MRAK Almanac: Fairbanks to become Purple Heart City

The MRAK Almanac is your place for political, cultural, and civic events, events where you’ll meet political leaders or, if you are interested in getting to know your state, these are great places to meet conservative- and moderate-leaning Alaskans.

Alaska Fact Book

Question: How many miles of public roads are in Alaska?

Answer: According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there were an estimated 15,535 miles of public road in Alaska as of 2017. Around a third of Alaska’s road miles are paved.

To put these facts into perspective: Connecticut, the country’s third smallest state, had around 21,500 miles of road in 2017. While Connecticut has about 150% of Alaska’s road miles, Alaska is 120 times the size of Connecticut.

8/7: Wasilla Farmers Market at Iditapark. Runs from 10 am – 6 pm. Come enjoy local produce and support the many farmers of the Mat-Su Valley.

8/7: Fairbanks will be added to the national list of Purple Heart Cities, by proclamation of City Mayor Jim Matherly. All are invited to the ceremony which begins at noon at the Fairbanks Veterans Memorial on Cushman St. Read more here.

8/7: Hazmat Days in Palmer, hosted by the Mat-Su Solid Waste Division. Drop all hazardous waste (oils, paints, chemicals, etc.) for free and safe disposal. Read more here.

8/7: Regular meeting of the Kenai City Council at 6 pm. Read the full agenda here.

8/7: Alaska Energy Authority board meeting in Anchorage at 10 am. This meeting will likely include executive session. More details here.

8/7: Metlakatla Founder’s Day Celebration. Learn more about the history and culture of Alaska’s only Native American reservation. Festivities will include a parade, food booths, and even fireworks (weather permitting). The ferry will be running to Metlakatla all day long.

8/7-8/9: The Alaska Board of Nursing will hold a quarterly meeting in Anchorage. Read the full agenda at this link.

8/8: Regular meeting of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly at 6 pm. This week’s agenda includes a vote on licensing procedure changes for local marijuana retailers. There will also be a period of public comment. Read the agenda here.

8/8: Want to celebrate Alaska’s delicious salmon? Come to Wild Salmon Day at the Anchorage Museum. This free event will take place on the museum lawn and includes live music, food trucks, and “salmon-y crafts” for the kids. Begins at 6 pm, read more here.

8/8: Regular meeting of the Soldotna City Council at 6 pm. The council’s agenda for this week includes a new ordinance relating to animal shelter services. Read the agenda here.

8/8: Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Board of Directors meeting at the Anchorage LIO starting at 9 am. There will be a period for public testimony, read the full meeting agenda here.

8/8: Regular meeting of the Kodiak City Council starting at 7:30 pm. The council will be approving the harbor and port fees for the upcoming year, as well as holding a period of public testimony. Read the agenda here.

8/8: Veterans Town Hall meeting in Anchorage at 6 pm. All veterans and their families are invited to attend this event to meet with Alaska VA officials and share their concerns about veteran’s services in Alaska. Read more at the Facebook link here.

8/8: Stop by the eccentric community of Ester to enjoy the weekly Ester Market from 4:30 pm – 7 pm. This outdoor market features fresh vegetables, local crafts, and much more. Only a 10-min drive from Fairbanks.

8/8: It’s Canned Food Day at the Tanana Valley Fair in Fairbanks. Bring four non-perishable food items to the fair and get free admission. It’s a great deal.

8/8: Are you a constituent of Sen. Jesse Kiehl, Rep. Sara Hannan, or Rep. Andi Story? These three Democrat state legislators will host a joint town hall meeting at Centennial Hall in Juneau at 5 pm.

8/8: AK Supreme Court Off the Record event at the Boney Courthouse in Anchorage. A great chance to hear from current and former Alaska Supreme Court justices about life on the state’s highest court. Further details at this link.

8/8-8/10: JUMP short film festival in Juneau. Free to attend, and all films have an Alaska or Juneau connection. Read more about the films here.

Alaska History Archive:

August 7, 1887—132 years ago: Metlakatla was established by Anglican missionary William Duncan and 823 Tsimshian people whom had recently migrated from nearby British Columbia. Metlakatla became a federal Native American reserve four years later in 1891. Read more about its history here.

August 8, 1931—88 years ago: Famed aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne landed in Barrow, Alaska as they embarked on their journey to the Far East. The couple had left New York on July 27 and ended up crossing the Bering Sea on August 14. Lindbergh’s aircraft was a single engine 600-horsepower Lockheed Model 8 Sirius.