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Alaska’s seniors play a vital role in shaping the future of our state, and the Alaska Commission on Aging wants to hear directly from you. If you are age 55 or older, your input is needed as we begin developing the next four year Alaska State Plan for Senior Services—the roadmap that guides how the state supports older Alaskans. Every four years, the Commission gathers feedback from older residents across Alaska to understand what matters most to them as they age. Your responses help identify priorities for senior services and inform how the st...
The USS Ted Stevens, an advanced Navy destroyer, was commissioned Oct. 3 in Whittier amid much fanfare. The vessel, technically a DDG 128, is one of the newest Advanced Arleigh Burke Class (Flight III) Guided Missile Destroyer. Sen. Stevens represented Alaska as one of the longest-serving senators in history. He died in 2010 in a plane crash near Dillingham, less than two years after leaving office. Before his political career, Stevens was a decorated World War II aviator. He supported the Flyin...
The Thanksgiving Blessing is an annual event organized by the Food Bank of Alaska that provides boxes of holiday food for needy families. Several other organizations participate in helping with distribution and hundreds of volunteers lend time to the effort. This year, food boxes are available in three Alaska cities. To donate to the Food Bank of Alaska, go to https://bit.ly/4zm12e6. It costs $40 to feed a family. To volunteer, go to https://foodbankofalaska.org/individual-vo...
Perseverance Theatre, the regional theater based in Juneau that regularly offers productions in Anchorage, is producing Marisela Treviño Orta's "Wolf at the Door" in Anchorage Nov. 27-Dec. 13. The play will be produced at UAA's Fine Arts MainStage Theatre. Perseverance is teaming with Arciniega Street Productions, a local queer and Latina-owned boutique production company that specializes in cultural arts and queer entertainment. In recent years, Perseverance has produced more Alaska-centric...
If you meet Ron Clarke, he'll regale you with entertaining stories from his many years as the morning host and announcer on public radio in Fairbanks, or the years he spent in state government, or the ways he spends his days now, often with just his two dogs at his home in Chickaloon. "I can go days and days without talking to another person," he said. This might be true, but he's a natural storyteller, a sponge for information, and remarkably friendly. He moved to Alaska after completing his...
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced last month a 3.6% benefit increase for 2027. Social Security benefits include Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by $75 per month. Nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries will see the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2027. Increased payments to about 7.3 million people receiving SSI will begin on...
Explore Fairbanks has published the 2026-27 Fairbanks Winter Guide. This 32-page booklet is a resource for visitors seeking to embrace the winter season in the Fairbanks area. Designed as a seasonal companion to the year-round Official Fairbanks Visitors Guide, the winter guide highlights the unique seasonal experiences that make Fairbanks an outstanding destination. It showcases attractions such as the aurora borealis, dog mushing adventures, and intricate ice sculptures. The guide offers tips...
A new book features the people and communities that are engaged in developing low-carbon energy sources in rural Alaska. The book “Alaska’s Microgrid Innovators,” was written by energy researchers, utility operators and rural community leaders, the book examines Alaska’s energy development through the experiences of rural communities that have adopted wind, solar, hydropower and other alternative energy sources. It looks beyond the state’s more familiar history of oil and natural gas to explore how communities have developed local energy sy...
The article “Savoring garden tours and summer’s detours” mistakenly stated the thoroughfare in the Mat-Su Borough. It is the Trunk Road. The article “Rediscovering ‘us’ in Thailand: Chiang Mai” had confusing captions. The caption “Top left: Walking beside gentle giants into the Chiang Mai jungle—quiet, humbling, and unforgettable.” should have appeared next to the image of the Sherrys with an elephant. The caption labeled “At The Good View, the Ping River glowed, the city lit up, and even the wrong turns felt exactly right.” should have i...
Pet owners in Alaska know that when your pet goes missing, you’ll try everything in your power to bring them home. Unfortunately, some scammers use that vulnerable moment against you. How lost pet scams target Alaskans A lost pet scam often begins with the news every pet owner hopes to hear: Someone says they found your missing pet. But then the request for money begins. The scammer may demand a reward before returning the pet or claim your pet needs urgent medical care that must be paid for immediately. Most lost pet scams rely on i...
You see them zipping by in the milder months. With colors of deep teal, metallic brown, a rare powder blue, some emit beep-beeps while others rumble mightily. They are the vintage cars of Alaska, on display now. Like showy birds, they largely go away before bad weather arrives, their owners careful to protect against snow, potholes and inattentive drivers. "These cars are meant to be seen," said Eli Guzmán, whose Chevrolet Bel Air required 10 years of work. It had belonged to his great-uncle....
Our family was enjoying a meal together around the dining table in our Palmer home back in early summer 1999. This didn't happen often because our kids (Patrick and Erin) were already living out on their own. "Pop and I are going to put the house up for sale this summer and move to Slana," I announced while we ate. "You've got to be kidding" and "But that's out in the middle of nowhere" were a couple of the responses we got. They weren't surprised about us selling the house; they knew that was...
Qualified Alaskans will receive their 2026 Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend this month. The payout is $1,000 from the Permanent Fund and a $200 energy relief payment. The Alaska Legislature agreed on the amount in May, according to the Alaska Beacon. Direct deposit begins Oct. 1. Paper checks/later approvals will go out around Oct. 22, the State of Alaska Department of Revenue states on its website. The Legislature finalized the $1,200 total after debate over competing proposals. The agreement came as part of a $13.9 billion compromise state...
The Pioneers of Alaska Grand Igloo will meet Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. at 617 G Street. Pioneers of AK Meeting https://www.pioneersofalaska.org/ Meetings are the third Tuesday at 6pm at 617 G Street, second floor Contact katmaien@gci.net...
There are moments in dementia care that can feel almost like a door opening. A familiar song begins to play. Someone who has been quiet starts tapping a foot. A few words of a chorus emerge. A smile appears. Perhaps a story follows about a childhood home, a wedding, a parent, or a song once heard on the radio. For families living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, moments like these can be powerful. They are also helping researchers better understand the remarkable relationship...
National Centenarians Day honors individuals who have reached the age of 100 or older. Many months, we profile a centenarian. If you know someone who has reached this milestone, contact the Alaska Commission on Aging at 907-465-3250. The governor’s office will send a special gubernatorial letter and commendation recognizing your loved one. You can also email editor@seniorvoicealaska.com to notify us about the potential for a story about your 100-year-old or older Elder. You can see past profiles about centenarians on our web...
The Palmer Senior Citizen’s Center, Inc., which does business as Mat-Su Senior Services (PSCC/MSSS), has appointed Elda McCraw to the position of chief executive officer. Elda has been active in the organization and in the Mat-Su community. Elda is a lifetime member of PSCC/MSSS and has been on the board for more than six years. As a director she has volunteered many hours as well as financially invested in many of the board projects. She has worked to address projects that had languished due to lack of funding or lack of hands. This i...
Could someone steal your credit card information while it's still in your wallet? Technically, yes. But before you panic, you should understand what tap-to-pay is, how these scams work, and if the risk is significant enough to worry about. Tap-to-pay technology Contactless cards use a secure, short-range form of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology that transfers information between a card and a card reader via radio waves. Despite what many people think, using tap-to-pay doesn't...
Like a scene from the 1950s or a lost episode of "Mad Men," it's not unusual to see people at the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired sporting a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. While they may look stylish, these smart glasses have become much more than a fashion accessory for people who are blind or have low vision. When Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses first hit store shelves in September 2021, they were marketed to consumers as a hands-free way to access music, take photos and...
Anchorage’s economy faces challenges—an expected natural gas shortage is just one of them—but a few developments are positive. That was the message at the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation luncheon in early August. Twice a year, the group invites more than a thousand businesspeople to the Dena’ina Convention Center to examine economic trends facing the municipality and southcentral Alaska in general. As AEDC CEO Jon Bittner described it, Anchorage is in the third era that began in 2015...
This is the month that termination dust arrives on the mountains, and the birch leaves turn a stunning gold. It’s also the first opportunity in months enjoy a darker sky, including the chance for glimpsing the aurora borealis. A plethora of festivals and other events this month wrap up summer and let us know fall is here. The Alaska State Fair runs through Sept. 7 at the fairgrounds in Palmer....The Anchorage Museum’s informative exhibit Cold War to the Cosmos runs through Sept. 7....The Anchorage Community Theatre is presenting “1776: The M...
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Tribes Extension program and the Rural Alaska Community Action Program are sponsoring berry-related workshops in Bethel and Aniak in August. Led by Tribes Extension educator Heidi Rader and Chugiak berry grower Josh Smith, the workshops will be held in Bethel on Aug. 2, and in Aniak on Aug. 3-4. Rader will lead off the workshops on Aug. 2 at 4 p.m. at Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, 420 Chief Eddie Hoffman Highway, Bethel, with a presentation on growing and managing berries. At 5 p.m., Smith will discuss...
Aug. 18 is the Alaska State primary election. Alaska uses a nonpartisan top four primary to determine the top four vote getters that will advance to the general election, regardless of political affiliation. A primary election candidate does not have to be a member of a political party or a political group to run for office, according to Alaska law. If a candidate is registered as affiliated with a political party or group, it does not imply the candidate is nominated by, endorsed by, approved by, or associated with that particular party or...
We erred in listing Maraley McMichael’s story about hiking Lazy Mountain as being on page 14 in the July issue. It appeared on page 16 and continued on page 18. It also misstated the credit for a photo of Al Clayton, Maraley McMichael’s father, with her daughter. It was taken by Maraley McMichael....
Editor's Note: National Centenarian's Day is Sept. 22. The day honors those who've celebrated 100 birthdays or more. We're publishing profiles of people who have hit this milestone. The Alaska Commission on Aging is working with the Governor's Office, Pioneer Homes and Long Term Care Ombudsman to celebrate Alaska's centenarians. After we published this story, Betty Calhoon died. We mourn her and send condolences to her family. Betty L. Calhoon says she was born on a lucky star. That's because...
