Alaska Answers

Q. Gabe would like to know: How many congressional representatives do you have?

A. Well, you’d think, Gabe, with such a vast state we’d have a lot, eh? but since it goes by population, we only have one. He is a good one though!

Don Young has represented us in Congress for the past 32 years! His popularity has not diminished either, since in the 2004 election he received the largest # of popular votes for a single candidate in Alaska.

As a boy Don loved books by Jack London, especially Call of the Wild, and that fueled his desire to come to the Last Frontier. I know that feeling. That’s how we ended up in Alaska. We happened upon an Alaska shelf in the Alice, Tx public library!

Don Young came to Alaska in 1959 working construction and then commercial fishing and trapping. He made his home on the Yukon River at Ft. Yukon, a remote village of 700 people, located 7 miles above the arctic circle. He taught 5th grade at a Bureau of Indian affairs school. It was a log school, with a wood burning stove. In the summer he captained his own tugboat and barge service, taking supplies to villages up and down the Yukon. He even panned for gold, but says his best ‘gold strike’ was his wife Lu, who has ever since supported his endeavors and gave him two wonderful daughters, who produced 10 grandchildren. So, Alaska has been good to him.

Don started his political career when he was elected Mayor of Ft. Yukon in about 1964. Two years later, he was elected to the state legislature where he served from 1966 to 1970. Then in 1970-1973 he was a state senator. He was first sworn in to the 93rd congress after being elected in a special election on March 6, 1973 And the rest, as they say is history.

Don Young’s first job in the U. S. congress was to lead the battle for the trans Alaska pipeline, which has meant so much to the Alaskan economy. He has also done a lot for the native peoples of our state. Write me again sometime, Gabe. -BJ

Q. We’re coming up to Anchorage on June 9th to fly out of Merrill Field for a week of fishing. We’ll need an overnight there. It occurred to me you could probably suggest a bed and breakfast. Something close to Merrill Field would be great. Thanks, Mel

A. Sure, I can help you, Mel. It isn’t a Bed & Breakfast really, but there is a motel called the Merrill Field Inn and it is located right across from Merrill Field, so I can’t get you much closer than that! I’ve never stayed there myself; however, I did call the Anchorage Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to make sure it was on their list of approved places to stay. It was. They serve a continental breakfast in the lobby each morning. Here is their info:

Merrill Field Inn
420 Sitka Street
Telephone is (907) 276-4547
There is a # for out of state also – 1-800-898-4547 With tax, rooms are 128.80 a night, and I believe that is with a 10% discount if you tell them a local resident, Bonnie Jennings, at Wasilla, recommended them. You can check them out at www.merrillfieldinn.com

The other thing you can do, Mel, is to look up www.anchorage.net on the web. That is the convention and visitor’s bureau site. You can click on Anchorage lodging and get a list of bed and breakfasts. I believe some of them have site maps so you can pick something close to where you want to be.

Hope this helps and that you have a wonderful, wonderful time and catch a fish so big you’ll need proof to make the folks back home believe you! -Bonnie J.

Q. My husband told me about a chicken like bird in Alaska. He said it sounds like ‘parmigan’, but he’s not sure. I’ve looked everywhere I can think of and can’t find any reference. Do you know about this bird? Thanks. -Elnora

A. Oh, sure, I do know about that bird. You are referring to the Willow Ptarmigan. It is our state bird.. It’s a strange word, eh? The ‘P’ is silent…so you just say ‘tar-me-gun’. The village of Chicken, Alaska was meant to be Ptarmigan, Alaska, but the founders of the village didn’t know how to spell ptarmigan, so it was called Chicken instead. I’ll tell you a bit about the ptarmigan. Then I’ll tell you of our encounter with the bird. (or would that be pbird?) =:o)

There are 3 kinds of ptarmigan. All are found in Alaska, in different areas. They are Willow, Rock and White Tailed Ptarmigan. They look just like small grouse, weighing from 10 and half ounces to about 1 and half pounds.

The Willow Ptarmigan live closest to timberline, Rocks on the middle slopes and low ridges and the White Tailed near snowfields and glaciers. They migrate back and forth in an area of about a hundred miles, forming into ‘flocks’, then dispersing, and reforming again. Males are very territorial and aggressive in the spring, carving out their own ’space’ and rushing at each other with a series of aerial chases and making a gargling, croaking, and screaming sound. (sort of like Aunt Bessie when Uncle Bill comes home a little ‘under the weather’! )

They are nomadic in winter and very sociable as they move from one patch of shelter and food to another. It is just around nesting time that they get testy and territorial.

Ptarmigans eat berries, seeds, flowers, bugs, caterpillars, willow buds, catkins, whatever they can find. They make very good eating themselves, although most people just use the breasts as there isn’t much meat elsewhere. You don’t hear anyone at the table saying, “I want the drumstick!” for instance. They are easy and fun to hunt, if you like that sort of thing. Now to my own anecdotal experience of an encounter with the pbird ptarmigan!

Years ago we lived 300 miles away in the Copper River Basin. My husband worked in Anchorage during the week, coming home on the weekends. Okay, it wasn’t ‘ideal’ but it put food on the table. In more ways than one. One winter Friday evening he was coming along the Glenn Highway, when suddenly something white flashed into his headlights and then made a loud thump on the front of his car. He pulled over and got out and there lying on his front bumper were 3 lovely, but hapless, snowwhite ptarmigan, quite dead. Although we aren’t hunters really, he wasn’t about to waste this gift from outta nowhere, and so he brought them home. I dug out my wild meat cookbook and we enjoyed our first (and I guess only) meal of herb browned ptarmigan breast in cream gravy. Yum!

I enjoyed chatting with you, Elnora. If I can help you with anything else, write me again. – BJ

Q. I’d like to know what is your state bird? And what is the state’s population? -Paige

A. Our state bird is the Willow Ptarmigan. For more on that, see the next entry.

As to population, as of the 2004 census, we had over 655,000 people living in Alaska. To put the land and people in perspective, we have 576,951 square miles, which figures out to about 1.1 people per square mile! Compare that to the U. S. average of 79.6 people per square mile and you will understand how very vast is our land. Thanks for writing, Paige. -Bonnie J.

Q. What countries border on the east and west of Alaska? Jenna

A. Good. An easy question. At least I think I know. On our east is Canada. I know that well because you have to drive thru Canada to get to the lower 48 (or ‘Outside’ as we Alaskans call it.) We’ve done it many times.

On our west is Russia, from whom we bought Alaska in 1867. You can read more about this thru out my archives, under the title of History.

You didn’t ask what was north or south of us, but let’s see….north would be frozen tundra, polar bears, eskimos and if you flew on over the top of the world, you’d find yourself in Norway and Finland! A glass of glogg anyone?

If you travel straight south from Alaska, you will find yourself in the south pacific ocean and the french polynesian islands. There’s is not much south of us before reaching the south pole, but you could have a fine time working on your tan. Write me again! -BJ

Q. Teresa asks: I want to know about the program that pays families, especially single mothers, to move to Alaska.
Shawn wonders: I heard you get paid to live there & they find you jobs and housing. How do I go about moving?
Herman says: If I moved there how long would it take to become a resident?

A. I believe you are all referring to our Permanent Fund Dividend program. There are a few misconceptions floating around here, but don’t feel badly folks, because that happens all the time.

To clear up a few, the state does not give preferential treatment to single mothers. Everyone is treated alike from the newly born to the aged; from the richest to the poorest. The state does not pay moving expenses for anyone either, nor do they find you housing and jobs.

The Permanent Fund Dividend is paid to each and every resident once a year, in October. We apply for it each January thru March. You have to have lived here one full year at the time you apply. That means if you moved here in the summer, for instance, you would have to wait until one year from the following January to apply.

All this lovely ‘free’ money, which is usually around a thousand dollars, give or take, for every resident, is from a fund which is fueled by our vast oil revenues. I wish I had put all mine into a good interest bearing account all these years. I’d be a rich woman! (I bet a lot of other folks wish that too.) Of course I could start that now. Yeah. Right. =;o)

If you’d like to learn more about it, go to www.pfd.state.ak.us/ or ‘google’ Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend. Take care, =BJ

Q. Does Alaska have any organic, or natural foods groceries, delis or restaurants? What are their names and where are they located? Thanks, Cynthia

A. We certainly do. A lot of them in fact. In the Anchorage area, you’ll find, among others, Organic Alaska is at 118 E. International. Their phone # (907) 770-2779.

You’ll find the Organic Oasis Health Foods and Juice Bar, which is a restaurant, at 2610 Spenard Road. Phone them at
(907) 277-7882.

Our main supermarkets are called Carrs (but owned by Safeway). They have wonderful health food sections and organic produce areas.

Alaska Nutrition Store is at 7900 E. 6th. Phone # is (907) 332-3446. The Natural Pantry is at 3801 Old Seward Hwy. Phone:
(907) 770-1444. General Nutrition Center has several locations; one of them 5th Avenue Mall, (907) 274-1800.

Fairbanks has similar places too, but I’m just not as familiar with them as I am with those in this area. I know there is one called Sunshine Health in Fairbanks. It is located at 410 Trainer Gate Road and their phone is (907) 456-5433.

Out here in the Matanuska Valley, there are two big U Pick Farms which are organically run, where you can go and have the fun of roaming the wide aisled fields with a wheelbarrow and a tool or two and you can enjoy the harvesting of your own organic veggies…and you didn’t even do any of the hard work of growing! We also have a couple farms where you can get organically raised beef and chickens. And just think of all the wonderful wild meat and fish up here. That is for sure ‘organically’ raised. By God Himself, no less.

So, Yes! You can eat organically in Alaska, thereby improving your health so that you will live many years, God willing, in this wonderful land. =Bonnie J.

Q. We are doing a state report on Alaska and need a topic for the letter X and Z. Do you have any suggestions? -Karen

A. This is a rather fun question, Karen. Always happy to help with your homework! Well, Z is easy, but I’ll have to put my great brain to work on X, I think.

Z is for Zinc! Yes, Alaska has zinc mining. I only have figures thru 2004, but that year was our 9th in a row for a billion dollar year in the mining of minerals.

The Red Dog Mine north of Kotzebue, produces zinc. It is not only the world’s largest zinc mine, but has the world’s largest reserve of zinc. The Green Creeks Mine near Juneau also produces zinc. If you’d like to read more about it, Karen, go to this website:
www.answers.com/topic/red-dog-mine-alaska It has quite a lot of interesting info.

Now, for X! My great brain has been grinding away. (grind, clash, burble, bleep, pfffft) Ah, here it comes. Xanadu! Which Webster’s says is a place of idyllic beauty! That’s Alaska my dear. And see how I’ve helped you? Your homework is done! Go have a glass of milk and a brownie. -Bonnie J.

Q. What do children do to keep warm and safe in the winter in Alaska? Thanks. – Pat

A. Good question, Pat, but it’s not as complicated as you might think. I don’t know of a kid who doesn’t love winter here! My grandkids look forward eagerly to the first good snowfall. Alaskans have many outdoor sports in the winter and some crazy and fun festivals.

Probably the main thing you would keep in mind is to have warm clothing for them; especially good warm footwear. Add a wool sock to a well insulated snow boot, put on snowpants and a good warm jacket. Add hat and mittens and Voila!….a happy kid. It’s helpful to have a whole box of mittens because a kid can sure go thru them – either getting them wet or losing them!

I think it is really important that you use iron on (or sew on) reflective tape on their clothing too, because part of the winter, they are catching the school bus in full darkness and even coming home in the dark. We only have about 5-6 hours of daylight and farther north it is even more extreme. So you want a car driver able to see the kid standing by the side of the road. Another good thing is to add a flashlight to a pocket. Of course, you know kids. You better also buy some stock in the battery companies!

Believe it or not, one of our favorite memories is the first winter we were up here, attending Fur Rendevous festivities in Anchorage on a cold February day. We took the five younger of our eight kids. We watched the start of the dog races, visited the ice sculptures, and even took in the carnival, riding the ferris wheel at 20 below! Sounds crazy I know. We left home with two very hot baked potatoes, wrapped in foil for each person. You tucked them into your pockets for hand warmers! They kept warm for a surprisingly long time. Then when they were getting to where they were only warm, we ate them! Snack and hand warmer all in one. We did indeed, also, duck into cafes now and then for hot chocolate, but it was a fun day.

I guess, all that to say, don’t be worried about winter and children in Alaska. They get along just fine. Thanks for writing. -Bonnie

Only in Bethel, Alaska would a driver lead police on an hour long car chase in a town with no roads in or out! There are only 8 or 9 miles of roads and the state highway system is over 400 miles away. What was he thinking? Obviously, not much!

A Soldotna State Trooper pulled over a suspect in mid winter when the temperature was 20 below zero. The presumably intoxicated driver, got out of his car and ran into some nearby uninhabitated woods, wearing no coat – only a short sleeved tee shirt…and no shoes! State law enforcement procedure is simple in a case like this. Just sit back in your heated car and read the newspaper. The suspect reappeared in less than 15 minutes!

Another example of our tax dollars at work is on the road to Manley Hot Springs, there is a large yellow warning sign erected by the State Highway Department which says: No Warning Signs Ahead!

Springtime is always special in Alaska. An outdoor active wear store was seen sporting a sign advertising ” Swimsuits and Ice Grippers”. Huh?!