The People's Paper July 2022

Contributed by Debra McGhan Karen McCune Stewart had the day off from work. The weather was beautiful, so she set out to ride her All-Terrain-Vehicle (ATV) to scope out property near her home in Valdez.

She’d done this many times, but this day proved to be her last ride. Although she was wearing a helmet, she died from serious injuries when the machine flipped landing on her.

Even years later the ache caused by her death still hurts for her friends and family.

Justin Biltonen & Hope Cassity Concert MORE ON PAGE 5 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

Evening of Music at Musk Ox Farm

MORE ON PAGE 11 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE.

Recently, in early July 2022, two teenage girls out riding their ATV on a sunny afternoon near Ninilchik, also saw their fun turn to tragedy in an instant when the driver lost control and the 4-wheeler rolled and crashed.

The 15-year-old driver was taken to the emergency room with serious injuries and is expected to survive.

Her 14-year-old passenger did not make it home. She died of her injuries despite life-saving attempts. Neither of the teens wore a helmet.

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Canning Food and Fair Exhibits

MORE ON PAGE 4 OF THE PEOPLE’S PAPER

Summer Care Tips for Your Dog

MORE ON PAGE 11 OF THE PEOPLE’S PAPER

COMMUNITY

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

• • Contributed by Sally Barnes Originally developed and marketed as The Strong Women Program, this class has been adapted to include men as well. This national evidencebased community exercise program is targeted to midlife and older persons. Dr. Miriam E. Nelson and colleagues developed and divided this into two curricula. The first is a strength training program and the second is a heart disease prevention curriculum that focuses on aerobic activity and nutrition.

Starting in 2003, this program’s objective is to reduce the risk of heart disease which is the number one killer of both men and women.

This class is done using chairs and props, such as hand and/or leg weights, to help maintain muscle mass and strength and function as people age. Benefits include: • Arthritis Relief • Improved Balance & Reduced Risk of Falls • Stronger Bones • Improved Blood Sugar Levels • Better Strength

very little care to keep it looking beautiful. In southern Arkansas the roses practically took over my gardens. Then I moved to Minnesota and had a rough time nursing my Rose Garden through many tough winters. Now in Alaska I had given no thoughts to having a Rose Garden until I purchased those three rose bushes.

Contributed by Marilyn Bennett My all-time favorite country song was “I Never promised you a Rose Garden” sung by Lynn Anderson. If you have never heard this song you might want to go to Youtube to listen, as it is a real classic country western song.

You might be wondering what the song has to do with life in Alaska.

Well, let me tell you the rest of the story. One day in June my daughter arrived to show me the three rose bushes she had just bought. The garden center had received a huge overabundance of roses and so was selling them at half price. I was definitely hooked and abruptly went out and bought three rose bushes for myself. These were all floribunda roses, one a brick red color, one white with pink edges and the other a deep pink. I was then committed to creating a Rose Garden, which was very problematical for me.

When I lived in California, I had a marvelous Rose Garden that required

I had been happy planting hostas, peonies, lilies and my various lovely ground covers. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the pansies that wilted and died in the Minnesota humid summers, not only thrived but came back year after year in a lovely way that threatens to take over my gardens. I love the Asiatic Lilies that grow three feet tall because of the midnight sunshine and the many other flowers that are bigger than any I had in the lower 48.

So why did I rush out and buy three rose bushes? Good question. I came home all excited with my lovely purchases and then the reality of what I had done set in. This purchase forced me to look around and see that none of my out-of-control gardens were suitable for these lovely roses. I knew from growing roses in Minnesota that I should be careful where I planted them, so as to ensure ample snow cover in the winter. Also to keep them away from too much competition from the somewhat invasive plants growing in my current gardens.

I looked around and decided that if I extended the garden against the south facing fence I could give my three roses a sunny area a short distance from the fence. This area is the part of my yard that that collects a snow berm in the winter, so I knew

If you’ve been thinking about installing an epoxy floor and are wondering if it is as slippery as everyone says, rest assured that this is a myth. In fact, it is one of the best non-skid floorings available.

Contributed by Clayton Allison

You’ll be able to walk freely on your epoxy floors without fear of slipping or falling. The best thing about epoxy floors—besides their durability, ease of cleaning, and low maintenance— is their incredible slip-resistant options. These anti-skid options in the epoxy create an extremely safe

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Maintaining Healthy Weight A REALLY GOOD TIME!

Currently we have classes at 8:30am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in person or via Zoom. We also have classes on Monday and Wednesday at 10am that are in-person only.

For more information call 907-2068807, or stop by and try a class.

Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc. 1301 S. Century Circle, Wasilla.

This class is free to the public to those age 50 and up.

the roses would get plenty of snow cover My next step was to define the perimeter of the garden bed by laying out a half circle of bricks on the lawn beginning from the current bed along the fence. Then was the fun part of digging out the grass. I don’t know about your house, but at mine this grass is the thickest thatch I have ever seen.

The advantage of this grass is that it can survive months of draught with no apparent problem. This is the toughest grass I have ever had the misfortune to try to dig up. It works well as a lawn, although somewhat bumpy, but not so good for those of us foolish enough to try to dig it out.

After finally getting all the thatch out of my new garden bed I needed to add three five gallon buckets of compost to fill the bed back up to its previous height. Thank goodness we have lived here long enough to have a finished pile of compost. We compost in the slow natural way of just piling up the composted materials and letting nature take its natural course.

My roses look wonderful and seem to be very happy in their new location. I plan to cut them back in the Fall and cover them with leaves and then with snow. We shall see how they still feel about their new garden in the Spring when the snow melts off.

I was a Master Gardner in Minnesota, but up here I am still a novice experimenting with different plants and locations. Even though the winter climate is actually warmer here than in Minnesota, I find the long summer days with no rain creates its own unique gardening experience.

flooring material, making it a perfect choice for hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other industrial buildings that host heavy foot traffic. However, you should ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN ANY FLOOR SURFACE IS WET OR CONTAMINATED. So what are your options?

Shark Grip Additive: The most recommended additive to create a non-slip surface for epoxy is ground polymer grit such as SharkGrip. This is the easiest way to make your epoxy flooring slip-resistant and is most often used in areas with low to medium foot traffic or indoor installations.

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COMMUNITY Contributed by Debra McGhan Karen McCune Stewart had the day off from work. The weather was beautiful, so she set out to ride her All-Terrain-Vehicle (ATV) to scope out property near her home in Valdez.

She’d done this many times, but this day proved to be her last ride.

Although she was wearing a helmet, she died from serious injuries when the machine flipped landing on her.

Even years later the ache caused by her death still hurts for her friends and family.

Recently in early July 2022, two teenage girls out riding their ATV on a sunny afternoon near Ninilchik, also saw their fun turn to tragedy in an instant when the driver lost control and the 4-wheeler rolled and crashed. The 15-year-old driver was taken to the emergency room with serious injuries and is expected to survive. Her 14-year-old passenger did not make it home. She died of her injuries despite life-saving attempts.

Neither of the teens wore a helmet.

All across Alaska these stories play out over and over. Most of the time the riders make it back safely and think nothing of the risk they have taken. Other times, the riders survive but end up with serious injuries like a broken neck and spend the rest of their lives unable to turn their head to look over their shoulder.

flipping the machine. Dawkins was transported to the hospital with her neck broken.

“We sort of cartwheeled down this hill so you couldn’t see us from the road,” said Dawkins McGhan.

“My friend tried to help but I told her to go get help. The only thing that saved me was my friend flagged down a car and the man who stopped had medical training and knew to stabilize my neck. Otherwise I probably would have died.”

Dawkins McGhan is now married with two children but is still unable to look over her shoulder without turning her entire body due to the fused vertebra in her neck.

Mike Buck, Executive Director of the Alaska Safe Riders, is on a mission to spread education in an effort to reduce these incidents. “Alaska is an incredible place to explore on an off-highway vehicle. Whether it’s a snowmachine, mountain bike, ATV or all-purpose vehicle (APV) there are incredible mountains, lakes, rivers, glaciers… to explore. We have so much to experience here. But to do it safely, you need to get some training so you are prepared and know how to prevent some of the most common mistakes when riding.”

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

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Alaska Avalanche Information Center as well as the Alaska Avalanche School, and for the state of Alaska Occupational Safety and Health administration. His years of riding and training experience, combined with his skill as an instructor, have made him renowned across Alaska for his knowledge and teaching style.

In the spring of 2022, Buck and two other instructors flew to Nome along with their snowmachines and safety equipment where they set out on a 1,000-mile journey to teach winter travel safety in schools and communities. Their route took them to the farthest reaches of Alaska on the western coast and ended in (Barrow) Utquagvik.

“It was an incredible experience and, in every village, and school we visited, we heard stories from residents about friends or family members that had been killed or seriously injured in ATV accidents,” said Buck. “It really touched us and confirmed this training is critical.”

Alaskans don’t just ride ATV’s for recreation. They are a part of life here.

If you, or your children, own or ride an ATV, trail bike, off-highway vehicle or any motorized vehicle that takes you into the Alaskan wilderness, you owe it to yourself and your family and friends to seek out training.

Take the time to make sure you are prepared with things like medical training, navigation skills, and proper riding techniques so you can experience the best Alaska has to offer and return to share your story.

Dori Dawkins McGhan was just 12 years old when this happened to her.

She and her friend were making a quick run to the store on Knik Road in Wasilla. As they were leaving and waving goodbye to friends, they veered off the trail and lost control,

The Alaska Safe Riders board of directors includes world-champion riders and racers including Chris Olds, four-time Iron Dog Champion, Tyler Aklestad, three-time and current Iron Dog Champion and Pete Kaiser, Iditarod Champion.

Buck, a retired high school teacher, previously worked as an avalanche and snowmachine instructor for the

Photo by Chris Olds: Friends Riding in Alaska.

Photo by Mike Buck: Mountain Biking.

Photo by Mike Buck: Safe Riders Training.

Contributed by Ember Haynes

finds, original art pieces, necessary luxuries, up-cycled this and that, hand-crafted goodness and the stories behind it all.

foods and creations.

It’s no secret that a drive to the quaint village of Talkeetna is a wonderful way to spend the day.

If you’re looking for a family-friendly activity during your visit to Talkeetna… There’s a new shop in town!

Well, it’s not actually new, and technically not in town. The explanation is quite simple.

After a 6-month hiatus, (previously located across from the Talkeetna Post Office), Susitna Valley Naturals is open again, just down the road at Mile 10.

The new storefront is a refurbished log cabin at 27267 S Talkeetna Spur Road.

There’s definitely Gnome Place like Talkeetna, but sometimes it’s nice to get out of the hustle and bustle and take a pause.

Treasures await just a few minutes out of the village, tucked inside a very Talkeetna-esque cabin- shop.

Peruse layers of Alaskana, vintage

Susitna Valley Naturals will be open year-round, with a rotating collection of fine goods and local favorites.

You are invited to peruse our thoughtfully curated collection of art celebrating Alaska, local makers, old books, quirky gadgets, botanical

Don’t make your next ride your last.

Make it another great memory.

To learn more, visit www.alaskasaferiders.com

A visit to SVN is a chance to slow down, and enjoy the simple things rural Alaska offers.

Look for future opportunities to meet the makers, sample hand-crafted foods, sip Alaskan teas and taste floral syrups, soothe aches with devil’s club products, share some stories and simply appreciate Talkeetna.

COMMUNITY

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

Or, take a class. Sign up for online classes at www.uaf.edu/ces/matsu.

July 21, 2022 Noon to 1 pm Food Preservation Canning Fish in Jars – This class will go through the steps in heat processing fish, which are low acid food, in jars, botulism prevention, use and care of a pressure canner, and types of pressure canners.

July 28, 2022 Noon to 1 pm Making Jelly and More –This class will go through making jellied products: Jellies, Jams, Preserves, Marmalades, and Conserves, ingredients needed for jell to occur, extracting juice for jelly, options for making low or no sugar products, canning fruit, preserving using boiling water bath canner.

Contributed by Julie Cascio, UAF Cooperative Extension Service Whether canning is a new process for you to try, or one you are familiar with because you do it regularly, check the method to be used and the steps needed for the type of food.

Check your equipment to make sure it is in good condition. If using a pressure canner with a dial gauge, bring the dial gauge to the UAF Cooperative Extension Office (1509 S Georgeson Drive, Palmer) to be checked for accuracy. Call 907-745-3360 to find dates for this.

August 4, 2022 Noon to 1 pm Food Preservation Canning Vegetables, Legumes, Meat and Poultry --Heat processing low acid produce in jars, botulism prevention, use and care of a pressure canner, methods of preparing the vegetables and legumes, meat, commercial and wild game, large and small, and poultry, stock and soup.

In partnership with Joy Fearn-Condon at New York Life, Nicole Tousignant at Home Town Lenders and with the support of so many others, Kids Kupboard is hosting our second annual “Battle of the Businesses” jousting tournament on August 5, 2022.

Proceeds from this event will be used to get food directly into the hands of children who have been identified as “at-risk” of not getting enough to eat.

In 2022 so far, we have provided more than 140,000 meals at more than 43 safe community environment locations

spanning the state for hundreds of miles.

With your help, Kids Kupboard and the hundreds of volunteers (who are truly the reason this work moves forward) through meaningful and productive engagement, will continue to ensure that every child facing food insecurity has access to healthy food where they live, where they learn and where they play.

We hope that you will stand by our side in this great endeavor to combat childhood hunger by visiting our website and participating as a sponsor or donor! www.kidskupboard.org

preservation, connect with Julie Cascio, Health, Home and Family Development Agent for MatSu District Cooperative Extensions Service. jmcascio@alaska. edu 907-745-3677 Enter Exhibits in the Fair: When you have preserved your food by canning in jars, consider entering exhibits in the Canning Department at the Alaska State Fair, Palmer.

Exhibit entry for non-perishable products is Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6 between 11 am and 7 pm in the Hoskins Building. Follow current USDA guidelines, label the product(s) correctly, in the required type of jars and lids for that product. www.alaskastatefair.org In addition to canned goods, the non-perishable entries for the Hoskins Building include Art, Spirited Beverages, Photography. In the Irwin Building, Crafts, woodworking, Clay Arts, Fiber & Fleece, Handwork and Needlework, Quilts and Sewing. Bring these entries August 5 and 6.

Perishable and livestock entries are at other times.

Check www.alaskastatefair.org under exhibits for 1st and 2nd entry times and information on these exhibit entries.

If you have questions on food

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Contributed by Lynette Ortolano

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The grit consists of very small, micronized polymer beads that are soft to the feet and skin. It’s designed to create a fine texture that’s not as aggressive as aluminum oxide additives but still prevents slipping. Its lack of sharp edges also makes it easy to clean. A potential downside to SharkGrip is that it reduces gloss, which may be concerning for those who want to keep the signature shine of epoxy flooring intact.

Aluminum Oxide Additive: This is the most ideal additive for industrial settings where maximum grip is needed, or where there are extremely slippery conditions. It adds an extremely aggressive, durable, long-lasting, and tough anti-slip texture profile when added to epoxy flooring. It does not change the coating’s physical properties and bonds well into the coating.

Abrasive materials like aluminum oxide give your feet something to grip, even in wet conditions. This more aggressive grit is suspended in the final topcoat of your epoxy system.

Silica Sand/Quartz Sand: Also referred to as silica sand, quartz sand is often used to make epoxy flooring slip-resistant. While this type of nonskid will work, it’s best when used with a colored topcoat because the sand is visible with a clear coat. It creates a rough, bumpy texture that gives you more security and stability as you move across the floor. From the harshest chemical exposure, to the most abrasive high-traffic areas, quartz sand provides the versatility to custom-design a durable high-performance resinous flooring system that will withstand the most severe environments.

The sheer hardness of the quartz mineral will enhance both impact and slip resistance, making it the optimal solution for the most extreme surfaces. This aggregate is composed of the finest uniformly shaped and graded quartz granules on Earth. This unique product is brilliantly color-coated with an advanced resin system and high-quality colorfast pigments to provide optimal durability. It can be applied to achieve many different textures and levels of

slip resistance to prevent slip and fall injuries and minimize liability.

Flake/Chip: For anyone who wants their epoxy flooring to look stylish while having excellent slip resistance, this non-slip solution is for you! Also known as decorative vinyl color chips, flakes, or fleck, these products are specially formulated paint aggregates used to enhance the aesthetic qualities of seamless, resin-based flooring systems.

This unique product is random in shape, sized within a standardized range, and custom blended to match any décor. They continue gaining popularity amongst architects, designers, contractors, and consumers, because of their unique properties that deliver complete customization to commercial, residential, and industrial floors with an endless range of color styles, texture, size, and blending options.

Flakes add a decorative touch of elegance to your flooring, making it look more eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing. It also delivers on providing a tough grip for an anti-slip surface that’s highly effective at preventing unwanted accidents. If you’re applying it yourself, you can adjust the quantity of flakes to suit your preference, directly affecting how textured you want your epoxy flooring to be. Ultimately, the resinous flooring media provides an orange-peel texture that increases slip resistance and safety, while camouflaging any imperfections in the floor.

Whether you choose vinyl, quartz, metallic, or even glitter flakes, they will help make your floor non-slip. This is one reason why vinyl and quartz flakes are so often used in automotive shops, industrial buildings, and garages. Since these areas are prone to oil and grease spills, the flakes keep the floor safe for everyone.

If you have any questions about epoxy flooring, get in touch with the experts at Alaska Resin Supply. We provide the highest quality materials and are located at 201 E. Swanson Ave, Suite 1, in Wasilla. Give us a call at (907) 671-9900 and check out our website at www.AlaskaResin.com.

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Rep. David Eastman It’s an open secret that if you ever want to know how bad a particular bill is in Congress, just read the title. Too often, the more innocuous a bill sounds, the worse it is. It helps confuse voters as to what is actually going on. After all, how could you oppose a bill named The Patriot Act? Or how about The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), or the For The People Act (the current attempt at a federal takeover of state elections)?

Politicians often try to compensate for bad legislation by coming up with a really good sounding title. Sometimes it works.

Likewise, whenever you see politicians heaping praise on one another, your first instinct should be to grab hold of your wallet and wonder what it is they feel the need to compensate for.

This year, you will hear many politicians bragging publicly about giving you “the largest PFD in history”. But what does that really mean? Let’s break it down.

First, let’s remember that the PFD is not a gift from a generous politician. They didn’t earn it. It’s not their Permanent Fund. It’s yours.

Contributed by Nancy C I try to keep my Facebook feed focused on art and beauty for the most part, but I keep thinking back to the day, the hour, the minute, I broke my knee. Through all the difficulties and inconveniences, I always say “it could be worse.” In a split second, entire lives can change.

Being laid up a bit, I’ve had time to think and write. This is long, but I must respond to the internal violence our country continues to suffer from.

As I write this in early July, 309 mass shootings have taken place this year already. I am, we are, a deeply grieved nation. Negative comments will only prove my points.

What if we added meditation - directing

Contributed by JP Turner Our United States constitution is more important than any ideology that may be prevalent or individually important in our society today. In this time of division and separation our community and country need to find common ground.

That common ground exists in a document that has been our national course of action for more than 200 years. We have charted our trajectory for over 2 centuries on the study and intuition of the leaders who founded our great nation. Party ideologies have been a part of American politics since its inception.

This document gives us framework to

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

Instead of a $4,200 statutory dividend this year, Alaskans will be receiving a partial dividend of $3,250.

supporters in the legislature are now describing as “the largest PFD in history”. This is the victory they want you to jump up and celebrate as well. The politicians found the courage to make the lobbyists happy, and they found a talking point that helps them go to sleep at night. Just don’t try to factor in what inflation will be in October when dividend checks go out. And don’t reflect on what the governor and legislators promised when they were running for election. That was then. They’ve moved on now, and they want you to move on too, so they are throwing a party to help throw you off the scent.

After all, it’s time to celebrate their coming re-election.

Instead of reducing the debt of $9,750 owed to each Alaskan, that debt will now rise to well over $10,000, plus interest. Meanwhile, the state budget just signed by the governor has ballooned to more than 25% larger than the budget proposed by the governor when he first took office.

But keep an eye on the invitation list to the party. Conspicuously absent are the few conservative legislators who cried foul when the surrender first began and then fought against it. In the eyes of the swamp, they aren’t “team players”.

They failed to “move on” when the script changed.

This is the victory that the lobbyists and special interests are now celebrating and that politicians are now publicly praising each other for.

That’s the perennial trouble with conservative legislators, of course. They just don’t know when to surrender and pull out the champagne.

Second, only 25% of mineral royalties even make it into the Permanent Fund.

The state takes 75% off the top before it ever reaches the Permanent Fund.

requested that a supplement of $1,231 be distributed to Alaskans to help offset the $2,754 that was withheld from last year’s dividend.

Third, the amount of the dividend is in the law. State law doesn’t suggest an amount for the dividend. It states what the amount of the dividend “shall” be. You can read it for yourself (AS 43.23.025).

From 2016-2021, politicians withheld a total of $9,750 plus interest from every Alaskan’s dividend.

According to state law, this year’s dividend is estimated to be $4,200. Remember, this is only what’s left after the government has already spent it’s 75% of natural resource revenues, and then spent its portion of the earnings from the Permanent Fund.

But even this amount, required by state law, is too much for the governor and most legislators.

This year, the governor requested to the legislature that the dividend be cut to $2,600 (a 38% cut from the statutory dividend). He calls this his “50/50 Plan”, which strangely looks exactly like Mark Begich’s plan when Begich was running against Dunleavy for governor in 2018. You can find the particulars in the budget that Dunleavy submitted to the legislature in December. He also

thoughts towards peaceable living in elementary grades…? What if we focused more on how to deal with anger and sadness, and on acts of kindness in third grade… What if there were rewards for acts of kindness in middle and high school, especially when given to those who wouldn’t expect it, like the outcasts and those who are different… All this, instead of focusing on who we’re going to sleep with when we’re adults; what gender we are most attracted to. What if we focused more on accepting others and ourselves, rather than focusing on our differences?

What if we banned being entertained by violence…? What if we replaced that time with the use of our minds to solve problems and encourage creative thinking...? What if we made major changes to video games, tv shows and movies that our youth are ingesting and looked instead for joy, laughter,

govern but it does not set standards for the division in ideologies that we are living with every day and in every aspect of our lives as Americans today.

These divisions are not a new concept and have existed in American government since its inception. The Federalist and the Democratic Republican parties were at odds as early as the 1790s in respect to the power of a federal government, taxation, banking power and international policies. Our focus and scope through time has added but not changed from these original concerns.

Today, human rights, minority rights, gun rights, abortion rights as well as the traditional discrepancies in opinion are

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With Dunleavy’s signing of this year’s budget, that number is now well over $10,000 per person. When interest is included, that number now approaches $12,500 for every Alaskan.

This is the victory the governor and his

and curiosity to fill their hours? We are a growing culture of people trying to eat healthy food, shouldn’t we be as careful with what we feed our minds?

What if we, as adults, led by example…

What if we, as adults, learned to compromise more often… What if when we disagree, we sat quietly for a few minutes, putting ourselves in the other person’s shoes… What if we didn’t need everyone to think like us or agree with us?

I do not believe there is a quick fix of any kind to the internal violence in our country, but we must start somewhere.

Why don’t we focus on raising a new generation? When we have been attacked by outside forces, it is most often by the extremists.

We must be careful to not become what we feared the most…. Or we may implode.

what drives our voting majority.

These differences of opinion, these ideologies that represent all of us as Americans are our own and personal.

They may be at the core of the way we identify ourselves, but they are ours alone and stand independent of the thoughts and feelings of other Americans.

This ideological separation of our country is something real and tangible to every person that feels the need to involve themselves in these issues. The natural course it seems is to pick sides and separate oneself from the opposing position.

The course of a national affinity and a broader view of our nation, as a whole, is the only answer to this problem that

Gun laws, politics, gender, life partners…the list goes on. If we continue to be in complete opposition on every issue and continue to react instead of thoughtfully finding solutions to respond, we will only continue in this dangerous direction we are heading. We cannot continue to look to blame, but instead take responsibility.

What if we, as adults, focused on the rights and needs of others instead of ourselves? During this time of the “I” (phones, pads…) me, me, me, my rights, can you just imagine if we focused on you?

What if we allowed our children to pray to the God their families believe in during school, rather than us crying out after the violence “why God, why!!?”

What if… Why not?

has so divided us. Our Constitution is our blueprint for governance. Our will to stand together as a nation, as Americas, our ability to see our neighbors as fellow Americans with different lives, different needs and different opinions is crucial to our ability to uphold our Constitution and keep our Republic intact.

Without consensus and understanding there will be no forward progress of our government other than division. This division could in turn lead to the end of this Republic as we know it.

Our Constitution and our nation depend on us as Americans to realize we are not in this alone. We have all Americans and their opinions and desires to contemplate in every decision we make.

Our Countries future depends on it.

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Chris Bye Every election cycle we are inundated with an overwhelming number of advertisements designed to influence you into voting one way or another. Rarely do the advertisements actually provide any solutions. More than likely you’re as tired of them as I am.

Nearly 68% of Alaskans did not participate in the mail in Special Election Primary. If you are one of them, I would encourage you to vote. It matters. It matters a great deal. Every river in Alaska begins as a snowflake or raindrop. So it is with elections. Every vote adds up.

I have discussed with numerous voters and non-voters this past special election primary. I discovered several key points that I would like you to consider.

For the voters, two common responses: Who are you?

Why haven’t I heard of you?

Arguably much of this rests upon my unwealthy shoulders. Money talks.

Large copious amounts of money win elections; not ideas or solutions these days. There is another factor to consider: media; the media matters. Third

parties do not draw media attention often because the media is polarized and editors/reporters have their preferences. Any attention given to candidates like myself takes away from their favored sons. As they have control of the microphone, they control what you hear or read about. If you are unhappy with the political status quo, take a few minutes and research each candidate.

Weigh what you learn against each and look at the historical evidence, the debt, political turmoil, and numerous regulations. Be Brave, vote your conscience.

For the non-voters, four common responses: Doesn’t matter. - Allow me to be blunt.

It matters. The decisions the politicians make in D.C. impact our lives here in AK. Case in point: the USA Freedom Act aka Patriot Act. Now any government official can enter your house without a warrant.

My choices are not relatable. - Very true.

The two old parties and their media handlers select candidates to move agendas along not based on the constituency or the constituencies’ needs.

One current front-runner spent more time in Arizona the last few years than in Alaska and the other spent nearly

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

20 years inside the DC beltway as a faceless bureaucrat. A number of us are uncomfortable with nepotistic political family dynasties. So, for most Alaskans, the “not relatable” is very accurate. This cycle is different, several typical Alaskans are running that hold normal jobs and don’t have winter homes in the lower 48. I strongly encourage you to research each candidate.

Outcome is the same. - The two old parties are two sides of the same coin. The result: outcomes are virtually the same.

Both the Republicans and Democrats believe in centralized decision-making, one-size-fits all approach. Both will spend the fruits of your labor in a blink of an eye. Whether an R or D wins, the outcome indeed is the same: more taxes and more regulation. Some will argue this is not true, “the last administration reduced the tax burden”. Current working generations did receive a small reprieve only to realize this same administration added $6.8T to the national debt; that burden will fall upon future generations. The last Republican administration did re-approve the Patriot Act, calling it the USA Freedom Act, allowing for domestic spying, warrantless searches, and secret courts.

I hate politics. - Professional politicians and their twin, political-based media, are parasites always clamoring for more control- for our best interest, of course.

Their overreach into our daily lives has become unbearable and unsustainable. posed without recourse and without long term studies to determine safety.

Contributed by Lawrence D. Wood

CHILD SAFETY: I will work to see that armed security is present in every Alaska school and that school security is upgraded.

EDUCATION: The goal/prime mission of education is literacy. Every child should be able to read independently by the 3d grade and be able to express themselves in writing by the 4th grade.

At present, the education in Alaska is 47th and 4th grade reading is 50th. This is failure.

It is time Alaska’s school security became a priority and not an afterthought. Schools should have unbreakable glass, single point of entry with a remote-controlled lock, voice intercom at the point of entry and a camera at every door showing a view of the approach to that door, and armed staff and armed security.

How can we improve education?

Stop taking federal Dept. of Education (DoEd) money which amounts to 3%-8% above the state funding. This money is not necessary and does not put one teacher to work in a classroom.

This is how Common Core, Critical Race Theory, Transgenderism and the LGBTQ agenda has gotten into our schools.

How to pay for it? The federal Department of Homeland Security has been giving out Homeland Security Grants to secure critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks since 2001.

I will work to end the NEA’s influence in the classroom. I will further work to end DoEd funding. How our kids are educated is up to the parents, not the DoEd, the unions or the state.

I will support SB140 to prevent biological males from competing with biological females in female sports. Biological males have >20% lung capacity and >35% upper body muscle mass than the average female. Transgender hormonal treatments do not erase the X chromosome. The World Rugby Association has barred biological males from competing with biological females.

PFD: I support the statutory PFD formula and will work for full PFD payment and payment of monies owed Alaskans. The PFD is best stimulus to the economy.

I am running for HD 25. My priorities are the following:

BAR TREATMENT FOR TRANSGENDERISM FOR MINORS: I will work to make it illegal for minors to have treatments for gender dysphoria using hormone blockers or other hormone treatments while a minor, because of the detrimental health effects of the treatment, the increased potential for suicide, the lack of maturity to make one’s own judgement in such a life altering decision, and the usually transitory nature of gender dysphoria.

COVID RESPONSE: The 2020-2021 COVID Emergency Response was the proverbial cluster fornication. Fauci lied, people died. The Legislature ran, and our governor managed the 4th most restrictive mandates in the United States. People in hospitals and nursing homes were forced to remain separated from their loved ones. Those with illnesses requiring regular treatment went without those treatments. Lockdowns, masking and social distancing reduced the IQ of kids under 5 years by 21 points. We were used as guinea pigs, lied to and our concerns ignored.

Experimental vaccinations were im-

Fear was used to motivate us into compliance with the mandates.

I will work to see that our rights are considered in any emergency mandate, that our Legislature maintains the 30 day oversight of any emergency declaration by a governor, restore the doctor-patient relationship to end any threat of a centralized dictatorship by unelected medical or other so called experts.

I fully support SB156 to end mandatory vaccinations. No one should lose their job for a shot that is an experiment.

SECOND AMENDMENT: I fully support the Second Amendment, I carry daily.

TRANSPARENCY IN GOVENRMENT: I will work to end redacted FOIA responses by the state and local governments.

Nothing government does should be redacted to deny the public full information.

TERM LIMITS: I will work to enact term limits.

MOVE THE LEGISLATURE: I will work to enact legislation to move the Legislature out of Juneau to Anchorage or the Valley.

STATEHOOD COMPACT: I will work to restore the state’s management over all lands comprising Alaska and fish and game management per the Alaska Statehood Agreement and to restore the homesteading act that existed under the Territory (160 acres).

VOTING: Require photo ID, full chain of custody, no electronic voting, only in person, or absentee ballot.

HUNTING/FISHING: Alaskans first.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION: I

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If we don’t take part in the process, we become part of the problem; we can no longer sit on the sidelines. Vote.

If you were one of the 68% who did not participate in the mail-in primary, I would ask you to vote in August.

Your opinion does matter. Please vote.

Rough simple math, using the primary results, less than 13% of Alaskans would determine the political direction for the rest of us. Alaskans, if you know someone who did not vote, encourage them to do so.

I am different. I am not a political cardcarrying member; I am just an Alaskan.

I do not have a DC dance partner that the other two parties have. I do not have to answer to these party elites, I answer to you. I truly believe that typical Alaskans can make better decisions than professional or groomed politicians.

Remember, you have more than two choices. Look to the historical evidence created by both the Republicans and Democrats: $30Tof debt, 20 plus years of war, failed energy policies, special interest payouts, corporate bailouts, the Patriot Act, etc. Do not allow the partyfunded influence operation to scare you away from other political options. Using fear, they will seduce you to support one or the other old party. Be Brave.

Do not settle for the lesser of two evils.

My name is Chris Bye, you can find out more at ItsTimeAlaska.com. support a constitutional convention to remedy the shortcomings in the state constitution.

BUSINESS/RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: I will work to deregulate, and to end the duplication of business licensing. The state license should be the only license required.

My business was in mining and environmental reclamation. I fully support resource development.

ALASKA RAILROAD: I will work to restore the ARR track to Sutton and to extend the track to Tok and Valdez. The ARR was to support development of our resources, not to only act as a taxi for fat tourists.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: I will work to keep our roads maintained and to expand airports and harbors.

CHICKALOON TRIBAL POLICE EXPANSION: I oppose any attempt to expand the police powers of the tribal police beyond original land grant lands holdings.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE: I will work to restore the Alaska State Defense Force as an armed state military response asset.

SOUTHERN BORDER RESPIONSE: I will work to encourage the governor to provide law enforcement and organized militia assets to assist the State of Texas in its declaration of an invasion. The drugs and criminals flowing across the southern border reach Alaska.

JUDICIARY: I will work to require the courts to decide constitutional issues by text, history and traditions as did the SCOTUS in the recent Dobbs and Bruen decisions.

God, Family, Country.

Please vote.

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Sean Thorne How do we be the best possible stewards of our shared planet? If you care about the environment, you should demand that we utilize Alaska’s resources. I have had the good fortune of traveling significantly in the developing world, and I have been able to see what resource extraction often looks like in such places. Put simply, it is generally not a pretty sight. I consider myself an environmentalist, and because of that I want resource extraction done in Alaska by Alaskans, where we have the worlds best track record of development; where we make good jobs, where we do it better, cleaner and safer than anywhere else.

One of the biggest criticisms of overall American culture is that we tend to not want to see ‘dirty work’. We still want the benefit of those things being done, but we want it done out of sight and out of mind. People want a steak, but they don’t want to see a stockyard. They want that new table, but they don’t want to see a stump. They want to drive to visit family, they don’t want to see an oil derrick. Because of this tendency,

Contributed by Pat Chesbro I am running for the US Senate because for too long we have stood back and apathetically watched members of Congress vote for their own best interests over that of their constituents.

I have devoted my life to public education. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Syracuse University, my Master of Science Degree in Education from SUNY Albany, taught English and reading at Palmer High School, was President of MatSu Education Association, was Principal of Palmer High School earning Principal of the Year in 1995, was Superintendent of Schools

Contributed by Jessica Wright I am Jessica Wright. My husband is Stephen Wright. We have 5 children and 1 grandson. We moved to Alaska 13 years ago due to my husband’s military assignment. Elmendorf or JBER was my husbands first choice as it was the base or place he was born. As Alaskan’s we love Alaska and its weather and people.

We think it is the most beautiful and most blessed place on earth. It will be an honor and to represent you and not the special interests of Alaska. We need to restore baby restore and drill baby drill to get our economy back on track.

The reason why I am running for State House is I believe this is my mission to fix our state government in Juneau. In 2009, Anchorage was a great place to live: a lot of businesses, a lot of office buildings, a lot of stores. Unlike now, Anchorage is totally different place: it’s dirty, not safe, and business slow.

So what happened to our state? We all know the answer. Walker did this to our state. During the last 7-8 years, our state

we have exported so many of these jobs overseas, where we get the benefit but without the burden of looking it in the eye. Because of this, we can make claims of ‘being green’ but those things are now often being done by people who are doing it as irresponsibly as we ever did at our worse.

The Biden Administration consistently claims that it has no fault in the increase in gas prices, and that it is something we must tolerate to combat Putin’s aggression. Every Alaskan knows better.

Before the Ukraine invasion happened, they were already doing everything they could to shut down federal oil leasing in Alaska as part of a green agenda. Well, it still has to come from somewhere. Envision this hypocrisy: President Biden acting as a champion of Pride Month, while shutting down Alaskan oil development in Cook Inlet, all while groveling for more oil output from countries where it is a death penalty to be gay and where they use indentured servants for cheap oilfield labor. That does not seem like a moral American solution to me. How is that better than doing it here?

MatSu School District, was the first Department Chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning at UAA, helped secure a $9.3 million federal education grant that partnered with rural and urban schools around Alaska including Anchorage, Mat-Su, Sitka, Lower Kuskokwim, Kashunamiut, and the Pribilofs, and was interim Dean of the UAA College of Education from 2011-2012.

As a longtime educator, I find myself increasingly concerned for our children and young people. At a time in their lives when they should be feeling hopeful and optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead, they see division, disrespect, and intolerance in the

has transformed from a free enterprise democracy state to Communist Socialist state. Walker and his minions in the state legislature have broken the laws with the help of judges and robbed us by taking our PFD ever since Walker vetoed our full dividends. As they continued to grow the government and government unions our state budget is now 2.5 times larger than the national average per capita.

Because of the governments expansion, bad policy has continued to suppress the private sector causing an economic downturn. In 2017, we were ranked at the bottom in the nation and we haven’t recovered from this economic calamity. It’s easy to see our number one priority would be to fix the economy. We need to have State convention this year to fix our PFD by enshrining the Hammond’s PFD law in the state constitution so Alaskans can receive their full dividend each year without government’s overreach.

By doing so, our private economy will finally have a chance to grow.

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

To my mind, one of the worse offenses was the federal government shutting down logging in the Tongass National Forest. The Tongass is well over 16 million acres, and the plan for logging would have allowed for renewable usage and made good jobs in the progress. That is a large area, and trees do grow back when you give them 50 years. Our plan was good. The decision to stop the logging was made by an appointed bureaucrat with no public accountability, and championed by metropolitan residents who will likely never come to Alaska. They pat themselves on the back and sleep well at night, while now our wood must come from somewhere else. Somewhere like Mozambique, one of those developing countries where I have seen it first hand, where clear cut deforestation is quite common, and illegal logging of rare species is a tolerated evil. How much better off is the planet?

When we pulled US forces out of Afghanistan, it did not go well. No one questions that, but one of the most disgusting things I saw in the fallout of it was the many federal politicians and retired generals on cable news com-

language of local and national leaders.

They see efforts to take away rights that have been fought for and respected for many years, specifically a woman’s right to choose, and wonder which rights will be next. I say, the elected leaders of our country set the tone for this nation.

They either model the behavior we want for our children, or foster cynicism and hopelessness.

Who am I? I am the daughter of a mother who was widowed with three young children who were raised with grace and dignity. I am the lifelong learner who believes in truth and honesty. I am the friend who strives to understand walking in another’s shoes. I am the teacher who has faith in the power and potential of all her students. I am the wife who understands the power of love and compromise. I am the step-

Government can’t grow the economy.

They can only create job positions which were paid by the state, in other words, taxpayers such as you and I are paying for it.

I have a bachelor degree in Political Science and I learned in college the reason why the United States is a strong nation because the majority of the population is the middle class.

Unfortunately, the last 3-4 decades, our politicians has made policies against the middle class so our country isn’t as wealthy as the previous generations.

Same thing happened to our state. Our government denied our full dividends, the Alaskan families annual income dropped $10K, $20K, or $30K. For example, this year we could get close to $6,000 for dividend but we could only received $3200 which is half of the true statutory amount. If we keep this up, we will have $30,000 less per person for the next 10 years. A family of 5 will miss out at least $150,000 in dividends the next 10 years. Can anyone dares to tell me cutting PFD is not going to impact

PAGE 7

plaining that now we won’t have access to Afghanistan’s rare earth mineral deposits. They would rather more Americans die there to hold onto those mines.

That is not a good enough justification for me to feel ok about young Americans dying. What they rarely mention is that Alaska has massive deposits of rare earth metals. We don’t even have to launch a 20-year war and sacrifice thousands of other people’s children to get at it, what a bargain! Why not give peace a chance and mine rare earth minerals here?

For these reasons and more, I as an environmentalist want more resources to come from Alaska. I would love to see a day where Alaska and Alaskans have the decision-making power over development, instead of the ever-changing winds of federal bureaucrats dictating to us how to live. If I could hit the magic button and transfer all federal lands here to our control, I would. America may be a bit ‘greener’ with the way we currently do resource policy, but the world is immeasurably worse off. Everything we use comes from somewhere.

We all need to fight to ensure it can still come from the place that does it cleaner, safer and better than anywhere else, Alaska.

mother who found a pathway to trust and love. I am the mother who accepts my children for their wonderful differences. I am the parent who grieves the loss of her daughter to gun violence.

I am the principal who discovered the joys and effects of leadership. I am the Alaskan who believes that the natural beauty of our state is reflected in the beauty of our people. I am the Democrat who shares the values of Alaskans and Americans. I am the community member who has faith in the future and works to ensure that future. I am the candidate you can count on.

I believe in the value of public service.

I also believe Congressional actions should benefit not only the wealthy, but ALL Americans. I hope you will Choose Chesbro in the August 16 Primary.

Alaska overall economy? Government spending has to be controlled. That’s why our forefathers have set up the 50/50 plan which means, they get to spend their 50% while we get to spend our 50%. Right now, it’s more like 80/20 or 85/15. They limit our PFD amount while they spend their amount plus ours. We have to stop this unlawful behavior and go back to the original PFD law: 5 year average earnings, 50/50 Plan to rebuild Alaska’s economy.

Like Reagan whose goal was to tear down this “Wall,” my goal is to bring back the “PFD.” I think until we restore our PFD, we cannot talk about anything else because it effects our livelihood.

My slogan is to “Make Alaska Great Again.” I want to see our economy take off again. I want to restore Alaska to its former glory. I want to see Alaskans are happy again that they can enjoy their economic freedom and enjoy their wealth. I hope you will cast your vote for me to represent you in this election.

I’m Jessica Wright, I’m Pro-life, Pro-2nd Amendment, Pro-PFD, Pro-economy.

Thank you!

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POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Edie Grunwald This campaign season Alaska voters are asking about election integrity, election reform, voting systems and voter accuracy.

I am preparing to get started on election issues on day one. I have already developed some processes that can go into effect immediately. I am all about can-do, will-do, and results. Let’s plan on up-front changes in the best interest of Alaskans.

Let’s start at the top. If we manage and confirm the Integrity of the Alaska election process, the methods of voting, vote counting, other questions become answered as part of the confirmation process.

I will exercise my statutory authority over our election system and will take immediate action to restore voter confidence in the electoral process.

Candidate for Governor Charlie Pierce has assured us all he will make election integrity a priority. I will take the actions that yield reportable and positive results to the public.

A needless round of feel-good meetings and what-if conversations will be a thing of the past.

Past administrations have not taken voter integrity seriously and have done little to investigate and correct any deficiencies we may have.

First, purging the voter rolls of unqualified or false voter registrations will begin immediately. Alaska has almost 35,000 false voter registrations.

That is about 6% with opportunity for voter fraud. That needs no discussion or consideration, it can and will be fixed without delay. Is voter registration proper? Confirm or Delete. Sound simple? Well, it is. It just takes effort and consistent attention.

When elected, as Alaska’s Lt. Governor,

Concerns have been raised about the

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Contributed by Al Bolea Nothing good happens without leadership.

As Alaska navigates historic changes and unprecedented political division, it is more critical than ever that our most senior state executive — the governor — is a proven leader, ready to solve the many difficult issues that lie ahead over the next four years.

Many Alaskans have heard me speak about the importance of leadership in my leadership course at the University of Alaska or in training programs through their employer.

I know a leader when I see one, and the person we need at the helm now is Bill Walker. We can’t afford false starts or on-the-job training. Bill has done the job. He’s learned what does and does not work. He knows what needs to be done. Moreover, Bill has displayed the essential traits of great leaders.

First and foremost, Bill is courageous.

He does not shy away from challenges,

Contributed by State Senator Mike Shower First… Yes, I am running for re-election.

Here’s a report on my first 4 years: A primary mission was to repeal SB91 (catch & release crime bill). I’m happy to report that was accomplished. I worked hard alongside like-minded legislators with the Governor and we successfully enacted the repeal of SB91. I was one of 6 legislators selected for the conference committee to negotiate repeal provisions enacted in the 2019 session. There is much more work to do regarding public safety.

I’ve worked to end the unethical “binding caucus”. Promising to vote for anything or requiring someone else to is a felony in Alaska law, yet the legislature has for decades. I spoke with legislators in every other state (except one) and learned we are the only state to do this! We’re making progress – there isn’t one in the senate - and I’ve introduced legislation to make it illegal.

My budget amendment this year passed for a statutory PFD - $4200.

Unfortunately, it was narrowly voted down in the House which allowed the finance co-chairs to reduce it to $3200.

That extra $1000 per Alaskan would be very helpful right now with food & fuel prices. I have repeatedly proposed amendments, worked on bills, and voted for the full PFD every single year to “follow the statute”. The PFD is a tremendous help to the middle class & poor – I won’t back down on this.

2022 saw high oil prices and record permanent fund growth. I’ve normally

and he confronts issues head-on: from policies making the budget and the Permanent Fund sustainable to expanding Medicaid to provide tens of thousands of people with health care to increasing the ability of Alaska Native people to make decisions for themselves.

Second, Bill has a unique ability to engage people in conversations where he listens as much as speaks. It’s a true exchange of ideas — not a download of some favorite talking points. Bill learns through these exchanges, and he adapts to situations and the views of others, especially when presented with sound arguments. He does not hide from people who disagree with him — he hears them out.

Third, and what Alaska needs most, Bill is a man of integrity. He knows that there’s a fine line between what a person espouses and the way he or she shows up. He never crosses the line, always holding true to his convictions, and never tolerates people who do cross the line. His past record is a testament to this, and you can see it again

voted no on the budget, but this year because we could fully fund it, while significantly increasing the capital budget (infrastructure) we’re a decade behind on, and “almost” distribute a statutory PFD (still the highest on record) - all while still putting money into savings and without one penny of deficit spending, I felt ok voting yes. If we have money and need to spend it – we should – if we don’t, we shouldn’t - simple concept.

As a member of the 2021 bi-partisan fiscal policy working group, 5 republicans & 7 democrats, we put politics aside and found a way to agree on paths forward including protecting the PFD in the constitution, changing the constitutional spending cap so it works, and options to reduce the budget and enact sensible revenue (taxes) for a long-term balanced budget solution. No more arbitrary PFD amounts, over spending or uncertainty year to year. Alaska must enact a comprehensive, long term and sustainable fiscal policy if we are to ensure a stable tax and business environment. It’s a priority for me to enact those recommendations moving forward.

I have been working on our election system including cleaning up our voting rolls, increasing cyber security, ballot tracking, ballot curing, opensource election software & hardware and much more. Election reform is a contentious issue. 2 major bills, one democrat & one republican (mine). We realized neither would pass the other body and worked together on a bi-partisan bill taking major steps forward.

In the very last hour of this session, we were held up by the amendment process. While beyond our control it almost passed. I’ll keep trying.

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

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delayed counting of absentee ballots in Alaska. The fix is not complex, we will count mail-in, absentee and early votes upon receipt and maintain the counts in a secure facility, announcing them on election day. Not magic, it is called common sense.

Some question the veracity and integrity of our selected voting machines.

Under my direction the State of Alaska will immediately conduct an intense analysis of the voting machines used, display the results to the public and make any changes necessary to assure confidence.

These tasks and any other anomalies brought to the Election Department attention will be investigated thoroughly and reported on a matter-offact basis.

Thank you, Colonel (Ret.) Edie Grunwald Candidate for Lt. Governor with Charlie Pierce for Governor

in his selection of Heidi Drygas as his running mate. She’s a person of conviction and someone who earns the trust of others.

A wise person once said to me, “Great leaders don’t situate their reality; they understand the reality of their situation.”

Bill and Heidi understand the reality of Alaska’s situation. They will shape a direction for our state that will take us into a viable future. That’s no small task. There’s no easy road ahead of us, and we can’t waste time on the delusional aspirations of politicians who do not have the ability to lead our state.

Al Bolea is retired from running a leadership training and coaching company, Applied Leadership Seminars LLC, recognized as one of the top corporate programs in the world by Leadership Excellence and awarded a prestigious LEAD honor for Best Executive Coaching Program. He’s the author of three highly regarded leadership books, published in by Routledge Press. He is also a retired BP executive, with many years of experience in Alaska, and a former CEO of a large independent oil and gas company in the Middle East.

I introduced legislation to change how our judges are selected. Our state constitution says the supreme & superior courts are to be filled as selected by the judicial council. The lower courts (appellate, district and magistrate) as prescribed by law. My legislation follows other states which provide a broader pool of applicants and more input from the people’s representatives for those lower courts. We must stop allowing a trade organization to pick an entire branch of government with its own choices. Currently you don’t get to elect judges – merely retain them.

I didn’t have a chance to visit the district at all in 2020 nor much in 2021 due to people’s concern over covid.

There’s a challenging list of issues we face: logistics supply chain issues, food security, growing inflation, costs of food, fuel and other commodities plus an anemic economy still hurt from covid policies. The state must help, not stand in the way of, progress & growth.

Finally, I was a no on the constitutional convention. Today I’m a solid yes. Why? I’ve realized your state government will never solve the PFD or spending problem. I’ll vote yes for it on the November ballot. YOU will choose the delegates through an election, and they can be ANY Alaskan.

Those delegates have the power to enact the only 2 things I believe would pass – the PFD & spending cap. If you are still concerned – remember YOU will have the final vote. Any amendments must be approved by the people at the next election. You have the power – use it.

Michelle and I would love your support to return and finish what we started.

POLITICS & OPINION Contributed by Kelly Tshibaka

country.

Since I first announced my candidacy for the U.S. Senate sixteen months ago, I’ve traveled enough miles within Alaska to circumnavigate the globe.

And from the thousands of Alaskans I’ve met along the way, the overwhelming sentiment I hear is that it’s time for a change in our representation in the Senate.

I will stand up for our God-given, basic constitutional rights, which have been undermined and eroded by people in D.C. This includes, for example, parents’ rights to be involved in their children’s education and our 2nd Amendment rights.

Alaskans are frustrated by the direction of the country and alarmed at how many of the policies coming out of Washington, D.C. are specifically targeted at us. The Biden administration and the D.C. insiders have attacked our economy, our freedoms, and our very way of life.

But we’ve had enough.

As your U.S. senator, you will always know where I stand and will never have to guess. I’ve begun laying out my agenda, appropriately called “It’s Time for a Change,” in which I make clear that I will side with Alaskans against the political elites at every turn. You can find these policies and principles at www.

KellyforAK.com.

I will fight to revive our economy and defend our resource industries against the radical environmentalists who are relentless in their desire to turn Alaska into a national park for the rest of the

I will work to reform healthcare so we have more mental health resources, our veterans get benefits in record time, and we care for vulnerable Alaskans.

I will support only immigration policies which are equally applied, adhere to the law, and provide safe, controlled immigration.

I will fight to protect the integrity of our elections so that every eligible voter is able to vote once and have it counted.

I will fight for life and pro-family policies and fight against discrimination of any kind, while supporting the availability of birth control and increased funding for clinics providing non-abortive healthcare services for Alaskan women.

And I will hear the voices of the forgotten Alaskans – they will no longer be ignored.

This last point is very important to me personally, since it was through the help of fellow Alaskans that my family

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

was able to build the American Dream.

My parents were homeless for a time in Anchorage before I was born, but my mother landed a job at Prudhoe Bay, which allowed them to fight their way into the working class. I became the first in our family to pursue a college degree and began my studies at the University of Alaska Anchorage before graduating from college and law school.

I owe Alaskans a lot, and I want to serve in the Senate to support those who supported me.

That kind of clarity isn’t always apparent in our senior U.S. senator. She inherited her seat from her father when he appointed her to complete his unexpired term after he was elected governor.

And for the last 21 years, she has been currying favor with the D.C. insiders at the expense of the people here in Alaska.

There’s no question that this election presents clear options for voters.

I am an America First candidate who will always vote with the people of Alaska.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, however, tries to straddle the fence, saying one thing to Alaskans but doing the opposite in D.C. Voters across the political spectrum can’t tell where she stands and don’t trust her on the important issues of the day.

or on the left, but in the middle where all can complain a bit, but each gets a bit of what is important to them.

Contributed by Liz Jackson Dear Moderate Residents of the City of Palmer, There is a great opportunity to serve your city with the upcoming election this October 4th. There are several open positions including five (5) council seats and one (1) mayor position up for election this fall.

Filing dates are only July 18 - July 29, 2022. This is a very short window to get your name in to be included in this fall’s Palmer City election. I urge those common sense, middle of the road, wise city residents to sign up to be a council member or mayor of our city.

I have followed the behavior of the city council and mayor that we have now

Contributed by Doug Ferguson This series of Great Americans continues. Some are famous and others are not. This month I am featuring “The Singing Cowboy”, Gene Autry. Today he is mostly remembered only during the holidays as we hear his recordings of “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer”, “Here Comes Santa Claus” and other songs of the season that he made famous. However, back in his singing and acting prime he was not only was a youth hero to me when I needed one, but to many other boys and girls of my era.

My youthful introduction to Autry came about in roundabout way. I started grade school in Springfield Massachusetts during the early 1940’s at the beginning of WWII. I found plenty of playmates in our then new housing development for the first few years.

In those days non-denominational youth activities for grade school age kids such as Cub Scouts and Little League hadn’t been formed. As we got older many of my Catholic playmates were enjoying church activities sponsored by the Catholic Youth Organization started by Chicago’s Catholic Bishop, Bernard Sheil in the 1930’s. The Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) exists across the country even to this day fulfilling an important need for wholesome youth activities.

My mother was determined to find similar kinds of outlets for me and discovered that Trinity Methodist Church on Sumner Ave downtown near Forest

with dismay. Unfortunately, we are being led by an inept mayor, a new clerk with learning to do to be proficient, one councilman whose sole purpose appears to be to further punish the recalled council members, and four newly appointed members. Basically, the City is like a ship adrift without a captain or competent crew to navigate the waters.

And if you haven’t been following the meetings, there is still a cry from the far right to get this ship over further into the right lane - or be damned! I am sorry but that is truly how they present their positions to the city accompanied with pounding of fists on the table!

The City of Palmer has so much going for it, and we need to get a crew on board to sail this ship down the middle of the shipping lane - not on the right

Park, had a wonderful facility and programs for youth like myself. They even had a swimming pool in the basement!

She got me enrolled in their Saturday afternoon program. Besides games and outings to the park, they also showed a short movie that was entertaining and wholesome for kids during the afternoon session. During the war movies were a treat so this was a big deal for me! Starting that summer my Dad would drop me off and pick me up there every Saturday for the next couple of years.

The first movie series I remember was a twelve part serial called “The Phantom Empire”. The serial, released in 1935, is about a singing cowboy who stumbles upon an ancient subterranean civilization living beneath his own ranch that becomes corrupted by unscrupulous greedy speculators from the surface.

Autry, in his first starring role, was playing himself as the singing cowboy who, in a series of exciting episodes, helps to honorably resolve everything.

This was my first exposure to the world of science fiction that has lasted for a lifetime. It featured the underground empire of Murania, complete with towering buildings, robots, ray-guns, advanced television, elevator tubes that extend miles from the surface, and the icy, blonde, evil Queen Tika.

And that is how I got introduced to the star, Gene Autry, having never been aware of him before. I was also introduced to the very American concept of the brave and honorable cowboy! Later,

The City needs to attend to many issues, including, but not limited to; paving the remaining streets in the city, creating safer crossings at many busy streets within the city limits, continuing the great services at the Palmer Airport and Golf Course, creating a plan for annexation based on the study of 2020-2021, planning for the growing homeless population, upkeep and maintenance of our existing wonderful parks, trails and green spaces and adding to them, keeping the home rentals in town affordable and not becoming too heavy with Airbnb’s so there is no place for families to rent, promoting new vibrant business opportunities, and truly the list goes on and on.

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The 2nd Amendment is a perfect example of how she tries to have it both ways. She ran ads on Facebook touting her support of gun rights, but voted for the federal gun control bill right afterwards.

Meanwhile, Pat Chesbro, the Democratic candidate, is a solid progressive who sides with her national party’s platform and can be counted on to support the Biden agenda.

I am proud to be the endorsed Republican candidate in this election, supported by the Alaska Republican Party and by former President Donald Trump. And it’s clear that we are at a point where the next senator can either stand with Alaska, or continue to enable the disastrous Biden policies that are damaging us more every day.

When I’m the next senator from Alaska, I will never forget the Alaskans who hired me for the job, and I will always stand for the values of the people of this great state.

In the primary on August 16, and again on November 8, I ask for your vote because most of us agree that it’s time for a change.

Kelly Tshibaka is a born-and-raised Alaskan, and a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Alaska who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump and the Alaska Republican Party.

or pay - but rather it is a position of leadership and service - and Palmer needs those moderate, level-headed, intelligent, educated members of our community to come forward and say, “I am willing to sit in that chair and lead our community wisely into the future.”

We need people that do not have an agenda that is anti - whatever, or polarizing, or disruptive to the well-being of all the citizens of Palmer.

We are a small community in a beautiful setting, with a beautiful diverse population - let’s agree to disagree on what we can’t agree on - and let it go, I repeat - Let it Go! Moving on with what is important and with what helps our community is greatly needed right now.

Please if this speaks to you - sign up to run for city council or mayor!

This job is not an easy one, and it doesn’t come with much accolades

Thank you, Liz Jackson

through his radio show, “Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch” in response to his many young listeners across the country, he created the Cowboy Code, similar to the one then used by the Boy Scouts, that promoted an ethical, moral and patriotic lifestyle.

tried to have it declared void after his discharge, but the courts supported Republic. However, in the end he made four more films with Republic under his old still valid contract publicity title, “King of the Cowboys” and the rest is history!

Over his life span (he died in 1998 at age 91) he had an amazing career up to the very end and received many honors for a wide range of activities ranging from starting the Los Angeles Angles baseball team to establishing The Autry Museum of the American West. You can get a flavor of his honorable and productive, civic minded life by looking him up on the official website: https:// www.geneautry.com

Again, I feel fortunate to have lived at a time when such public heroes were around to provide role models for youngsters like me at a time when I needed them.

However, what stands out for me was his military career. He had already made over 40 western movies when WWII broke out and holding a private pilot license, in 1942 he enlisted in the Air Force and became a tech sergeant, determined to be a military pilot.

Finally, after two years of service, he earned his Service Pilot rating in June 1944 serving as a C-109 transport pilot.

As part of the Air Transport Command, he flew as part of the dangerous airlift over the Himalayas, or “The Hump”, between India and China.

Another side story to his military experience further enhances his standing as a “Great American”. When he told his contract holder Republic Pictures, that he planned to enlist in the Air Force, they threatened to promote Roy Rogers as the “King of the Cowboys” in his absence, which they actually did. Gene enlisted anyway went off to serve his country. Since his contract was suspended while he was in the service, he

Doug Ferguson is a retired engineer living in Palmer, AK and has had a life-long interest in gardening, science, history, sports, and human nature.

COMMUNITY load is available on the App Store and Google Play.

are available for reservation along the canoe loop.

7-Mile Canoe Trail: This delightful paddle traverses scenic waterways through the heart of Wasilla. One can begin at Finger Lake State Recreation Site, goes through Cottonwood lake, Cottonwood Creek, Upper Wasilla Lake, and Wasilla Lake itself, near the Parks Highway.

This route is absolutely beautiful and centrally located.

Canoes are available for rent from Tippecanoe Rentals in Willow. Call to have one waiting for you at the trailhead on Tanaina Lake (907-355-6687).

Directions: From Palmer take E Bogard Road toward Wasilla. After 5 miles, turn left at Finger Lake State Recreation Site.

Parking: Alaska State Parks annual or day parking pass required.

Contributed by Taylor Raftery Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation With all these long hot days there’s nothing better than hanging out on the lake to stay active and cool. The Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation staff have put together a list of Mat-Su water trails to keep you busy on the water for the rest of the summer. Scan the QR code to access trail and park information on the free-to-use OuterSpatial Trail app developed by the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation, Mat-Su Borough, and Alaska State Parks. Free app down-

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

Lynx Lake Loop: The Lynx Lake Loop canoe trail travels through an eight-mile chain of lakes. Portages are well-marked with orange, diamond-shaped signs marked with a “P”. Wet sections are covered with boardwalk. Beginning at the Tanaina Lake Canoe Trailhead at Mile 4.5 of the park road, the Lynx Lake Loop is an ideal weekend trip, although it can be paddled in a full day. A longer trip can be made by continuing south from Lynx Lake to Butterfly and Skeetna lakes before returning on the same route to rejoin the loop.

Alaska State Parks campsites and cabins

Directions: Nancy Lake State Recreation Area is a ninety minute drive north of Anchorage along the Parks Highway.

To enter the recreation area, turn west onto Nancy Lake Parkway at Mile 67.3 of the Parks Highway.

Parking: Alaska State Parks annual or day parking pass required.

Jim Creek Canoe Route: This delightful paddle starts at Jim Lake, continues through McRoberts Creek to Jim Creek, and ends at the Knik River! Committed paddlers can do the 6-mile route in a day, but there are many options for shorter paddles in the nearby Jim and Mud lakes.

Directions: From downtown Palmer turn right onto E. Arctic Ave. Drive 3.6 miles and turn left onto E. Maud Rd., drive 4-miles to the end of E Maud Rd. Parking: No parking pass required for this location.

Talkeetna Lakes Park: Located two miles

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south of Talkeetna, this 1,040-acre park surrounds six lakes. Over the past 15 years, Talkeetna Lakes Park has developed to include over a dozen miles of well-maintained walking and biking trails, as well as a canoe portage route.

Access is via the Comsat and Whigmi Trailheads.

Directions: From the Glenn Highway Interchange, stay on the Parks Highway for about 63 miles. Turn right onto the Talkeetna Spur Rd. To get to the Comsat Trailhead drive 12 miles down the spur road and turn right onto Comsat Road.

Trailhead will be on your right.

Parking: This is a Mat-Su Borough Trailhead and requires a $5 single use day pass, or an annual parking pass.

The Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation is a local 501(c)3 non-profit with offices in Palmer Alaska. The Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation mission is driven by the hard work and generosity of volunteers, partners, funders, and grantees who understand that beautiful parks, open spaces, and well-maintained trails are at the very foundation of a physically, mentally, and economically healthy community. If you are interested in learning more about our work, applying for grant funding for a trail or park project, or want to learn about how you can support trails and parks in the Mat-Su, please visit www.matsutrails.org.

We’ll see you on the trails!

COMMUNITY Contributed by Angie Lewis Alaska Animal Advocates

Fleas and Ticks. This is not as big a problem in Alaska as it is in other parts of the country. If you use products for fleas and ticks, check with your veterinarian. Some over-the-counter treatments can be toxic, even when used as directed.

Summer Events. Be mindful of taking your dog to summer events such as concerts, fairs, or other crowded places. These can be stressful for some dogs, and they may run the risk of getting lost. Know your dog and what might be uncomfortable for her.

Don’t leave your dog in a vehicle, not even with the windows opened. Dogs can’t perspire the way humans do and have a very hard time cooling off in a hot car. The temperature in a car can rise to 120 degrees in just a few minutes. This can lead to the death of your dog.

Recognize lawn and garden dangers.

Plant food, fertilizer and insecticides can be lethal for your dog. Keep them under lock and key. Try to use organics.

Contributed by Angie Lewis These two 12-year-old female Chihuahuas started their lives in a puppy mill. They were happily adopted by a family that loved and cared for them for their entire lives. Unfortunately, the family can no longer keep them as they are elderly and need to move into an assisted living situation. Abbey and Tia need to stay together for the remainder of their time on earth.

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her skill level as a swimmer. Be cautious about beavers, who can be very dangerous to dogs.

Summer should be a time of enjoyment for you and your dog, but all too often, this is a time of year when situations arise that can endanger your dog. There are only a few safety practices that need to be followed to ensure you and your dog have a wonderful time this summer.

Don’t drive with your dog in the back of a pickup. Your dog is a member of the family and should be treated as such. If you had to suddenly hit the brakes, your dog might literally fly out of your truck bed. Let her sit in the cab with you, or if nothing else, put her in a secured crate in the back of your truck.

MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA

Dehydration. Make sure your dog has plenty of water and shade to help her remain cool and hydrated.

Exercise. Hiking with your dog is a wonderful experience, for both you and your dog. Be sure to limit exercise on a really hot day, particularly for older dogs or dogs with thick coats.

Provide enough rest time and ample water. Remember, asphalt can be very hot and actually burn your dog’s paws.

Lakes. Not all dogs are natural born swimmers and can easily drown.

Monitor your dog to make certain of

These are the sweetest, loving doggies in the world.

The girls have recently gotten a clean bill of health from their veterinarian and are up to date on their vaccines.

They are spayed and microchipped.

For more info, please call or text Angie at Alaska Animal Advocates at (907) 841-3173.

Other Revelry. Some dogs are very frightened of the loud sounds of fireworks and firearms. Dogs are best kept in the house for these celebrations and activities. These dogs may become so stressed that they may need medications to help them cope.

Lost dogs. Make sure your dog is micro-chipped and that the contact information is current. In addition, your dog should wear a collar with an identification tag.

Now go out and enjoy your summer, along with your dog friend, but do it safely.

COMMUNITY cover which backyard birds migrate to Alaska in the Spring, and which are here year-round. Why are the male birds more colorful than the females? Organize a bird walk to discover different personalities each species has, identify birds by their song, etc. turn-A-leaf Thrift Store is having a free Backyard Birding Challenge event through August 14, 2022. We were excited happy to host Little Friends Child Care & Preschool as the class boldly came in to sign up and accept the challenge.

Contributed by Kiki Valley Charities Know what’s better than sitting on the porch on a sweltering hot day with the kids? It’s sitting on the porch with your kids whilst enjoying the beauty you created for birds visiting your back-

Contributed by Lauralynn Robison Donations: The Matsu Food Bank receives many donations of various kinds, everything from food, money, materials, volunteer time and all things in between.

When you consider the difficult time that our community is experiencing right now, it is truly a blessing that our community comes together to help each other. People in our community come to us donating food daily, businesses donate food they have collected on behalf of their Food Bank Drives.

Also, there are monetary donations, which affords us the ability to keep our doors open, so that we may serve our community. There are so many ways you can “Donate” to the MatSu Food Bank.

Volunteers: Donate their time to help

yard. The benefit of fostering a love for nature and birds with your children is something that the whole family can enjoy and participate in.

A successful backyard habitat can be accomplished with: · Bird Food

· Feeder · Clean water · Nesting materials · Plants that attract birds and use for shelter Environmentally educational, learn about each of the birds who visit. Dis-

Please stop in today to sign up for a free birding journal and pretend binoculars while supplies last. Participants who find 7 of the 11 birds will be awarded with a certificate of achievement and button. A drawing will be held on August 15, 2022 for National Geographic Bird Book and Safari kit.

us keep the shelves stocked and buy helping families “shop” at our pantry and keep the warehouse and pantry organized.

Volunteering is the most rewarding thing you can do for your community.

We appreciate all of our volunteers, without them, we would not be able to help our community!

Community is at the heart and soul of our mission at MatSu Food Bank.

We feel so blessed to be a part of this amazing community and “Thank” all of you for your continued support of the MatSu Food Bank!

Remember - no one should go hungry!

Please contact us at (907) 357-3769 if you have any questions about our programs, making donations or would like to schedule a time to volunteer.

You can also call United Way’s Helpline at 211, which is a multilingual &

confidential service that connects community members to vital local resources. We again thank everyone who helps support our mission and makes it possible for us to serve our

local communities. We are honored and immensely grateful! We also invite you to visit and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/MatSuFoodBank!