and more! Monthly gatherings are held at the Palmer Public Library on the first Saturday of the month from September-April at 10am-11:30am. Tuesday is UnFinished Objects Night. Join us every Tuesday night 5ish-8pm at Vagabond Blues Cafe in Palmer! Come spin, knit, crochet, or visit while having some coffee and getting some free instruction!
www.marchofdimes.org/alaska (907) 276-4111 Join the March of Dimes for our annual High Heels for High Hopes this fall. To become a model or participant, call 276-4111. The March of Dimes helps moms have fullterm pregnancies and healthy babies. And if something goes wrong, we offer information and comfort to families. We research the problems that threaten our babies and work on preventing them. About 4 million babies were born in the United States last year, and the March of Dimes helped each and every one through research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs. The March of Dimes: working together for stronger, healthier babies.
ARTS: Valley Arts Alliance www.ValleyArtsAlliance.com Valley Arts Alliance, bringing the community together through the arts... We are a place for both new and established artists of all types— painters, sculptors, musicians, and those involved in the performing arts—to network and to experiment with new ideas and media. We work with local libraries, schools, museums, art councils, and music and art groups to create more venues for the arts, and to help promote art related events. Join us at our informal weekly meetings, every Thursday @ 11 at Sophia’s Cafe, 9191 E Frontage Road, Palmer-Wasilla Hwy. Check out our archives www.ValleyArtsAlliance.com
CONSERVATION: Mat-Su Health Foundation healthymatsu.org (907) 352-2863 The Mat-Su Health Foundation offers financial and strategic support to well-managed 501(c)(3) organizations that offer services and practical solutions to significant health-related problems impacting the citizens of the Mat-Su Borough. The foundation also offers academic and vocational scholarships to Mat-Su residents who wish to pursue health and wellness related careers.
Pets & Animals: Alaska Animal Advocates www.alaskaanimaladvocates.com (907) 841-3173 Alaska Animal Advocates is a non-profit group of dedicated volunteers who are devoted to enriching the lives of companion animals in Alaska. In order to do this, we will place homeless pets in loving environments, address medical concerns, spay or neuter, microchip, vaccinate, and offer training as is needed. We believe that every animal deserves a loving home, for his/her entire life and Alaska Animal Advocates will provide the resources to make this happen. In order to make this mission possible, we need the help of volunteers and foster homes.
Valley Community for Recycling Solutions www.valleyrecycling.org (907) 745-5544 RECYCLING – It’s not just for hippies anymore!! Everyone in the Mat-Su valley can recycle. Drop your stuff off Tues – Fri 10:30 to 6 and Sat 10:30 to 3:30. Recycle cardboard, magazines, this newspaper and more at your community recycling center. Remember to REDUCE, REUSE, and then RECYCLE! Your community recycling center is located at 9465 E Chanlyut Circle, next to the MSB Animal Shelter at the MSB Central Landfill. Volunteer opportunities available. Make a difference in your community! Check out our website for details, follow us on Facebook. www.valleyrecycling.org - Call us at 907.745.5544 with questions or comments.
Families & Children: March of Dimes Alaska Chapter www.marchofdimes.org/alaska (907) 276-4111 The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. About 4 million babies were born in the United States last year, and the March of Dimes helped each and every one through research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs. The March of Dimes: working together for stronger, healthier babies.
HOMELESS YOUTH: Mat-Su Youth Housing (MY HOUSE) myhousematsu.org (907) 373-4357 MY House is a homeless youth drop in center with two for-profit businesses that train and employ homeless youth. Gathering Grounds Cafe is a coffee shop with homemade soups, sandwiches, salads and baked goods. Steamdriven is a trendy thrift shop featuring Steampunk items made from repurposed donations by our youth designers. Fiend2Clean and Young People in Recovery offer support for substance abuse recovery with activities and events. We offer transitional housing for qualified 18-24 year olds, Outreach services to connect homeless youth, organizations and groups to services, and access to Public Health and NineStar job/education services on site.
SOCIAL ADVOCACY: Wasilla Homeless-Committee
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: Mat-Su Regional Adult Basic Education (Nine Star) MatsuAdultEd@ninestar.com (907) 373-7833 Mat-Su ABE provides basic education in math, language arts and English as a second language (ESL), aiming to raise student skills beyond the high-school level in order to pass tests like the GED, enter training programs or college, and advance on the job. Enrollment is open to all adult residents of Alaska, year-round. Youth Employment for ages 16-24 not in school -- get a job, keep a job, advance on the job. Nine Star 300 N Willow 373-3006 (in the MYHouse building)
www.wasillahomeless-committee.org (907) 521-2949 Wasilla Homeless-Committee is a 100% volunteer organization funded by private donations and regular fundraising events. Our sole purpose is to assist the homeless, those at risk of homelessness, and others who do not meet the criteria for help that is required by other advocacy agencies in the valley. Wasilla Homeless-Committee provides case management, housing search assistance, move in assistance, job search assistance, clothing, furniture, help with transportation, and resource guidance for homeless and disenfranchised in the Mat-Su Valley. Visit our website for application, or call 907521-2949. Find us on Facebook facebook.com/ wasillahomelesscommitteepage
CUSTOMER APPRECIATION ROCK & ROLL PARTY 3/18/2017 - 12PM Denali Harley-Davidson 1497 S Hyer Rd. Wasilla FREE Event - (907) 373-3366 www.denaliharley.com INTRODUCTION TO BASIC GARDENING 3/18/2017 - 1PM Wasilla Soil & Water Conservation District Big Lake Library 3140 S Big Lake Rd. Big Lake FREE Event - (907) 414-7140 wcs@wasillaswcd.org Check us out on Facebook
MAYOR’S GREEN DAY GALLOP 3/19/3017 - 12PM Active Soles Performance Footwear Palmer Train Depot 610 S Valley Way, Palmer Registration: $25 Online, $30 Day Of www.greendaygallop.com PIANO STUDIO OPEN HOUSE: FREE PIANO MUSIC & ADVICE 3/20/2017 - 5PM Hitchcock Piano Studio 950 W Edinborough Drive, Palmer FREE Event - (907) 745-3134 salgreek@mtaonline.net
ORGANICS: THE “4” BASICS 3/25/2017 - 1PM Wasilla Soil & Water Conservation District Mat-Su College 8295 College Dr. Palmer FREE Event - (907) 414-7140 wcs@wasillaswcd.org Check us out on Facebook 6TH ANNUAL ALASKA VIETNAM VETERANS DAY CEREMONY & PANEL DISCUSSION 3/25/2017 - 3PM Alaska Veterans Museum 333 W 4th Ave, Suite 227, Anchorage FREE Event - (907) 696-4904 snovak@mtaonline.net www.alaskaveterans.org THIS HOPE MUSIC GROUP 3/26/2017 - 10:30AM First Baptist Church of Palmer 1150 E. Helen Drive, Palmer FREE Event - (907) 745-4483 amanda.knighten@fbcpalmer. com www.fbcpalmer.com 2017 MAT-SU WEDDING SHOW 3/26/2017 - 12PM Alaska Bride & Groom Raven Hall, Alaska State Fairgrounds 2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer FREE Admission www.alaskabride.com
Sheldon Community Arts Hangar E 1st St. Talkeetna Cost: $25 DAC Members, $28 General www.denaliartscouncil.org
Radio Free Palmer Turkey Red 550 S Alaska St, Palmer FREE Event – (907) 745-8951 www.radiofreepalmer.org
KEITH ANDERSON CONCERT 3/30/2017 - 7PM Erickson Events Klondike Mike’s Tickets: $25 General, $50 VIP www.brownpapertickets.com
THE REFUGEES CONCERT 4/2/2017 - 6PM CenterTix Vagabond Blues 642 S Alaska St. Palmer Tickets: $35 https://alaskapac.centertix.net
MUSEUM RUMMAGE SALE & USED BOOK SALE 3/31/2017-4/9/2017 - 10am Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry 3800 W Museum Drive, Wasilla FREE Admission - (907) 376-1211 mati@mtaonline.net www.museumofalaska.org ALASKA CHICKS CO. VINTAGE HOME MARKET April 1-2, 2017 Saturday @9AM, Sunday @11AM Alaska Chicks Company Alaska State Fairgrounds 2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer Cost: $3 Saturday, FREE Sunday (907) 841-9994 alaskachicksvintagemarket@ gmail.com www.alaskachicks.com FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL April 1-2, 2017 Saturday @9AM, Sunday @11AM Alaska Chicks Company Alaska State Fairgrounds 2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer FREE Admission Check us out on Facebook CYSTIC FIBROSIS GALORE BAZAAR 4/1/2017 - 10AM Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Mat-Su Career & Tech School 2472 N Seward Meridian, Wasilla FREE Event - (907) 841-6892 cffalaska@gmail.com Check us out on Facebook
YOUNG AMERICANS IN CONCERT 3/26/2017 - 2PM Glenn Massay Theater E 8295 College Dr, Palmer Tickets: $10 Students, $15 Adults www.glennmassaytheater.com
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE 3/24/2017 – 4/16/2017 Fridays & Saturdays @7PM, Sundays @2PM Valley Performing Arts 251 W Swanson Ave, Wasilla Tickets: $18 Students/Seniors, $20 Adults www.valleyperformingart.org
INKLINGS (A C.S. LEWIS DISCUSSION GROUP) 3/26/2017 - 7PM Inklings 8260 Duchess Dr. Palmer FREE Event - (907) 746-0970 barry.dorman@yahoo.com
HOW-TO OF HIGH TUNNELS 4/1/2017 - 1PM Wasilla Soil & Water Conservation District Willow Community Center Mile 69.7 Parks Hwy. Willow FREE Event - (907) 414-7140 wcs@wasillaswcd.org Check us out on Facebook
RYTHM FUTURE QUARTET 3/28/2017 - 7:30PM Denali Arts Council
RADIO FREE PALMER ANNUAL MEETING 4/1/2017 – 2PM
LITTLE BROWN BATS IN ALASKA 4/5/2017 - 7PM Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats, The Nature Conservancy & Mat-Su Salmon Partnership Matanuska Experiment Farm in Palmer 1509 S. Georgeson Drive, Palmer FREE Event - (907) 465-8547 kristen.romanoff@alaska.gov www.adfg.alaska.gov/ index.cfm?adfg=education. communityevents SPRING FLING CRAFT FAIR & CARNIVAL DAY 4/6/2017 - 9AM Trinity Lutheran Church Trinity Barn Plaza 10355 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy. FREE Admission - (907) 745-0726 trinitylpalmerak@gmail.com MATSU VALLEY BASEBALL/ SOFTBALL CAMP 4/6/2017 – 3PM Interior Baseball Lions Club Menard Sports Center 1001 S Clapp St. Wasilla Registration: $25 & 1 Can of Food Pre-Game/$30 & 1 Can of Food At Door (907) 388-2496, (360) 640-1240 37TH ANNUAL SPRING HOME SHOW April 7-9, 2017 Friday @12Pm, Saturday/Sunday @10AM Mat-Su Homebuilders Association Menard Sports Center 1001 S Clapp St. Wasilla Cost: $5 General, FREE Active
FOREIGN FILM 4/7/2017 – 7PM Palmer Public Library 655 S Valley Way, Palmer FREE Event – (907) 745-4690 libchill@palmerak.org www.pplak.org J. HOLIDAY LIVE PERFORMANCE 4/7/2017 - 8PM BBAAD Productions 6217 Camrose Drive, Anchorage Cost: $35-$80 - (907) 229-3178 bbaasproductions@yahoo.com http://bbaadevents.com VALLEY ARTS & CRAFTS GUILD CRAFT BAZAAR April 8-9, 2017 - 10AM Valley Arts & Crafts Guild Palmer Senior Center 1132 S. Chugach St. Palmer FREE Admission - (907) 841-6926 celticravenz@mtaonline.net INTRODUCTION TO HOOP HOUSES IN ALASKA 4/8/2017 - 1PM Wasilla Soil & Water Conservation District Big Lake Library 3140 S Big Lake Rd. Big Lake FREE Event - (907) 414-7140 wcs@wasillaswcd.org Check us out on Facebook BABY & CHILDREN’S FAIR 4/8/2017 – 10AM Mat-Su Regional Medical Center 2500 S Woodworth Loop, Palmer FREE Event (907) 861-6849, (907) 861-6807 www.matsuregional.com CHILL (AGES 15+) 4/8/2017 - 6PM Palmer Public Library 655 S Valley Way, Palmer FREE Event - (907) 745-4690 libchill@palmerak.org www.chill.pplak.org THE HUNTING GROUND VIEWING 4/14/2017 – 5PM MY House Gathering Grounds Café 300 N Willow St. Wasilla FREE Event - (907) 373-4357 4/17/2017 - 5PM
MAR 2017
LOST COST SHOT CLINIC March 24-25, 2017 Friday @6PM, Saturday @9AM Palmer Veterinary Clinic 1451 S Crimsonview Ct. Palmer Cost: $13-$18 Check us out on Facebook
APRIL TENNIS CLINIC Tuesdays & Fridays - 3PM Mat Su Tennis Association Colony High School Gym 9550 E Board Rd. Palmer Cost: $25 per Session - (907) 3015818 www.matsutennis.org
Military/Kids www.matsuhomebuilders.com
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BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE 3/18/2017 - 4PM Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, North Bowl 3250 E Palmer-Wasilla Hwy. Register Online, Donations Accepted - (907) 376-4617 amy.lalor@bbbsak.org www.bbbsak.org/bowl
TERRANCE SIMIEN & THE ZYDECO EXPERIENCE BAND 3/24/2017 - 7:30PM Alaska Junior Theater Alaska Center for the Performing 621 W. 6th Ave. Anchorage Cost: $13-$29 - (907) 272-7546 marketing@akjt.org www.akjt.org
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Calendar of Events
Arts Contributed by Michelle Cornelius Bear Paw River Brewery has been featuring a new, local Valley Fine Arts Association artist show each month. It began during the summer of 2016 with Maria Mckiernan. Come by on first Fridays between 4pm8pm to check out the work and visit with the talented artists. Rusty Clark will be the featured artist for the month of April. Past Featured Artists: August: Glenda Field September: Michelle Cornelius October: Judy Vars November: Terri Pfister December: Nancy Angelini Crawford January: Victoria Miller Peterson February: Martha Happs March: Jim Leach Upcoming Featured Artists: April: Rusty Clark May: Francine Long June: Terry Phillips
Literature
Artists: VFAA Membership is $25 annually. Your membership will gain you access to information on venues such as Bear Paw River Brewery art shows, Painting workshops taught by renowned artists, annual art retreats, paint outs and more! For more info on memberships and bimonthly meetings go to valleyfineartsassociation.org.
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Music Contributed by Jennifer Hudson The anticipation in the room was so strong, you could feel it surround you and the excitement flowing from fans only grew as the auditorium darkened and fog rolled out across the stage. Even the spectacular light show couldn’t have shown as brightly as the smiles of fans seeing Lavoy return home. Recently, the well known and loved local band returned to Alaska to perform for fans alongside performances from DJ Spencer Lee and 80’s cover band, I Love Robots.
During the rise of their careers as musicians in Wasilla, Alaska, the five members of Lavoy released three independent albums with songs fans will always love and never forget. Alongside favorites and a couple song covers, their most recent performance at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium in Anchorage featured some of their newer work and it wasn’t surprising that fans couldn’t get enough. The support in Alaska for the artists is undeniable, whether it be older or newer works, fans adore Lavoy. “While continuing to stay true to their sound and their following, the band successfully keeps up with the times in their musical evolution. The ever changing music industry retains excitement for the band, who has a lot of demo ideas happening and sooner or later, they will be choosing a few of those demos to record in 2017 along with songs from 2016 that have been recorded and will be restored and released soon,” says Tompkins.
Visit www.lavoymusic.com for more info
MAR 2017
As fans from all over anticipate new recordings and what the future holds for the group, there will always be a very special place in the hearts of the Alaska following. No matter where the band is, it is very important to them that their music is coming from the right place. They always prepare themselves for the show in the right way and the right spirit, and it is indisputable that they achieve this every time they step on stage. As much as the highly family-oriented band loves one another, the original supporters love Lavoy and anticipate their next performance with full hearts and eager ears.
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Since their move to Spokane, Washington in 2013, the members of Lavoy have been busy in their musical careers; singer-songwriter Tyrell L. Tompkins shares that in recent times their visits to Alaska are becoming more frequent and it’s not just the show turn out that draws them here. “It’s the people, it’s their family and their friends that bring them to this place and make them feel at home again.”
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Arts Contributed by Carmen Summerfield We at the Valley Arts Alliance are very pleased to be involved in the selection and procurement of the artwork at the new Fred Meyer store in Palmer. Ruth Hulbert, a fourth-generation Alaskan, was selected to provide the mural placed in the cafeteria area. Ruth was born and raised in Palmer. She has a BA in biology and painting from Western Washington University, and a certificate in science illustration from the University of Washington. Ruth’s mural is a stylized cross-section of the Palmer area, from Hatcher Pass to the Hay Flats, condensed into a single colorful patch of forest. Through the trees, you can glimpse a bit of Independence Mine, a cabin, the Palmer water tower, a Colony farm and the Alaska State Fair. The old cabin depicted is the one built by John Bugge, who homesteaded in Palmer in 1914. The new Fred Meyer store sits in
Contributed by Michael Miller and AdriAnne Strickland Shadow Run Book Launch 3/21/2017 – 4PM Fireside Books 720 S Alaska St B, Palmer FREE Admission, $17.99 Book
MAR 2017
March 21st is the publication date of Shadow Run, a young adult space opera by AdriAnne Strickland and myself, Michael Miller. Shadow Run is inspired by all the sci-fi and adventure favorites that we loved Firefly, Dune and of course, Star Wars. It also represents the realization of quite a few hopes: being published for one of course, and the chance to tell a story
what was once John Bugge’s hay field. From native Dena’ina and Ahtna, prospectors, homesteaders, colonists, up to the most recent cheechakos, all those who have lived or traded here have left some mark on the landscape. Look closely at Ruth’s mural and find traces of some of the languages spoken here over the years, in the names of plants and animals. Ruth has provided us with a list of all the plants and animals in her mural, in four different languages: the common name, the taxonomic name, the Dena’ina name and the Ahtna name. Ruth comments, “It’s a huge pile of information, but if you want some interesting tidbits…” “In English, we say “willow” and “willow ptarmigan” using the name of the plant to refer to the bird. In Dena’ina, ptarmigan is “delggema” and dwarf willow is “delggema duna” or
that others will find fun and inspiring. But it’s also the realization of another dream, one we both shared when we started this story: incorporating our love of Alaska. Some of it is obvious. AdriAnne has been a commercial fisherwoman for years, spending her summers with her husband on the waters of Bristol Bay. When she said she wanted to use that experience somehow, I jumped at the chance. For myself, I had grown up on a homestead, off the grid, and that love of a lifestyle many wouldn’t choose in a million years was something I had always wanted to bring to any story. And so, our protagonists brave the cold edges of space seeking a valuable resource, while living a way of life they love but no one values. As much as that’s the starting point
“ptarmigan food,” So they use the name of the bird to refer to the plant.” “Club moss in Dena’ina is “d’lina kala” which means “mouse’s tail”, so I painted the mouse and club moss next to each other.
Dena’ina, roses are “heshkegh” and devil’s club is “heshkeghka’a”; while in Ahtna, rose is “xost’aan’” and devil’s club is “xos cogh”. Both sets of names translate roughly to thorn-bush and bigger thorn-bush.”
“Both Dena’ina and Ahtna use similar words for the two prickliest plants. In
To find the complete list, go to our website, ValleyArtsAlliance.com
of the story, and it seems to veer quickly into very different territory - conspiracies, resource wars, and imminent danger - our inspiration informs the rest of our characters journey. Like many Alaskans, we like to travel, and that exposure continually drives home the point that what we consider commonplace is strange and unfamiliar to others. Our ways of life, friendships and interests are often positively radical to folks in the Lower 48 and other places. It’s in that intersection and clash of cultures - rural and urban, wilderness and civilization, ancient and modern that we found our sandbox. We populated it with a teenage starship captain, royalty, advanced civilizations that have collapsed and rebuilt and of course, romance with swords in space.
It’s meant to be pure fun, but I dearly hope that as Alaskans read it, they recognize that common thread so many of us share. It’s in that hope that we’d love to invite anyone to our book launch on Tuesday, March 21st hosted by the incredible Fireside Books in Palmer. There’s even a dinner at Turkey Red after, with more details on the Fireside website. We look forward to seeing you there!
Contributed by Bonnye Matthews The history of telecommunications in the United States is a fascinating story. The 1920s idea of the phone in every home changed over time from a goal to a virtual necessity by the last quarter of the twentieth century. The direct line, switchboard, rotary direct dial, pushbutton services all were part of the experience of the United States before native Alaska villages were even connected.
Alex Hills arrived in Alaska in 1972 looking for adventure by accepting the challenge to lead a team to install the first VHF phones in Alaska’s remote villages. There were some shortwave
radios for communication, but the signals were affect by the aurora borealis, a frequent occurrence at that latitude. Each phone installed would be shared by the entire village. Hills’ book is alive with Alaska, which tells the telecommunications story but personalizes it to Alaska as he describes caring for planes in -50° weather, serving as a landing light, introducing Alaska Natives (e.g., Maryann Sundown, dancing diva of Scammon Bay, and her mosquito dance). My favorite was the tale from Little Diomede where the winds were at 50 mph and the installation was postponed until the winds stopped. Hills asked the village chief, James Iyapanna, when the wind would stop only to be told, “Wind never stop.” Not being adept at running around on roof tops in such wind, the natives, who had no problem with the wind, helped install the antenna when the wind slowed a little. Hills eventually moved from his work connecting phones to broadcasting at KOTZ in Kotzebue. In time the need for use of improved technology,
satellite communication systems for remote villages and the installation of small satellite earth stations for television, would make phone and television service available to each home. That improvement came with significant impediments, which Hills was helpful in overcoming. The corporate and political aspects of connecting not only villages but also individual homes in ways that satisfied the customers in villages is another part of this interesting story. Eventually radio broadcast, television broadcast, full phone and two-way communication services reached all native villages, though internet service remains slow to take hold. As Hills puts it, the internet connection may be another book. Finding Alaska’s Villages and Connecting Them is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. I highly recommend this book as part of the telecommunications and Alaska studies sections in both community and academic American History collections. Also available in e-book form, 9781457551703, $9.99.
Finding Alaska’s Villages and Connecting Them By Alex Hills Dog Ear PUBLISHING 4011 Vincennes Road Indianapolis, IN 46268 www.dogearpublishing.net
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Alaska is a different place with different, sometimes difficult needs. Imagine a state the size of California, Montana, plus Texas with a population of less than 750,000. Road service is minimal, connecting only some of the major cities or attractions. There’s a huge need for communication service and little desire on the part of those who provide the service, when the recipients are very small in number and can only be reached by bush pilots.
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Arts
Music
MAR 2017
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Arts
www. MAKEASCENEAK .com
On March 24th at 4pm, there will be a reception/poetry reading/ art exhibit in the banquet room of Turkey Red Restaurant. February, when Rover, Alys’s Alpine-Toggenburg cross goat became ill. Alys and her husband, Pete, moved him into the kitchen addition. Alys began writing poems about him and her other two goats, named Peaches and Ranger. And Betty began doing alcohol ink paintings.
Contributed by Alys Culhane If Goats Could Fly 3/24/2017 – 4PM Alys Culhane, Betty Pierce Turkey Red 550 S Alaska St, Palmer FREE Event On March 24th at 4pm, there will be a reception/poetry reading/art exhibit in the banquet room of Turkey Red Restaurant. Local poet Alys Culhane and artist Betty Pierce are organizing “If Goats Could Fly.” The poetry reading/reception is free, and open to the public. Sutton Poet, Laurate Bill Schmidtkunz, will introduce Alys and Betty and read his goat poem.
MAR 2017
The catalyst for the poetry reading/ art exhibit came about in early
room.
Two weeks later the pair decided to host an exhibit. Turkey Red owner, Alex Papasavas, agreed to allow them to use the banquet
Alys kept writing. Betty kept painting. Goat stories continued to surface, like the one about the goat that walked into a Seven-Eleven and began eating Skittles. And the one about the goat that started to stalk its owner. And the one about the goat that really did eat his owner’s homework. A sample poem follows: Homework It’s a variation on a timeworn theme Student tells teacher that a goat ate his homework. Suspending disbelief sets into motion A series of events in which the teacher
Must bring the nature of truth And the truth about nature into question. Canines, not caprines eat homework. Dogs have direct access to papers, With the titles being a mouthful. Write a twenty-page paper. Chose one of the following: “The Fertile Crescent: Where the Nile and Euphrates Rivers Meet,” “The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire,” Or “Decoding the Rosetta Stone.” Dogs also have a single stomach While the goat has four, All of which work individually And in concert with one another. The rumen breaks down roughage. The reticulum aids the rumen in fermentation. The omasum removes water from food particles. The abomasum digests what remains. The teacher makes the call And punishment is doled out like puppy chow. O the board, a thousand times, The student writes in cursive: A dog ate my homework. Back home, dog digests kibbles, Goat regurgitates, swallows, ponders The early history of civilization.
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Theatre
Murder Mystery Directed By Larry Bottjen And Then There Were None 3/24/2017 – 4/16/2017 Fridays & Saturdays @7PM, Sundays @2PM Valley Performing Arts 251 W Swanson Ave, Wasilla Tickets: $18 Students/Seniors, $20 Adults
Ten guilty strangers are trapped on an island. A mysterious voice accuses each of having gotten away with murder and then one drops dead - poisoned. One down and nine to go! One by one, they are accused of murder and one by one they start to die. Statuettes of little soldier boys on the mantel of a house on an island off the coast of Devon, fall to the floor and break one by one as those in the house succumb to a diabolical avenger while a nursery rhyme tells how each of the ten “soldiers” met his death until there were none. Agatha Christie is at her best in this extraordinary murder mystery. It will keep you guessing until the end.
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Get ready for a murder mystery masterpiece... Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. This is Christie’s best-selling novel; with more than 100 million copies sold, it is also the world’s best-selling mystery and one of the best-selling books of all time. Now it will be gracing the stages of VPA.
And Then There Were None opens March 24th - April 16th, 2017. Ticket prices are $18 for students/seniors and $20 for adults. This intriguing murder mystery will be appearing at Valley Performing Arts, 251 W. Swanson Avenue, Wasilla. VPA will offer a special performance on Friday, April 14th, by providing ASL Interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing. MAR 2017
Call VPA at 373-0195, visit our website at www. valleyperformingarts.org or come by the office, Monday through Friday 9am to 3pm to purchase your tickets.
PAGE 12 www. MAKEASCENEAK .com
Community Contributed by Jerry McDonnell
volunteer post.
The written word in the age of technology is not dead. The written word lives and holds ground. Small presses abound and grow. Even successful well-known writers submit works to small presses, as do new and unknown voices seeking exposure.
Cirque was founded by Mike Burwell, a published poet and a former poetry instructor at the University of Alaska, Anchorage who now lives in Taos, New Mexico. Sandy Kleven, also a published poet of Anchorage, Alaska, an alumnus of Western Washington U. is the coeditor and host of the launches of each biannual edition where writers read their works to an audience.
Small screens and big screens and screens that travel in our pockets have not diminished the written word, but have enhanced the means of delivery. Publishing the written word and images in hard copy has also benefited from technology by drifting us away from the printing presses and darkrooms of yore with print on demand and pathways to selfpublication without exploitation. Cirque is just such a journal, available in print and online at www. cirquejournal.com. Cirque benefits from new technology to keep costs down. An independent journal, Cirque is staffed by volunteers, publishing twice yearly. Writers and artists of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska can be found in the pages of Cirque.
MAR 2017
In today’s world, writers persist in honing their craft and offering their perceptions to readers. These readers seek something more than sound bites, headlines and patronizing themes. In this modern world, it is inspiring to find a hard copy journal such as Cirque, a journal that is also available online, a journal that publishes photography, art, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, interviews, reviews and short plays. Cirque, a colorful literary journal, is just that, inspiring. I say this undisguised as I, now of Deming, WA after 27 years in Alaska, am one of the fiction editors and the drama editor of Cirque. The journal has been growing in fame among the small presses since its inception in 2009. The quality of submissions and many to be discovered talents has held me to this
One launch of the last edition was held at Mount Baker Theater in Bellingham on August 28, 2016 after a launch in Bothell and previous launches in Anchorage, Alaska and Seward, Alaska. Fiction can enlighten, shock, instruct, be dramatic or comedic or entertain. Judi Nyerges, of Whidbey Island, an alumnus of Bothell High School and U. of Washington and subsequent art teacher covers more than one of those bases with her short story, The Boat, the Goat and the Oldest Living Virgin in America. From Cirque, VOL.8 NO. 1: “I wanted to be an actress . . . ran off to the Big City to pursue my dream, it made no difference the big city was only twenty-five miles down the road. I threw myself headlong into the study of the “Thea-tuh.” Oh, Lordy, it was glorious. I reveled in the smell of musty old costumes, melted horsehide glue, and greasepaint.” What follows is a hilarious journey beginning with her transformation into an actress in demand after dying her hair blond and playing vamp parts and her disastrous final performance with a cast of misfits and a goat on a sinking boat docked on the waters off Seattle. “About me, one reviewer said, “As for her singing, the best part of her entrances were her exits.” I never
made it as an actor. But then neither, I’m sure, did the goat.” Nyerges’s writing is lively, clever and a full house of well-presented characters that gallop the plot full speed to the curtain. Poetry is offered from different voices, some heavy on cryptic images, but those few words condensed just so serve a full meal, a banquet of less is more. Consider Frank Soos’, a previous Alaska State Writer Laureate, straightforward verse, January Light, from Cirque VOL 8, NO. 1: “We come here expecting to find the witch’s house, don’t we? These are the woods of a dark winter’s day, haunted woods. There is something down in our limbic brains that says beware, that says we don’t have many friends out in the trees, that folks who live among them are only those we’ve cast out. It just goes to show how wrong we can be. Maybe if we ask real nice, those in hiding would come out and share their secrets with us. The woods might enfold us once again. Maybe we would learn something.” Yes, technology is here to stay and we all benefit from it. But the written word preceded the icon and apps on screens, and if the plug is ever pulled
on advanced technology, I would bet the written word will remain alive and well. The book in hand is handy and portable no matter the distance of that electrical outlet or the life of a battery. Although writers submitting to Cirque are limited to those who live in the region, the subject matter is not limited to a regional setting or theme. The goal of Cirque is to share the best writing of the region to the rest of the world. For readers looking for a good read or writers looking for markets go to www. cirquejournal.com and view and/or buy a copy and find something to enjoy.
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Poetry
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Music Contributed by Meggie Aube
MAR 2017
www. MAKEASCENEAK .com
Summer Percussion Camp 2017 June 5-9, 2017 Sessions 1 & 2 @9AM, Session 3 @11AM Percussion in the Valley Colony Middle School 9250 E Silver Spring Cir, Palmer Cost: $85 1st Session, $200 2nd Session, $250 3rd Session This summer marks the 5th year of the Percussion in the Valley Summer Percussion Camp! With four years of excellent summer camps in the books, this year is guaranteed to be the best yet! Over the last four years, students from all corners of the Valley and Anchorage have attended the summer camp and helped it to grow into what it is now. The camp has expanded each year from its start with about fifteen students to the full group of over forty students last summer. As always, the summer camp is an excellent chance for young percussionists and those interested in percussion, to develop their technique and improve on their rhythmic reading and playing. However, the camp is much more than that. It is an opportunity for students to have fun and make friends. Relationships are made that would otherwise be difficult with students coming from different schools and communities. Learning and playing music with others often creates lasting friendships. While the students connect with each other, they also develop relationships with percussion teachers from around the state and country. Each year, the camp faculty draws from professionals from the Valley and Anchorage, and brings up one out of state professional percussionist each year. This year the camp faculty will include Alaska faculty, Dr. Meggie Aube, camp director and owner of Percussion in the Valley, and Brady Byers and Erik Chronister, percussion educators from Anchorage. The featured guest faculty this summer will be Michael Mixtacki, percussion professor at the University of Texas, San Antonio.
Michael is a world-class percussionist specializing in Afro-Cuban percussion while also being versatile in all percussion instruments. Area students will not want to miss the opportunity to work with and develop a relationship with him. Summer camp will be held the first week of June, Monday June 5th - Friday, June 9th. There are three sessions to accommodate all ages and ability levels. Session 1 meets each day from 9:00-10:00 a.m. for students age 7-11 with little to no prior experience. Session 2 meets from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and is for students entering 4th-7th grade with at least one year of experience in percussion or music. Session 3 meets from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and is meant for students entering 8th grade through those just graduated from high school, who have at least one year of percussion or music experience. Throughout the camp the students will participate in clinics, masterclasses and ensembles in all percussion areas. The camp culminates with a final camp concert for family, friends and community members on Friday, June 9th at 4:00 p.m. The camp will again be held at Colony Middle School in Palmer. Enrollment has begun and people are encouraged to sign up early as space in the camp is limited and last year the camp met maximum enrollment. Early enrollment is in effect until April 14th. During this time enrollment is discounted by $15. To sign up, contact Dr. Meggie Aube to ensure that space is available in the camp session of your choice. Call 907631-8079 or e-mail percvalley@gmail.com. For more information, visit the Percussion in the Valley website at www.percussioninthevalley.com Don’t let this summer pass without taking this awesome percussion opportunity!
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Music www. MAKEASCENEAK .com MAR 2017
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