Valley Edition: Katherine Gardner, Deputy Superintendent of Business & Operations for Mat-Su Borough School District.
Aug 22, 2026
Join host Emily Forstner as she interviews Katherine Gardner, Deputy Superintendent of Business & Operations for the Mat-Su Borough School District. Listen in as they discuss the funding issues facing the school district.
Inside The City: Jude Bilafer, City of Palmer’s Director of Public Works Department.
Aug 21, 2026
Jude Bilafer, the Director of Public Work’s joins host Mike Chmielewski on Inside The City to discuss the ongoing and future plans of thePublic Works Department.
In Summary: August 19th, 2026
Aug 21, 2026
Emily Forstner talks with Mike Chmielewski about the August 19th, 2026, Mat-Su School Board meeting. School has started! Eyes out for kids at the bus stops!
image Credits: Mat-Su School District/ Mississippi Dept of Transportation
Page 2 Fri. Aug 21: Cutting crashes that involve pedestrians
Aug 21, 2026
More than half of all car crashes in the Mat-Su Borough involve pedestrians and cyclists. In fact, two-thirds of the most serious accidents involve pedestrians and cyclists. This happens on roads with no separate path.
And these crashes are not scattered across the borough. 61% of accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists happen less than a mile from a school.
Those numbers are part of a bigger picture.
The borough public works department has worked for years to improve safety around schools and at the most dangerous intersections and roads in the Mat-Su.
That effort just got some serious backing. The borough was awarded a $12.8 million federal grant called Safe Streets and Roads for All, or SS4A in addition to $3.2 million in local funding.
The data that helped win the grant came from the Mat-Su Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, or CSAP. Work on the safety plan began with a smaller Safe Streets grant in 2024. The Mat-Su Borough Assembly approved the safety plan last year.
The borough public works department could then apply for a larger, more competitive Safe Streets grant after the Safety Action Plan was approved by the Assembly.
Jamie Taylor is the program manager for the Safe Streets grant for the borough. On her desk sits a thick four-inch notebook on the Safety Action Plan.
She says the funds will go toward six projects identified in that notebook. Four of the projects are school-area specific.
Shaw Elementary will see a roundabout at the intersection of Wasilla-Fishhook Road and Paradise Lane. The work includes a separated path and sidewalk between Charley Drive and Wasilla-Fishhook.
The underpass of the Parks Highway and the railroad tracks from Newcomb Park to Railroad Avenue in Wasilla will be improved. Additional improvements along Bogard Road and Crusey Street are planned as well.
Colony Middle and High School will get a separated pathway along the east side of 49th State Street. New crosswalks will be added. A special rapid flashing beacon will be installed at the southern driveway into Colony High.
Auklet Avenue in Palmer will be paved. It connects to the underpass of the Glenn Highway that leads to Bogard Road. A new sidewalk will be built on the north side of Arctic Avenue from Gulkana Street to Academy Charter School.
Along with the four school projects, a fifth project continues the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan work. Officials from the Mat-Su Borough, Alaska Department of Transportation, Alaska State Troopers, and the Mat-Su Borough School District hold monthly meetings.
Crystal Smith is the school district transportation supervisor. She notes that everyone at that table lives in the Valley. She says many schools were built with almost no safe walking infrastructure. Her hope is that every student has the option to walk to school safely.
The grant also provides for more signs on pedestrian pathways throughout the borough that say no motor vehicles. A lot more signs. Taylor says it’s in response to a steady stream of complaints.
She notes that signs or not, it’s against Alaska Administrative Code to ride a motorized vehicle on a pedestrian pathway. Enforcement is a problem. Most pathways sit outside city limits, and the Alaska State Troopers are thinly staffed in the borough.
None of this happens overnight. Funding comes in phases: permitting, then design, then construction. Residents won’t see the results for a year or more.
“There’s so many moving parts,” Taylor says.
She likes that the borough isn’t just patching things up after something goes wrong. It’s working toward the future.
However, the grant does not cover long-term maintenance. That responsibility falls to the cities and the borough.
Full details on both the Mat-Su Comprehensive Safety Action Plan and Safe Streets and Roads for All grant can be found at SS4A.matsugov.us.
Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.
Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.
Please support Page 2 News and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.
Emily Forstner reported this Page Two article and yours truly, Lee Henrikson produced it. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Friday August 21, 2026.
Photo: Jamie Taylor holds up the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan notebooks. Photo by Emily Forstner.
Internet Weather Report: August 19th, 2026
Aug 20, 2026
Join host Mike Chmielewski with Peter House from Deep Tree as they discuss current cybersecurity threats and how much AI is a current threat in the cyber world
Page 2 Thu. Aug. 20: It’s Fair Time!
Aug 20, 2026
School has started, the weather has headed downhill, and the Fling has Flung. Unless you live under a rock, you know what happens next… Here’s a hint. There’s been a lot of activity on the Alaska State Fair Grounds.
That’s right, it’s Fair time. The Fair opens tomorrow. It runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Labor Day. Today is the last day to purchase discounted admission tickets. Head over to alaskastatefair.org to get some.
There are plenty of contests, events, and concerts to behold at the Fair. And don’t forget the food.
Tomorrow’s events include a hot-dog eating contest and a scarecrow building contest. Safari Sam and Oscar the Ostrich return to stroll around the Fair grounds and tickle your funny bone every day. Robbie the Magician will roam the grounds and amaze you with his magic. There are still tickets for the AJR concert tomorrow night. They take the Borealis stage at 7 p.m.
The 4H Horse Show happens all weekend. Events are on Friday at 6 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m at the France Equestrian Center. The show includes live arena riding, showmanship, and educational components like horse judging and hippology. Stop by and encourage our outstanding 4H youth.
Stepping away from the Fair for a moment, NOLS is holding its Outdoor Equipment Gear Tag Sale on Saturday. The sale returns after a three-year hiatus. It features used expedition gear and new merchandise with discounts up to 50%. The sale is at the NOLS campus at 5805 North Farm Loop Road. It runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Scroll down on the NOLS Alaska Facebook page for information. NOLS stands for National Outdoor Leadership School.
The Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation is looking for volunteers to work on the Gold Cord Lake trail in Hatcher Pass on Saturday. The goal is to improve trail tread and drainage. Work will involve completing a rock causeway. Hiking is moderate with no more than one and a half miles total hiked. Volunteers meet at the Independence Mine State Historical Park parking lot in Hatcher Pass at 9:30 a.m. and finish at 3:30 p.m. Visit alaska-trails.org for more information.
Heading back to the Fair, Megadeth takes the stage at the Borealis Theater on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Megadeth has been a major force in heavy music for more than four decades. They are considered a pioneering band of thrash metal. Get tickets at alaskastatefair.org.
Come meet Twiggy on Sunday at the Fair. She is the most famous aquatic squirrel in the world This pint-sized performer delights audiences as she zips across the water on tiny skis. Come see her balance, speed, and charm. She performs this unforgettable act at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. starting on Sunday at the Alaska’s News Source Corral.
Ziggy Marley plays at the Borealis Theater Sunday night. He is a nine-time Grammy Award winner, Emmy Award winner, musician, producer, activist and humanitarian. Ziggy built a legendary career that spans nearly four decades. He is the eldest son of Bob and Rita Marley. He continues a musical legacy rooted in reggae history while forging his own creative path. He takes the stage at 6 p.m. Buy your tickets in advance and plan to arrive at the fair early for this show.
The food, the fun, Twiggy and Ziggy! The Fair! Another great weekend in the Greater Palmer Metroplex.
Big Cabbage Radio will be broadcasting from the Fair every day. We are in the back right corner of Raven Hall from noon to 5 p.m. drop by say hi and meet some of your favorite Cabbagers.
Have a great day and a better tomorrow.
Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.
Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.
Please support Page 2 News and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.
Keith Peticolas reported this Page Two article and yours truly, Lee Henrikson produced it. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
Page 2 Wed. Aug. 19: Palmer Municipal Golf Course
Aug 19, 2026
John Schirack became manager of the Palmer Municipal Golf Course in April. He had managed the course at Settlers Bay for 15 years. He manages the Palmer course as a city employee unlike previous arrangements. He built a new staff and got operations established after a late start this season.
Schirack says the course is in excellent condition despite the difficult spring. He credits Superintendent Mark Troutman and the grounds crew for bringing the course around after an unusually cold winter and spring.
The irrigation system needs five to seven repairs in a typical year. It needed about 45 repairs this season. And some irrigation lines were still frozen in mid-June.
Nevertheless, golfers now tell Schirack that the Palmer Municipal Golf Course is among the best-conditioned courses in Southcentral Alaska.
The course has hosted several tournaments and group events this season. These included Granite Construction, ENSTAR, the Palmer Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, and a Parkinson’s disease fundraiser. The Palmer course championship was last weekend. Regular golf continues as the season moves toward fall.
One improvement this year is a variable-frequency drive for the irrigation pump. The new system adjusts the pumping according to the number of sprinklers operating. It can allow as many as 10 to 12 sprinklers to run at once. The old system maxed out at about five. Schirack expects the upgrade to reduce operating time, labor, and long-term costs.
Looking ahead, he would also like to replace the course’s used golf-cart fleet with new carts over time.
Schirack says the greens are the strongest feature on the course right now. The rough can be challenging. He says it’s more important to hit balls straight rather than far. This rewards golfers by keeping them on the fairway.
The regular greens fee at the course is $50. Cart rental is $24 per person. Palmer is not considering dynamic pricing unlike some nearby courses.
As winter approaches, Schirack’s priority will be protecting the irrigation system. Large compressors will blow water from the lines to prevent another difficult startup next spring.
Schirack also noted that Palmer has generally experienced less wind than Settlers Bay, although weather systems can still produce strong gusts.
He invites golfers to come out and see the course. The Palmer Municipal Golf Course is green, playing well, and in good condition after a challenging start.
This Page 2 article was based on an interview with Schirack last Friday. The interview is on bigcabbbageradio.org in Inside the City under podcasts.
Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.
Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.
Please support Page 2 News and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.
Mike Chmielewski reported this Page Two article and yours truly, Lee Henrikson produced it. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Wednesday August 19, 2026.
photo credit: Palmer Municipal Golf Course Facebook page
Ag Matters: Al Poindexter, Anchor Point Greenhouse and 2026 Alaskan Farm Family of the Year
Aug 19, 2026
Join host Ken Hoffman and his guest, Al Poindexter, owner of Anchor Point Greenhouse and winner of the 2026 Alaska Farm Family of the Year award
Al and Grace Poindexter, Alaska 2026 Farm Family of the Year
The Farm Family of the Year award was established in 2000 by the Alaska Division of Agriculture and the Alaska State Fair, with sponsorship provided by Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union, to honor an Alaska farm family that best epitomizes the spirit of the industry and to show appreciation for the hard-working Alaskans committed to agriculture.
photo/text credit: akbizmag.com
A Conversation with Mary Anne Carter, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts
Aug 18, 2026
Join host Mike Chmielewski and his guests, Mary Anne Carter, the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, and Benjamin Brown with the Alaska State Council on the Arts. Listen as they discuss how art can be used as a healing therapy and hear about Chairmans Carter trip to Alaska.
Mary Anne Carter
Mary Anne Carter was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 18, 2025, to serve as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), leading the agency with a strong, steady vision to bring the arts to every corner of the nation. Guided by the belief that the arts belong to all Americans, she works to expand opportunity and support the creative spirit that helps the nation grow. Carter also served as chairman of the NEA during President Donald J. Trump’s first term. During that time, she advanced the expansion of Creative Forces, a creative arts therapy initiative supporting service members and veterans recovering from post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological health conditions. She also strengthened major national programs such as Shakespeare in American Communities, NEA Big Read, and Poetry Out Loud, ensuring agency activities engage audiences of all ages.
Photo/text credit: National Endowment for the Arts
Page 2 Tue. Aug. 18: Save the Eagles: Use Copper Bullets
Aug 18, 2026
Lead poisoning can leave wildlife and birds blind. They may get so weak they can’t stand. They may have trouble breathing. This is a death sentence for them. How does the poisoning happen?
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game trapped golden eagles as part of a national study. About 16% of the Alaska birds had lead in them. Nearly four dozen of the eagles were from the Gunsight Mountain area near Glacier View. The national study found nearly half of eagles in many states had high levels of lead in their blood.
Lead stays in the blood for about thirty days. This means that the eagles had consumed it recently. It didn’t take long to see that blood levels of lead in the eagles in Alaska went up around hunting season. The eagles were not being shot. They were scavenging on carcasses and gut piles left by hunters.
Even hunters that meticulously clean the meat off a harvested animal will leave gut piles behind. These are rich sources of food for scavengers like eagles and foxes. But when an animal is shot with a lead bullet, the bullet splinters into a toxic cloud of lead fragments that embed in meat and organs. That’s how the lead gets into the gut area.
Birds die every year during hunting season from lead poisoning. It only takes a sliver as small as a grain of rice to kill a hawk or an eagle.
No one can tweeze out the all the tiny fragments of lead from a gut pile. Instead, hunters can change the bullets they use. Copper ammunition is accurate and effective for killing large game. It is available at Sportsman’s Warehouse, Bass Pro Shops, and 907 Ammo. And now hunters can try copper ammunition for free.
Hunting organizations created the Alaska Copper Challenge. They make it easy and inexpensive for Alaska residents to try copper bullets. They offer rebates on boxes of copper rifle ammunition or bullets for reloading. They provide a list of qualifying ammunition and where to find it. And they are showing up at Sportsman’s Shows around Alaska to get the word out.
Chickaloon resident Ron Clarke used to hunt with falcons. Falconers were concerned that lead would make its way into their birds. Falconers are one of the partners in the Alaska Copper Challenge.
“People that try the copper really like it,” says Ron. “Some say it is all they ever use any more.” He asked hunters how they started using copper bullets. Some said that they tried it because they got a $40 rebate on the bullets at the booth at the Sportsman’s Show.
If you are getting ready for hunting season, consider taking the Alaska Copper Challenge. Go to akcopperchallenge.com for info.
In other news:
It’s primary election day. Polls are open until 8 pm. If you’re not sure where to vote, go to myvoterportal.alaska.gov.
The borough assembly meets tonight at 6 p.m.
The Alaska State Fair opens on Friday at 11 a.m. You have until Thursday to buy discount tickets in advance at alaskastatefair.org.
Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.
Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.
Please support Page 2 News and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.
Kendra Zamzow reported this Page Two article and yours truly, Lee Henrikson produced it. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org. That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Tuesday August 17, 2026.
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