Bradford Jackson Films, SickDay Productions and The Williwaw Social team up to host a groundbreaking non-profit event dedicated to elevating Alaskan filmmakers and connecting remote communities.
Read moreSupporting David Eastman
Supporting David Eastman
Contributed by Richard Stoffel
We need to support Representative David Eastman, probably the only True Conservative we have in our legislature in Juneau.
● The RINO Republicans (a manifestation of the Luke Warm Body of Christ) are his biggest enemies because he is exposing them. Which parallel is what the deep state is doing to President Trump.
● In the beginning of the legislative session, because he would not join their ungodly alliance or caucus which is binding, they censored him(attempting to take away his free speech) and fired one of his staff(Pam Good, a very effective True Conservative). That is Unconstitutional behavior.
● David has been busy making amendments to their bad legislation. Eg: Amendment 33 which would stop funding of Abortion. But five Republicans joined Planned Parenthood and the abortion lobby to kill the Amendment which could have prohibited taxpayer money from being used to kill babies. If that is not bad enough they are attempting to limit the number of amendments a legislator can make and trying to restrict his speech. Instead of working hard to counter what David is doing they are using unconstitutional behavior to stop him. Similar to what President Trump is experiencing. Very Communistic, the end justifies the means.
● David is experiencing many frivolous lawsuits, so far about six, the last one cost $250,000. We are working on doing a fundraiser for him with national and local speakers. One of the national speakers will be David Clemens who is well known for his work across our country helping communities get voter integrity. He was my inspiration with the help of others and many local residents to get a Borough ordinance ridding us of the vote counting computers in the Mat Su Borough. Locally we have Clayton Trotter who spoke before the Supreme Court to help overturn Roe vs Wade. The fundraiser will be sometime this summer after the legislative session.
● Let's show a groundswell of support and show up at Idapark after the 4th of July parade. Many of us giving David $20.00 a month would help him sustain financially as these lawsuits keep coming. We need him very much to keep fighting for us in Juneau.
SUBWAY FRANCHISEE CELEBRATES 35 YEARS IN ALASKA
SUBWAY FRANCHISEE CELEBRATES 35 YEARS IN ALASKA
Contributed by Dee Buchanon
Steve Adams, a Subway franchise, and his company Subway of Alaska, Inc. are celebrating 35 years in business after opening the first Subway in Alaska on April 15, 1988, in an Anchorage strip mall at the corner of Benson and the Seward Highway. Today, the remodeled restaurant operates in its new location at the corner of the New Seward Highway and Benson Boulevard.
Steve Adams wanted to bring the Subway brand to Alaska in 1987, and in June of that year, he invited his mother, Bobbie Scribner, to be his partner. After hours of discussion and several trips to a Subway in Little Rock, Arkansas, to try the menu, a partnership was formed. Thirty-five years later, their success continues.
Steve Adams is also a Subway Business Developer, working with local franchisees to open over 50 restaurants in Alaska. These franchisees support the communities in which they operate through a Fundraising Card program to help fund local non-profit organizations. For more information on the program, visit: https://subwayak.com/fundraising-card/
Steve Adams, President of Subway of Alaska, Inc., and Chris Wilson, Vice President of Subway of Alaska, Inc., are grateful for their staff and guests’ years of loyalty. The company is a strong contributor to the community, and is committed to remaining an anchor donor business and supporting non-profit organizations throughout Alaska.
About Subway of Alaska, Inc.
Established in 1988, Subway of Alaska, Inc. is an independently owned-and-operated Subway franchisee company based in Anchorage, Alaska. The company currently operates over 20 restaurants, serving freshly made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, salads and bowls to its guests every day.
About Subway® Restaurants
As one of the world's largest quick service restaurant brands, Subway serves freshly made-to-order sandwiches, wraps, salads and bowls to millions of guests, across more than 100 countries in nearly 37,000 restaurants every day. Subway restaurants are owned and operated by Subway franchisees – a network that includes thousands of dedicated entrepreneurs and small business owners – who are committed to delivering the best guest experience possible in their local communities.
Media Contact: Dee Buchanon, Subway Development, Inc., 907-441-9191 dbuchanon@subwayak.com
Subway® is a Registered Trademark of Subway IP LLC. © 2023 Subway IP LLC
Valley Garden Club Annual Plant Sale
Valley Garden Club Annual Plant Sale
Contributed by Sue Wallin
SPRING is HERE! Valley Garden Club Members are busy starting plants for themselves and our community. We are happy to announce our 33rd annual plant sale the last Saturday in May at the Mat Su Boys and Girls Club 3700 East Bogard Rd.
Please reserve May 27 on your garden calendar. Come early for the best possible selection. Come late and try to strike a deal! Public is welcome 9am to 3pm. We grow annual flowers and veggies as starters for your gardens and ours. We offer perennials at our Spring Sale and again at our Fall Perennial Sale in mid August.
In the past, we have had a wall of tomato plants, many culinary and a few medicinal herbs, houseplants, all kinds of hanging baskets and annual flowers. One year many begonias showed up! Veggie starts to sell quickly and one simply never knows what will show up. Remember to go around the back of the building to see many outdoor trees, berry bushes, and native Alaskan plants. There are usually some bare root strawberry plants for sale.
Our club started a section out back for gently used garden tools and yard art. Consider joining our club if you have items of interest for sale. Contact us at www.valleygardenclub.com or follow us on Facebook, our email matsuvgc@gmail.com or write to us at PO Box 871244 Wasilla, AK 99687 STAY TUNED FOR NEXT MONTH’S ANNOUNCEMENT!
Hope to see you at this sale!
Spring Into Cleaning
Spring Into Cleaning
Contributed by Julie Cascio
Spring into Cleaning
Julie Cascio, University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service, MatSu District
Dust, bacteria and mold are just a few things that can accumulate indoors over the winter. When done correctly, cleaning removes unwanted dirt and bacteria from the indoors. Challenging weather conditions keep us indoors all too long. Our instincts are to make everything – rugs, furniture, cupboards, curtains and more – look fresh and bright with our first whiff of spring.
Clear it Out
Start by getting rid of things that are needlessly filling up your home.
Recycle It. It is time to take those piles and bags of things to recycle.
Sell it. Garage sales or consignment shops are to move things out of the house that are in excellent condition but no longer needed.
Donate it. Items in good condition but no longer fit your lifestyle can be donated to charity.
Inventory Your Supplies
Before starting to clean, make sure you have all necessary supplies on hand. The basics should include an all-purpose spray cleaner, an all-purpose powder or liquid cleaner, an abrasive cleanser and non-abrasive cleaner, chlorine bleach, glass cleaner, dusting product, and any specific products you need for special surfaces. Check your vacuum cleaner bags, too.
Read the directions to use them safely and effectively. The label contains important information about how much product to get the best results. Following the instructions on the label will help prevent you from wasting the product. Make sure they are not within reach of children when stored or while you’re cleaning. Also gather cleaning tools, like paper towels or microfiber cloths.
Make a Plan – Decide on Cleaning Style
Some find it more effective to clean one room at a time. Others prefer to group tasks – such as cleaning windows in several rooms at once.
Prioritize. Generally, it’s best to do the rooms that need the most work or get the most traffic first.
Consider the big items. Check curtains, comforters, blankets, bed skirts, slipcovers and shower curtains to determine if you need to clean them.
Recruit Help.
Enlist family members or pair up with a friend. Clean efficiently to save time, money, water and energy. Start early on your Spring Cleaning day. Assign tasks to age and ability. Have lunch pre planned so helpers don’t lose momentum. Make it fun!!
Go!
Cleaning institute.org shares these strategies for efficient cleaning.
● Work from the top down. For example, dust before you vacuum so that you don’t have to go back and reclean where you’ve already been.
● Start in one corner and work your way around. When cleaning floors, start in the farthest corner and work your way back to the entrance.
● Prioritize the kitchen and bathroom. These are the rooms that will take the most time. Pretreat surfaces with product that should sit for a bit to work, like the toilet cleaner. Work top to bottom and remember to clean the appliances. For delicate flooring like the wood floors prone to scratching, get out the broom and sweep, before mopping.
● Focus on frequently touched surfaces that include doorknobs, light switches, tables, countertops, desks, handrails, and faucets. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning electronics.
Practice makes perfect. Now that you have succeeded in spring cleaning, set up a schedule to give your home this rundown. In addition to getting faster with repetition, the more frequently you clean will mean less need for deep cleaning to play “catch up.”
Sobriety Awareness Month Returns with New Alaska Sober Heroes
Sobriety Awareness Month Returns with New Alaska Sober Heroes
Contributed by Recover Alaska
Alaskans Stevi Rae Angasan of Naknek, Johon EchoHawk Atkinson of Metlakatla and Rob Seayof Anchorage have been selected as the 2023 Sober Heroes by Recover Alaska, celebrating Alaska’s Sobriety Awareness Month. The heroes were introduced in late March on Alaska Public Media’s Line One: Your Health Connection, a weekly statewide program, where each hero shared their personal stories of sobriety and what it means to them.
The Sober Heroes are not new to speaking out loud when it comes to sobriety and have been featured on podcasts including the Urban Auntie Show and The Anonymous Eskimo Podcast. Each will work closely with Recover Alaska throughout the year, connecting with communities around the state and helping build a culture that is proud to be sober.
Signed into law in 2018, Sobriety Awareness Month celebrates the choice of Alaskans living a sober, healthy lifestyle and encourages others to recognize those making a sober choice for a variety of reasons. The effort began as the Alaska Native Sobriety Movement introduced at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in 1993 before being signed into law and recognized for all Alaskans 25 years later.
Recover Alaska kicked off the month with a pop-up sober bar in Juneau that featured sponsored alcohol-free drinks by Amalga Distillery in partnership with Heritage Coffee Roasting Co. The fundraiser event for the Recover Alaska Fund included pub trivia and education opportunities for the public and legislative staff on Recover Alaska’s advocacy work.
“The sober curious movement is on the rise, and we’re excited to see the momentum continue through 2023,” said Recover Alaska Executive Director Tiffany Hall. “From the overwhelming attendance at Dry January events that kicked off the year to the emergence of locally made alcohol free beverages, Alaskan’s aren’t shy about their desire to replace alcohol in their lives. With the Sober Hero Awards, we are hoping to not only honor the awardees, but also lift up positive role models in sobriety to make sure people around the state can see how amazing, fun, and successful a sober life can be.”
Alaskans are following a trend that is growing in strength around the world, and at times led by younger adults, including Gen Z. A 2020 study by the University of Michigan shows that over the last 20 years, the number of college students who abstained from drinking went up by 8%. And according to a 2022 study on alcohol consumption trends, Gen Z is the most sober and sober-curious generation yet.
Recover Alaska encourages all Alaskans to participate in Sobriety Awareness Month. Most people have been touched by sobriety in some way, whether they have a friend, loved one or peer choosing to live without drugs and alcohol, or they are living a sober lifestyle themselves.
About Recover Alaska:
Recover Alaska is a statewide action group with a mission to reduce excessive alcohol use and related harms across Alaska, and a vision of Alaskans living free from the consequences of alcohol misuse and empowered to achieve full potential. To learn more about Recover Alaska; access research and data; or read about Alaskans in recovery, visit www.recoveralaska.org.
Smoke Alarms Save Lives
Smoke Alarms Save Lives
Contributed by Bill Morrow & American Red Cross
Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death from home fires in half. That’s why we’re rallying volunteers, fire departments and partners to SOUND THE ALARM.
Together, we’re installing FREE smoke alarms in your community. Request a smoke alarm installation today!
SoundTheAlarm.org/alaska
907-357-6060
bill.morrow@redcross.org
She’s Hunting the Man Who Will Stop At Nothing To Have Her
She’s Hunting the Man Who Will Stop At Nothing To Have Her
Contributed by Frankie Allen
USA Today Bestselling Author F.J. Blooding combines her love of tarot, dream interpretation, and the science of magic to spin a new tale in the Whiskey-verse. When a serial killer uses his seers to track and kill paras through the city, October uses her tarot deck and her ability to see the intentions of others to hunt him instead. “I love this new series! Can’t wait for more!!”–Sunshine Rebel
The U.S. has survived the Para Wars, but it looks much different now, having been divided into three factions. October, our intrepid seer, lives in the strictest states where being para is illegal. In a near military state, paras (or those born with a paranormal ability) are forced to hide. If they’re caught talking about a banned book or bringing out a deck of tarot cards or wolfing out, they’re arrested or killed.
That’s not the only thing paras have to worry about, however. Someone is hunting paras and eradicating entire families in order to protect the unprepared human population. Lord Shadow controls an army of fortune tellers to stay at least one step ahead of everyone.
Normal seers can’t see him through the protections encasing him, but October can. She doesn’t see the future. She sees people’s intent, cutting through the masks to see who they really are and what they truly intend. She is the only one who might stand a chance against this incredible villain.
Join us as we unravel the mystery of Lord Shadow’s identity and attempt to bring him down before he destroys all para kinds once and for all.
October Eclipse is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, and at WhistlingBookPress.com for $0.99 until 25-Apr-23. Order your pre-release copy now.
“F.J. Blooding does not disappoint. October’s journey has it all - action, suspense, magic, kick a** characters with a dash of romance. I absolutely love the dystopian-like world the author has created for the series where para’s are known but somewhat in hiding. The characters’ special abilities are unique - this is not your typical paranormal read. I found this book very hard to put down - I had to know what happened next.” Michelle @scottnme
U.S. Health Care – And The Alaska Personal Experience
U.S. Health Care – And The Alaska Personal Experience
Contributed by Doug Ferguson
Because I have been dealing with the same condition, which is an abnormally high heart rate, I immediately jumped to a lead sentence in a recent article by a doctor in his article about health care in the U.S. that said, “I developed a serious cardiac arrhythmia, ventricular tachycardia, seven years ago, -- and my experience through this illustrates the good side as well as the bad side of medicine today.”
This thought rang a bell with me and I thought I should write about it also.
The doctor, John Abramson, teaches primary care and health care policy at the Harvard Medical School and is an author of two critical books on the health industry.
I won’t go into all the detail Abramson does to explain from a study, that compared to eleven other “wealthy” countries, so-called “privileged” Americans, have better health outcomes than other U.S. citizens, but still have worse outcomes than the average citizens of the eleven other countries while paying on average $12,914 per person per year on health care vs. $6,125 per person in those countries. This means “-- we are spending an excess $2.3 trillion a year and getting poorer results.”
He concludes “Which means that our health care system is broken and needs fixing.” He goes on to explain his view of the how and why of doing this.
I certainly won’t attempt to do anything like that here. However, I can relate some observations of the difference in the medical environment we were used to in Southern Minnesota before we moved to Alaska in 2017 to be closer to family and the environment we have experienced here and why it has contributed to our personal medical frustrations.
First some background of the medical environment in Minnesota. As many people know, the founding of the non-profit Mayo Clinic by the Mayo family in Rochester, MN in the late 1800’s established the “clinic” model for medical care in the United States which is now utilized around the world for patient care, medical research and medical progress in general.
At the actual patient care level that we are addressing here, the key to this model are several basic concepts and practices. One of the most important is that doctors are salaried “employees” of the clinic and therefore are not as motivated to use their personal patient practice to enhance their incomes. They are free to spend the time they believe is required with each patient for their best care.
Also key to the “clinic” concept is the idea of team communication where the specialists who see a patient during a clinic visit for a medical problem end up sharing their findings with one another to finally agree on a treatment plan. Also, each has all the detailed records for each patient at their disposal.
Another key feature of the “clinic” concept is that either an assigned “focal” point or, in the case of the clinic’s family practice business, a “family” doctor for each patient is necessary to negotiate these processes and make sure this communication occurs.
Each person’s medical problems are a complex interaction of many factors, some of which are well researched and known and others not so much. Therefore communications between the team attending the patient, the patient themselves and their families, is of primary importance to a successful treatment plan and outcome.
Now we come to our situation in Alaska. While our personal experience has led us to many expert medical personnel and specialists, each has been part of a separate organization and business unit. While some have more variety of expertise than others, none up here could be considered a “clinic” in the same scope we have been discussing.
Each of these organizations, while providing excellent medical services in the fields in which they operate and certainly wanting to co-operate with other groups, have restrictions and limits on what they share with other groups. Certainly the Federal Privacy rules have played a part here. Since my severe medical problems started early last fall, I must have initiated and signed several dozen information release forms!
In addition, each organization is very clear in letting you know what they consider is their area of expertise, not wanting to make judgements in another area. This makes the role of the family doctor very difficult in complex medical situations.
The unique problems we elderly have with the Medicare system add to all this complexity. I won’t go into our story of trying to find a family doctor near our home who would take Medicare when we first moved here!
There is no doubt in my mind that the “clinic” model of health care provides the best in our modern day. Here’s hoping that this can be part of Alaska in the future!
Recognition for Safety Achievement
Recognition for Safety Achievement
Contributed by Debra McGhan
Racing across the open coast of Alaska at eighty-miles an hour, the beam from headlamps bouncing across the ice belied the danger ahead. The frozen tundra under their sleds suddenly turned black and smooth like freshly frozen ice. Thin ice.
Decisions. Take the short route straight across or go around the time-consuming safer route?
“On this trip Evan Booth was with us and he’d almost drowned before in a similar situation,” said Chris Olds, four-time Iron Dog Champion. “You could just tell, he’d stared death in the eye and knew he didn’t want to go there again anytime soon.
‘I’m pretty confident that your machines have the power to do it, you have the strength to do it, and if everything goes perfect, you’ll probably make it across,’ Booth told us. ‘But if anything goes wrong… a belt, plug, anything… and you have to stop, you’ll go through the ice and no one will be able to help you.
‘And just so you understand, if you choose to go straight across you’re on your own.’
“We made the decision to go around,” said Olds.
Tyler Aklestad, current champion, said he wasn’t there at that time to hear the advice from Booth. Instead he and his partner made the decision to go straight across. “Yeah, that turned out to be a terrible choice, “said Aklestad. “Lucky for me, my partner did make it and had the equipment needed to rescue me.
“I made it to the coast but there was this steep shelf and I couldn’t get up on it. I stopped and sure enough, my machine and I went through the ice. I was soaking wet and every time I tried to claw my way out, I’d slide back in. If it hadn’t been for my partner who had a rope and was able to pull me out, I would have drowned.”
Both Olds and Aklestad have numerous stories to share about amazing experiences they’ve had riding and racing across the mountains, glaciers, tundra and coastline of Alaska. They also have some hair-raising tales that didn’t end so well. Both have achieved great success. Both have suffered serious injuries and have had their own brushes with death and lessons learned. While competitors on the trail, they are now working together to give back to the community that has supported them.
In 2021 they teamed up with Mike Buck, Dan Hall, Peter Kaiser and Scott Davis to form the Alaska Safe Riders. Their mission is to promote the safe riding of snow machines, all-terrain vehicles and recreational off road vehicles through educational programs in order to reduce the number of unintentional injuries and deaths related to off-highway travel.
Over the past year the group gave 38 free school and community presentations, traveled more than 2,000 miles by snowmobile to share their training and raised more than $50,000 to support their efforts.
On April 5, 2023, Alaska Safe Riders received recognition for their achievement in spreading snowmobile, ATV and off-highway vehicle safety as recipients of the 41st annual Alaska Governor’s Special Achievement Award.
“This award means a lot to our team,” said Mike Buck, Executive Director. “We could not have done this without the support of our sponsors, members and individual donors. And we still have so much more to do.”
There is nothing quite like the feeling of riding a snowmobile as you sail across a field of powder on a blue sky afternoon. Or the heartfelt joy of seeing the look in someone’s eyes when they are being fit for their very first snowmobile helmet even though they have grown up riding snow machines.
Did you know that Alaska currently ranks number one in the nation for traumatic brain injury related deaths yet there are no state-wide laws requiring the use of helmets? According to the Brain Injury Association of Alaska, there are currently an estimated 10,000 Alaskans living with disability due to brain injury. And many of those injuries could have been prevented simply by wearing a helmet.
Alaska Safe Riders partnered with Iron Dog this year and helped to distribute 450 helmets to Alaskans in rural villages who often do not have the resources or means to purchase a helmet. “That’s 450 people who will ride safer as a result of this program,” said Buck. “We are proud to host these training programs and to be able to give away these amazing helmets to those in need who attend.
Alaska Safe Riders is also partnering with the Alaska Avalanche Information Center to host free public training programs with support from the Alaska Department of Public Safety, Division Alaska State Troopers. You can learn more, or sign up your school or community for a free training by visiting www.AlaskaSafeRiders.org
Woke Plagiarism
Woke Plagiarism
Contributed by Nan Potts
Woke folk slay language
Against classics for their cause;
Control minds and souls.
Wind
Wind
Contributed by Eva Valle
Whoosh! The breeze blows with such ease,
As the wind whips through the trees.
Rushing with the leaves,
It’ll rise then it’ll fall
And it’ll blow away your beach ball.
The Bay
The Bay
Contributed by W.S. White
The sea suggests
Succumbs
Enlisting surrender,
The wispy status
Disguises the sound of the trump
A foray to the depth.
Linger on the gritty balm
Forget the mourning call
Return to dust and silt
The comfort of treated
Firmament,
There's a commission,
The commitment of briny gales,
Thwarted by wing tipped gulls'
Desperate screams
And kelp rooted to barnacled,
Slippery shale
Not a Tear
Not a Tear
Contributed by Dave Glenn
Not a shed tear to be seen
No mourning family on hand
All his old friends have gone before him
Only a cloudy sky overhead to mark this day
A chilly breeze in the air.
His beloved flag covers his coffin
The only tribute he requests
The hole is dug to receive this old soldier
A bugle will announce his departure
A granite stone will mark the spot
There is no more to be done on earth
Let the angels welcome him to eternity
and God to say well done
Dave Glenn
101st Airborne
Vietnam 1965-66
No More Years
No More Years
Contributed by Paul Johnson
No, that’s not a typo, and this isn’t a submission about Ozzy’s awesome dark ballad. You can let it run through your head as you read along, if you’d like.
It’s time for Joe Biden to step down, now! No more years. Not even another month.
Here’s why: He is so completely compromised in China, Ukraine and Russia that we are teetering on the edge of WWIII. Not just in Ukraine, but in a second theater in the Straits of Taiwan. On 2-28-’23 a Sec. of the Army predicted that China would attack the U.S. mainland if “Major War' ' breaks out in Ukraine. Well DUH, what did he think the Chinese Spy Balloon was all about? So where do you think that leaves Alaska? We already know the route Biden allowed The Spy Balloon to take over our State, sensitive Military Sites and Infrastructure Assets. Just for good measure he decided to let it complete its mission before shooting it down off the East Coast, near Myrtle Beach, S.C. General Kellogg predicts that China will move on Taiwan before 2025 because of the weakness & indecisiveness Xi sees in Biden, thanks to the disgraceful Afghanistan withdrawal, his “Minor Incursion” statement leading to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine and his “As long as it takes'' posture now. The CCP loves this. We are playing right into their hands by bleeding ourselves dry of weapons to protect even ourselves.
In Ukraine he bragged about getting the Prosecutor that was investigating Burisma (a heavily Hunter Biden involved Gas & Oil Co.) fired by withholding a Billion Dollars of aid if he weren’t. To quote Joe, “Well Son of a Bitch! The Prosecutor got fired.” Vladimir Lewinsky isn’t exactly the Democratic Leader we’ve all been led to believe either, but he’s got the goods on the Biden Crime Family. I believe that’s why we, The American Taxpayers, are now paying everyone’s Salaries & Pensions in Ukraine, to the tune of Eighty Billion Dollars. So that, as Joe put it, “Every Ukrainian can have “a little something” in their pockets.” The total is nearing Two Hundred Billion Dollars and Biden keeps sending more.
The Wife of Moscow’s Mayor Gifted Hunter Biden a near flawless 5 Karat Diamond after brokering Cobalt and Lithium Deals that we need right here at home. Hunter has never been registered as a Foreign Agent, as required by law. Not to mention we’re buying back Forty Percent of our own Uranium, thanks to the Deal Hillary Clinton cut with Putin. That’s back when Joe was V.P. and she was Sec. of State. In fact, all ofthese wheels started in motion when the Obama – Biden Whitehouse was first forming.
Here’s how he is so compromised. Through his Brother, James & Son, Hunter as well as others in what is rapidly becoming known as The Biden Crime Family in some circles. Since it has been confirmed The Laptop From Hell is real (if you didn’t know that you need to pay more attention) more and more ties are being made between the Dirty Business Dealings with Russian and Ukrainian Oligarchs, as well as The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Hunter, Jim and the boxes of Classified Material that Joe has been toting around since his days as a Young Senator. Until Joe was placed in the office he holds now, he has never had the Authority to Declassify Anything. Yet, it was reported that nine more boxes of Classified Materials were found in a Boston office, just days ago. These boxes of Classified Material found all up and down the East Coast and in his Garage, next to his Corvette, appear to have direct links to some of the Materials and Dirty Business Dealings tucked in between the Naked Pictures, Hookers, Drugs & Guns Files of The Laptop From Hell.
Okay, Paul. Let’s assume you’re 100% Correct. That just leaves us with Kamala. That’s fine. She gets put on 30 Days Notice. Either she gets her act together, gets the Country’s act together and tells Europe it’s time for them to step up to the plate in Ukraine, or she’s out on her ear too. Then guess what…..Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy becomes President of the United States through Succession. Brilliant!
Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski and the rest of The Uniparty would never let that happen though. The People would once again Control the Government rather than the Control the Government has over The People now. In the 70s The Uniparty realized the Energy Crisis gave them at least some Control over the Populous. In the early 2000s Fuel Cost went through the roof again and a recession followed. Their claim is that The Bubble Simply Burst, but, boy, did they realize just how much Control they had gained. Dr. Fauci and the Covid 19 – Wuhan China Virus – came along and that was the Iron Fist they needed to Seal the Deal. Now Joe is urging The W.H.O. to take over World Sovereignty for Anything They Deem a Pandemic or Public Health Threat. That includes Deeming Firearms of All Types to be a Public Health Threat. Why not, they did such a fantastic job with this Pandemic. I’m asking for Everyone to please start applying Critical Thinking to Everything You See & Hear. The Talking Heads and Pundits in the Mainstream Media do not have your Best Interest in mind. They are either blindly lapping up what they are being served by The Uniparty, being Willfully Ignorant, or, they are working With The Uniparty to Curry Favor. Get out and Educate your Friends and Neighbors. This Administration Must Be Stopped Before It’s Too Late.
Language
Language
Contributed by Katherine Baker
Limited, pivoted by sound,
inside where the profound abounds,
distinct thoughts but no words around.
Inmate
Inmate
Contributed by Katherine Baker
If life imitates art,
then all are words on a page,
confined and constrained.
If art imitates life
then all exceed the page,
beyond bounds
established by another.
One is Oppression,
One is Freedom.
God is Your Home
God is Your Home
Contributed by Katherine Kammermeyer
Guilt,
You can hide and wilt
Under the weight of pain
Sob until you are robbed of breath
And drift into a temporary death
For one day, you will gain
Strength and Growth,
And wisdom new
Let the tears out
Raise your head to the sky and shout
Don’t let your mind doubt
That God is there
Even when life isn’t fair
He will be able to fare
Every hurt and every care
You aren’t alone
God is your home
Do Things Right
Do Things Right
Contributed by Maxine Franklin
Blot not the blue dot.
Nor spin to soup the green pod.
Bare feet pound brown ground.
Trails of wind tangle in your hair.
Personal Taxes on Alaskans Would Be Harmful
Personal Taxes on Alaskans Would Be Harmful
Contributed by Erick Cordero Giorgana
Alaska’s newly-elected and returning state legislators will face the annual challenge of balancing our state budget during a time when oil prices continue to fluctuate. Revenue forecasts are poor, which likely means that legislators are having bills drafted to impose new taxes on hardworking Alaskans. But the range of harmful consequences for any new personal tax is broad, as outlined in a recently published economic study.
Unfortunately, bad policy such as an income tax, continues to be taken seriously. A proposal to create a new income tax on Alaskans was put forth by the Alaska House Ways and Means Committee in 2021. That’s just the tip of the iceberg: in 2021-22, over 30 bills were introduced by individual Alaska legislators proposing all manner of new taxes and fees.
During the past few years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related federal legislation, Alaska received an infusion of relief funds, which made it easier on legislators who might otherwise have struggled to balance our state budget. To add to that, the war between Russia and Ukraine that erupted in 2022 caused oil prices to spike significantly, creating an influx of state revenue from oil taxes. And while the legislature didn’t spend it all, the Fiscal Year 2023 budget was very large, and frankly, irresponsible, The capital budget, which usually funds one-time project-related expenses, was the highest it has been in many years.
With the stream of federal money now waning, the Fiscal Year 2024 budget will be a completely different story. Legislators will likely be looking for even more ways they can tax Alaskans rather than have to make hard decisions about streamlining the state budget. And yet it’s clear that new personal taxes will only make things worse.
The new study, titled “The Economic Implications of an Alaska Income Tax or Its Alternatives,” found that if new personal taxes are enacted in Alaska, Alaska's economy and population will continue to shrink. This is an obvious concern for our already-struggling state.
It’s no secret that Alaska has a higher cost-of-living than residents of the lower 48. What most Alaskans may not realize is that this means we pay a federal income tax premium. The new studyfound that the federal tax burden for Alaskans is so high that it’s essentially comparable to (and often more than) state income taxes paid by residents of other states.
In fact, Alaskans would have to pay twice as much in state income taxes as in many other states if we reimposed an Alaska individual income tax. This means that new personal income taxes foisted on Alaskans would add a grievous financial burden to those already struggling to get by in these times of high inflation.
Among the consequences of increased taxes is the rise in resident outmigration. As many of our businesses and industries are already experiencing a shortage of employees, this situation will only be magnified by outmigration. Recently, the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development issued a report confirming that net outmigration is indeed occurring, meaning there are more Alaskans leaving than people moving to our great state—with a clear, negative impact on the economy.
As Alaskans, we’ve always taken pride in being trailblazers – we set an excellent standard by repealing our income tax 40 years ago and other states have since followed suit. Just in the last two years, 21 states have either eliminated their income tax, or reduced their tax rates. In this instance, Alaska needs to stick with the pack.
During a time of economic uncertainty, the introduction of new personal taxes will hurt Alaskans. Our state budget should instead be balanced by focusing on policies that emphasize cost containment, ensuring that spending is kept within reasonable limits. It is imperative for policymakers to drive our state toward efficiency and reduction of burdensome regulations so that our economy can recover and Alaskans can thrive.
Erick Cordero Giorgana is Vice President of Operations at Alaska Policy Forum. He has a BA in Political Science and a Minor in History from Loyola University in New Orleans. Before joining APF, he worked as lead staff to several state legislators and served on the Mat-Su School Board.