Changes! Events! Big Things at Black Birch Books in Wasilla!
Is Alaska’s government terminal?
Contributed by Wes Keller
I listened to my Senator, Mike Shower, explaining on the radio why his colleagues kicked him out of the majority caucus. What a zoo! We watch in stunned amazement (from a distance) and it is frustrating. We are watching abusive injustice against voters… (us). Senator Showers represents my values well and now he/we are neutralized by whatever game our legislators are playing! It is an affront to all Alaskans because it mocks the Alaska Constitutional assurance: “All political power is inherent in the people…” (Article I.2). Alaskans sent a Republican Majority of legislators to Juneau which means Senator Shower, by association, represents the values of a majority of Alaskans. We are a Red State and hold vetted red-state values clearly accessible on-line as a party platform. The platform is a product of hard work in a grass roots, open to all, process. So, why are we forced to tolerate, year after year, the insult of legislative organizational abuse that mocks who we are?
My years of experience in Juneau taught me arcane traditions prevail in the Juneau legislative culture. The best we could do with our collaboration and consensus was create a ‘survival of the fittest’ legislative environment. Rules get established over time, shaped by a Constitution that intentionally created a weak legislature! This, plus a provision of an apolitical revenue stream (the legislature has no credible need to pass tax legislation for the lion’s share of the budget), allows energy for a childish game of legislative “king on the mountain”. The “on-the-job training” for new legislators in the organizational process includes dealing with being outwitted and bullied by insider senior legislators who have been previously domesticated to adequately fund the “deep state”. Many legislators who would otherwise succeed because of their integrity and expertise, find themselves side-lined (like Shower) when all the forces for big government are accumulated against them. In effect, Alaska’s legislation is censured to allow only a mixture of fluff (naming bridges, fighting over coincided designs, creating holidays to honor people or state events, resolutions with no legal authority), or, any legislation to fund the deep state (the SB 115 tax makes my point). Responsible spending laws, or laws trying to fix the constitution get no traction. The legislators in “leadership” (some are good friends) are victims, not tyrants. They have often had to restrain themselves from expressing their red-state values in order to acquire their authority. To earn their influence to fight for their constituent’s “share” at the trough. They have had to pay their dues to powers greater than the powers of the legislature.
There is ample evidence that our “red-state values” have slipped to accommodate this mess. As a culture, we abhor meaningful partisan wars, in spite of the fact heart-felt debate actually reveals America’s (any Republic’s) good health! Diverse perspectives require “air”! If we believe we really have been created equal, we must endure passion of arguments. Remember the lukewarm Senate “Bi-partisan Working Group? (Circa 2008) How did that work out? Check your history and consider the quality of the Senators ultimately disenfranchised (like Senator Shower) in that fiasco. (Senators Dyson, Therriault, Huggins… statesmen with solid values). We are ignoring the symptom of disease when we tell ourselves we prefer bi-partisan pablum… it simply does not work that way. We are so far down this road, any repair of original constitutional imbalances is hard to imagine, especially when they are proposed by defrocked legislators! Remember, in Alaska’s imbalanced Constitution, any Constitutional amendment must be approved by 2/3 of the entire legislature before “we the people” get a vote. In my opinion, this imposes an almost impossible threshold unless we start a passionate political war. I respectively predict Senator Shower’s proposed constitutional amendment (SJR 17) to repair this mess is hardly worth the paper it is written on because we tolerate bipartisan legislative leadership that will not move this type of legislation!
We are dealing with the unintentional consequence of lack of checks and balances intentionally instituted into our constitution. Popular wisdom once was, we supposedly had too few people to pay for government in a massive geographic area. Incredibly, some still believe this even after seeing our oil wealth. This argument was used to justify creation of an administrative government significantly diminishing the role of the legislature. Alaskan tweaks of traditional constitutional values are having a profound impact far beyond what was probably anticipated. It is now not enough for constituents to
get angry with their legislators because they fail to fix the problem because they can’t—without unprecedented engagement of politically passionate people. If we continue to allow the ruling class in the “deep state” to overthrow conservatives such as Senator Showers, Governor Dunleavy, and others, we lose! It is an open question as to whether we can possibly repair our government, or not…. the Alaskan version of “deep state” may be a terminal condition!
Wes Keller | WesKeller.com
LGBTQ Alaskans Need Protections
Contributed by Fred Kalt
As a long-closeted gay Mormon, I know what it feels like to live in fear of harassment and discrimination. I grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and my family had very conservative values.
I was married to a woman for 19 years and had six children. When I came out as gay at the age of 52 and met my partner, I was immediately excommunicated from the church.
Still, I remain faithful and have found joy in living my life open and true.
I moved to Alaska to work in the canneries in 1974, then was employed as a nurse until I retired. I came out as gay at work and was aware that some people were uncomfortable with me and other gay colleagues.
I was also very aware that in Alaska, I could be fired at any time for being gay. Knowing that I was not protected was a part of my daily life, and I feared for myself and others who could be terminated at any time without explanation.
That’s why I was heartened to hear about three recent Supreme Court cases related to LGBTQ employment discrimination. The court has a chance to affirm that all LGBTQ people should be able to work hard and support themselves and their families without fear of discrimination.
Many may be shocked to know there is no federal law that provides explicit nondiscrimination protections And Alaska has no express statewide protections against discrimination for LGBTQ people.
If the state cannot do right by LGBTQ people, it becomes even more important that the Supreme Court and federal government step in to ensure that all people are protected at work, in housing, and in public spaces.
I fear that if the Court doesn't do the right thing, more people will take its ruling as encouragement to discriminate against LGBTQ people. We must do all we can to secure these protections.
I still believe that churches are important to the movement and can be a huge help in getting legislation passed. I am a person of morals and faith and I believe we are all God’s children.
I interpret the Bible like many others do, to be loving of all people. This makes it hard to understand how religious leaders can sanction discrimination.
I have 17 grandchildren living in Alaska. One of my grandsons is gay. These protections are not only important for me and my friends, but my family. I love living in Alaska, and am grateful that my family chooses to live in Alaska as well. I cherish all our shared time and holidays together. However, if no protections for LGBTQ Alaskans are enacted, I fear that they may choose to leave for states that protect them, and their LGBTQ friends and colleagues. I have seen families split up for this reason, and worry it could happen to mine.
I would like to call on religious conservatives who are hesitant about LGBTQ nondiscriminaton protections to spend time with LGBTQ people. I think that may help them realize that we should be treated equally.
God’s biggest concern is us getting along with each other. The first commandment is to love thy brother as thyself. Without caveats. We should take that to heart and treat all people fairly.
Fred Kalt lives in Wasilla and is proud to be a part of the LGBTQ family in Alaska.
Is Alaska’s government terminal?
Contributed by Wes Keller
I listened to my Senator, Mike Shower, explaining on the radio why his colleagues kicked him out of the majority caucus. What a zoo! We watch in stunned amazement (from a distance) and it is frustrating. We are watching abusive injustice against voters… (us). Senator Showers represents my values well and now he/we are neutralized by whatever game our legislators are playing! It is an affront to all Alaskans because it mocks the Alaska Constitutional assurance: “All political power is inherent in the people…” (Article I.2). Alaskans sent a Republican Majority of legislators to Juneau which means Senator Shower, by association, represents the values of a majority of Alaskans. We are a Red State and hold vetted red-state values clearly accessible on-line as a party platform. The platform is a product of hard work in a grass roots, open to all, process. So, why are we forced to tolerate, year after year, the insult of legislative organizational abuse that mocks who we are?
My years of experience in Juneau taught me arcane traditions prevail in the Juneau legislative culture. The best we could do with our collaboration and consensus was create a ‘survival of the fittest’ legislative environment. Rules get established over time, shaped by a Constitution that intentionally created a weak legislature! This, plus a provision of an apolitical revenue stream (the legislature has no credible need to pass tax legislation for the lion’s share of the budget), allows energy for a childish game of legislative “king on the mountain”. The “on-the-job training” for new legislators in the organizational process includes dealing with being outwitted and bullied by insider senior legislators who have been previously domesticated to adequately fund the “deep state”. Many legislators who would otherwise succeed because of their integrity and expertise, find themselves side-lined (like Shower) when all the forces for big government are accumulated against them. In effect, Alaska’s legislation is censured to allow only a mixture of fluff (naming bridges, fighting over coincided designs, creating holidays to honor people or state events, resolutions with no legal authority), or, any legislation to fund the deep state (the SB 115 tax makes my point). Responsible spending laws, or laws trying to fix the constitution get no traction. The legislators in “leadership” (some are good friends) are victims, not tyrants. They have often had to restrain themselves from expressing their red-state values in order to acquire their authority. To earn their influence to fight for their constituent’s “share” at the trough. They have had to pay their dues to powers greater than the powers of the legislature.
There is ample evidence that our “red-state values” have slipped to accommodate this mess. As a culture, we abhor meaningful partisan wars, in spite of the fact heart-felt debate actually reveals America’s (any Republic’s) good health! Diverse perspectives require “air”! If we believe we really have been created equal, we must endure passion of arguments. Remember the lukewarm Senate “Bi-partisan Working Group? (Circa 2008) How did that work out? Check your history and consider the quality of the Senators ultimately disenfranchised (like Senator Shower) in that fiasco. (Senators Dyson, Therriault, Huggins… statesmen with solid values). We are ignoring the symptom of disease when we tell ourselves we prefer bi-partisan pablum… it simply does not work that way. We are so far down this road, any repair of original constitutional imbalances is hard to imagine, especially when they are proposed by defrocked legislators! Remember, in Alaska’s imbalanced Constitution, any Constitutional amendment must be approved by 2/3 of the entire legislature before “we the people” get a vote. In my opinion, this imposes an almost impossible threshold unless we start a passionate political war. I respectively predict Senator Shower’s proposed constitutional amendment (SJR 17) to repair this mess is hardly worth the paper it is written on because we tolerate bipartisan legislative leadership that will not move this type of legislation!
We are dealing with the unintentional consequence of lack of checks and balances intentionally instituted into our constitution. Popular wisdom once was, we supposedly had too few people to pay for government in a massive geographic area. Incredibly, some still believe this even after seeing our oil wealth. This argument was used to justify creation of an administrative government significantly diminishing the role of the legislature. Alaskan tweaks of traditional constitutional values are having a profound impact far beyond what was probably anticipated. It is now not enough for constituents to
get angry with their legislators because they fail to fix the problem because they can’t—without unprecedented engagement of politically passionate people. If we continue to allow the ruling class in the “deep state” to overthrow conservatives such as Senator Showers, Governor Dunleavy, and others, we lose! It is an open question as to whether we can possibly repair our government, or not…. the Alaskan version of “deep state” may be a terminal condition!
Wes Keller | WesKeller.com
An Engineer's View of Outsourcing Hi-Tech to The Orient
Contributed by Doug Ferguson -- March 9, 2020
Recently much attention has been given to our national vulnerability due to sourcing so many of our high tech goods from China ranging from electronics, to medicines. There is now the realization that this dependency, while taking advantage of cheap labor costs and lack of environmental standards in China and other Asian countries to get low manufacturing costs, creates supply line, product quality and other negative issues. The outbreak of the new corona virus has also dramatically shown how dependent for critical medicines we are on a country competing against us in every way. This new attention is good and hopefully will cause the leaders of our industries to rethink about foreign sourcing.
There is another important factor in this sourcing issue that I don't hear anybody talking about in the media (and in most cases it seems, our Board Rooms!). That is the critical role of communication between the scientists and engineers who develop the products and processes and the manufacturing engineers and other personnel who actually support the production lines. This becomes a very big problem when the development of the product is in the U.S. and the manufacturing line is in China or some other foreign country.
Talk to any engineer involved in developing a new high tech product whether it be electronic, mechanical, chemical or biological and getting it into production and they will tell you that this process involves many changes to both the product and the manufacturing process before things run smoothly. The term "Engineering Change" or "EC" is a common phrase in the language of a product engineer.
Constant feed back from the manufacturing engineers on problems starting up the actual manufacturing line to the product engineers require changes that interrupt these processes while the EC's are implemented. Also pre-EC'd product may have to be reworked, scraped or dumped and production equipment may require upgrades as the manufacturing line ramps up to its volume objectives.
In the case of a low tech, potentially high volume product this inefficient product introduction process with all it's EC's, production "tweaks" and learning curve can be offset by the eventual efficiency of a never changing high volume manufacturing process. Think nails, screws, soaps, paper products and other forms of high volume items. However, most high tech products have a much shorter life cycle before an improved or new version of the product needs to be introduced. In this case the cost of time and money spent during this manufacturing introduction phase can often consume a significant part of the product's profit and life cycle.
In addition a special situation is present in medical product manufacturing where detailed batch and even serial numbered product records must be kept on all products to meet the U.S. FDA's medical tracking requirements. Even if the demand for the medical product goes on for many years after the manufacturing process in stabilized, there is a need for constant communication on the performance of these processes in order to control quality and report this data to the FDA.
Naturally the ideal situation is where the product development team is located at the same site as the manufacturing line team. All an engineer has to do is get up from his or her desk and walk over to the line and talk to the manufacturing engineer or even the equipment operator and visa versa to find out how things are going and if changes are needed. If changes are required, the engineer making the changes can hand carry prints, procedures and even change hardware over to the line and be involved in the change. In this manner, while change release discipline is still maintained, the two groups are really working as one team to solve problems and get the line up to speed as efficiently as possible.
Now think how all this has to happen when the one team is in the U.S. and the other is in China! Besides culture, language, and time differences, the transmission of parts and procedures for dealing with EC's, requires that in many cases a product engineering team must actually travel to China to provide the communication necessary. However, when in China (or whatever country the manufacturing resides) this team doesn't have the "walk over to the desk" access to others in the product engineering area they may need if problems come up implementing the change. This problem exists even if there has been a "pilot" line at the development site to work out some initial problems.
Of course a lot of these same logistical problems can also exist if the product development team and the manufacturing team are located in different locations in the U.S. However, here we speak the same native language, can use secure digital communications and don't have to deal with international travel logistics.
Also, and this is a very significant point in my opinion, close communication between product engineers and manufacturing engineers in the long run results in the advancement of technology in general. This is an aspect of technology development few appreciate, other than those directly involved. Establishing and continuously maintaining product development and manufacturing teams that have learned to work with each other on new products over time is actually a critical technology resource.
With our outsourcing our manufacturing to other countries, especially China, we have been giving up this critical technology resource. When we keep both in the U.S., this technology capability stays in the U.S.!
Hopefully, as I mentioned at the beginning, the current attention to our dependency on China for critical products will change this terrible trend.
(Doug Ferguson has spent 40 years as an electrical engineer in the digital electronics industry introducing new technology products and processes into manufacturing here and in Japan including medical products. He is now retired and besides enjoying nature, gardening, and writing, also enjoys following technology developments, communications history and politics)
Celebrating Over 40 Years of Quality Live Theatre in the Valley
Called “the funniest farce ever written,” Noises Off presents a manic menagerie of itinerant actors rehearsing a flop called “Nothing’s On”. Doors slamming, on and offstage, intrigue, and an errant sardine, all figure in the plot of this hilarious and classically comic play.
Valley Performing Arts brings this British farce to the stage with all the pinache and style of a Benny Hill comedy! This play about a play‐within‐a‐play will keep you laughing from start to finish. Audiences are cautioned that the show does have some adult situations and language and might not be suitable for younger patrons. Come join the FUN with VPA!
NOISES OFF opens March 20th and runs through April 5th. Ticket prices are $23 Regular Admission, $21 Seniors 65+/Students 18 and younger. The production will be at The Glenn Massay Theater on the Mat‐Su College Campus, 8295 E. College Drive, off of Trunk Road in Palmer.
Call VPA at 373‐0195, visit our website www.valleyperformingarts.org, or come by the office, Monday through Friday 9AM to 3PM to purchase your tickets. Be sure to follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Valley‐Performing‐Arts.
Cindy Pendleton: The Broad with a Brush
Contributed by Charice Chambers
By the time she was three or four, Cindy Pendleton had covered the walls of her home with art. Her youthful scrawls could be found everywhere. She and her eight siblings were all artistic in one-way or another, and all were encouraged and supported by their parents. The resultant musicians, artists and writers were the fruits of that parental support.
In seventh grade, Pendleton decided to become an art teacher. She attended Wayne State University, and in 1966 received her Bachelor’s degree in Art Education. Most of her friends were settling into domestic bliss. Pendleton had different ideas as did her best friend, a music teacher. Neither considered themselves marriage material and both were ready for an adventure. They discovered that they could each teach as government employees while moving around the world. Unfortunately, their single year of teaching experience limited their choices to either Puerto Rico or Alaska. Pendleton opted for Alaska, sand and scorpions were not her thing. Her best friend longed for warm sun and sandy beaches. A flip of a coin decided it. In August of 1967 the girls hopped in Pendleton’s old red Willy jeep and headed for Alaska. For Pendleton, the one-year adventure turned into a fifty-year-plus love affair with the state.
Alaska was good to Pendleton. There she met and married her husband and raised two children. She worked for many years as an art instructor for the Anchorage School District, retiring in 2002. During that time, she also worked with her late husband as the chief still photographer and art consultant for his film production company, Pendleton Productions. She started her own business as well: Pendleton Fine Arts.
Pendleton loves to paint. She says that she has a great internal clock and always knows within minutes just what time it is, except when she is painting. She often picks up a brush, looses track of time, and what feels like an hour or so, is actually four or five hours. For her, painting is a sheer joy. Though well skilled in many mediums, Pendleton’s media of choice has always been watercolor. She is entranced by the “freshness and immediacy of transparent watercolor.” Though she has captured a wide variety of images on canvas, from scenic vistas to animal antics, her favorite subjects are Alaska’s children. She presents them in a light hearted and loving manner that has become her distinctive signature style so appreciated by her public.
She is also known for her ‘Forget-Me-Not series: renditions of many old familiar Alaskan landmarks lost in time. From the Birdhouse, featuring its famous chicken dinners (boiled eggs) to the Rabbit Creek Inn, a well-known local eatery with a magnificent view of Cook Inlet and enough wild rabbits to fill the parking lot, Pendleton has beautifully documented our glorious past. She has recently reduced these prints to postcard style, and they are available as a set,
According to Pendleton, she doesn’t desire to hang her art in museums; she hopes to see it hung in homes, giving people joy and happiness. “If you see my art, and you smile, then I have succeeded.”
Pendleton produces limited edition prints, gallery pieces, and greeting cards, does commissioned portraits and logo design, and in short transforms paper and pigment into the story of Alaska. Many of Pendleton’s products may be found at the Matsu Senior Services Gift Shop. It is located at 1132 South Chugach Street in Palmer, across from and adjacent to Palmer Junior Middle School. The shop is open to the public from 10 am to 2 pm Monday through Friday with prices that please.
Cystic Fibrosis Spring Arts & Crafts Bazaar
Contributed by Mary Ann Johnson
Looking for a great spring event that supports a good cause? The Spring Cystic Fibrosis Bazaar will take place at Mat-Su Career & Technical High School on Saturday, April 25th, from 10AM to 4PM. This bazaar will feature handmade crafts, Alaskan made products, local businesses, and silent auction items, from nearly 90 vendors. And what is an event without food? There will be a variety of fresh, warm homemade soups, baked potato bar, nachos, baked goods, snacks, and beverages.
I have been coordinating fundraisers for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for the past 20 years. My involvement and passion for fundraising for this organization is very personal, having lost three siblings to the disease. In my years of fundraising, I have met many Alaskans living with the disease as well as the families, friends, and neighbors of people with Cystic Fibrosis. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for those affected by the disease with the end goal of finding a cure.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. There is no cure. The efforts of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, using fundraising dollars to their maximum ability, have helped improve the quality and length of life for those suffering from the disease. In 1974, when my sister passed away at age 6, that was life expectancy for someone with CF. Now, average life expectancy is around age 45 and about half of those living with CF are over the age of 18. Our fundraising efforts are paying off, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
The CF Bazaar is free and open to the public. It is a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation so please come out and support the cause. The silent auction will have lots of amazing items, some donated by the vendors and some from other community businesses. Money raised from vendor fees, silent auction, food table, and other donations will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. You won’t want to miss out on the fun!
If you are interested in participating as a vendor or would like to make a donation to the silent auction, please contact me. You can also help by visiting the bazaar Facebook page and sharing the event. Please like the page, share it often, and bring your friends and family out to shop and support the cause.
Contact information:
Event coordinator: Mary Ann Johnson
Phone/Text: 907-841-6892
Email: cffalaska@gmail.com
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/CysticFibrosisBazaar
Title: Kattam and his Tam-Tams! An incredible multicultural adventure for everyone s
Contributed by Ahliil Saitanan
Alaska Junior Theater is excited to present Kattam and his Tam-Tams to Anchorage on Friday, March 20, 2020, at 7:30 PM in the Atwood Concert Hall of the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.
To the sound of the n'goni, balafon, djembe, naffar, darbouka and dhol, percussionist Kattam invites you to discover Africa, the Middle East and India through rhythm, song and dance!
That love for world music shines through each of Kattam’s more than 200 performances a year. Accompanied by his monkey and two friends, Kattam never fails to delight and involve his audience! No matter your age, he will get you moving to the beat of his drums and help you find a beat of your own.
While in Alaska, Kattam and his Tam-Tams also will headline the 2020 Alaska Junior Theater Annual Benefit Dinner on Saturday, March 21, 2020. Please consider joining us in costume or traditional dress for this Middle Eastern Masquerade, which includes a champagne reception, dinner and silent and live auctions. It’ll be an exciting evening surrounded by exotic sights, sounds and entertainment with a Middle Eastern flare as Alaska Junior Theater celebrates 38 years of bringing professional performing arts to Alaska’s youth and community.
You can preview Kattam and his Tam-Tams at www.akjt.org. Show tickets are available at 263-ARTS or http://bit.ly/2TYgfBn. For tickets to the benefit, you can call our office at 272-7546.
Needing Book Nook Partners
Contributed by Sharon Aubrey
This year will be the second year Alaskan authors & illustrators will be joining together to bring a unique booth to the State Fair in Palmer promoting books published or authored by Alaskans. While Alaskana is our most famous genre, many of our authors write in a variety of other areas too like science-fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery, impossible crime, poetry, biography, adventure, and children’s books. The plethora of books from your fellow Alaskans is amazing.
Last year, our booth was primarily sponsored by Relevant Publishers LLC, Alaska Magazine, Best Beginnings and The People’s Paper and 34 Alaskan authors. We united as a coop concept to bring the booth into reality, but there were some unique and unexpected challenges for our first Fair. The initial obstacle was obtaining a booth, which thanks to Fair staff connecting outgoing booth owners with new booth seekers; we were able to purchase a used booth in the Spring. Unfortunately, we were unaware the booth support framing had dry-rotted in the storage lot at some point. Upon moving the booth into place, it almost tipped over. The intensity of the moment to secure the building to protect it from loss and from damaging surrounding booths was quite an adrenaline rush and not in the good way. It took almost twelve hours, working late into the night to reframe and support the front wall while the building was simultaneously tied off to my pick-up truck for support. Thankfully, the end result was a fairly straight building from the front. However, if one looked closely down the 30-foot line between the booths, our structure still had a slight lean to it that could not be adjusted.
This unexpected booth event caused us to be lovingly nicknamed the “Tipsy Book Nook” by other vendors and Fair staff, which brought great comical relief to the whole booth leaning affair. It still brings a smile to my heart when I look back now too. After the Fair, we knew it would be impossible to move or preserve the structure intact. As we began to dismantle it, we discovered not only were the major support beams dry rotted, but there were no headers for the doors and no adjoining sill plates for the walls. In laymen’s terms, there was nothing holding opposite walls together except 2 nails in each corner. It’s still a mystery how that building moved back and forth into the Fair storage lot successfully for so many years without falling apart before us. It’s probably one of the 7 the Wonders of the Construction World.
The booth building came down rather quickly, as you can image, having limited solid construction to it. Many of the materials we hoped to salvage to reconstruct another booth for 2020 were not able to be recycled. However, this year, we are hoping to partner with other businesses, community members, readers and authors to reconstruct a safe and secure booth for many years to come. In honor of our nickname, we are calling our Fair booth, “Alaska’s Book Nook,” hopefully leaving out the “tipsy” part this year.
The Alaska Historical Publication Association, a local 501c3, is joining with us to help provide a tax-deductible way for partners to donate resources to building a new book booth for our community at the State Fair. We would deeply appreciate your support of this project be it by donating new or recycled construction materials, expertise in booth design or construction, or in providing funds to purchase construction materials. Our goal is to raise $5,000 by June to allow time for construction before August. Any help you can give toward this goal is welcomed and appreciated greatly. For more information on how to donate to our book booth project, please contact Sharon Aubrey at 907-775-4516 or visit https://www.alaskanbooks.com/donate-to-the-booth-building.html
Coming and Going
Contributed by Robert Lyons
There is no dawn, suns always on
Reflective glaring alloy
Darkness comes in the lee
True darkness spinning to leave
Left long ago this lost mission
Home long gone, ages gone
Star’s light isn't seen, the scene dark
Bleak in it’s meaning, I saw the spark
Apocalyptic, but a light
Bright then gone, dark night
Alone us twelve, diaspora
A dozen ships sail sorrow
Blue wonder we found
Lunar lee
Patches of ground
Luscious activity
Descending dash into the seas
Life abundant, with splashing glee
We excitedly lift to inspect the land
From forest to mountains massive and grand
What will we find, new alloys we can mine?
Hopes are high as we search for the creature
Dirty beasts with some of the right features
Bipedal, a sizable brain-case, rapid fornicators
Our vessel pointed us to this horn of plenty
Our new home, in 10000 revolutions
Humanity's entry will come to fruition
Engineered to feast upon the universe
They will be us, I must believe
For us to go on in longevity
To them we give seed
So one day this planet, they will leave
Tear of the Thumb
Contributed by Robert Lyons
I wish I was numb to the stinging eponychium
Ripped asunder
Throbbing agony, panic attacking just a reaction
To picking my pocket or salting my digit
I wished it away as I twisted and fidgeted
Salty language echoing as I bellow in anguish
Everything dangerous , this is hangnail serious!
Merciless , this nerve running a curve from shoulder to paw
Soldering the nip could pause the fury, or bolder still
An amputation! That may kill the pounding strain
Boggles the brain how the little, the seemingly mundane
Can inspire my tome of a thumb in pain
Consent of the Governed
Contributed by Kevin McCabe
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed . . .”
A recent op-ed from a local editor got me thinking about our Declaration of Independence and perhaps the most important and powerful words in that document. The Governed or “we the people” grant our consent to be governed. Without our consent the Government ceases to exist. This is fundamental to the Declaration, our Constitution, and our Bill of Rights.
The Alaska constitution echoes the US Constitution when it says:
“All political power is inherent in the people. All government originates with the people, is founded upon their will only and is instituted solely for the good of the people as a whole.”
What is missing from the Alaska Constitution is the follow-on verse in the US Constitution:
“– - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem mostly likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
WHOA! Is this what the recall Dunleavy rabble are trying to do? Abolish a government they don’t like? They didn’t spend the time to know Dunleavy’s platform when he was running - or maybe didn’t vote - and now they want to recall him; in effect withdrawing their consent because Dunleavy is doing what he said he would do. Can the rest of us, those who support Dunleavy, allow this perversion? Should we let a vocal few, with ties to non-profits, unions, or special interests, use this process to alter or abolish our government and remove our duly elected Governor?
It is unfortunate that those who did not vote at all in the last election opened the door for this recall effort. Alaska’s dismal voter turnout makes it easy for outsiders and special interests to take the first steps to abolish our government. Low voter turnout makes it easy because it shrinks the number of people needed on a recall petition (or a voter initiative). The Recall Dunleavy group is emboldened by the relatively low number of signatures needed. We should all be alarmed by this.
A statement attributed to Thomas Jefferson, but which more accurately came from Irish speaker, politician, lawyer and judge, John Philpot Curran's goes like this:
"The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt."
This statement, in recent centuries, has become “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.”
Eternal vigilance includes voting; smart voting. We must be knowledgeable on the issues, candidates and their views on the issues, as well as the political process. When I was growing up, we were told “never talk politics or religion at the dinner table.” But during the formation of our great country that is ALL they talked about – at the dinner table, in the pubs, and in the pulpits. We need to get back to that ideal. The government is our responsibility and deserves more focus than a video game or Facebook.
Some apparently believe the way to express disdain for everything political, as well as for government, is to remove individual consent by not voting. During my campaign, I have heard and witnessed apathy or disinterest many times. I’ve heard: “I am not really political,” or “I am not sure what district I am in” and similar sentiments too many times to count. The problem is that low participation gives easy access to those who want to change our country into something most of us may not like. And, by the time we realize what is happening it is too late and we have a socialist paradise where 50 or 60% of our income goes to fund free stuff; or possibly a fundamentalist country, governed by the precepts and dogma of a single religion.
Lack of voter vigilance whether from apathy or low information will get us to those positions faster than any revolution. It will, in fact, abolish the current government; not via an armed insurrection but by a bloodless anonymous insurgency.
Like or Dislike Dunleavy, the recall effort sets a dangerous precedent. And if a voter did not vote in Dunleavy’s election it seems like they have no business signing a petition or voting to abolish his Governorship.
Wasilla Warrior Baseball
Contributed by Nolan Murphy
Playing baseball in Alaska can be a difficult experience, hours of time indoors in the offseason and expensive prices for facility usage, equipment and travel. Despite these things, every year, teams from around Alaska compete against one another for the state championship. In 2019, Wasilla High School took home its first state championship in school and valley history. Winning this championship took a lot of hard work and support, and we thank everyone who supported us in our championship run. In 2020 Wasilla High School is looking to defend their state championship title along with a plan to upgrade to their facilities to ensure a better playing and viewing experience.
The season kicks off with our annual fundraising dinner auction on Saturday, April 4th at 6:00 PM at Mat-Su Career and Technical High School. You can purchase tickets for a prime rib dinner prepared by Chef Mike Graham for $20 from any Wasilla High School baseball player. Along with the dinner, there will also be a silent auction for desserts and various items. If you would like to donate an item or receive more information, please contact Team Mom Cyndi Boyett (907 414 0173) or visit the Wasilla Warriors Baseball Facebook page.
My teammates and I have been heading out into the community to ask businesses to help support our fundraising efforts. We have many sponsorship opportunities and if you’d like your business banner to be displayed on our fence, Mom Boyett must receive your money and graphics by April 3.
Even if you can’t contribute to our fundraising efforts, the best ways to show your support for our team is by attending our home games at the Wasilla High School field. The first game is April 20th against West High School at 6:30 PM. There are no gate or parking fees at any of our home games, which is why our fundraising efforts are so important.
On behalf of the entire Wasilla High School Baseball Team, we thank you for all of your support and look forward to seeing you at the field.
Class of 2021
News From The Valley Fine Arts Association
Local art is being displayed all around the Valley! If you are interested in seeing some of the
work our local artists are creating here are some venues for you to check out in March and April.
KALADI BROS
March: Karen Wichert
April: Beth McElroy
VAGABOND BLUES
March: Maureen KELLY
BEAR PAW BREWING CO.
March: Carolyn Hayes
April: Diane Paoletti
ADVANCED PHYSICAL THERAPY
March: Terry Phillips
April: Michelle Cornelius
EAR, NOSE AND THROAT OF ALASKA
March and April: Michelle Cornelius
ALLSTATE INSURANCE
(TEBOW) PALMER
March and April: Linda Peters
BURGER JIM
March: Barbara Hunt and Mimi DeGange
April: Arial Potts
Local art is also on display at Humdingers and 203 Kombucha in Palmer.
Calling all artists! If you would like to meet other artists and create art together, the Valley Fine Arts Association meets several times a month. On the first Friday of the month we meet from 1 to 4 at the Wasilla Area Seniors Inc. On Friday, March 20th, we’ll meet at the Palmer Public Library. Mark Andrews will demonstrate how to draw realistic eyes- demo starts at 2PM. We will meet at Mat-Su College, room 212 FSM Building between 11 and 4 on Saturday, March 21st. Michelle Cornelius will be demonstrating how to paint an ocean/beach scene in acrylics.
Come and paint with us!
For more information contact the VFAA at PO Box 873277/Wasilla, AK 99687.
Matching a Shelter Rescue Dog to a Family
Contributed by Angie Lewis
Traditionally, in the past, when an animal shelter attempted to find a home for a dog, they experienced some disadvantages. Often, these facilities were in out of the way areas that were not easily accessible to the general public. Also, the shelter staff lacked the expertise to help match dogs with the appropriate family. - dooming the chances that the dog had of remaining in the home.
Now, many shelters bring their adoptable animals to off-site adoption locations, such as pet supply stores or mega adoption events. In addition, shelter staff now has access to training opportunities that enhance their understanding of dog behavior and the use of positive training strategies. There are many temperament assessments that can offer the staff a window into the personality of each dog’s strengths and challenges. However, it is wise to consider the validity of a temperament assessment in the environment of a shelter experience. The loud, smelly, frightening characteristics of shelter life do not bring out the best in a dog. Also, a dog’s breed should not be a deciding factor in evaluating his behavior, but rather, all dogs should be considered as individuals.
Shelter life is very stressful for animals and although the dog is safe and cared for, his emotional well-being is not adequately cared for as it should be – through no fault of the shelter staff. They do the best they can under the circumstances.
Shelters make decisions about a dog based on the animal’s behavior and temperament, not how long he has been at the shelter or a lack of space or exercise. Not everyone, myself included, believes that temperament evaluations are fair or necessarily accurate. I believe that these other factors certainly should be considered.
The results of these temperament tests aren’t simply about determining if a dog is “good” or “bad”, but focus on characteristics that might be unacceptable to some families and tolerable by others. So, these tests should offer a picture of the type of dog and the family decides if they are willing to deal with this personality. All dogs should be observed for at least three days to see how they react to the stress of the shelter environment.
The temperament test determines whether a dog likes to be petted; is frightened by noise; guards food or toys; enjoys interactions with people; how he reacts to young children, babies, and other animals; is easy to arouse; and accepts touching; among other things.
Families are then matched to dogs that will fit in with their lifestyle. Learning more about the dog that the family is hoping to adopt will hopefully prevent the dog being returned to the shelter. It would be wonderful if shelters could provide training opportunities for the dogs that they adopt out and help these families to recognize and deal with behavior problems.
Farm Prom Thank You!
Contributed by Amy Pettit
On behalf of the Alaska Farmland Trust I would like to thank all of you who came out to enjoy Palmers first Farm Prom! It was such a thrill to see so many people dressed up in suits and ties, ball gowns and heels. Clearly Palme was ready for a fun night out as over 150 of your friends and neighbors enjoyed the spectacular evening.
I’d like to start by thanking Richelle Plummer, former Vice President of the Mat Su Farm Bureau, our co-host for the event. Among many other roles, Richelle coordinated the food, which was the highlight of the evening. Working with Rempel Family Farm, Hungate Farm, VanderWeele Farm, Reimers Micro Farm, Bushes Bunches, Blue Creek Livestock, Mat-Su Farm Co-Op and SubZero Freeze Drying, Richelle had a vision of serving and ALL Alaska Grown meal to attendees…and she NAILED IT! The food was amazing!
Huge thanks to longtime Alaska Grown supporter and promoter Clayton Jones of Ember Custom Foods for the creativity of the menu and knowing how to pull it all together. We are sincerely thankful to Vagabond Blues and Turkey Red for preparing menu items, sourcing additional local products, and more. Laurie and Alex embody the spirit of giving back and didn’t hesitate to go above and beyond in helping to make this was a delicious evening.
Events such as this are not successful without an entire team of volunteers, donors, sponsors and supporters. Thanks to my Farmland Trust Board Members Leslie & Denise for helping check people in, sell swag and raffle tickets…and to Ty & Ternese who were ‘voluntold’ to help as well – THANK YOU!
Sponsors of Farm Prom included: Brad Daggett, Country Financial; Craig Taylor Equipment – who also brought that beautiful green & yellow tractor for outside; State Farm, Mike Devine; Matanuska Electric Association; and our media sponsor – Make A Scene, the Peoples Paper and 95.5 Hatcher Pass Radio.
The event was an all-around success with attendees raving about the food, the fun, the atmosphere, the delicious kombucha from 203 Kombucha and rhubarb lemonade from Bushes Bunches.
Farmland Trust has never hosted an event without relying on (the one and only!) Sabrena Combs to handle beer service. Thanks to Sabrena and Kalea Hogate for doing yet another fabulous job! Farm Prom featured five different beers from Palmers’ newest brewer, Lazy Mountain Brewing Co. and Sabrena and Kalea did a fabulous job of keeping patrons informed and served. Thank you for your endless and generous support ladies.
A huge shout-out to James Hastings who reached out to me the week of the event to offer his support and assistance. James acted as an emcee and auctioneer throughout the evening, making sure attendees knew what they were supporting and encouraging generosity. James and his lovely wife Mary stayed until the very end of the evening, even helping to stack chairs and put away tables. There is no better volunteer than one like that.
A big thank you to Dave & Andrea Fuller, owners of Cobb Street Market for putting together the beautiful gift bags that we auctioned off. We also had contributions from Seeds & Soils Farm in Palmer – thank you Jennifer!
Glenda Smith Realty sponsored the much-loved Farm Prom Photo Booth with pictures taken by Dan of Droneworks Alaska - what a fun touch that was! Thank you Glenda and Dan.
Finally, you can’t throw a good dance party without great dance music and boy did we get this one right! Thanks to Ken Peltier for once again running excellent sound for both The Ken Peltier Band and special guests I Like Robots! The crowd thoroughly enjoyed both bands and we can’t wait to invite them to our next gathering! A rumor of dance lessons to coincide with next years Farm Prom is circulating amongst organizers…stay tuned!
Thanks again to this community for supporting our agricultural industry. All of the proceeds from Farm Prom will be split between the Mat Su Chapter of the Farm Bureau whose mission is agriculture advocacy and the Alaska Farmland Trust who continues to work hard to permanently protect agricultural soils.
If you’d like any additional information about one of the businesses mentioned here, would like to get involved with Farm Prom next year, or have additional feedback about the event, please contact Amy at AmyPettit@akfarmland.com
Combating Opinions
Contributed by Nan Potts
Let me not omit the facts and subscribe to omitted truths. Lies are those that alter minds and warp the hearts of men. Or, in bending truth, heap destruction upon one’s foes. Where is thy information sought for a thorough story make? Voluble opinion as the truth without substantiation, leads down a path to ruin.
What drives this animus of diverging views or attitudes when apprised? However real, they may prove false, thou art shielded from the muzzling censors and are free to openly opine.
Why look for flaws to drive fervor through the ranks and stir the mob to frenzy? Perhaps undo a wrongful act or, instead, manipulate the many?
What basis hast thou to act as judge for the collective, if one’s opinion holds the truth for only thou? As with Milton, I concur, “Many opinions for opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making.”
Be certain, as good men, thy judgement rests on candid grounds.
Attention business owner! Workers compensation information.
Contributed by Khrista Huntley
In August of 2019 The State of Alaska Division of Workers Compensation, in participation with The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development issued new rules pertaining to Workers Compensation requirements for Business Owners in Alaska.
For the most part, these new rules have only been brought to the attention of Industry folks, who regularly receive bulletins and updates from the State about Insurance Regulation changes and updates. The State of Alaska is not contacting business owners individually to disseminate these new rules.
Prior to August of 2019, Corporations Owners could opt-out of providing coverage for themselves by simply filing an Executive Waiver with the State of Alaska Workers Compensation Division. Owners of Limited Liability Corps (LLC’s) were also allowed to go without coverage on themselves. Now there are much more stringent rules to claim exemption for Ownership coverage.
Does your business fall under either of these categories? If you are a C Corp, S Corp or LLC I recommend that you get in touch with your trusted Insurance Professional so they can help guide you in making an informed decision. It may turn out that you are one of the thousands of business owners that now need to purchase Workers Compensation coverage for yourself. Your agent can help determine whether you’re currently compliant; and give you an estimate of the cost. Most Independent Agents and Brokers here in the Valley offer Workers Compensation Policies.
You can also contact the Alaska Division of Workers Compensation Special Investigations Unit at 907-269-4002, or toll free at 888-372-8330. The State has made available a brochure outlining these changes on their website at Alaska.gov.
Fines for operating your business out of compliance with the Workers Comp Division can be up to $1000 per day, for every day you have payroll, so don’t delay!
If you’re interested in receiving a free copy of the latest Employer Guide to Workers Compensation Act give Alaska Insurance Solutions a call at 907-376-1030 and we’ll send one out to you.
Agent 907
Alaska Insurance Solutions, Owner/Agent
A Sunny Day In May
Contributed by Yvonne Moss
———
A sunny day in May,
Clear skies hold back the gray,
‘Cause everyone today is gay,
Hurray!
The circus comes to town,
Children, along the streets, are found
Cheering elephant and clown,
Resound!
They jockey for a better view,
Complete with cars and pickups too,
To watch for beast and bright balloon,
Their hue!
The acts, they pause to say,
“Come and watch us at play,
For we don’t have long to stay,
Today!”
The gayety moves on,
Among the crowd they fawn,
Such excitement they have drawn,
Soon gone!
This only happens once a year,
Most everyone in town will hear,
The shouts and squeals of happy cheer,
Most clear!
Red trucks bring up the rear,
The end of parade is near,
And those ready in cleanup gear,
Appear!
The day has come and gone,
It’s time to move along,
But the air’s still filled with song,
And throng!
What a glorious way,
To spend a springtime day,
Can’t wait until next May,
That crazy, lazy, mazy day, come May.