May 17: Gov. Michael Dunleavy will sign two bills honoring fallen State Troopers Scott Johnson and Gabe Rich; the signing is at the Alaska State Trooper Post in Fairbanks.
The bills are: HB 34 – naming the Scott Johnson Memorial Bridge, HB 88 – naming the Trooper Gabe Rich Memorial Bridge. 9:45 am.
May 17: Anchorage Bike to Work Day. Free hot chocolate, coffee, and donuts will be provided at Town Square Park. Learn more here.
May 17: Homer Solar Tour. Learn about solar technology in Homer. Details here.
May 17: Alaska’s 60th Anniversary Dinner put on by Republican Women of the Kenai at the Kenai Merit Inn. Tickets are $50 and doors open at 5:30 pm. Details here.
May 17: Faith-Film-Food at Immaculate Conception Church in Fairbanks. The film For Greater Glory, following the Christero War in Mexico, will be shown. Event info here.
May 18: Fairbanks Aviation Day. Event will offer a pancake breakfast, display aircraft, airport tours, and a chance to meet FAA air traffic controllers. Will take place from 7 am-2 pm at the Fairbanks airport East Ramp, 3504 South University Ave.
May 18: Garden City Market in Skagway from 3-6 pm. This monthly event offers quality locally produced products and all proceeds go to various charitable organizations in Skagway. Hosted by the Skagway Traditional Council on 11th and Broadway.
May 18: Free boat safety checks for Chugiak/Eagle River residents, offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The Auxiliary will also be accepting donations of lightly used life jackets for the Kids Don’t Float program. 10 am-4 pm at Old Glenn Hwy. Fred Meyer.
May 18: Craig Taylor Equipment grand opening in Fairbanks. 10 am-4 pm. Details.
May 18: Tune in the Spring Auto Show in Wasilla. Raffle, car show, and sound competition. Location is the Wasilla Transportation Museum. Details here.
May 18: Alaska salmon season kickoff party at 49th State Brewing in Anchorage. Top chefs will prepare the first Copper River king salmon of the season. Raffles and door prizes. More info here.
May 18: Police Memorial to honor the sacrifices of fallen law enforcement officers. At the Twin Lakes Shelter in Juneau—11 am. Facebook event here.
May 18: North Pole Fire Department’s annual open house. Fun activities and refreshments for the whole family provided. Stop by anytime between 10 am and 4 pm.
May 18: Clean Up Day in Valdez. Free BBQ for those who participate. More info here.
May 18: Military Appreciation Day at Costco in Fairbanks. Free breakfast and goodie bags to first 100 people. All who have served are welcome. More details here.
May 18-19: Juneau Home Show at Nugget Mall. Enjoy vendors and food trucks and learn more about building homes in Alaska. Admission is free. Details here.
May 17-20: Annual Talkeetna Fly-In at Talkeetna Airport. Last year, over 100 aviators flew in and camped at the airport for the weekend. All are welcome, details here.
HISTORY:
May 17, 1884: Congress passes the First Organic Act, converting the Department of Alaska to the District of Alaska. Previously under the control of the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and the Treasury Department, the District of Alaska now had a civil government with a U.S. Marshal, clerks, and even a federal judge. Alaska would remain without an elected legislature until 1912.
May 17, 1906: Congress passes the landmark Alaska Native Allotment Act, the first federal recognition of Native claims to land in the District of Alaska. The new law allowed all Alaska Natives to claim a personal allotment of at most 160 acres of previously unappropriated land.
May 11-30, 1943: The Battle of Attu takes place on the island of Attu in Alaska’s Aleutian chain. It was the only land battle of World War II to take place on American soil. Over 3,000 U.S. soldiers were injured, with 549 American deaths. All but 28 Japanese soldiers were killed.
I am glad to see Sgt Johnson and Trp Rich be honored by naming bridges after them. They were great men and should be remembered.
Then I scrolled down. A number of worthy events, and some things that make me wonder if you are what Landfield says. Why advertise for Craig Taylor equipment. How does that have anything to do with honoring these two Troopers and the other events honoring veterans and other public servants.
Dear Disappointed, I’m glad you appreciated this edition of the MRAK Almanac. It was put together by an awesome college intern who did a great job on his first edition. I saw the event for Craig Taylor Equipment, and I decided that a new business opening in Fairbanks was, indeed, of interest and an indicator of business growth in the Golden Heart City. So I let it stand. But if it’s not your cup of tea, by all means, skip over it. Thanks for your note, and thank you for being a reader. I’ll pass your comments on to the MRAK college intern. – sd
Good on you, Suzanne, for teaching your trade to a young person. That’s a noble thing.
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