Seeking Alaskan Truths in 2021 (2021©donnliston.co) Living the Alaskan Lifestyle is by definition active. Sitting at a computer screen or looking at a phone are not active pursuits. So, having lived the Alaskan Lifestyle 60 years means I have mostly found my groove in dealing with demands of Alaskan Life—I’ve done enough Alaskan stuff […]
Alaska’s Economy Now (2021©donnliston.co) Edna DeVries was elected mayor of the MatSu Borough November 2 and will take over as chief executive of the most economically vibrant region of Alaska. Edna DeVries, Mayor of MatSu Borough .As a precursor to the election on October 20 Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (AKLWD)
Quality of Life in the MatSu Valley Read More »
The Alaska Railroad Deception Alaskans love the Alaska Railroad. I was reminded of what a delightful part of Alaska this historic railroad represents when Waneta Borden and I won a free trip to Denali during the Willow Winter Carnival raffle in 2019. We enjoyed every minute of the trip in mostly empty cars during summer
Is this any way to run a Railroad? Read More »
MatSu Food Bank Builds Community MatSu Food Bank Executive Director, Eddie Ezelle, took me for a tour of the organization’s new facility on Blue Lupine Rd. in Wasilla. At any given time there are as many as 18 Food Pantries in the Matanuska Susitna Valley providing nutritious food to local residents, some supplied by the MatSu
Feeding Alaskans in Mat-Su Read More »
How Agriculture Works in Alaska (2021©donnliston.co) The theme of the long-time Spenard bar fits many, but not all, Alaska farmers. Alaska gardeners are familiar with the work of Jeff Lowenfels, a local authority on plants and gardening, who together with Wayne Lewis wrote a book called Teaming with Microbes for those who want
Let’s talk about Fertilizer Read More »
Edgar Blatchford, a born-again Democrat, spoke to EaglExit recently about how local government can be formed or changed and opportunities to consider.(Photo by Waneta Borden) It’s a mean world. Big fish eat little fish and bullies often get their way. Russian traders came to Alaska to enslave the Natives and decimate bountiful fur seals and
The Important Role of Local Government: Opportunities to Exploit Read More »
Bridging Businesses and Customers with New Payment Options (2021©donnliston.co) Zofinancial.com At some point the Southcentral Alaska economy damaged by Covid-19 will recover for businesses impacted by Anchorage Emergency Orders. Loss of both business and customer confidence may require new options to allow commerce between customers who cannot obtain financing due to deflated credit scores and
Meeting Economic Challenges Read More »
Do more farms mean more production for Alaskans? In his self-satisfied memoir—written after serving two terms as Alaska’s fifth governor–Jay Hammond, in his book Tales of Alaska’s Bushrat Governor, reflects on …major disappointments in my second term. One, deemed by many the biggest blunder of my administration, was an attempt to promote Alaska agriculture. [1]
Steps to Food Security for Alaska: Are Alaska Agriculture Efforts Working? Read More »
Matanuska Brewing Company Innovates (2021©donnliston.co) Dining in our own bubble; Waneta Borden, Bill Borden, Brenda Borden and this writer, recently had a wonderful meal at Matanuska Brewing Company in Eagle River. Matanuska Brewing Company owner Matt Tomter believes his business absorbed the pandemic shutdown better than some other area businesses because of innovation to safely
Challenges from Anchorage Read More »
Opportunity Lost The State of Alaska has a high opinion of the value of Agriculture Land, which includes Agricultural Homesteads with Agricultural Rights Only, and Fee Simple land with Agricultural Covenants. Perhaps that is why so little ag land is in production in Alaska. It is just too valuable to allow much of it to
The Sorry State of Alaska Agriculture: Kodiak Island Area Beef Production Read More »
