FIREWORKS MAKE PEOPLEHappy!
The Growth of Little Susitna Rotary Park
Contributed by Christian M Hartley
A few dozen neighbors and businesses, and a lot of borrowed tools, is what it took to turn a soggy stretch of riverfront into Little Susitna Rotary Park. What started as a simple loop trail has blossomed into a comprehensive park transformation.
Thanks to ongoing collaboration between the Susitna Rotary Club, Wasilla Noon Rotary Club, Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation, AARP, City of Houston and its fire department, local residents and businesses, and elected officials volunteering their time, tools, and talents, the park now features expanded trails, a pavilion, a safe boat landing area, resting benches, a children’s play area, a book exchange, paved parking, and this accessible boardwalk.
Over the past five years, more than 50 people and businesses united behind a shared goal: making our Little Susitna River and its trails more accessible to everyone, including those with mobility restrictions. The boardwalk strategically spans a section of trail that becomes waterlogged during rainfall and remains impassable long after snowmelt because of poor drainage issues.
The boardwalk showcases Grizzly Wood, an innovative Alaska-made product that perfectly embodies Rotary International’s commitment to environmental stewardship. This remarkable material created by Alaska Plastic Recovery transforms recycled plastics (industrial resins, post-consumer waste, and ocean debris) into durable, construction-grade lumber.
Every step you take on this boardwalk represents plastics diverted from landfills and oceans, transformed into something that will serve our community for years to come.
ADA parking spaces, giving people stable, flat ground and closer access.
The lot now connects directly to the existing pedestrian pathway along the Parks Highway, creating an uninterrupted paved route into the park. Bicyclists, scooter riders, and wheelchair users can all reach the park easily and take a break from their adventures.
Installed three years ago, a pavilion offers a sheltered spot to rest, eat at a heavy-duty picnic table, and browse the on-site lending library while keeping an eye on loved ones exploring the park or spending time by the river. It also serves as the central hub for the Rotary Club’s annual Little Su Classic, a National Trails Day River float and cleanup powered by volunteers. Around 60 participants typically join each year, and more are always welcome.
A new children’s play area was installed this year, repurposing a playset that was slated for disposal in Anchorage. Instead of going to waste, it now provides a safe, dedicated space for kids to play while families enjoy the park’s other amenities. For safety, the play area was intentionally placed away from the river.
During these improvements, the City of Houston received an AARP grant to make the park more accessible for senior residents and visitors with mobility needs. The City paved the parking lot and added dedicated
All of this is on top of the Kids Don’t Float board that was installed by the club a decade ago and recently refreshed with a grant from Lotto Alaska. These boards store life jackets for free use by anybody who needs to borrow one. The board at this Park in particular has been used to save three lives for sure including two children and one adult with the throw ring. It is one of the most heavily used boards that Susitna Rotary has installed throughout the region.
This project exemplifies Houston at its finest: public-private partnerships that deliver lasting value without adding to taxpayers’ burden. Two years ago, the city officially designated the area Little Susitna Rotary Park to recognize the Rotary Club’s work in transforming a barely used day parking area with limited parking. The property is owned by the City of Houston, with the Susitna Rotary Club managing park improvements in coordination with approval from the City.
Next year’s plan is to install a storybook along the trail that will educate kids about water safety, so that they can be reminded before they get to the river itself. There will also be a small community garden placed at the edges of the grassy area.
Thanks to these combined efforts, Little Susitna Rotary Park has grown in use and popularity throughout the summer of 2025, and it’s become a destination the entire community can enjoy and be proud of. The Little Susitna Rotary Park is what happens when good people with good plans move forward with good will toward a good goal.
Roland Roberts Christmas Jam MORE ON PAGE 2 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE
The Nutcracker Returns to Anchorage MORE ON PAGE 10 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE
Contributed by James Embree
With the Holiday Season upon us it is time once again for Alaska’s best Holiday Market, the Alaska Vintage Markets Holiday Market & Food Truck Fest at the Alaska State Fairgrounds. This annual event features the very best local vendors. The weather may be getting cold outside, but it will be toasty warm, cozy, and inviting in Raven Hall.
Vintage Market vendors are not just reselling factory-made products; they are the designers and makers of the products that they sell. Many of the creative vendors spend most of the year crafting their products like, up-cycled furniture, woodwork, custom clothing and accessories, household décor, pottery, etc. In most of the booths you will be buying directly from the artist/craftsman who made the products.
Holiday shopping at the Vintage Market is so much better than at big box stores. You will find an incredible selection of unique Christmas gifts at the Vintage Market that cannot be found anywhere else. There are so many talented and creative people in our community that we cannot fit all of them into just one weekend. The Vintage Market is two weekends and many of the vendors are different for week two. So, to get the full experience you can
COMMUNITY
Winter Warmth Activity Day
Monday, November 24 from 2:30-
by Brenda Cruz
Contributed
We are getting ready to spread some holiday cheer, help local families of little ones make new friends, and increase awareness of some of our Mat-Su supports for early childhood! Join us at the Palmer Train Depot on
4:30 for an afternoon of fun activities, a coffee corner for parents, resource tables, holiday
and a make-and-take baked potato meal. Our friends from Mat Valley Dance and the Bright Lights Book Project will be there with a play area and free books for littles. Activities and resources by Palmer Food Bank, Kids Kupboard, Alaska Family Services, and ROCK Mat-Su. Please note that this event is for families with children ages 4 and under. Makeand-take meals available while supplies last. Thank you to Three Ladybugs Farm and Star Sakis for donating! Questions? Please call 907-745-5824 or email admin@unitedwaymatsu.org.
Mat-Su Celebrates Lights On Afterschool
Contributed by Kim Hayes
Mat-Su’s Students, Families, Leaders
Join 26th Annual Lights On Afterschool.
Hundreds of students, parents, and business and community leaders came together with Youth 360 on November 8, 2025 for Lights On Afterschool at Teeland Middle School to celebrate the many ways afterschool programs support student success and well-being.
The event showcases the creativity and achievements of afterschool students and draws attention to the need for more afterschool programs to serve the millions of children nationwide who are unsupervised and without opportunities to learn each weekday afternoon. The gathering is one of some 8,000 events across the nation, organized by the Afterschool Alliance as part of the 26th annual Lights On Afterschool.
Speakers at the event highlighted the work of students, afterschool providers, businesses, and community groups that support afterschool programs, and urged lawmakers to provide more funding for them. The Lights On Afterschool event featured panels on teen education, teen safety online, vaping, and the power of afterschool activities. Parents enjoyed the panels while teens and elementary students participated in fun, supervised youth activities provided by Thrive MatSu. The day concluded with insightful panels from teens and parents.
“We’re thrilled to have a chance to showcase the remarkable work our afterschool students are doing, and to have parents and the rest of the community get a first-hand look. We love working with families and want to share what we have learned about supporting teens and their parents,” said former Youth
360 Project Director Tyler Healy. “Access to high quality afterschool programs is essential for our youth. We need to give all children and youth access to these programs.” Healy serves as an Afterschool Ambassador for Alaska for the Afterschool Alliance.
Youth 360 is joined by Lights On Afterschool partner organizations Thrive Mat-Su, Matanuska-Susitna and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, Palmer Police Department, Mat-Su Borough School District, the American Lung Association, and the Alaska Afterschool Network, along with more than 20 community booths with local programs and resources for families, including mental health supports and volunteer and recreation opportunities.
Lights On Afterschool this year comes as federal funding for afterschool is uncertain. A massive public outcry in July led the Trump Administration to release – rather than withhold – the FY 2025 funds Congress had appropriated for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the chief federal funding stream for afterschool and summer learning programs. But the Administration has recommended defunding the program in this fiscal year; Congress has yet to finalize the FY 2026 budget.
According to a 2025 study, the parents of 29.6 million children, more than half the school-age kids in the United States, want afterschool programs for their children – but less than 7 million are currently enrolled. Another 22.6 million children would attend an afterschool program if it were available. That means three in four kids whose parents want afterschool programs for them (77%), including many in middle- as well as low-income families,
are being left behind. Cost and accessibility are the barriers many families cannot overcome.
It’s no wonder that 89% of parents favor public funding for these programs. Ninety-five percent of parents with children in afterschool programs are satisfied with the program their child attends. A large and powerful body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades, school attendance, behavior, and more among children who participate in afterschool programs. Researchers have also found that students in afterschool programs are more engaged in school and excited about learning, and they develop work and life skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and communications. More information on the Afterschool Alliance and Lights On Afterschool is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.
Youth 360 is a project of United Way of Mat-Su, providing afterschool youth clubs and other youth connection opportunities around the Mat-Su Valley. Their mission is to provide activities and opportunities to help youth and families thrive. Visit www.youth-360.org for more information.
New Valley Charities, Inc. Board Member
Contributed by Kimberly Kellar Valley Charities, Inc. welcomes Greg Knight as our newest board member. Greg brings a variety of world experience to our board. He has been a business owner and accountant for 25 years, the
COO for Catholic Social Services, and the Vice President of the Anchorage Genealogical Society. Greg was born and raised in Alaska. He spent many years in Anchorage before moving to the Mat-Su Valley seven years ago. You may have seen Greg around as a realtor for Jack
White. We welcome Greg to our board and look forward to his contributions to help make our organization stronger as we “enhance our community’s resources, health and social well-being through our work and partnerships.”
Awards Presented at Alaskans 4 Personal Freedoms Conference
Contributed by Alaskans 4 Personal Freedoms
During our October 11th conference, Alaskans 4 Personal Freedom presented awards to two of our outstanding speakers. Dr. Pierre Kory, who operates a telemedicine clinic in all 50 states, was given a Freedom Award for fighting for early treatment of Covid with ivermectin and corticosteroids. Dr. Kory’s focus on this early treatment protocol was “considered” misinformation, even though the use of steroids in the treatment of Covid later became part of the standard of care.
Because his stance on early treatment was considered misinformation, Dr. Kory lost his board certifications in pulmonary, family practice, and critical care. The medical establishment wanted to make an example of him, and it did. But Dr. Kory did not bend, he did not falter, and he stood his ground against the medical establishment.
Here is Dr. Pierre Kory’s Freedom Award: “Alaskans 4 Personal Freedom recognizes Dr. Pierre Kory for his untiring efforts to inform Americans on repurposed drugs for cancer and Long Covid. Dr. Kory always speaks truth to power in all that he does regardless of the consequences from woke medical associations.
He is a physician you can truly trust. He exemplifies the medical profession with his faithfulness to the Hippocratic Oath.”
Alaska’s own Dr. Ilona Farr was also designated as a Freedom Fighter. She was given our Freedom Award because of her advocacy for using repurposed drugs for the early treatment of Covid patients with ivermectin. She treated over 700 patients when Covid first came on the scene and spoke at our first conference in 2021 about her success in keeping people out of the hospital by using alternative therapies. Her early treatment protocols did not sit well with 150 healthcare professionals, who signed a petition to the State Medical Board asking that her license be revoked because she was providing “misinformation” to patients. But more than 650 Alaskans, many of them Dr. Farr’s patients, came to her support by emailing the State Medical Board. Many said Dr. Farr had saved their lives and kept them out of the hospital with her early Covid treatment using ivermectin. The State Medical Board did not take any action against Dr. Farr and two other physicians and dismissed the case.
Here is Dr. Ilona Farr’s Freedom Award: “Alaskans 4 Personal Freedom recognizes
Dr. Ilona Farr for her advocacy for early treatment of Covid. Dr. Farr has treated thousands of Covid patients with repurposed drugs, preventing them from being hospitalized during the Covid years. She continues to be one of our expert physicians providing valuable medical information to fellow Alaskans. Dr. Farr is a true healthcare professional, always considering the patient first.”
Both Dr. Kory and Dr. Farr are brave physicians who truly practice holistic medicine. They research both sides of the issue and decide how they will treat patients with specific diseases. In the case of Covid, they used alternative therapies that worked. We were proud to call them Freedom Fighters. Both of their event presentations are available on our webpage at ak4pf. org/2025-conference
COMMUNITY
Mat-Su Health Foundation Awards $250,000
Contributed by Mat-Su Health Foundation
The Mat-Su Health Foundation has locally distributed $250,000 in rapid-turnaround emergency response grants to address food insecurity resulting from the cessation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding, processing delays due to application backlogs, and the economic impact on employees who have been furloughed or laid off during the current government shutdown. This funding will strengthen the community’s food security network by supporting six key partner organizations that provide direct food and healthcare assistance to residents most affected by SNAP processing delays: Blood n Fire Ministries; Frontline Mission; Mat-Su Food Bank; Mat-Su Health Services; Palmer Food Bank; Sunshine Community Health Center.
“Mat-Su Health Foundation has focused on increasing food security in the Mat-Su
since 2019,” said Vandana Ingle, Chief Community Impact Officer at the Foundation. “At that time, we recognized there was an increase in food-related grant requests, and food security emerged as a significant priority for us. Now, meeting this moment alongside local organizations that provide basic needs support truly exemplifies our mission for better health.”
Food insecurity remains a growing concern in the Mat-Su region. As of September 2025, the Mat-Su Census Area has 8,371 SNAP recipients. The most current data available (as of August 2025) for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program indicates 1,318 WIC households in the MatSu Area. Individuals awaiting processing for SNAP or WIC applications are excluded from these counts, as applicant location data is not recorded until processing is complete.
“Frontline Mission is extremely thankful for the Foundation’s funding support during this critical time,” said Matthew
Prepare to Ride!
Contributed by Debra McGhan
As snow moves down the mountains and fills the valleys, the urge to get out and ride grows stronger every day. Don’t just hit the trails this winter, take the time to get trained. Alaska Safe Riders (ASR) has a host of training opportunities available this season thanks to support from a slate of incredible sponsors. Whether you’re looking for avalanche awareness, glacier travel tips, trail rides, or training for your school, ASR has something for everyone.
“Our goal is to promote safe riding while exploring in the mountains and on the trails all across the state,” said Executive Director Mike Buck. “We are partnering with other non-profits, companies, and agencies to raise awareness, distribute safety equipment, and help everyone find the training they need to have incredible, safe adventures.”
Thanks to a three-year grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation, ASR has been training a fleet of instructors who are ready to bring this training to schools across the Mat-Su Valley. If your school is interested, reserve your spot today by contacting the team through the ASR website. For those living in remote communities,
whether in the Mat-Su or on the North Slope, a $5,000 grant to ASR from the Alaska Community Foundation is helping to support online training which will be easily accessed and scheduled through their website at https://alaskasaferiders.org.
Whether online or in the classroom, it’s
Sheets, Executive Director of Frontline Mission. “These funds will allow us to provide additional support to individuals and families, as we have seen a significant increase in community members utilizing our services. We can purchase more food for our hot meal program, enhance our food distribution center, which provides supplemental groceries, support our Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas food boxes for the upcoming holidays, and help feed children over the weekends and holiday breaks from school.”
Additionally, the Foundation is working to increase awareness of its program, Connect Mat-Su, an info and referral hub that easily connects residents to local assistance. Community members can work with Connect Mat-Su staff to identify their current needs and find providers, services, and supports ranging from food, housing, heating, and employment to medical, childcare, and elder care. Connect Mat-Su is free to use and can be reached by phone at (907)
others lost their lives learning.
Dr. Liam Walsh, at just 33 years-old, still had a lifetime of adventures ahead of him.
On November 22, 2015 he tried to get a friend to join him for a ski adventure in Hatcher Pass, but none of his friends were available. Anxious to make tracks in the new snow, he set off alone at the height of a snow storm. That decision cost him his life when he was buried in a massive avalanche. His body was not found for months. Two years later, also on November 22nd,
important to learn critical skills that will keep you safe on your Alaskan adventures.
November is the perfect time of year to get your sled in the garage and tune, clean, wax and inspect every inch so you will be ready when the trails open for riding. The Safe Rider team has great videos on their You Tube Channel at ‘AK Sled Shed’ that walk you through exactly what to do to be sure your sled is ready to ride.
“It’s well worth taking the time so that you can get out on the trails and not have to worry about something breaking or going wrong,” said Buck.
A lot of this training isn’t just for those on machines. November has traditionally been known as Avalanche Awareness Education Month. If the snow starts piling up and you find yourself anxious to get out in the mountains to make tracks, it’s wise to learn from the lesson’s
373-2628, in person
in
In this capacity, MSHF board members and representatives actively participate in the governance of Mat-Su’s community hospital to protect the community’s interest in this important healthcare institution. The MSHF mission is to improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in the Mat-Su, and the tools it uses include grantmaking, convening of local partners, and policy change. The foundation’s work has resulted in significant improvements in systems that support the health of Mat-Su residents in areas such as behavioral health, child welfare, crisis response, community connections, workforce development, transportation, housing, and senior services. More info is available at healthymatsu.org.
tricky snow conditions caught them offguard and resulted in another tragedy that cost Randy his life.
“Early season conditions can be some of the most dangerous,” said Buck.
“When we get these big, wet storms, too many people get caught by surprise,” said Buck. “It’s easy to get snow fever and just want to get out there and make tracks, but it’s critical to be aware of the potential hazards and go prepared with a willingness to adjust your plans if the
Randy Bergt met the same fate. At age 60, Bergt and his friends all had more than 35 years of experience each under their belts and lots of adventures when the three set out to ski and explore Hatcher Pass. Complex terrain, poor communication and
Mike Buck Teaching ASR Mobile Classroom
COMMUNITY
Helping our homeless youth with a hand up, not a hand out.
AGES 14-25
Royal Caribbean Group Hopes to Empower Small Businesses from Dream to Reality in Seward
Contributed by Alexis Baird, Royal Caribbean Group
Royal Caribbean Group has launched an inaugural business accelerator initiative –Port Partners– in the coastal community of Seward, Alaska. Aimed at empowering aspiring entrepreneurs, the project will provide Seward residents a 10-week academic course, personalized mentorship, and an interactive pitch competition culminating in a $20,000 cash prize awarded to one standout participant.
“Port Partners reflects our deep dedication and gratitude to the people of Seward
and other coastal communities, where small business innovation lies at the heart of economic development,” said Preston Carnahan, vice president, Destination Development, West Coast, Royal Caribbean Group. “Port Partners is more than just a business accelerator - it’s an opportunity to make people’s dreams a reality.”
This new business accelerator reflects the ongoing collaboration between the community of Seward and Royal Caribbean Group to bring new economic development opportunities to residents and fuel their entrepreneurial drive. Partners include the Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC), City of Seward, University of Alaska system, Seward Chamber of Commerce, Alaska Small Business Development Center, and additional local business operators. Carnahan says, “This program is only possible with the time and effort generously given by our partners.”
Residents of Seward who are interested in growing their innovative concept –whether in the ideation phase or in early operational stages – are welcome to apply
until applications close on Dec 15, 2025.
After final submissions, 10-15 applicants will be selected to participate in a free, 10-week academic course to hone their business skills. In addition to the educational element of the program, cohort participants will be paired with successful local entrepreneurs in intimate mentorship sessions to gather lessons learned, career highlights, and advice.
“As Alaska’s statewide postsecondary vocational training center, AVTEC is proud to partner with Royal Caribbean Group and other community leaders on the Port Partners initiative,” said Cory Ortiz, Ph.D., Director of AVTEC. “Strong partnerships like this are vital to creating new prosperity pathways in Seward and across Alaska. By combining education, mentorship, and real-world support, we’re helping local entrepreneurs transform their ideas into businesses that will strengthen our community and create lasting economic impact.”
“The University of Alaska is proud to support the Port Partners program in collaboration with Royal Caribbean Group,
The Bright Lights Book Project: Strength in Numbers
Contributed by Alys Culhane
One of my favorite Bright Lights Book Project tasks is stocking our Palmer based community bookcases. Palmer is our bookcase epicenter; however, we also have Wasilla, Sutton, Eagle River, and Chickaloon bookcase locations.
Here distributors meet appreciative readers who are in the process of picking out books for themselves or their children or grandchildren. My favorite distribution locations are currently the Big Dipper Ice Cream Store, Lekker Bakery, the Bleeding Heart Brewery, and the Palmer High School Public Pool.
I equate distributing in these venues with eating ice cream, drinking hot chocolate, downing a beer, and going for a swim. The pool bookcase is the most ideal site in that it complements the BLBP combined vision and mission statements – we envision literacy to change lives by making books accessible to readers of all ages.
Upon entering the Palmer Public Pool
lobby, you immediately see the bookcase, which is against the far wall. On the left side of the lobby are benches. Here, pool patrons wait for family members and friends to emerge from locker rooms. On any given day, children and adults are either picking out or reading books.
I, with a bin of books in hand, greet the pool patrons, and ask them if there’s anything in particular that they’re looking for. If so, I write their request in my back pocket notebook and bring the book with me the following day.
Stocking the shelves is a life-affirming activity. However, time doesn’t allow me to tell BLBP readers that although I’m the founder of this amazing nonprofit organization, our success is inextricably linked to community support.
If time permitted, I’d provide readers with more specifics as this relates to the acquisition of BLBP books. Yes, the bookcase guardians, in this instance, the ice cream shop clerks, the bakery baristas, the brewmasters, and the Palmer Pool lifeguards, have from Day #1, in interacting with the public, championed our cause. However, these wonderful individuals are just the tip of the iceberg. There would be no books on hand if it weren’t for those, who behind the scenes, put considerable time and energy into this project. The books come from a wide variety of sources including parents, thrift stores,
school districts, educators, school and public librarians, and as well, those who’ve decided that they need to downsize. We’ve taken in books from Alaskan villages and been sent books from the Lower 48. The commonality these sources share is that they want the books that they are parting with to end up in the hands of appreciative readers, the alternative being local dumps.
The BLBP website has guidelines as to what we’ll take – we eschew moldy, torn, and waterlogged books as well as encyclopedias and what some call bodice rippers. Worn out vintage children’s books are always welcome – our artistin-residence, Cathy Stone, delights in matching illustrations to words. The Frame Shop in Palmer has also provided Cathy with matt board.
There’s a process in which the now BLBP books are made ready for the public. Over two dozen volunteers clean, sort, and stamp children’s books. Lois Liebing, a former Elementary school teacher, categorizes them. The board, picture, lower elementary, upper elementary, middle and high school, and graphic novels are then shelved and distributed or sent to villages. The process works pretty much the same way for grown-up nonfiction and fiction books.
Volunteers also assist in BLBP event planning and participation. Kudos to Mat-Su Borough Animal Shelter volunteer
AVTEC, and other partners in Seward,” said Teri Cothren, associate vice president of Workforce Development, University of Alaska. “By creating prospects that connect education with entrepreneurship, we are ensuring Alaskans have the skills, resources, and opportunities to establish and grow businesses that contribute to their local and state economy.”
Upon successful course completion, the begins concludes with a formal Pitch Event where each candidate will have an opportunity to leverage lessons learned from AVTEC’s course and showcase their business idea to judging representatives from Royal Caribbean Group, Alaska Small Business Development Center, Seward Chamber of Commerce, AVTEC, University of Alaska System, the City of Seward, and more. One future business owner will walk away with the $20,000 award, full support from their community, and a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream.
Discover more about Port Partners at portpartners.com. All Seward, Alaska residents are welcome to apply.
coordinator Stacie Winsor, who recently hosted an animal literacy story time, and to Dave Dorsey, who brought two beagles and a basset hound to our the BLBP children read to Dogs event children read to dogs. Dave heads up the Alaska Beagle Ranch, a nonprofit organization that creates a nurturing environment for Beagles and hounds through rescue, adoption, shelter, and ongoing education. And Kudos to the many volunteers who helped out at the recent Palmer Chamber of Commerce sponsored Trick or Street event. This included Amber Jackson and her two children, Jayvyn and Paloma, who both gave the BLBP and Kids Kupboard a much-needed assist. This was no small feat – the BLBP passed out books to over 1,000 children and Kids Kupboard passed out over 963 sticks of string cheese. If time permitted, I’d point all the above out to our appreciative readers and add that we, along with Fireside Books and the Friends of the Palmer Public Library, are creating a community in which its citizenry identifies as readers.
Lastly, I’d mention that the BLBP has recently partnered with the Alaska Literacy Program. Together we are pushing on the boundaries of accessibility by offering literacy-related classes and tutoring for adults and children.
Alys Culhane, the Executive Director of the Bright Lights Book Project, is looking forward to the day in which she has time to take swimming lessons. In the meantime, she continues to tread water.
300 N. Willow St
AARS Launches “Embracing Sobriety, Building Hope” Campaign to Double Treatment Capacity in Alaska
Contributed by Kaitlyn Klippert Alaska Addiction Rehabilitation Services, Inc.
Alaska Addiction Rehabilitation Services, Inc. (AARS) has officially announced “Embracing Sobriety, Building Hope,” a comprehensive fundraising campaign aimed at expanding its residential treatment facility. The campaign seeks to raise $250,000 by June 2026, which will cover approximately $200,000 in net project funds in order to double AARS’s treatment capacity from 26 to 52 beds. This expansion is intended to meet the increasing demand for substance abuse treatment services in Alaska, as communities across the state struggle with an ongoing addiction crisis.
The campaign was launched with a media event at AARS’s campus in Point MacKenzie. The public phase of the campaign has been announced by AARS Executive Director Bryan Brandenburg. “This expansion is all about saving lives,” Brandenburg stated. “Every new bed means one more person can get help at the time they need it. We’re calling on Alaskans—businesses, community groups, and individuals—to join us in expanding hope. Together, we can ensure no one has to languish on a waitlist when they’re ready for recovery.”
The expansion project: AARS is in
the process of constructing a new 20,619-square-foot building attached to its existing facility, effectively doubling its capacity. Phase I of the project, which includes design and site preparation, received federal funding. Phase II, dedicated to the construction, is primarily funded by government grants and major foundations. The total cost for Phases I and II is estimated to be around $12.8 million. Construction has been underway since March 2025, with AARS scheduled to open the expanded facility in mid-2026. The public campaign is meant to fund the remaining needs, which include interior furnishings, equipment, and program supplies so the new building is fully operational.
Community need: The community has demonstrated a significant need for services, as evidenced by AARS reporting an increase in treatment referrals, with 383 applicants recorded in FY25 alone. Many applicants come from different regions of Alaska, such as Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, and rural communities, which underscores the demand across the state. Currently, the Mat-Su/Anchorage region has a limited number of residential treatment beds, with a total of only 425 beds across the state. “When we’re full, there are few alternatives, and people in crisis may fall through the cracks,” noted
Randy Smith, AARS Board President.
“By expanding our capacity, we will significantly reduce wait times and extend our reach to more Alaskans seeking sobriety. This campaign is an opportunity for the community to take part in a solution.”
Campaign highlights: “Embracing Sobriety, Building Hope” is scheduled to take place from November 2025 to June 2026, focusing on community engagement through events, media outreach, and direct appeals. Key elements include an online campaign for Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2, 2025; a year-end holiday appeal titled “gift of recovery”; and a “Fun Day” celebration in June 2026 to mark the conclusion of the campaign and the expansion’s progress. In addition, AARS has introduced a sponsorship program featuring giving tiers ranging from $1,000 to more than $20,000, offering recognition opportunities such as VIP dinners and promotional benefits for corporate partners.
AARS invites media representatives to follow the campaign’s progress and visit the facility to see the ongoing expansion construction. “This is more than a fundraising campaign—it’s a movement for healthier communities,” said Kaitlyn Klippert, AARS Development, Marketing and Communications Director, who is coordinating the
Overview of Alaska Addiction
Rehabilitation Services (AARS): Alaska Addiction Rehabilitation Services, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1982, located in Wasilla. AARS operates a 26-bed residential treatment program and a 10-bed outpatient treatment program, serving adults from across Alaska who struggle with substance use disorders. AARS’s long-term program integrates counseling, 12-Step-based support, life skills training, and work therapy on its 116-acre farm.
Over the past 40 years, AARS, previously known as Nugen’s Ranch, has helped more than 3,400 Alaskans in their journey toward achieving and maintaining sobriety. AARS is statecertified and nationally accredited by CARF, illustrating its commitment to highquality, client-centered care. The current expansion to 94 beds will improve AARS’s ability to meet the statewide demand for treatment. For additional info, please visit aarsrecovery.org or call (907) 376-4534.
Accepting Nominations for the 2026 Edith R. Bullock Prize for Excellence
Contributed by University of Alaska Foundation
The University of Alaska Foundation Board of Directors is accepting nominations through Dec. 14, 2025, for the 2026 Edith R. Bullock Prize for Excellence. The prize, which includes a $20,000 award, is presented to an individual who demonstrates excellence in support of the University of Alaska.
Any UA student, faculty, staff, alumni or
volunteer who has made a significant contribution to further the university’s mission of inspiring learning and advancing and disseminating knowledge through teaching, research and public service is eligible to be nominated. Anyone can nominate a deserving candidate.
Nominations are being accepted via an online application. Any nominations received after Dec. 14 will be eligible for consideration for the 2027 award.
The Edith R. Bullock Prize for Excellence was established with a generous gift from the late Edith R. Bullock, whose 30 years of service to the UA system included service on the UA Board of Regents and the UA Foundation Board of Directors. Bullock was also a member of Alaska’s Territorial House of Representatives, Territorial Senate, Alaska Business Hall of Fame and an Alaskan of the Year.
The UA Foundation is an independent, nonprofit corporation established in 1974
From Alaska Minimalism to Thai Destiny
My “Thailand or Bust” sale in the Mat-Su Valley was meant to be the final act of my Alaskan story, a quiet, resourceful shedding of the possessions that defined my life here. What it became, however, was something far more profound: a communal farewell, rich with human connection, that I never could have anticipated. People didn’t just come for the bargains; they came for the story. The atmosphere felt less like a garage sale and more like a counseling session. I talked to countless neighbors and strangers, some sharing their own bold travel plans, others reflecting on life decisions they never quite made.
They were drawn by the idea of an independent man choosing a new, uncertain future over a comfortable, empty routine. I was genuinely moved by the response. After conversations that often lasted thirty minutes or more, several people came back later with small, thoughtful gifts—a hat for the tropic rains, a specific book about Buddhism, or something they thought would ease the transition. These were not expensive items, but tokens of support that spoke volumes. In fact, the last two months I was hugged by more people than in my entire life! I’m a stoic Alaskan, but I witnessed others tear up as they wished me luck, underscoring the universal resonance of stepping into the unknown.
The physical purging of my life is complete. I was ruthless, getting my entire existence down to just three duffel bags—the absolute limit for my resourcefulness and independence. I did have to gift quite a bit, passing on items to people who appreciated the story behind them, making the parting less painful. Every item that left my hands lessened the weight of my past and affirmed the space I’m making for my future. The incredible outpouring of emotion showed me that even in moments of profound loneliness, we are never truly alone.
to seek, secure and steward philanthropic support in partnership with the UA system. More info on the UA Foundation and how to contribute is available at alaska.edu/ foundation.
For more info, please contact Maggie Demers, UA Foundation director of communications and public relations, at (907) 450-8039 or maggie.demers@ alaska.edu
Repeatedly, people told me they were jealous or envious of my decision. My reply was always the same: Don’t be. Just be happy for me, and consider their trip. The journey to discover who I truly am is no longer a solitary quest. It is a shared story, written with the well wishes of countless neighbors. I’m carrying their smiles and strength with me to the Land of Smiles, guided by a simple truth I shared with everyone who stopped by: “We get one trip. Don’t know when it’s over, so try and enjoy it.”
Ken’s Cast Iron Kitchen: Dolly Parton 5-Ingredient Chicken Casserole
Inspired by a recipe from the queen of country music, Dolly Parton, this low-carb, 5-ingredient casserole is easy to make and tastes amazing. It’s creamy, cozy, and perfect for any night when you need a dinner that wows everyone—especially after working 9 to 5.
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken; one 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup;
Professional Married Husband & Wife Seek One Bedroom Rental
Contributed by David Hoagland
RN wife and Natural Resource applicant husband seek one bedroom house or cabin rental for several months as we look for prospective home purchase in the Palmer, Wasilla, or other close small rural community in Alaska. For more information and references, call Dave at (336) 280-1718.
1 cup sour cream; 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese; 2 cups crushed pork rinds. Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Stir together the chicken, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream. Spread out half of the chicken mixture in the baking dish and top with half of the cheese. Add the remaining chicken, followed by the remain-
ing cheese and the crushed pork rinds. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. OH YESSSSS! Ken is a Realtor with RMG Real Estate, and together with his wife, Dr. G, they are your local metabolic health professionals at “Healthy Together and Feeling Great.” Learn more at alaskahealthy.live or email alaskahealthy@gmail.com
Glass Doctor’s 7th Annual Toys for Tots Rock Chip Event: Fix Your Windshield (for Free), Fill a Kid’s Heart!
Contributed by Kevin Tennant, Glass Doctors of Fairbanks & Wasilla
Driving in Alaska almost guarantees you’re going to catch a rock in your windshield at some point. Those pesky rock chips are practically part of the scenery! At Glass Doctor, we’re repairing about 100 of them every single week — rain, shine, or snow. Seven years ago, we hatched a plan to turn a negative into a positive: swap a new, unwrapped toy for a free rock chip
repair. It’s our way to give back, turning everyday windshield woes into holiday magic for local kids through Toys for Tots.
Nearly every Alaskan vehicle sports a chip or two, which is why this event is such a win-win: you get a top-notch fix from pros, and we collect a truckload of toys for children in need who might otherwise miss out on Christmas cheer.
Kicking off November 1 and running all month long, our 7th annual event is bigger than ever. Swing by either of our
locations in Wasilla or North Pole — we’re aiming to spread the word to all 250,000+ generous folks in the Mat-Su and Fairbanks areas. Got a chip? No appointment needed. Bring a new, unwrapped toy and help make some smiles. Spot this in your feed? Please share it. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to catch our posts and pass them along to friends. Together, we can make this the jolliest haul yet. Thanks — from us and especially from the kids.
Helping Hands ABA Expands to Anchorage to Bring Compassionate Autism Services to Alaska Families
Contributed by Morgan Christopher
Helping Hands ABA, P.C., a nationally accredited provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, is excited to expand its services to Alaska with the launch of Helping Hands ABA Alaska, LLC, located in Anchorage. Founded in New York City, the agency is expanding west to meet the growing need for high-quality, compassionate autism services in one of the nation’s most underserved regions. Recognized by the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE), Helping Hands ABA provides home-based and community ABA services that help individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related developmental disabilities achieve meaningful, lasting growth. The expansion to Anchorage stems from the organization’s mission to make individualized, evidence-based care accessible to families everywhere, regardless of geography. A mission rooted in compassion, Helping Hands ABA is guided by the principles of Compassionate ABA, an approach that emphasizes respect, collaboration, and dignity in every interaction. Therapy is designed to not only improve behavior, communication, and learning, but to enhance overall quality of life for clients
and their families. Helping Hands ABA strives to make therapy a positive, supportive experience for both learners and their family. The agency focuses on meaningful progress for the child and family, not just data points and isolated behaviors. Each treatment plan is customized by a licensed and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and implemented by trained Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs). Services are delivered in the home, community, or school to encourage real-world skill development and consistency across environments.
Offering comprehensive services for every family, Helping Hands ABA provides individualized supports for children, adolescents, and young adults, including ABA therapy to build communication, daily living, and adaptive skills; parent and caregiver training that empowers families with tools to reinforce progress at home; social skills programs to improve peer interactions and emotional regulation; and behavior support and consultation with educators and community partners to ensure coordinated care. By blending clinical expertise with empathy, Helping Hands ABA helps clients reach developmental milestones and gain confidence in navigating everyday life.
Building local capacity in Alaska is a priority as the need for autism and developmental support services has grown steadily. Families often face limited provider options and long wait times. Helping Hands ABA chose Anchorage as its first expansion site to bridge that gap and build long-term, community-based solutions. In addition to direct services, the company is investing in Alaska’s professional workforce through its sister organization, Advance RBT Solutions. This initiative offers an inhouse, 40-hour RBT training program that meets state requirements, national certification standards, and provides hands-on supervision and competency assessments. The program—available online, via Zoom, and in person—helps aspiring technicians gain the skills they need to join the field of behavior analysis. By training local professionals, Helping Hands ABA hopes to strengthen the availability and sustainability of ABA services throughout Alaska.
Taking a collaborative approach to care, Helping Hands ABA believes that meaningful progress happens when everyone works together—families, clinicians, educators, and the broader community. The Anchorage office will work with local schools, rehabilitation counselors, and family organizations to create a network
of support around each individual served.
“We see this expansion as a partnership with the Anchorage community,” a Helping Hands ABA spokesperson added. “We’re here to listen, to learn, and to provide compassionate, high-quality care that fits the needs of local families.”
A step forward for Alaska families, the arrival of Helping Hands ABA offers renewed hope and access to consistent, compassionate care close to home. Families can expect shorter wait times, flexible scheduling, and individualized plans that prioritize their child’s unique goals and strengths. From early learners developing first words to teenagers preparing for adulthood, Helping Hands ABA supports every stage of growth with respect, empathy, and expertise. The agency’s expansion to Anchorage is not just about geography—it’s about bringing help and hope where it’s needed most.
Helping Hands ABA invites families, educators, and local professionals to connect, learn more about services, or explore career opportunities by emailing hiring@helpinghandsaba.com or intake@helpinghandsaba.com.
and
Contributed by Ron Pickett
Holiday Pancake Breakfast
Contributed by Andi Nations
On Saturday, December 6th, 2025, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church’s Five Loaves Two Fish Kitchen will be hosting a Holiday Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction to raise funds to sustain our Kitchen Ministry. We will be
serving a delicious breakfast, complete with pancakes, sausage, eggs, fruit and a selection of beverages. We will also have a fabulous silent auction where you can do some holiday shopping, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there to delight the children!
Our Five Loaves Two Fish Kitchen Ministry sends meals every Thursday and Friday to homeless youth at My House Homeless Teen Resource Center, our Youth 360 program, and families who are staying in a transitional shelter through Family Promise. We also send frozen casseroles to veterans at AMVETS and to families with students at local schools who need food throughout the weekends. Whenever we hear of folks in the community who are in crisis, whether they are members of our church or not, we always send a comforting meal along with words of God’s love and support.
Good Shepherd is located on Bogard Road next door to the Wasilla High School and Middle School here in Wasilla. Please join us to celebrate the holiday season while supporting our Kitchen Ministry which has been feeding our Mat-Su neighbors since 2014!
Rooted in Gratitude: Growing Together for Alaska’s Youth
Contributed by Jessica Jones-Stotler
From lakefront laughter to life-changing care, REACH 907 continues to restore, empower, and strengthen Alaska’s youth and their families. Every big story starts small, and ours began at the lake. Years ago, what started as a camp for at-risk youth, full of splashing, laughter, and the kind of joyful noise that comes from kids learning to trust again, has grown into something so much more: a movement of hope, healing, and community. It wasn’t always quiet or serene; it was real, raw, and often messy. But in those moments, when a child finally felt seen for who they are rather than the behaviors they displayed, something beautiful began to take root. That’s where REACH 907 was born. Today, that same heart continues to guide our mission to restore, empower, and strengthen Alaska’s youth and their
families. Our vision is bold yet simple: that all youth in Alaska know they are loved and cared for.
Over the years, that vision has taken root through trauma-informed camps, compassionate case management, and wrap-around support for families. We’ve seen young people rediscover their worth, parents find renewed strength, and communities rally together in ways that prove healing happens when we show up for one another.
One of the ways we do this is through connection, the foundation of healing and trust. Sometimes it looks like playful engagement on a field or a spontaneous dance party at camp. Other times, it’s a clinician listening to a caregiver share the weight of their worries, a case manager helping a family navigate complex systems, or a team offering compassionate
care during the trying seasons of raising vulnerable children. Through this traumainformed approach, we’ve learned that healing doesn’t begin with correction — it begins with connection. And that simple truth has changed everything.
From those energetic camp days to the growing network of wrap-around services, community behavioral health, case management, and now Therapeutic Foster Care, the journey has been one of faith, perseverance, and partnership. Every volunteer, donor, stakeholder, business partner, church, and supporter who has believed in this work has helped light the way forward.
Because of you, a child who once felt unseen now knows they matter. Because of you, a family burdened by trauma is finding hope again. Because of you, we continue to grow deeper roots in this
community we love. As we look ahead, our hearts are full of gratitude. REACH 907 is not just an organization, it’s a family. It’s proof of what happens when a community comes together, linked by compassion and a shared belief that every child deserves love, belonging, and the chance to thrive. Thank you, Alaska, for believing in us, standing with us, and helping us build a brighter tomorrow, one heart, one home, one life at a time.
Hope & Healing Corner: Healing is rarely quiet. It’s found in laughter that breaks through fear, in listening when someone feels unheard, and in choosing to see the person behind the behavior. When we meet people with compassion instead of correction, connection begins, and that’s where restoration takes root. www.reach907ak.org
Risking It All + Past Trauma = Failing Forward
Contributed by Jovan Archuleta, Owner TEAMS Events & Experiences
Our recent Halloween event was not the success I had planned. As the person responsible for the execution, I have to be blunt: it was a failure. As a veteran and business manager, I demand a high level of competence from myself. So, what happened? The truth is, I was operating from the wrong place. This event was a brand-new concept, a free gift to the community I care about. It was a selffunded, high-risk gamble that put my finances and reputation on the line.
I have filled multiple leader roles as a professional but feel at home as a “boots on the ground” servant. Transitioning from federal service to civic sector, still processing exactly how and when a PTSD diagnosis means what it means, and restarting after ending a double decade career within a tornado of medical discrimination and supervisory sabotage left a dent to my core in a trauma form of deep lack of trust. That trauma caused me to make critical errors. Feeling I wasn’t
“worth the money,” I didn’t ask for the donations that would have made this event sustainable. Believing I had to “do it all myself.”
That lack of trust created an impossible situation for my team, especially for my main employee: my daughter. I put an incredible amount of responsibility on her shoulders, but I blurred the line between “father” and “boss.” I didn’t give her the professional structure she needed to succeed, and in that, I let her fail. A failure is only final if you don’t learn from it. This is what I call “failing forward.”
This public setback forced me to do the one thing I had been avoiding: leaving side gig mindset and getting my “business papers” in order. This isn’t just about paperwork. It’s about building the very structure my trauma prevented me from creating: formal job descriptions so my team has a clear path to success, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) so I can trust the process and finally ask for the help I need. This failure has given me a new, positive purpose. It’s taught me that to be the “asset” this community deserves,
I need to pivot. I am pulling back from being the solo leader and focusing on being a stronger supporter. By building this foundation, I can be a more stable, trustworthy, and reliable partner for all the nonprofits, athletes, and teens I am here to serve. This painful trial will make me a better manager, a better father, and a better servant.
This whole experience ties back to our rebrand: “There is no I in Team, but it’s also missing You.” This event proved that in a way I never expected. While I’ve said I didn’t ask for help, the truth is, I did have partners. But I fell into that familiar “servant” trap. At our meetings, I kept trying to pull out their needs and serve them, instead of creating a true exchange where we could all win. I limited my “asks,” hoping for return offers, but I kept the hardest tasks to myself—I wanted any negative perceptions to stay on me, not them. Those were the parts that failed. But here is the real success: the tasks I held onto failed, but the community succeeded. This was never just my event. It was a test of our TEAMS philosophy— Transformative, Engaging, Adaptive, Memorable, and Synergetic. The “S” is for the synergy that happens when “U” join the “Team.” And so many of you did. By running the event anyway, despite the uncertainty, we saw the synergy. We saw seeds start to sprout. This whole journey has been a lesson in “T-words”: from the tricks and trauma to the talents and teens. It was a test of new tactics, a temptation to tap out. But we had to try, to take a chance. I am so completely thankful for the teens, teachers, and townsfolk who took time to lend their talents. The true success was seeing so many answer the call to get involved, not just for my event, but for all the events every weekend leading up to Halloween. The proof was in the feedback. I didn’t get laughs or pointed fingers. I received hopeful, constructive input on how to modify the goals for “next year.”
My deepest thanks to our main partners:
Fibre & Ice; AmVets 11; Good Shepherd Lutheran Church; True North Recovery; The VFW; First Student; DreamGlow; Joe & Charlie’s; Eric Bushnell; The Wasilla Planning Office for their incredible patience. And to the heart of the event— the individuals and “boots on the ground” helpers: HOSA from Career Tech High School, especially Addison, Emery, Olivia, Jacob, June, Rye, and Mrs. Daughtry; from the Wasilla Police Explorers showing on their own, Michayla and Joseph; from Y360, Jasper, as well as Jasper’s parents and grandma for their support helping this young man explore and take action on his initiatives; trunk volunteer from Reach 907, Jayden and her little helper; the Adult Teen Challenge members who walked over and helped put the stage up; from SOAK (Special Olympics Alaska), Dominic, Teresa, and all the athletes and family who checked in, ready to help and have fun; The Salvation Army for the clothes collection bins and pumpkins; the bus drivers. For all the advice and guidance that kept me going: Laura at Yoga OM for all her work and support; Tier 1 Veterinary, Idea Homeschool and many other businesses who passed forward unused candy or décor to my team; mentorship from Matthew at THRIVE Matsu; the gentleman who called because he saw my article in the October paper; Betsy; Rachel from Cirque in Anchorage who, despite scheduling challenges, was ready to support our community. Finally, thank you specifically from DJ Angel Ray: George, Gregg, Allen, Rocky, Bobby, Haley, DJ Rachel Monae, DJ Camp Daddy, DJ Ondago, The Robotz, J-Bear, Free Creatures, and everyone else who shared their expertise to help me learn and grow as a sound engineer, stage manager, and performer; Black Birch Books for their atmosphere. This list is the proof. The tasks I held failed. The talents you shared, and the togetherness you showed, were the absolute victory. Thank you.
Instruments of Real Value: Cigars, Gold, and the Return to Tangible Wealth
Contributed by
Alexander Harmon
Throughout history, value has always been rooted in something tangible— goods, labor, or resources that hold meaning beyond a printed dollar. Before digital wallets and central banking, communities thrived on trade that was backed by real worth: land, gold, and sometimes even cigars. Today, as inflation chips away at the power of paper currency, many are returning to instruments of lasting value to safeguard their wealth and independence. One might not expect cigars to appear on that list, but their history tells a fascinating story. In the 20th century, cigars were more than a luxury—they were a symbol of trade, diplomacy, and economic strength. After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, cigars became part of a geopolitical standoff between capitalism and communism. The
U.S. embargo on Cuban tobacco didn’t just cut off a product; it cut off one of the most valuable exports that once fueled Cuba’s economy. While communism centralized control and stifled trade, cigars remained a quiet symbol of free markets and craftsmanship—where value was earned, not dictated.
Cigars represented a form of personal independence. They were traded, collected, gifted, and valued across cultures. A well-made cigar, like gold, was universally recognized as a store of worth. They moved through economies as symbols of status and stability, especially during uncertain times. In a sense, cigars helped demonstrate that economies thrive when value is tied to skill, quality, and natural resources— not government printing presses. Gold, of course, is the ultimate historical
example of value that endures. For thousands of years, gold has been the anchor of wealth, used for currency, savings, and trade. Unlike paper money, gold cannot be created out of thin air—it must be mined, refined, and earned. Its scarcity and universal appeal make it resistant to inflation and political manipulation.
That’s where instruments like Goldbacks come in—a modern innovation that bridges traditional gold value with everyday usability. Goldbacks are physical notes made with real gold embedded in polymer, allowing people to save, spend, and trade with a form of money that holds intrinsic worth. They bring back the trust and reliability that fiat currency has lost over time.
When you hold a Goldback, a cigar from a fine batch, or the deed to a piece of land, you’re holding something with genuine,
provable value. Unlike digital bank balances or paper money that can vanish with policy changes or inflation, these instruments remain steadfast. They carry history, labor, and integrity within them.
As our financial systems grow more digital and detached from reality, the wisdom of tangible assets becomes clearer. Property, gold, and even quality goods like cigars remind us that true wealth is measured in what endures—not what inflates and fades. The lesson is simple: value belongs in your hands, not in the promises of institutions. Whether it’s the richness of a hand-rolled cigar, the shimmer of gold, or the security of owning land, these are the foundations of a stable and free economy.
When you invest in tangible assets, you’re not just protecting your wealth— you’re preserving your independence.
The Ecology of Enterprise Gather Round The Fire
My experience as a small business owner has shown me that the only way to build a small business is to build it around the people you hire. You don’t start with systems and policies — you start with people. Skills can be taught, but character and creativity can’t. In a small business, you work with the talent that’s geographically and personally available to you, and through that relationship, everyone learns what the job really requires.
Corporations, by contrast, recruit for systems. They look for candidates who already fit within a pre-existing structure, one that’s been perfected through years of experience - often experience that began in small businesses like mine. Large corporations draw from a much wider pool of applicants, but in doing so, they narrow the definition of what qualifies a person. Their culture and systems are already established, so employees must conform to them, not shape them.
There’s something fundamental about small business that corporations can’t replicate. Small businesses are creative contributors to the economy; they’re where innovation and new approaches are born. Yet, ironically, as corporations grow, they consume the space that small businesses once thrived in. They benefit from the lessons small businesses teachafter those lessons have been proven - while making it harder for new small businesses to survive.
The contribution of small business is therefore not only economic, but creative. It’s where new ideas are tested, where people learn adaptability, and where the human element still matters most. Corporations may perfect the process, but small businesses give it life.
The Market Square and the Public Square
A free society is defined by the creative input of the individual. More so, it is defined by the cooperative creativity of groups of people working together toward shared purpose. When people voluntarily cooperate - economically, artistically, or socially - they shape both the culture and the economy. This is what we mean when we speak of a free market in a free society.
The market square is the public square. It is where ideas, goods, and services are
exchanged freely between equals. The moral foundation of a free market is voluntary exchange between individuals - each assuming risk, each bearing responsibility, and each rewarded according to the value they contribute. This is the living heartbeat of liberty.
But the modern corporation is something altogether different. Corporations are collectivist by design. They are not free individuals cooperating; they are structured hierarchies of limited responsibility. Their very existence depends on the legal fiction of incorporation - a mechanism created not to empower individuals, but to shield them from the full consequences of their actions.
The purpose of incorporation is limitation of liability. And this changes everything.
In a free society, freedom and responsibility are inseparable - they are two sides of the same coin. Yet a corporation, by design, enjoys freedom without full responsibility. It can act as a “person” in the eyes of the law, but one whose crimes do not bring imprisonment, whose negligence does not bring poverty, whose death brings no real loss to those who profited from its life.
This is the paradox of corporate personhood: corporations are legal persons with fewer constraints than human persons. Because they cannot be jailed, humiliated, or shamed, they possess a form of freedom that exceeds human freedom. They are free to do things no individual could do without consequence - to harm without remorse, to manipulate without empathy, to profit without liability.
And so, the marketplace of a free society - once defined by personal responsibility and creative cooperation - has become dominated by these bodiless persons, these juridical entities whose freedoms surpass our own. They absorb the creativity of the small and the daring, commodify it, and mass-produce it until the individual’s voice is lost in the roar of the machine.
If a free society is defined by the creative input of free individuals, then the survival of that freedom depends on restoring human responsibility to economic action - to make the marketplace once again a public square of equals, not a stage for the superhuman fictions of law.
You can respond to what you’ve read, or write what matters to you.
By Joshua G Fryfogle
I was fortunate to be unfortunate As my willpower is weak I had so many setbacks That saved me, so to speak
Who knows what might have happened
Had I had my way If life had not held me back And I had had my say
Blessings look like curses When they’re too great to bear And all the outside forces Of the world seem so unfair
But looking back on trials These tribulations I have known I can see so clearly As new dawn sun has shone
Its shown me that the nighttime Is when we must retire For rest, rejuvenation To sit beside the fire
Not too sit too closely Nor sleep too far away But learn to use the fire To live another day
And wait to be more patient For when and only then To seek the true potential Of being someone’s friend
The Problem With Perfect The Promise Of Perfection Fails Absolutely
Communism stands alone among modern ideologies in both its ambition and its failure. It does not merely claim to improve the human condition - it claims to perfect it. Its promise is not simply equality of wealth, but the end of history itself: a stateless, classless, conflict-free world where human nature has been refined into pure cooperation.
In the Marxist imagination, this final state of human evolution would be the natural culmination of history’s long struggle - the moment when material scarcity and social inequality disappear, and mankind finally becomes whole. It is, in short, a secular version of prophetic paradise.
No other ideology dares such a claim. Original Liberalism and our Constitutional Republic do not pretend to perfect humanity; they merely attempt to balance competing desires through law and consent. Monarchy sanctifies hierarchy as an inevitable fact. Fascism glorifies struggle as a source of strength. And even corporate capitalism, for all its excesses, never promises to abolish greed or envy - it only seeks to channel them into productivity.
All these systems, flawed as they are, acknowledge what communism denies: that human beings are fated as fallible, self-interested, and permanently divided by individual desires. They aim to manage our flaws, not to erase them. Their promises are more modest - not heaven on earth, but a workable order within it.
Communism, by contrast, is total. It claims not to govern human nature, but to transform it.
When the Perfect Fails, It Fails Absolutely
This total claim makes communism’s failures uniquely revealing. When a democracy collapses, we do not say democracy itself has been disproven - only that it has been corrupted or mismanaged. When corporate capitalism produces injustice, we critique its abuses, not the principle of free exchange itself.
But when communism collapses, it collapses entirely, because its claim is absolute. It does not promise better - it promises perfect.
Every attempt to realize this promise - the Soviet Union, Mao’s China, Cambodia under Pol Pot, Cuba, North Korea - has ended in repression, poverty, or mass murder and starvation. These are not incidental failures. They are the predictable results of a system that demands uniformity in a species defined by individuality.
To say “real communism hasn’t been tried yet” is not a defense; it is an inadvertent confession. The phrase itself reveals that the prophecy failed. Every time communism fails, it is declared not to have been “real” - a convenient alibi that keeps faith alive.
The Semantic Side Step Communism’s survival as an idea depends on a subtle manipulation of language. The word communism carries two meanings at once: it names both the philosophy and the promised end state of that philosophy.
When the philosophy is tested - when societies collectivize property, abolish markets, and centralize production - and those experiments fail, defenders quietly shift definitions. They say communism hasn’t been tried. But what hasn’t been tried is the promised utopia, not the system. The system has been tried repeatedly, and it has failed every time to produce the promised result.
This equivocation creates an illusion
ABOUT: “Joshua Fryfogle, the owner of The People’s Paper, Make A Scene Magazine, and Liberty, Liberally, is heavily involved in the local community. In addition to creating a monthly paper that prints what community members submit, he also owns 95.5 The Pass, KNLT, one of the only stations in the nation to play local music in regular rotation! Josh is a lifelong singer/songwriter, and serves as booking agent and sound engineer for countless other Alaskan musicians.”
of innocence. The philosophy becomes blameless because its paradise remains hypothetical.
Marx himself designed the theory to contain this ambiguity. He described communism as both the movement and the goal of history - the process and the destination. That structure ensures the ideology can never be disproven, because failure is always attributed to incompleteness. Every collapse becomes a “necessary stage.” Every atrocity becomes a “transitional difficulty.”
It is a closed circuit of reasoning: the road to perfection justifies every imperfection along the way. It’s the classic “ends justify the means” rationalization, except the “ends” are never achieved.
This linguistic sleight of hand - redefining words to preserve belief - is a hallmark of Marxist rhetoric. Marxism treats language itself as an instrument of class power, to be reshaped for revolutionary ends. Thus, freedom comes to mean freedom fromproperty, not freedom to own it. Democracy becomes the dictatorship of the proletariat. Peace becomes the absence of opposition.
By manipulating meaning, communism renders truth subjective and criticism obsolete. The phrase “real communism hasn’t been tried” is an example: it turns failure into faith through category error, moving goalposts, and equivocation fallacy.
Godless Religion
Karl Marx called religion “the opium of the people,” a sedative for the suffering classes. He believed that once material exploitation ended, religion would wither away - its presumed illusions no longer necessary. But in trying to eradicate religion, Marx inadvertently created its mirror image.
Communism possesses every feature of a faith:
• A creation myth: primitive equality lost through private property.
• A prophet: Marx.
• A messiah: Lenin, Mao, or whomever leads the revolution.
• Scripture: The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital, and the voluminous literature that continues to be written.
• Saints and martyrs: the fallen comrades of every failed uprising.
• A devil: the “capitalist” class.
• A paradise: the classless utopia at the end of history.
Its rituals, too, are religious - parades, chants, icons, and relics; ideological confession and public penance; the embalmed bodies of leaders revered like saints: Lenin, Stalin, Ho Chi Min, Mao Zedong, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il,
and others.
Communism promised redemption through politics rather than grace, and punished disbelief with exile or death. It is, in essence, a religion without forgiveness.
Capitalism Is Not the Counterpoint
To expose communism’s failure is not to praise capitalism. The word capitalism was coined by Marx himself as a critique of classic liberal economics, to replace the term “free market”. True free markets - grounded in voluntary exchange and personal accountability - have little in common with today’s corporate order.
Etymology of corporation - The word corporation comes from the Latin corpus, meaning “body.”
From this root comes corporare, which means “to form into a body,” “to embody,” or “to furnish with a body.” Modern English “corporation” means “an artificial legal person; a body politic; a chartered group acting as a single entity”. A corporation is literally a “body made of many people.” Crucially, it is a legal fiction that is treated as a person for purposes of rights, responsibilities, and contracts.
Modern capitalism is not the freedom of free markets; it is a perversion of it. Corporations have become artificial persons - legal golems animated by profit yet shielded from consequence. Through “limited liability,” they act without moral risks; rights without responsibility, liberty without liability. Thus, while communism fails through its claim of moral perfection, corporate capitalism fails through moral abdication.
The Poison of Perfection
The tragedy of communism is not that it aimed too high, but that it mistook perfection for progress. It believed that by restructuring material conditions, it could reconstruct human nature. But human nature does not yield to decree. It is stubborn, individual, and real.
Every system that demands purity from imperfect beings must end in tyranny. Every revolution that promises heaven produces hell, because it refuses to accept the limits of humanity.
“Real communism hasn’t been tried yet” is therefore not a statement of hope - it is the refrain of a failed religion, a prophecy that will never come true.
Communism sought to replace the concept of the Kingdom of God with the Utopia of Man. But in seeking to position himself as his own redeemer, man didn’t build paradise, but Babel. Constructed of confusion of language, the promise of perfection must, in time, collapse under the weight of its own words.
And when it fails, its adherents will say it hasn’t been done correctly, obviously... because it failed. If it had worked, it would have worked. A claim that is impossible to refute.
POLITICS & OPINION
Is it Lawful to Blow up Boats in International Waters?
Contributed by Rep. David Eastman
Up until recently, when we heard of boats being bombed in international waters, we could reasonably expect that it was the work of terrorists such as the Houthis in Yemen. After all, the Houthis’ bombing of cargo ships in the Red Sea is what led the United States to bomb the Houthis in retaliation earlier this year. Amnesty International recently cried foul on one such bombing that killed 60 prisoners when the Houthi prison they were being held in was destroyed by a U.S. air strike in April. The U.S. has not yet offered a public explanation for bombing that particular target, but the strike does have the effect of blurring the distinction between civilians and military personnel (referred to formally as “armed combatants” under international law).
The position of the U.S. government is that the blowing up of cargo boats in the Red Sea was a terrorist act, but its blowing up of smaller boats in the Caribbean, Pacific, and Atlantic are legal military strikes against armed combatants. Likewise, this too has the effect of blurring the distinction between civilians and those engaged
A New Constitution
Lela Ryterski
by
Contributed
We need truth and justice. Our government was whittled away before Trump came on the scene. Corruption is rampant. Justice isn’t just. Rich people get off easy, poor people, especially of color, get harsh punishments. No one holds judges accountable. Money weighs more than people. Bribery is legal lobbying by big corporations makes the government beholden to them.
Democracy hasn’t been working. Trump is trashing the Constitution and the government. I say, “good.” It wasn’t working for “we the people.” How long would it take for us to get an amendment to get rid of the obsolete Electoral College? Or overturn the Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” which gives power to foreign money, special dark interests and corporations to sway our elections?
We need to create a new Constitution. It’s outdated. It’s 250 years old. It’s about time. I have suggestions: No political parties. It’s obvious how Red vs. Blue is hurting us, creating mean-spirited opposition to whatever the other wants. We can’t function this way. This only leads to the “divided states of America.”
in armed conflict.
Historically, armed combatants were… armed. You could not legally shoot a medic or a chaplain on the front lines because neither carried firearms or engaged in hostilities. This didn’t stop medics and chaplains from being killed during war, but their deaths were said to be accidents, not intentional killings ordered by a commander-in-chief.
Prisoners were not to be killed either, and for the same reason. The intentional killing of unarmed individuals is not without precedent of course. Some in the U.S. cheered when scientists working on Iranian nuclear projects were killed by military strikes earlier this year. Still, the justification for killing a scientist working on developing a weapon of mass destruction is substantially different than a boat captain transporting cargo for a drug cartel. The first is engaged in a military weapons project; the second is engaged in smuggling.
Even so, historically, we would have classified both as unarmed civilians. We would have reserved military strikes for military targets. If civilian scientists were killed in those strikes, we would have categorized them as unintentional casualties.
What divides us is evil, what unites us is good. Think about it. I suggest we empower a Department of Elections which vets candidates. Let’s say ten candidates can make themselves known through a government-sponsored media—TV and radio stations. Rank Choice Voting can decide a popular winner. Limit campaign contributions and those should be public information.
The Senate isn’t democratic. Eliminate the two-senator system. How about any state with fewer than five million people gets one senator? Then every ten million more get another senator. Alaska would have one senator. California would have six. My argument is that people are more important than land mass. Do you think people in California would be concerned about the welfare of the states where they get their food? I think so. Why should the few people be getting more benefits than the many, which is what happens when the few have more representation?
The House of Representatives should also have more representatives so one person better knows the concerns of their constituents and can better represent them.
Curtail corruption in government: If an elected person is found taking a bribe, he/she should be fired immediately and
Perhaps this is why governments in the United Kingdom and Canada have now declared that any intelligence they have shared with the U.S. may not be used to facilitate strikes against drug boats, or have stopped sharing such intelligence with the U.S. altogether.
If the distinction between lawful military targets can no longer be made between armed combatants and unarmed civilians, where should it now be drawn? The U.S. is also signaling that it may soon begin bombing cartel targets on land as well.
Over the past week, the Ukrainian and Russian militaries targeted their enemy’s civilian power plants. Would the U.S. be lawfully justified in conducting military strikes on civilian power plants that provide power to drug cartels? What about other utilities such as water and sewage? What about the driver that delivers food or water to one of the cartels?
Does everyone who interacts with a drug cartel now legally become an “armed combatant” and a lawful target of a U.S. military airstrike? What about a cartel’s attorneys? Do they become lawful targets for representing a terrorist organization in court?
never allowed to hold office again. A new election is held.
Congress should receive the same health care benefits as the rest of us. No lifetime salary. They are servants of the people, not royalty. Warren Buffet had good ideas about reforming the Senate.
The Supreme Court—not elected— needs term limits, and a code of conduct that must be adhered to or they get kicked off and replaced.
The Speaker of the House has too much power. Why can he/she withhold bills, so they never get discussed or have a chance to get passed? This needs to be addressed and changed.
Gerrymandering outlawed and districts drawn every ten years in the presence of residents to assure it’s just and correct.
Our education system needs to improve: teach equality and respect for everyone. We can look at the Japanese system to see how they produce a peaceful society. We need to teach all of American history so we can correct our wrongs and become better people. We have to learn how helping others benefits ourselves.
We all have God within us, which can be expressed in different ways. Freedom of religion is a biggie that needs to be in there along with separation of church and state. Moral issues pertaining to our bodies
Building the Alaska We Want: A Community Conversation
Contributed by Mat-Su Democrats
The event will take place at the Palmer Depot on Monday, November 17, 2025, from 5:00–8:00 p.m. Sponsored by Protect Our Care Alaska, the purpose is to bring to -
gether neighbors, community leaders, and organizations from across the Mat-Su to share food, conversation, and ideas about the future we want to create together.
The evening schedule includes a light meal and conversation from 5:00–6:00
p.m.; small-group discussions from 6:00–7:00 p.m. exploring the positive vision we share for our communities and state, the hurdles we face in achieving that vision, and the practical paths that can get
Distinctions that have served us in times past are being blurred today. As this takes place, it is important to remember the purpose that these distinctions have served. No matter how destructive a war is, for the sake of humanity, it is imperative that it be conducted with a view toward life after that war is over. Humanity is not served by the sinking of hospital ships, whether in peacetime or in war.
Furthermore, even if the U.S. Department of War does an excellent job today of ensuring that every strike it conducts saves American lives, there is no guarantee that future administrations will be as conscientious. The power and “flexibility” that one administration exercises will almost certainly be employed by future administrations as well, for good or ill.
For this reason, the blurring of distinctions that touch on life and death decisions must be handled with great care. It is never enough to simply say “I support going after the drug cartels.” The matter of how they are to be gone after will reverberate for decades to come, long after at least some of the cartels have gone out of business. Rep. David Eastman represented the MatSu Valley in the Alaska House of Representatives from January 2017 to January 2025. Visit davideastman.org for more info.
should not be addressed by the government, but by your family, friends, religious community, doctors, psychiatrists, etc. Leave your hands off my body, government! And stay out of my bedroom! People shouldn’t be allowed to spout lies to the public. Civil debate needs to take preference to air out difference of opinions, like Joshua Fryfogle said. Be strong—have dialogue. I’m sure there are more issues that can be written into our new-improved Constitution.
How can we make this happen? Elect a committee—9 to 12 people who you’d want to be on it. Rank Choice Voting would come up with the top 20. Then hold another election to come up with the 9-12 people. After a while, they produce a new Constitution which is presented to the populace for approval. Another election is held—yay or nay. If nay, people can weigh in on what they don’t like and the go back to the drawing board until one passes approval of the majority of the population of the United States of America—who vote. (A note: if you don’t know who to vote for, don’t vote. Leave it to people who are paying attention and have an opinion.) Thank you for this opportunity.
us there; and a Community Showcase from 7:00–8:00 p.m.
During the showcase, local organizations will give a one-minute elevator pitch highlighting opportunities for engagement. Attendees will then browse a “science-fair” style display of tables and materials offered by participating groups.
Part 1: Alaska’s Organized Government Corruption; How to Expose and End It
Contributed by David Haeg
Recently, a source provided inside information on what is contained in the sealed 2021-23 Kenai Grand Jury report/recommendation, that they wrote after their 2-year investigation into organized judicial corruption in Alaska:
“It [report/recommendation] documented corrupt government activity…judges appeared to be covering for each other and the system itself.”
This confirms citizen fears that Alaskan judges sealed the report/recommendation to cover up for corrupt judges and organized judicial corruption.
For decades, evidence mounted of organized corruption taking root in Alaska’s judicial system. Citizen efforts to address this through traditional agencies/officials (courts, FBI, DOL, ACJC, AJC, Bar, Troopers, Legislature, Governor, AG, etc.) met a brick wall of denial and refusal to investigate.
In 2017, citizens realize Grand Juries were enshrined in Alaska’s Constitution to investigate public officials when other agencies refuse. Alaska Constitution, Article 1, Section 8: “The power of Grand Juries to investigate and make recommendations concerning the public welfare or safety shall never be suspended.” Commentary to Alaska Constitution Preamble: “The Grand Jury is preserved, for all purposes, particularly for investigation of public officials.”
Citizens go through years of hell just to get an investigation: Judge Jennifer Wells ordered the first Kenai Grand Jury to stop investigating, and permanently dismissed them from service, after the majority voted to investigate government corruption. Citizens organized a peaceful courthouse sitin, to be continued even after closing time and until the Grand Jury was re-impaneled and allowed to investigate. The day before the sit-in, citizens were informed a Kenai Grand Jury would be allowed to investigate.
Kenai Grand Jury goes through hell: FOIAs show the Alaska Supreme Court conspired with AG Taylor to issue SCO 1993 to unconstitutionally cripple the Grand Jury in the middle of their investigation (Jury tried forcing the Supreme Court to testify about this); a vanished Juror, still not found to this day, was used to dismiss the Jury’s indictment of a judge; etc. One way to address this is to obtain the report/recommendation. But since recordings prove the Kenai Grand Jury was intentionally provided corrupt counsel, the report/recommendation is unlikely to fully expose and uproot the corruption. But NYC found another way to combat government corruption:
New York City’s 1994 Mollen Commission (appointed by Mayor Dinkins to publicly investigate): “To cover up their corruption, officers created even more:
they falsified official reports and perjured themselves to conceal their misdeeds. In the face of this problem, the Department allowed its systems for fighting corruption virtually to collapse. It had become more concerned about the bad publicity that corruption disclosures generate than the devastating consequences of corruption itself. As a result, its corruption controls minimized, ignored and at times concealed corruption rather than rooting it out. Such an institutional reluctance to uncover corruption is not surprising. No institution wants its reputation tainted – especially a Department that needs the public’s confidence and partnership to be effective. Since no entity outside the Department was responsible for reviewing the Department’s success in policing itself, years of self-protection continued unabated until this Commission commenced its independent inquiries.”
Requests (that included Borough Mayors) to meet with Alaska’s Governor or AG have been unsuccessful, even though it was simply to present evidence requiring appointment of a “Mollen” type commission. Deputy AG Cori Mills claimed neither she nor AG Taylor has authority to investigate corruption. (Video and evidence at alaskastateofcorruption.com)
Because it took a looming sit-in to obtain a Grand Jury investigation, citizens believe it will take another to obtain the report/
recommendation and a “Mollen” type commission.
Citizens are organizing a peaceful sit-in at noon on December 11, 2026 (after Alaska’s new Governor takes office) in the Robert B. Atwood Building in Anchorage, where our Governor’s office is located, until citizens receive the report/recommendation and until (s)he appoints a “Mollen” type commission. They are organizing forums at which Governor candidates will be asked about the above and what they pledge to do if elected. If you are willing to join the sit-in; can help with forums; or ask candidates to pledge, please text or email your name, phone number, and email address to (907) 398-6403 or haeg@alaska.net This battle will decide if We-The-People rule government or if government rules us. We must see what our brave Kenai Grand Jury wrote to us after their 2-year investigation into organized government corruption. We must demand an independent commission publicly investigate the forces that assaulted and overwhelmed our brave Kenai Grand Jury. It’s time for “The Sleeping Giant” to wake up and take charge. This, future articles containing facts which should galvanize citizens into action, and hard evidence of corruption, will be archived at alaskastateofcorruption.com For 100% tax-deductible donations to educate the public on this: www.tinyurl. com/haegalaska
POLITICS & OPINION
We Are Better Than That
Contributed by Randi Perlman
Congratulations to all the new and returning Mat-Su Borough elected officials and best of luck as you begin your new or next term in your official capacities!
We, the People, respect and applaud your decision and willingness to serve in that capacity after a fair and transparent borough election, and look forward to our many varying views, needs and opinions being heard, considered and thoughtfully addressed.
In reading through the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Regular Election Brochure, a paragraph on the inside cover jumped out at me. These are the words of that paragraph, verbatim: ‘In the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, where liberty is a cherished value, we are reminded that democracy does not take care of itself – it must be protected, nurtured, and renewed. The integrity of our elections, the accountability of our elected officials, and the resilience of our communities all depend on our willingness to stand up for these freedoms.’ At the top of that same page is a Memoriam to Charlie Kirk and other victims of political violence.
An election brochure is supposed to be a nonpartisan informational publication designed to inform the public on how, when and where to vote, to provide answers to frequently asked questions along with propositions and candidates running for office, as well as other infor-
mation concerning the election. Page 4 of the election brochure clearly states that electioneering is prohibited in or near the polls. Memorializing one person lost to political violence, but not another, makes it seem as though electioneering is permitted inside this brochure.
Nobody deserves to be murdered for what they say or believe – we are ALL entitled to our dearly held beliefs. The cowardly act of political violence is simply unacceptable against anyone in a civilized world, regardless of party. But surely the Mat-Su Borough Assembly could not have forgotten the equally horrific murders of Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their dog, each shot multiple times in their own home by a politically motivated intruder dressed up as a police officer. This heinous crime occurred only five short months ago, on June 14, 2025, and rattled the entire country. The Hortman’s two grieving children, Sophie and Colin, made the humane but deeply painful decision to put their Golden Retriever, Gilbert, to sleep due to the severity of his wounds.
Melissa Hortman represented the great state of MN as an elected official for 20 years, becoming House Minority Leader in 2017 and the 61st Speaker of the MN House of Representatives in 2019. For over two decades she served her constituents, championing policies on environmental
Recent Elections & Our Future as a Nation
Contributed by Doug Ferguson
As this was written, the end to our record breading national shutdown finally appeared to be headed for negotiations to open our country up again. While this positive news should be viewed with extreme caution, we should not ignore the actual status of our country as results of our last election on November 4, partially fueled by the shutdown itself as part of the Democrats strategy.
While there were a few positive gains for traditional American patriots in these elections here in the Mat-Su valley, in general throughout the nation the results were
a disaster! With Neo-Marxist antisemitic mayors now in place in several of our large cities, especially in NYC the largest in our country, it is apparent our nation is headed for at least civil unrest or worst ruin, or both unless some sort of miracle occurs.
The fact that NYC, with the largest population of voting Jews of any city in the world including Israel, voted for a vowed anti-Semitic Jew hater who also embraces Marxism, shows how a significant segment of our population can hide their heads in the sand and avoid reality.
In each area where the left won in elections around the nation, you can see this
The Cost of Amicability: Part Two
Contributed by Tyler Ray
Our amicability has allowed Marxist ideology to undermine the traditional American values that built our great nation. Their intent is to drive us out as if we are the archaic dust cluttering the progressive utopia of tomorrow. They want to take your voice and convince you that the speech you so freely possess is hate, vitriol, and illegal. They get loud and forceful, screaming bloody murder when things don’t go their way or when people have an opinion contrary to their own.
Like I said, this isn’t new, but I’m saying it because when we give audible voice to reason and don’t just think these thoughts in our head, when we band together and show each other that this is lunacy and it’s not normal, we give each other the strength needed to stand up and say it’s
wrong. We have a right to have a voice and to speak our convictions.
There’s something dark and deeply troubling about grown adults, educators, that feel it’s okay to teach kids about the LGBTQ world. Parading kindergartners around with pride flags. Indoctrinating kids with LGBTQ propaganda and then letting them choose their gender and deliberately hiding those conversations from parents. The public education system, once meant to nurture young minds in truth and freedom, now exposes them to ideologies that undermine those very values. It preys upon the vulnerable, silently indoctrinating them into their godless, nihilistic ideology.
It’s time we collectively take a stand. Idle voices create gaps in the defense of our beloved freedom. Take courage and have the boldness to stand up for your
Immigration and Planet Earth
Contributed by Jim Lieb
We as a nation need to wake up to what is going on in the world. There are now over 8 billion humans on this planet, and by USA standards, 80% live in poverty; according to the World Bank over 1 billion live in extreme poverty. Migrating to a better place is an avenue that many of the world’s less fortunate are now focused on. It is happening all over the world, not just in the USA. There are many issues being influenced by the problems of human overpopulation that need to be addressed and hopefully will be soon.
Immigration is a huge issue today and also needs to be addressed. Both before and after the beginning of our nation, immigration was the driving force that resulted in expansion “from sea to shining sea” and resulted in the USA becoming a vibrant, strong nation: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” But there comes a time when the cup is full. We can no longer afford to be that nation welcoming uncon-
protection, clean energy, and education, issues dear to her heart. She was respected on both sides of the aisle, being called a strategic lawmaker, savvy consensus builder, and mentor. House Speaker Emerita Hortman became the first woman to receive the high honor of lying in state in the MN capitol rotunda, alongside her husband Mark and Gilbert, who received a hero’s farewell by becoming the first animal to ever lie in state, right next to his partners in life. In his honor, the veterinary clinic that tried to save his life founded Gilbert’s K-9 Legacy Fund to support care for hard-working K-9s in crisis.
Valley voters are a uniquely diverse group of people who do not all think alike. We come from all walks of life, with various socio-economic backgrounds, and hold many different political, religious, racial, and sexual beliefs. We value the equity and inclusion of all individuals and look to the representatives that We, the People, elected to the Borough Assembly to make thoughtful, fair decisions and to seek public comment where it is warranted. When a decision about placing a political message in a nonpartisan, informational election brochure was to be made, We, the People, deserved the right to receive public notice. However, none was forthcoming and no public comment was solicited or allowed even though We, the Taxpayers, fund the election guide that is mailed to the borough’s nearly 100,000 registered voters.
As officials elected by Valley voters to occupy the seats at the front of the room,
you, our Borough Assembly members, have an obligation to your constituents to represent all of us and our differing opinions without playing partisan politics. An election brochure is no place for a politically motivated statement. The Borough Assembly squandered a perfect opportunity to bridge the gap of divisiveness among us and help unite us by doing the right thing and either recognizing the politically motivated death of an elected official and her husband from a different political party, or by not mentioning any specific names and memorializing ALL Victims of Political Violence. The following words are taken verbatim from paragraph 3 on the inside cover of the election brochure: ‘In honoring those who have fallen – regardless of background, belief, or political persuasion – we reaffirm our commitment to civil dialogue, peaceful engagement, and the right of every citizen to speak their truth without fear or reprisal.’ Shame on you, Assembly members. You owe your constituents an apology. Your decision and action taken were un-just, un-American, and just plain wrong. I have lived in the Mat-Su Borough for almost 30 years. Most of that time, I have been proud to live in such a giving, caring and supportive community. But what kind of people have we become if we choose to only remember and mourn victims on one side of the aisle and not the other? That is not the kind of community I want to live in. The Valley is better than that and we expect and deserve better from our elected leaders.
trolled immigration. It is long overdue for us to put that part of our history to rest. And lest there be any misunderstanding concerning what is being said here, this is absolutely not a race issue focused on just Latin Americans or Middle Easterners. All migration and asylum from any country need to be legally and carefully controlled. Many news articles on immigration focus on the poverty, violence, and hunger that many migrants are trying to get away from. The message in many of these articles seems to be that to prevent such people from entering and staying in the US is “immoral and un-American.” We do have a long history of helping other peoples and other countries in need. Sympathy is understandable when we see, on the TV news, women and children crouched at our southern border.
But there are other important factors that need to be considered and weighed in the process of addressing the immigration issue. Many Americans are concerned about the approximately 12.5 million
phenomena happening. And it is not just Jewish voters. It happened with many who have been brought up with Judeo-Christian values toward those needing help in our society without understanding who the enemies to mankind really are.
It is a grudging tribute to the internationally funded Neo-Marxist campaigns to destabilize the voting public through control of the media that has been going on for several decades, plus the trend toward “The Dying Citizen” that Victor Davis Hanson wrote about in 2021 that results in people not voting in local and state elections this decade because of the “I don’t get involved in politics” idea.
The one unavoidable truth that facilitates these Neo-Marxist movements and
convictions. We’ve bought the lie that there are areas where politics should not transgress. Family gatherings, work, and church are some of the most prominent. I’m a firm believer that any gathering of people should be open to spirited discourse on the condition of our country and where we are headed.
We’ve bought the lie that “It’s not the time or place,” and we’ve allowed that lie to end open dialog between differing views. These used to be areas where we could freely discuss ideas and positions and peacefully hear the convictions of someone else. Now we are entrenched on our opposing sides, lobbing insults at one another instead of challenging ideas.
I’ve been guilty of apathy due to a cultural divide that feels insurmountable, but I’ve come to recognize that restoration begins not in silence but in honest conversation.
Our forefathers didn’t agree on everything, and it took spirited discourse to
illegal immigrants and their 4.2 million children living in the U.S. today that cost federal, state, and local taxpayers a staggering net $116 billion a year according to a 2017 study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform. This money could be used to improve life for our legal citizens in need; we have millions of our own children in need of good education programs and millions of US adult citizens in need of career training programs. We need to get our own house in order before focusing on the rest of the world.
The even more important factor is that we need to halt the growth of our 325 million USA population—by immigration, refugees, or by any other means. What is in the best interest of America is to at least bring our growth to an absolute minimum, if not to a halt. Most of the serious problems that exist in our country, and across most of this planet, are a result of the uncontrolled growth in our species, Homo sapiens, in conjunction with the development of industrial technology over the past 200 years.
What is being suggested here is not going to be easy or simple. It will require
eventually promotes their social disaster, is that destroying societies is much easier than building them and can be done historically much quicker, paving the way for dictators.
The conclusion: Whether you are an elected politician or just an ordinary every day American, by the time you actually get your freedoms and/or your life threatened by these movements, it’s usually too late to do anything about it. It certainly looks like we are at this point in our country’s history. Will enough traditional American’s wake up and finally start voting for patriotic politicians and for policies that strengthen our nation to finally reverse this destructive trend? History will tell!
come to an agreement on differences. Here’s my challenge to all of us, and this won’t be easy for anyone, but left, right, or other: come to the table disarmed of insults, lay down your need to win, have the courage to speak your convictions, but even still come with ears intentionally open to hear what people have to say.
In doing so, you aren’t surrendering to amicability; rather, you are recognizing and acknowledging that everyone, no matter their ideology, carries brilliance and brokenness, and being willing to open ourselves up to honest conversation, we allow ourselves to take off the blinders and see the beauty of the wholeness of who people are.
It reminds us that each one of us is created in the image of the Most High God, we are all deeply loved by Him, and when we lead with that mindset, we will create a better path forward.
May God richly bless you and may He bless our great republic.
changes in our country’s entire demographic and associated economic life. For most of our history our success has been based on continual growth of population, infrastructure, communities, more energy, more food, more production… more.
“Undocumented immigrant” is the common term used nowadays, when what is really being addressed is “illegal migrant” — someone who is not a citizen of the USA, who does not have a legal visa, but has entered the USA illegally. Our immigration and asylum laws must be reformed, and we must make clear to both our citizens and to the rest of the world that from this day forward there will be strict limits to the maximum number of immigrants that will be allowed to enter our country each year for the purpose of becoming a US citizen, and strict limits to the maximum number of refugees that will be given asylum. The application process required for entering, and the criteria used to determine who will be accepted, should be clearly spelled out.
ARTICLE CONTINES ONLINE AT tinyurl.com/liebarticle
VETERANS
Tanaina Elementary Celebrates Veterans
Contributed by Keltin Comfort
Tanaina Elementary proudly hosted its annual Veteran’s Day Assembly on Friday, November 7. Students, staff, and visitors packed into our gym for an hour of music, learning, and appreciation.
We were thrilled to have Tyler Martin and the Wasilla High School Band with us this year. They started the Assembly with patriotic songs, setting the tone for the hour ahead.
Thanks to the teaching of our Music teacher, Mr. Seth Blohm, Tanaina students performed five songs throughout the assembly.
Our fifth graders sang the “Alaska Flag Song.” Kindergarten and First Grade sang
“America the Beautiful.”
Second and Third Grade sang “This Land is Your Land.”
Fourth and Fifth Grade sang “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”
The enthusiastic participation of our students made the assembly special for each person in attendance.
Our first speaker, Army Sergeant First Class Nate Sandback, is an ROTC instructor at UAA. This amazing gentleman came at only a week’s notice. Initially expecting to speak to one classroom, Sgt. Sandback quickly adapted when he learned he’d be addressing the entire school. He gave a beautiful speech reminding us that, as Americans, we have a valuable way of life which must be defended. He told us that
we owe a great big “Thank you” to every veteran who has given themselves to our country.
Our second speaker, Air Force Chief Master Sergeant John Cyr (Retired), was JBER’s 176th Wing Chief Enlisted Manager for Transportation. He is also the husband of our principal, Mrs. Cheri Cyr. He gave us an inspiring view of the sacrifice of our enlisted soldiers and their families.
Our third speaker was Army Staff Sergeant Devon Stewart (Retired). He is a parent at our school and is an extremely talented speaker. Although busy with his security job on the North Slope, he somehow found time to write a personalized Tanaina Veteran’s Day song and record
a video teaching it to our students. He moved us deeply, saying
“Everything we did in the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, the Marines, the Coast Guard... it was all for you; because we believe in you!”
Thanks to the initiative of Principal Cyr, each veteran in attendance went away with a beautiful carnation.
Finally, the WHS Band filled our gymnasium with a stirring rendition of the famous “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
This assembly not only honored our veterans but also instilled our students with a deeper appreciation for service, sacrifice, and freedom.
From Tanaina Elementary, Thank You Veterans!
Introducing Sgt. Nate Sandback The Pledge of Allegiance
Alaska Community Foundation Raises $2.9 Million for Western Alaska Disaster Relief
Contributed by Ashley Ellingson, Alaska Community Foundation
The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF)
announced that its Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund has raised more than $2.9 million since launching on October 12, 2025. More than 18,500 donors have contributed in response to the devastating impacts of ex-Typhoon Halong and preceding storms that tore through communities across the Yukon-Kuskokwim and Northwest Arctic regions. Gifts are arriving daily through the ACF online donation page and in envelopes filled with small bills, gifts of stock, transfers from investment and retirement accounts, and grant invitations from other foundations and corporations. Donations have come from all 50 states and 34 countries. In the two weeks since its establishment, the fund has already distributed $575,000 in direct expenditures for urgently needed equipment and flexible grants to organizations working on the front lines of disaster response and recovery. Recipients include the Association of Village Council
Presidents ($75,000); Maniilaq ($75,000); Alaska Native Heritage Center ($25,000); Kipnuk Traditional Council ($100,000); and Kwigillingok Traditional Council ($100,000). Beyond direct grants, ACF has purchased six laptops for the Kipnuk Traditional Council and is coordinating with Coastal Villages Region Fund to facilitate the purchase and transport of ATVs titled to Kipnuk and Kwigillingok for cleanup, remediation, and salvage operations (roughly $200,000 in direct expenses).
“We are deeply grateful for the trust our Tribal and regional partners placed in us when they asked us to establish this fund,” said Alexandra McKay, President and CEO at ACF. “Honoring that trust means listening hard and, when possible, providing flexible funding that allows local leaders to direct resources where they’re needed most—whether that’s emergency supplies, evacuation support, or beginning the long work of recovery and rebuilding.”
The fund’s advisory committee, which includes regional and statewide leaders
and is informed by a wider network of community leaders and experts in fields related to the response, is meeting at least weekly to evaluate requests and ensure strategic deployment of resources. With the Yukon-Kuskokwim region now declared a federal disaster area, the committee is conducting additional research to maximize available resources and avoid duplication of federal assistance.
Grant recipients represent a cross-section of the response effort. The Association of Village Council Presidents and Maniilaq serve as the regional Tribal associations for the Yukon-Kuskokwim and Northwest Arctic regions, providing coordinated support across affected communities. The Alaska Native Heritage Center is providing culturally grounded support for more than a thousand people evacuated to Anchorage, ensuring evacuees remain connected to their communities and cultural practices during displacement. The Kipnuk and Kwigillingok Traditional Councils are addressing immediate needs in two of the hardest-hit
communities.
“With many donor commitments still being fulfilled in the coming weeks, we anticipate continued growth in the fund,” said Megan Cacciola, Vice President of Programs and Grants at ACF. “The need remains significant, and these flexible, community-driven resources will be critical throughout the recovery process.”
The Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund continues to accept donations at alaskacf. org/westernalaska. All contributions support communities affected by the October 2025 storms.
The Alaska Community Foundation inspires the spirit of giving and connects people, organizations, and causes to strengthen Alaska’s communities now and forever. Founded in 1995, ACF manages over $250 million in assets and administers more than 2,800 funds for the benefit of Alaskans. Together with its Affiliate Foundations, ACF supports donors and nonprofits, distributing over $15 million in grants annually.
Learn more at alaskacf.org.
Celebrating Two Incredible Years with Our Alaska Community
Contributed by Aspire Med Spa, Anchorage
This November, Aspire Med Spa proudly marked two years of serving the people who make Alaska feel like home. From day one, our vision has been to blend science with beauty, creating a space where confi-
dence is restored, goals are achieved, and every visit feels personal.
We’re endlessly grateful for the trust and encouragement of our community. Because of you, we’ve been able to touch the lives of so many through transformative services like weight loss programs, RF Microneedling, injectables, body contouring,
laser treatments, and more, all designed to help you feel your best, inside and out.
As an Alaska-grown business, we’re honored to be part of such a strong and supportive community. We’ve celebrated milestones with our patients, witnessed incredible transformations, and found purpose in giving back to the place we
proudly call home. To everyone who has been part of our journey—thank you. Your continued support inspires us to keep elevating care, connection, and confidence. Here’s to another year of growth, gratitude, and glowing Alaskans.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Lung Cancer Screening: A Simple Step That Can Save Lives
Contributed by Michael Green MD, PhD
Anchorage Radiation Oncology Center
As winter arrives and Alaskans light fires for warmth and comfort, we see more smoke filling the air. On a recent cold day, I noticed dark soot from a fire settling throughout a small village. We have all witnessed this—just as we remember the huge Swan Lake fire on the Kenai in 2019, which burned more than 170,000 acres.
Research clearly shows that pollution from smoke—especially fine particles called PM2.5—raises the risk of lung cancer. These tiny particles are much smaller than a human hair. When we breathe them in, they can get deep into our lungs. PM2.5 is dangerous because it contains cancer-causing chemicals like heavy metals and black carbon. These toxins cause inflammation and can damage cells, making cancer more likely over time. American
Keep
studies have shown that the more PM2.5 someone breathes, the higher their risk of lung cancer—even at levels common during wildfire season.
The danger is even greater for people who smoke. Smoking tobacco—even just being around secondhand smoke—is one of the biggest causes of lung cancer. Vaping or using e-cigarettes is also risky. While e-cigarettes may be less harmful than regular cigarettes, we won’t know their full long-term effects for years to come.
In the past, we thought only smokers got lung cancer. Because smokers are at higher risk, routine lung cancer screening is mainly recommended for adults age 50 to 80 who have smoked for many years (the equivalent of a pack a day for 20 years). But now, about 20% of lung cancer patients worldwide have never smoked. Alaska, especially the interior, also has high levels of radon—a colorless, odorless radioac-
tive gas that can build up in homes and increase lung cancer risk.
Getting screened for lung cancer is easy. All it takes is a low-dose CT scan, which is quick, painless, and requires no preparation. The scan helps doctors find small spots or nodules in the lungs. Most of these nodules turn out to be harmless, and modern guidelines keep the chance of a false alarm very low—about 1%.
Screening can save lives because lung cancer is very treatable if found early. The trouble is, early lung cancer usually causes no symptoms, so most people do not know they have it. Screening allows doctors to catch the disease before it spreads. For every 200 people screened, one life is saved. Among people who smoke, lung cancer screening can lower the risk of dying from lung cancer by up to 25%.
Despite these benefits, not enough people are getting screened. Alaska ranks 44th
in the nation for lung cancer screening, with only 12% of eligible people getting tested. One barrier is the challenges of delivering care to our rural and Native communities. While the screen is straightforward, not all Alaskans have ready access to the equipment needed. Another common concern is cost. Please know that most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, now cover lung cancer screening for those who qualify. Local health organizations such as Aurora Integrated Oncology Foundation sometimes offer additional help. If you have concerns, ask your doctor about available resources.
November is National Lung Cancer Screening Month. If you think you might be at risk, talk to your doctor about whether lung cancer screening is right for you. And try to minimize exposure to inhalational pollutants. These are simple steps that could save your life.
Smiling Strong into 2026: Sunshine CHC’s End-of-Year Dental Health Incentive
Contributed by Sierra Winter, Community Relations Manager
As we wrap up another bright year, Sunshine Community Health Center is encouraging everyone to prioritize their smile with a full mouth dental exam and treatment plan before the end of 2025. Beginning November 10th, the first 15 patients at each clinic who complete this service will receive a free electronic toothbrush, while supplies last!
Regular dental care isn’t just about keeping your teeth looking great, it’s an essential part of maintaining your overall health. A full mouth exam gives your dental team the chance to take a comprehensive look at your teeth, gums, and soft tissues. It’s an opportunity to detect cavities, gum disease, and other oral health concerns early, before they become painful or costly emergencies. Annual cleanings and exams help protect your smile, your confidence, and even your heart health, since studies
show a strong connection between gum disease and cardiovascular issues.
Skipping preventive care can often mean bigger problems down the road. That’s why Sunshine’s dental team is making it easier (and more rewarding) for patients to get those end-of-year checkups done now. Whether it’s been six months or several years since your last visit, there’s no better time to get back in the dental chair and set your smile up for success in 2026. And let’s talk about that bonus, the electronic toothbrush! While it might seem like just a fancy gadget, electronic toothbrushes can make a huge difference in your oral health. They do the work for you, with built-in timers, oscillating or sonic motion, and gentle pressure sensors that help remove more plaque and prevent gum irritation. Studies have shown that using an electronic toothbrush can lead to significantly less gum disease and tooth decay over time. It’s one of the simplest and most
effective upgrades you can make for your daily health routine.
I, Sierra Winter, Community Relations Manager, started at Sunshine 11 years ago as a dental assistant, trained right here on site! It’s been incredible to see how much our dental program has grown and how many smiles we’ve helped care for. I’m still smiling today, proud to be part of the Sunshine family.
From on-site training and career growth to expanding access to care across the Mat-Su, Sunshine’s dental team continues to embody the organization’s mission: community-driven healthcare, rooted in the strength and resilience of rural Alaska. Don’t wait until you’re in pain, take advantage of your end-of-year benefits,
schedule your dental exam, and give your smile the care it deserves. Event Dates: November 10 –December 31, 2025
Locations: Both Sunshine Clinic Locations (Talkeetna and Willow) Call: 907-376-2273 to schedule your appointment today!
For more details, and to virtually meet Sunshine’s new dentist, Dr. Michael Randell, DDS, visit www.sunshineclinic.org. Let’s keep smiling strong into 2026, together.
From Roots to Remedies: How Modern Medicine Grew from Nature
Contributed by Alexander Harmon
Long before pills came in plastic bottles and pharmacies filled every corner, healing began in the hands of nature. From the bark of trees to the leaves of herbs, the earliest forms of medicine were simple, natural, and profoundly connected to the Earth.
For thousands of years, every culture relied on plants, minerals, and natural elements to treat illness and restore balance to the body. Ancient Egyptians used aloe vera to soothe burns. Chinese medicine perfected the use of ginseng, ginger, and reishi mushrooms. Indigenous peoples of North America brewed willow bark tea— centuries before scientists discovered it contained salicin, the natural compound that inspired aspirin.
These traditions formed the foundation of what we now call modern medicine.
Over time, healers observed which herbs worked best and how combinations could strengthen their effects.
This deep, natural wisdom passed through generations, forming the original “pharmacopoeia”—a record of healing plants that modern pharmacology would later draw from.
As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, medicine began to change.
Laboratories replaced gardens, and chemists learned how to isolate and synthesize compounds from natural sources.
The pharmaceutical industry was born. What began as an effort to make medicines more consistent and accessible eventually became a massive global enterprise, pro -
ducing billions of pills each year.
While synthetic drugs have saved lives and advanced healthcare, many people are now rediscovering the benefits of the natural approach that started it all. Herbal remedies tend to work with the body’s systems rather than against them. Instead of simply masking symptoms, herbs often support the body’s own healing processes—boosting immunity, improving circulation, calming inflammation, and restoring energy.
For example, turmeric, a golden spice used for centuries, contains curcumin—a compound proven to ease inflammation and joint pain. Ashwagandha helps reduce stress and improve sleep. Beet root supports cardiovascular health and endurance. These time-tested herbs offer gentle, long-term support without the harsh side
effects that can accompany many prescription drugs.
In contrast, pharmaceuticals, while powerful and precise, often focus narrowly on symptom control which causes more symptoms and leave you with more ailments. This can bring fast relief but sometimes at the cost of dependency, side effects, or interactions with other medications. More and more people are seeking a natural approach—using natural medicine where possible and reserving pharmaceuticals for when they’re truly necessary, if they even are necessary. So before reaching for a bottle from the pharmacy, consider what nature has already provided. I get my herbs from Nature’s Remedies in Wasilla, Alaska, and recommend them for knowledge and quality products.
Metabolic Moment: Three Dinner Foods That Raise Blood Sugar Faster than Cake
Contributed by Dr. Lauren Gagliano & Coach Ken Hagler
Most people think dessert is the biggest danger for blood sugar. But doctors say some common dinner foods can cause an even faster spike — even quicker than a slice of chocolate cake. With the holidays upon us, make note of foods that could be spiking your blood sugar levels. When considering carbohydrate choices for dinner, it’s crucial to understand how different options impact blood sugar levels and overall health. Endocrinologist Dr. Alessia Roehnelt highlights several common culprits that can lead to rapid
blood sugar spikes and offers healthier alternatives.
Instant white rice is a top offender due to its altered structure, making it quickly absorbed and causing a rapid surge in blood sugar. Dr. Roehnelt recommends jasmine rice or quinoa, which digest more slowly due to their complex structures and higher fiber content. Quinoa also offers additional nutrients like protein and essential amino acids, making it a more wholesome choice.
Mashed potatoes present a challenge as their soft texture breaks down instantly, releasing glucose rapidly into the bloodstream. To mitigate this, try roasted potatoes with the skin on. The skin provides
fiber, slowing down digestion and sugar release, while roasting maintains more structural integrity.
White bread, made from highly refined flour, lacks fiber and nutrients, leading to a quick breakdown into glucose and a rapid blood sugar spike. Healthier alternatives include sourdough or sprouted grain bread, both offering higher fiber content. This not only slows digestion and blood sugar absorption but also contributes to better gut health and sustained energy.
Making informed choices about dinner carbohydrates can significantly impact metabolic health. Prioritizing whole, less-processed options rich in fiber can
help maintain stable blood sugar levels, provide sustained energy, and contribute to overall well-being.
The lesson: sweets aren’t the only sugar threat. Watching your dinner carbs can help keep blood sugar steady and support better health.
Healthy Together & Feeling Great, led by Coach Ken Hagler and Dr. Lauren Gagliano, is your local metabolic health team supporting your health! We provide 1 on 1 coaching with nutraceuticals, in-service presentations for local businesses keeping their teams healthy and even CEU credits. Visit us at www.alaskahealthy.live or email at alaskahealhy@gmail.com
PETS & ANIMALS
PETS & ANIMALS
Adopt Valentine
I am a charming year-old kitty ready to find my forever home! I am the softest kitty ever! I am a bit on the shy side when you first meet me but, once I warm up, I absolutely melt for attention and love a good cuddle session.
I get along great with other cats and will need a kitty friend in my new home. Toys, lounging in the sun, and a few zoomies through the house makes for a fun day. I am also perfectly fine sharing my space with a dog, making me an ideal companion for a multi-pet household. I seem to prefer a calmer environment and thrive during the quieter hours of the day, so a home without young children would likely be the best fit for me. I will need a safe fun yard filled with grass and bugs to chase, making for a perfect day! If you’re looking for a gentle, loving cat who will blossom with patience and affection, I might just be your perfect match!
Paws for Justice
Calling all animal shelters, rescues, and vet clinics — Paws for Justice, a local community initiative sponsored by Crowson Law, wants to partner with you! We’re building a community campaign to help local pets find loving homes.
Local organizations will feature the adoptable pets in the pages of The People’s Paper and on the airwaves of 95.5 The Pass KNLT-FM—and we’ll help coordinate free adoption events, promote them, and cover adoption costs or other services to help our furry friends find forever homes.
To learn more about Paws for Justice or to sign up to help today - call (907) 373-2698. That’s 3732698. Brought to you by Crowson Law Group— defending the injured and giving Alaska’s rescue pets a voice. Visit crowsonlaw.com to learn more.
Adopt Eeyore
I’ve got the look… with a snow-white coat and magnificent black flashy tail. You can’t mistake me for some other plain white cat. I am a couple of years old and have a sweet personality. I was trapped outside when the rescue people were trying to catch another cat. No one ever claimed me, and I had been out on my own for a while. My coat was matted, so now I have a few ragged edges where mats were cut out, but it doesn’t distract at all from my loving, sweet ways. I have been gentle and kind with my people from day one, love to be pet, and I am great with the other cat in the house. I will definitely need a feline buddy in my new home. Although I have not made a fuss about going outside, I will need a safe place to wander into the yard when spring comes and explore a little while knowing that I have a home and a family waiting for me right inside the door.
Adopt Harvest
I am 4 1/2 months old and have a very sweet, quiet disposition! I am playful, love toys, and love being held and cuddled by my people! I will need a kitten friend in my new home as well as a safe place to play outside with my family on nice days.
Contributed by Kelleigh Orthmann If you’re looking for a sweet friend and family member to make your home complete, please consider adopting me. To meet me, please call or text 907-980-8898. To see other adoptable kitties, please visit www.clearcreekcatrescue.org or www.facebook.com/clearcreek.catrescue.
Dangers of Winter Weather For Your Dog
Contributed by Angie Lewis, Alaska Animal Advocates
Winter can be a very dangerous time of year for your dog. There are a variety of weather-related issues that can cause major problems for your canine family members. At a minimum, exposure to the cold, dry air, icy rains, sleet, or snow, can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin. I f your home has dry heat, you may want to use a humidifier and towel dry your pet’s paws, so that they do not cause skin and paw problems.
More seriously, chemicals from ice melting products, when licked off paws can cause intestinal problems that can become quite serious. After going for walks, wash and dry your dog’s feet and stomach to remove ice, salt, and chemicals, checking for cracks or redness between toes. Rub petroleum jelly onto these paw pads to protect theses sensitive areas.
Using booties is best, but many dogs refuse to walk when wearing these. We have all seen hilarious videos of dogs “dancing” to remove these uncomfortable things from their feet.
Be mindful of “frozen” lakes which are not necessarily completely frozen. Many dogs have run out onto a lake that they assume is completely frozen. Often, the areas that are closer to shore are not frozen solid and then these dogs go under or get caught up in log jams.
Shaving your dog down to his skin takes away the protection that a longer coat provides. You can trim his fur to minimize clinging ice balls. Short-haired dogs can benefit from wearing coats or sweaters.
Bathe your dog only when absolutely necessary during cold weather. Frequent baths can remove essential oils, adding to the discomfort of already dry, flaky skin. Use a moisturizing shampoo if bathing is necessary.
Antifreeze is a lethal poison, so be sure that your dog does not have access to this. Clean up in the vicinity of your vehicle and try to use products that are less harmful – propylene glycol, instead of ethylene glycol.
Do not leave your dog outside in your car, as this is like a refrigerator and holds the cold in, potentially causing dogs to freeze to death.
Dogs use extra energy just trying to stay warm, so you might consider increasing the amount of food you provide to them.
Give your dog a dry, warm place to sleep inside your home, away from drafts. Offer him a warm blanket or cushion. Some people are convinced that dogs are meant to live outside; nothing could be further from the truth. If it is too cold outside for you, it is too cold for your dog. KEEP HIM INSIDE. Dogs are very social animals, and they thrive when they are treated as family members.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Carbon Monoxide: The Silent Killer in Our Homes
Contributed by Elaine Martin, Mammoth Heating
What is carbon monoxide and what causes poisoning to families, especially here in Alaska? Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that is emitted during combustion. In short, if it burns fuel it can potentially cause carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. In areas with good airflow, the amount of carbon monoxide from these sources most often isn’t cause for worry.
But if they’re used in a closed or partially enclosed space, the carbon monoxide level can rise to dangerous levels.
The main cause of CO poisonings here in Alaska is home heating systems that are not working correctly and are leaking CO into the home. Every year people also lose their lives during electrical blackouts while improperly using generators in the garage, basement, or even on the porch if fumes are able to penetrate the living area. This also happens during our long, cold Alaskan winters when people are using alternate sources of heat during a power outage.
Carbon monoxide poisoning affects the brain and heart the most. Exposure over time might lead to symptoms that can be mistaken for the flu without the fever. Other symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include weakness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, sleepiness, loss of muscle control, and loss of consciousness. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be especially dangerous for people who were, at the time of exposure, under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medicines that
decrease awareness of symptoms. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause brain damage or death before anyone realizes there’s a problem, which is why it is known as the “silent killer.” Long-term damage to the nervous system and brain can happen even after recovery from carbon monoxide poisoning. The risk of this damage is higher in the very young and older people who lost consciousness from breathing carbon monoxide.
Prevention is key to combating carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms, which should be at the highest level of your home because the gas rises and families who are sleeping are especially vulnerable; properly use fuel-burning appliances and ensure you have good ventilation for them; have an annual inspection of your home heating system and gas water heater; always operate generators, grills, and vehicles outdoors, far from doors, windows, and vents, and never use a stove or oven for heat; ensure all appliances are properly vented to the outside and that vents are clear of snow, ice, and debris; install a range hood fan vent for your gas
range; never run a vehicle, generator, or any gasoline-powered equipment in an attached garage, even with the door open, and operate generators and other portable fuel-burning devices outdoors at least 20 feet away from doors, windows, and vents; never use charcoal grills, camp stoves, or other fuel-burning devices inside your home, garage, or tent; if you suspect CO poisoning, get fresh air immediately, turn off appliances, and call for medical help; and if you’re not sure if your family is at risk of CO poisoning, give us a call and we can come out and run a carbon monoxide test of your heating system, check your vents for obstructions, and give you a free CO detector if your home does not have them hardwired in. While the risk is real for CO poisoning, taking these steps will give you peace of mind this winter when we are all running our heating systems a lot more and possibly using alternate heat sources during Alaska’s periodic power outages. If you have any questions about the safety of your heating system, please give us a call at (907) 373-4900 or visit mammothheatingak.com.
