Following the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and six months later at Kiska and Attu, wartime hysteria and fear of sabotage and espionage ran rampant across the country. President...

Born 109 years ago this February, glamorous actress Ann Sheridan (1915-1967) was destined for branding as the "Oomph Girl" following a mock contest organized by the Warner Brothers publicity...

What’s your favorite dystopian fiction? Can you imagine a future like 1984, where the government watches and controls every aspect of your life? Or more like Brave New World, where the government u...

Gay Wellman, how did you end up living in the Copper River Basin? I came up with my second husband to Alaska in '78. I just fell in love with the whole area. I was happy to live out here with my...

Q: My son has asked me to accompany his family on a vacation. They’ve requested I choose a destination suitable for my chronic illness. This seems like an unsettling task. A: Living with a chronic c...

While I am writing this month’s article, we are in the last few days of the annual Open Enrollment Period, when you may sign up to change your enrollment in a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan. T...

Pickleball, a funny name for the fastest growing sport for several years now. My office at The Alaska Club East is near the area where we have our pickup pickleball games. The sounds are iconic – t...

The ice, snow and cold of wintertime are hazards, but with caution and preparation, people can stay safe and enjoy the winter season with a decreased risk of falls and injuries. This is vitally...

My daughter Erin called from her home in Colorado and left a voice message, "Call me when convenient. I want to talk about quilt batting." Erin had recently resumed work on the corduroy quilt she...

A little "two-by-four" island, a couple of miles off the city of Kodiak, has several Alaska firsts. The first horses in Alaska were brought here, the first road constructed, the Territory's first...

For those who keep track of Hollywood nuptials, the title of Joyce Bulifant's 2017 autobiography may not represent a marital world record, but it's certainly an attention grabber. The actress, who...

When you were a kid, there was a standard protocol for choosing sides in a pickup game. The two best players—and everybody knew who they were—did some little contest to see who would pick first. If...

When and why did you come to Alaska? I was swept up in that back-to-the-land movement of the late 60s, early 70s. And so was my husband at the time. He had gone to Alaska a couple of years prior. We...

Q: I have seen an internist and a gastroenterologist, but still have unexplained chronic ailments. What else can I do? A: With advances in internet searches and artificial intelligence (AI), it is...

Choosing a medical provider can be both challenging and overwhelming for many patients. Here in the Great Land, Alaskans often travel significant distances to obtain healthcare. Medicare can help,...

As cold winter months intensify, it’s important that drivers take prepare their vehicles in case of snowstorms and the like. It’s especially important to have the proper supplies and safety items on...

The small space between Mt. Sanford drive and Crossroads Clinic didn't seem big enough to hold the log church building from my childhood memories. How could the main room with the cathedral ceiling,...

Bird Treatment and Learning Center (Bird TLC) has ten Ambassador Birds in our education program. We could not release these birds back to the wild due to the severity of their injuries or because...

When the U.S. Government needed them, Alaska's Native population came out in droves. From the beaches of Bristol Bay to the far corners of Bethel, Kotzebue and Barrow, villagers didn't hesitate to...

If reading bedtime stories to the grandkids is a cherished family tradition, Eddie Muller has an unusual tale to share this holiday season: a gritty feline sleuth searches for a stolen artifact while...

I enjoy watching the presidential debates every four years. I think the first one I saw was Carter-Ford in 1976, when I wasn’t even old enough to vote. But there is a common mistake that candidates m...

Q: I am feeling stuck in life. A counselor recommends I complete aptitude testing to help gauge my interests, preferences, etc. I’m skeptical since I’m in my 60s. How would it benefit me? A: When peo...