Year-end review

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 and witnessed enough historic events first-hand—that I often wake up in the morning with a story on my mind. That story idea MUST be reduced to words on a screen. No matter how much snow has fallen overnight, shoveling the sidewalk out of the house will wait.

 Coffee preparation first.

 My obsession to tell the stories of what I have witnessed as Alaska evolved from being a poor new state to the richest state—while Alaskans even now are emersed in the idealism of a child—draws me to the screen. Over the past year I have pursued stories and written them in hopes that cherished readers might learn facts they didn’t previously know about things they might not have cared about before, by looking at what I have written on a screen.

So I understand why Alaskans might delay the prospect of reading a story I have written and posted knowing they need to shovel the sidewalk. But here it is, the end of the year and in case you want to go back and read about something formerly of passing interest, I am providing an index by theme of the ideas and hard facts I have relayed on
this blog over 2021. 

Read Sheldon Air Service story here: https://donnliston.net/2021/08/what-would-don-and-roberta-sheldon-have.html

Themes:

1. Alaska Property Rights
2. Alaska Food Security
3. Alaska Elections
4. Eagle River/Chugiak Community
5. Wonder of the MatSu Valley
6. Alaska Education Challenges
7. Alaska Healthcare Realities

 Alaskans cherish our land, and when we own a piece of it we are willing to fight to keep it. Since purchase of the Alaska Railroad from the federal government, the financially strapped Alaska Railroad Corporation has become a land baron instead a public convenience. Today many Alaskans are affronted by the arrogance of ARRC, and this has been my story with the most
clicks in 2021: 

1 Alaska Property Rights

The Alaska Railroad Deception, September 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/09/is-this-way-to-run-railroad.html

Read this story: https://donnliston.net/2021/12/alaskas-montessori-education-legacy.html

Another Property Rights story with considerable interest was written before the AARC story and represents the classic Alaskan response to the threat of using government to diminish natural property ownership for those who have no economic interest in preserving value
for privately owned land. 

 When the Flash Mob Wants your Land, August 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/08/arrogance-of-entitlement.html

The largest Alaska USDA Meat Processing Plant went on the market after failed attempts to get the State of Alaska to consider commercial agriculture needs. Purchase of that plant by an Alaskan producer in November meant availability of the plant again for in-state processing. A variety of other stories explored Alaska Food Security from different perspectives.

 2 Alaska Food Security

 An Eagle River Institution, November 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/11/an-eagle-river-institution.html

 Steps To Food Security for Alaska, November, 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/11/steps-to-food-security.html

Read about Mike’s Quality Meats here: https://donnliston.net/2021/11/an-eagle-river-institution.html

Let’s Talk about Fertilizer, May 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/05/lets-talk-about-ftilizer.html

Are Alaska agriculture efforts working?, April 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/04/steps-to-food-security-for-alaska.html

Kodiak Island Area Beef Production, March 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/03/kodiak-island-area-beef-production.html

 Addressing Alaska’s Hierarchy of Needs:, February 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/02/alaska-has-food-security-options.html 

Alaska Lt Gov Kevin Meyer explained his commitment to Alaska Election Security during a meeting at the AK Roundtable. Concerns about how secure our elections are conducted were explored over the course of the year. Recently Lt Gov Meyer announced he would not be running for re-election so he can devote his energies to conducting the 2022 election.

Learn about the AK Roundtable here:

https://donnliston.net/2021/12/what-is-ak-roundtable.html

3 Alaska Elections

Election Reform Bait-And-Switch, November 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/11/we-have-options.html

We Must do Better, October 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/10/alaska-election-challenges.html

Alaska Redistricting options, October 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/10/alaska-redistricting-options.html

Fighting for Alaska Election Integrity, May, 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/05/alaskans-have-much-to-lose.html

Are Honest Alaskans being Played for Fools?
March 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/03/alaska-election-questions.html

Photo By Waneta Liston

Wonderful businesses and community groups are part of the community of Eagle River/Chugiak. This area is distinct from the rest of the Municipality of Anchorage and some believe it should form its own municipality. Over this year I have written often about
options and how detachment might work.

Read Nail Time & Spa and Kim’s Cuisine Story Here: https://donnliston.net/2021/12/another-local-business-pandemic-survivor.html

4 Eagle River/Chugiak Community

Let Small Business Freedom Ring!, December 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/12/another-local-business-pandemic-survivor.html

EaglExit: What Kind of Local Government DO we Want? August 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/07/visions-of-eaglexit_28.html

Garcias Restaurant, July 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/07/garcias-restaurant.html

How Eagle River Elks Contribute to our Community, June 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/06/quality-of-life-matters.html

The “Cityhood Movement” Moves North, June 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/06/the-cityhood-movement-moves-north-2021.html

Veteran-Owned Business, May 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/05/veteran-owned-business.html

The Important Role of Local Government, May 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/05/eaglexit-challenges.html

Bridging Businesses and Customers with New Payment Options, April 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/04/meeting-economic-challenges.html

What kind of future do we want? April 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/04/a-vision-for-chugiak-eagle-river-2021.html

MEA Serves Eagle River Well, March 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/03/please-vote-for-me.html

Our Public Education Challenge, March 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/03/our-asd-public-education-challenge.html

Challenges from Anchorage, March 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/03/challenges-from-anchorage_20.html

Read Alaska Chalet BNB story here: https://donnliston.net/2021/02/the-best-thing-about-being-in-anchorage.html

What Happened to Anchorage Hospitality? February 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/02/the-best-thing-about-being-in-anchorage.html

The Cozy Side of Eagle River, January 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/01/destiny-happens.html

As the economic and political epicenter of Alaska, the MatSu Valley continues to appeal to Alaskans seeking opportunity to live with minimum government intrusions and mandates.  Former Alaska Sen. Edna DeVries won election as Borough Mayor. Local residents celebrate the unique history of this area.

5 Wonder of the MatSu Valley

Read about MatSu Food Bank here: https://donnliston.net/2021/07/feeding-alaskans-in-mat-su.html

Quality of Life in the MatSu Valley, November 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/11/alaskas-economy-now.html

Is Change Always Good? September 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/09/is-change-always-good.html

Alaska’s Denali Legacy, August 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/08/what-would-don-and-roberta-sheldon-have.html

MatSu Food Bank Builds Community, July 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/07/feeding-alaskans-in-mat-su.html

Continued decline in academic outcomes in Alaska Government Schools has resulted in outrage by parents who discovered what was being taught in some schools. This challenge will require concerted effort as parents pull their kids and school boards continue to ask for more funding anyway.

 6 Alaska Education Challenges

What is the AK Roundtable? 

https://donnliston.net/2021/12/what-is-ak-roundtable.html 

Alaska’s Montessori Education Legacy, December 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/12/alaskas-montessori-education-legacy.html

Parents have Rights! August 2012

https://donnliston.net/2021/08/parents-have-rights.html

The Conspiracy against $Alaska Public Education$, June 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/06/what-parents-can-do.html

Out of control costs for healthcare have been acerbated by a Covid Pandemic that provided more excuses for keeping healthcare contained by large providers. This is a complicated issue and it is primarily driven by financial interests over healthcare.

7 Alaska Healthcare Realities

The Certificate of Need Scam, October 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/10/the-certificate-of-need-scam.html

Who is Politicizing Alaska’s Health Care Crisis? September 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/09/the-threat-of-competence.html

Alaska’s Pandemic Battle, February 2021

https://donnliston.net/2021/02/ship-of-fools-fights-covid-19-at.html

It was a productive year and I look forward to continuing to write about issues that matter to the future of Alaska. Thank you for reading and support.