March 2026 Edition
March 2026 Edition
I hung up the phone totally devastated. That morning back in April 2023, I was ready to spend $800 for an item I'd wanted for years, and I'd just learned shipping to Alaska was impossible. I don't spend much money on myself and now that I was ready to, ironically, I couldn't. I wanted to replace my 1950s era Gardener's Supply brand grow light shelf system. My old system was so big and heavy, it was a two-person job to drag it (the tiny wheels were not much help) from storage across the...
On the evening of March 27, 1964, soldiers assigned to Battery A of the 4th Battalion/43rd Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Regiment had just finished dinner. Members of the 6–Midnight crew were preparing for shift while off-duty soldiers were starting the nightly games of spades or finding other activities to avoid the 28-degree weather. Duty logs indicate that planned activities were interrupted at 5:36 p.m., by seismic activity of magnitude 9.3 and that aftershocks lasted for at least five...
As Iditarod mushers and their teams head out of Willow on Sunday, March 8, and race toward Nome, they will follow a path steeped in history-a story written by Native traders, gold rushers and the evolution of the Alaska frontier. The northern route, used during even-numbered years like 2026, passes through remote villages and towns that each tell a unique tale of adaptation, ambition, and survival. After leaving Willow, teams thunder past checkpoints at Yentna Station, Skwentna, Finger Lake,...
Tax season already brings enough stress...so the last thing you need is a scammer pretending to be the IRS sliding into your texts, emails or phone calls. Every year, scammers try to scare people into acting fast and thinking later. Consumers reported losing $789 million to government impostor scams in 2024, including IRS impostor scams, according to the Federal Trade Commission. If the IRS really needs you, they won't text you at midnight or email you with flashing warnings and emoji-filled...
My husband and daughter are avid cross-country skiers, but somehow my love of running never turned into a similar enthusiasm for snow sports. But one spring I decided I would sign up for the 25-kilometer Tour of Anchorage ski race. My sister-in-law, an adventurous young woman who pledged to do one thing outside her comfort zone every year-skydiving, stand-up comedy, trapeze artistry-had died a few months before. And maybe I was honoring her legacy by registering for an athletic event I had...
The Anchorage Genealogical Society's annual seminar will feature nationally known genealogy expert Judy Nimer Muhn on April 18. The seminar is from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Waldron Hall, 2222 E. Tudor Road. Muhn began her professional genealogical work in 1993. She has lectured at National Genealogical Society conferences, RootsTech, Federation of Genealogical Societies as well as conferences in Europe and around the United States. Traveling extensively around the...
Alaska public school students would be required to learn hands-only CPR under a proposal advancing through the state legislature. In a 19-0 vote in mid-February, the Alaska Senate approved Senate Bill 20, which requires the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development to "adopt curricula to instruct public school students on hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation." Conventional CPR involves chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing, whereas hands-only CPR uses compressions...
Minor accidents happen frequently, but sometimes what didn't bother us before is a real nuisance now. A slip on an icy walkway, a cut while preparing dinner, or a bruise from bumping into furniture are common experiences for many people. Knowing how to handle these minor injuries properly can help you heal faster and prevent bigger problems down the road. Let's start with sprains, which happen when we twist or stretch a ligament too far. If you roll your ankle or hurt your wrist, remember the...
According to the latest report on health care quality across America, Alaska ranks as the second worst in terms of several factors. A study by the stem cell treatment center called Auragens examined health care systems in all 50 states, comparing safety, response time, and medical bills. New York ranked the worst state to get sick in America. In New York, medical expenses reach $14,000 per person and emergency rooms taking three hours to see patients. Alaska ranks second-worst, charging $13,600...
The Medicare-related decisions can be quite challenging, especially when you or your spouse are about to turn age 65, during your Initial Enrollment Period. The decisions can be even more complicated when you have other health insurance coverage. Deciding if and when to enroll in the various parts of Medicare, when you are first eligible, is an important choice including how to avoid potential penalties or gaps in coverage. Most people enroll into Medicare Part A (in-patient, hospitalization...
I have an older cousin who was just diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson's after several years of dizziness and falls. Luckily, his doctor said it's not the type of Parkinson's that leads to death. I often give "Come to Jesus" talks to family and friends when they begin to experience these symptoms. It can be annoying for them. I advise sturdy equipment like walkers, especially ones with built-in seats. But men usually disdain the advice because of pride and vanity. They just don't want to look...
Even with regular brushing, teeth can become stained from genetic factors or consuming foods and drinks like tomatoes and coffee. Chemical whiteners can help, but they can also damage teeth in the process. So, researchers have designed a prototype teeth-whitening powder that is activated by the vibrations from an electric toothbrush. The system both brightened and protected teeth in lab demonstrations. "This work offers a safe, at-home teeth whitening strategy integrating whitening, enamel...
Over the years I've returned to America's oldest national park many times and can summarize every visit in three words: Yellowstone never disappoints. Whether you're content to just drive the roads in search of wildlife or take a few steps from the car to admire the raging rivers and waterfalls, mountains, sprawling canyons, geysers or other geothermal features, Yellowstone will deliver. One year, we watched the aurora borealis spread across the Wyoming sky at 2 am, and on another occasion, saw...
