The Alaska 100

 

Farmers market season is on the horizon

vegatables
Beets, carrots and more are ripe for the picking and ready to eat.

Farmers market season is especially exciting in Alaska, where we wait perennially for the crunch of a locally grown veggie picked from the earth just a few hours prior.

We love food that doesn’t have to travel far to get to our tables, and we love supporting local business. So, at T&C, we’re counting down the days until our favorite farmers markets open and we can kick off a healthy, delicious summer.

From live music to artisan ice cream sandwiches to crisp greens, we know what our leisurely weekend mornings will look like for a few months to come!

– Emily McLaughlin, The Alaska 100

 

Thumbs up, thumbs down

thumbs
Blueprint Alaska's Sarah Erkmann shares three ups and downs of the past week.

Thumbs up:

The North Slope: Awash in new oil finds. Keep ‘em coming.

Food truck fans: They’re back out in force with the sunshine. The hardest part’s choosing which one.

Alaska marijuana laws: President Trump promises to honor state laws. Pot stocks surge afterward.

Thumbs down:

Plastic bags: Several Alaska towns looking to ban them. Opportunity for a civic-minded biz to supply free reusable bags to ease the transition?

Highway travelers: Spring clean-up day can’t get here soon enough. Do Alaskans really throw that much trash out the window?

Highway speeders: Apparently $2,350 speeding tickets do exist.

– Sarah Ward, Blueprint Alaska

 

NYO athletes kick, pull, hop into action

NYO Games
NYO Games athletes compete in events such as the high kick.

Thousands of athletes will converge on the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage April 26-28 for the Native Youth Olympic Games. NYO tests competitors on adapted skills that Alaska native people used for generations. The competitions include the high kick, Eskimo stick pull and seal hop.

But NYO is not just about the competition, it’s also impacting education. A recent survey found a majority of the 400 students surveyed credit NYO as a factor for staying in school and keeping their grades up.

NYO fans can show their support to athletes by sending them e-cards. Find more details here.

– Ashleigh Ebert, The Alaska 100

 

GCI celebrates Rebecca Markley’s leadership

Rebecca Markley
Rebecca Markley visited every build site of the TERRA loop. The entire TERRA project supplies communications to 84 villages and includes 95 towers, 120 microwave antennas and 108 sites, 24 of which are on mountaintops.

When stay-at-home mom Rebecca Markley returned to work in 2002, she never imagined how instrumental she would become in completing GCI’s Terrestrial for Every Rural Region in Alaska network.

As project manager, Markley choreographed logistics for all 3,300 miles of the loop, from arranging helicopter lifts to supplying mountaintop camps. The majority of villages are in rural Alaska, and the biggest challenge was transportation. From uncovering native artifacts to tracking caribou migration patterns, Markley experienced many unique challenges and opportunities along the way.

See how Markley’s hard work connected remote Alaska to the rest of the world.

– Josh Edge, GCI

 

University of Alaska offers teacher scholarship

University of Alaska ad
The University of Alaska is now accepting applications for the second Teach for Alaska Scholarship, a full-ride academic scholarship that will be awarded to an aspiring teacher.

For the second year, the University of Alaska is offering the Teach for Alaska Scholarship, a full-ride academic scholarship, valued at $12,000, to be awarded to an incoming UA student who plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in education.

The University of Alaska launched the scholarship program last year as a way to help local students who are aspiring teachers. The program is one of the university’s initiatives highlighting the need for more UA-educated teachers, creating a homegrown workforce of educators that directly contribute to Alaska’s future.

Students can learn more about the scholarship and apply here.

 

Bird is the word: Spring birding festivals

flock of birds
Migratory birds take flight from the Stikine River Delta during the Stikine River Birding Festival. (Photo by Ivan Simonek)

Springtime in Alaska heralds many things for Alaskans, most notably the return of migratory birds to the state. From April 26-28, flock to Wrangell for the annual Stikine River Birding Festival.

This three-day event celebrates the arrival of the largest springtime concentration of bald eagles in North America – as well as other shorebirds – to the Stikine River Delta. Next for avian admirers is the 28th annual Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival in Cordova. From May 3-6, watch as millions of shorebirds take a break on the Copper River Delta en route to breeding grounds in the north.

– Bri Kelly, The Alaska 100

 

Try Alaska pies for blueberry pie day

Talkeetna Roadhouse
The historic Talkeetna Roadhouse is known for its pies, but also features other tasty treats.

Blueberry Pie Day is April 28, and Alaska has many places to get tasty slices:

• Pie in the Sky (Juneau) – Using organic ingredients, baker Andrea Mogil makes pies from scratch. She has a blueberry almond and malbec pie in the winter and a classic blueberry pie in the summer.

• Nugget Restaurant (Sitka) – Located at the airport, pilots and passengers alike have been known to grab a pie during layovers to finish the flight with a sweet treat.

• Talkeetna Roadhouse (Talkeetna) – Established in 1917, this classic roadhouse in “Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna” is famous for massive pies baked by proprietor Trisha Costello.

– Stephanie Plieness, The Alaska 100

 

Anchorage resident wins National Volunteer Excellence Award

Patty Ginsburg
Patty Ginsburg poses with memorabilia from the marathons she has run before and since beating cancer. (Photo by Brian Adams, courtesy of Anchorage and Valley Radiation Therapy Centers)

Patty Ginsburg is a 14-year lung cancer survivor leading the charge for smoke-free air, health care coverage and research funding for Alaska.

Ginsburg puts her strong voice to use in Juneau by supporting legislation promoting lung health. She and her husband also started a Clean Air Challenge cycling team that has raised more than $110,000 for the American Lung Association in the last six years.

The American Lung Association has awarded Ginsburg the Volunteer of Excellence Award, which recognizes volunteers whose history or projects help increase the organization’s ability to achieve its mission and impact the community.

– Kelsey Fiedler, The Alaska 100

 

Veteran’s Spouse Project debuts original play

Veteran's Spouse Project
Check out performance art and handmade crafts on May 11-12. (Photo courtesy of the Veteran's Spouse Project)

There are countless stories of battle, triumph and the journey home told from a soldier’s perspective, but few from the voices of spouses waiting for their loved ones to return.

Anchorage resident and military spouse Amy Uptgraft brings her story to life in the original play “I Will Wait,” which shows war through the eyes of a veteran’s spouse. The play takes place on May 11-12 at 8 p.m. at the UAA Fine Arts Building and is followed by an expressive arts workshop featuring “Made For You” pieces.

Learn more about the event and Veteran’s Spouse Project here.

– Megan O’Malley, The Alaska 100

 

Keep Alaska so fresh and so clean

garbage bags
Join a local clean-up day.

Springtime means spring cleaning, and that term takes on a much bigger meaning in Alaska as the snow melts to reveal months worth of debris. Help give the state a fresh and clean summer look by participating in clean-up events over the next couple of weeks:

• In Juneau, Litter Free will provide bags for volunteers on April 28. Get more info here.

• The city of Valdez will hold clean-up days April 30–May 4.

• Wasilla clean-up days will be April 30–May 5.

• Fairbanks clean-up day is May 5. Find details on the event’s Facebook page.

– Liz Baker, The Alaska 100

 

Cinco de Margarita: Our favorite spots in Alaska

margaritas
Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner! Here are some of our go-to margarita spots in Anchorage.

Cinco de Mayo is the annual celebration of Mexico’s unlikely victory over the French at Puebla in 1862. In Alaska, that means fresh fish tacos and margaritas abound, and we’d lift a hand-crafted cocktail to that any day.

In honor of this holiday, The Alaska 100 team conducted an important office poll in Anchorage to find our go-to spots for margaritas:

• Bear Tooth Grill: Top shelf margarita (add jalapenos for a kick)

• Ginger: Chupacabra

• Simon and Seafort’s: Scratch magarita

• Tequila 61: Any tequila cocktail on the menu

• The Hangar on the Wharf: Classic margarita

• Gallo’s: House margarita

¡Salud!

– Nikkie Viotto, The Alaska 100

 

Gardening like a pro in Alaska

garden
Gardening in Alaska can yield a bountiful harvest.

It’s springtime in Alaska, which means it’s time to get your garden ready for the summer growing season. Gardening in Alaska can be tough with its varying climates, short growing season and pesky wildlife, but there are organizations to help gardeners be successful.

Here are some resources for gardeners in Alaska:

• Alaska Master Gardeners – Take classes and programs from Master Gardeners for insider tips and tricks on northern gardening.

• UAF Cooperative Extension Service – Sharing information with Alaskans, Extension offers information on how to garden in Alaska, as well as recommendations about what grows well in each region of the state.

– Stephanie Plieness, The Alaska 100

 

Social Media Etiquette: Twitter

Twitter has more than 100 million daily users. Are you engaging with the channel appropriately?

Though it has had recent downfalls, it is still the birthplace of the hashtag and is still a top-used platform.

A major difference between Facebook and Twitter: If someone follows you on Twitter, you do not automatically “friend” them, as with Facebook. So it is important that you engage so you can start a two-way conversation.

Other rules to follow:

1. Use hashtags wisely.

2. Brands should use their logos and their avatars.

3. Avoid posts about individuals at a brand – focus on the overall company. Twitter is not where you want the #FBF post of the CEO.

– Taylor Ketchum, The Oklahoma 100

 

Are you into MOOCs?

Cranford Co. Director of Brand & Social Strategy Emily Reeves Dean talks about why continued education is a must.

Universities around the world are offering their courses online for free or partially free. Over the past five years, almost 800 universities have created more than 8,000 of these massive open online courses (MOOCs). Universities with offerings include Stanford, Duke, Rice and Harvard, to name a few.

Courses use interactive textbooks, pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects to teach pupils valuable new skills. As our job markets rapidly change, the skill sets needed to compete are also changing pretty quickly. Continued education is a must and MOOCs are adequately equipped to provide it — on our own schedules and budgets.

– Emily Reeves Dean, Cranford Co.

 

Are men afraid of successful women?

Does this image intimidate you? (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

A recent Columbia University experiment concluded that men value intelligence and ambition in their female counterparts – up to a certain point.

The study found that when men perceived their female co-workers as smarter or more successful, their self-esteem dropped. Instead of applauding the success of their female colleagues, most male respondents assumed: “She is successful, and I am unsuccessful.”

This trend also extended beyond the boardroom. A survey conducted by psychologist Lora Park uncovered that men were almost universally more attracted to successful women in the abstract but distanced themselves when they met the women described in person.

– Bret Buckel, The New Orleans 100

 

The 907 – Covenant House Sleep Out

Anchorage Youth
Thompson & Co. PR's Thomas, Shannon and Stephanie at the Covenant House Sleep Out.

Each year, Covenant House Alaska hosts an annual Sleep Out event that raises funds and awareness for homeless and trafficked youth.

Thompson & Co. employees Stephanie, Shannon and Thomas, along with 25 other Anchorage young professionals, bundled up and committed to sleeping outside for one night in support of this movement to end homelessness. Together, the T&C team raised $9,000 of the record-breaking $76,129 grand total that will go directly to getting kids off the streets.

Thank you to everyone who supported us. It may have been cold, but we sleep out so they don’t have to.

– Shannon Sadler, The Alaska 100

 

Get ready for AOGA’s Great Debate

AOGA will host its annual conference on May 31.

On May 31, the Alaska Oil and Gas Association will host a one-day conference filled with discussions around Alaska’s oil and gas industry. This year’s theme, “The Great Debate”, will be evident throughout the day’s agenda, with timely and engaging debates on several hot topics, including an energizing debate among candidates running for governor.

AOGA will also award a private scholarship to the University of Alaska and recognize individuals and companies in Alaska’s oil and gas industry for their achievements.

The event features an exhibit hall and plenty of opportunities for networking. To learn more, visit www.aoga.org.

– Sarah Erkmann, Blueprint Alaska

 

GCI shores up support of the Alaska SeaLife Center

Alaska SeaLife Center
The giant Pacific octopus is one of the many inhabitants of the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.

From coastal erosion to declining sea ice, Alaska’s at the forefront of some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues. And, in recognition of Earth Month, GCI is shoring up its support of the Alaska SeaLife Center in the picturesque, coastal community of Seward.

Since 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center has played an instrumental role in understanding and developing ways to maintain marine ecosystems. Throughout April, GCI will support the research, marine mammal rehabilitation and public education efforts by the Alaska SeaLife Center by donating for every new service activation.

Join GCI in supporting the Alaska SeaLife Center this April.

– Josh Edge, GCI

 

Spring Carnival and Slush Cup return to Alyeska Resort

Annual Slush Cup
Catch air over the 90-foot ice pond at the 2018 Annual Slush Cup. (Photo credit: Flickr user James Brooks)

Visit Girdwood for Alyeska Resort’s 41st Annual Spring Carnival and Slush Cup, marking winter’s end with a series of competitions, concerts and more April 13-15.

Friday night, the festivities kick off with a costume contest followed by a concert at the Sitzmark. Then, on Saturday, brave competitors will cross the icy pond in the Idiot Swim. They ski or bike down the mountain with hopes of clearing the 90-foot pond and winning the coveted Slush Cup.

More information about the XTRATUF Tug-of-war, Dummy Downhill, Mountain Bike Race and other 2018 Slush Cup events is available here.

– Megan O’Malley, The Alaska 100

 

Tips for navigating break-up season in Alaska

Spring in Alaska
A black bear roams Far North Bicentennial Park on April 1. (Photo credit: Brad Fleming)

The sun is returning. Spring is here. As exciting as the thought of summer is, break-up season means potholes appear out of nowhere. Dog poo that has been frozen in a veil of snow will thaw. Dirty roads make your windshield incapable of being clean for more than a minute. While enjoying all of this, don’t forget:

1. Change those tires. Deadlines vary by area. Know yours to avoid a ticket.

2. Report potholes so they can be fixed quickly.

3. Cut the crap. Participate in Scoop the Poop Day.

4. Watch out for wildlife. If you see something concerning, report it here.

– Kelsey Fiedler, The Alaska 100

 

UAA students, Anchorage community partners awarded for innovative solutions

Team Early Childhood
Ann Broberg, from Team Early Childhood, chats with Charlotte Bittner and shows off her 3-D printed trophy. (Photo credit: University of Alaska)

The University of Alaska President’s Innovation Challenge brought university students together with community partners to solve top-of-mind issues in Anchorage. A judging panel of community leaders awarded three teams for their innovative solutions addressing locally submitted problems.

Team Early Childhood took home the $5,000 first prize. They pitched a kid-friendly cafe that would combine a unique play area with healthy food options. Their prize includes help from the University’s Center for Economic Development to implement the idea.

The University of Alaska’s goal is to extend the challenge to the Fairbanks and the Southeast campuses next year.

 

Call 3-1-1 for non-emergencies in Anchorage

New 3-1-1 telephone directory Anchorage
New 3-1-1 telephone directory streamlines access to Municipality of Anchorage services.

The Municipality of Anchorage recently announced the launch of a new telephone directory designed to make reaching city services, such as the Anchorage Police Department’s non-emergency line, quicker and easier to access.

The new Anchorage 3-1-1 line streamlines access to APD’s non-emergency line, ultimately opening up the 9-1-1 line for urgent calls, and also serves as a general directory for frequently contacted departments like the mayor’s office, traffic, street maintenance and more.

Anchorage 3-1-1 is open effective immediately and APD is urging residents to use the line in all non-emergency situations.

– Nikkie Viotto, The Alaska 100

 

Footraces across Alaska through May

spring events in alaska
Get outside and get active with these spring races across the state.

Ready, set, spring! The ground has begun to thaw, and we’re pumped to dust off our kicks and stretch out our winter legs with these spring footraces:

• Anchorage: The Alaska Heart Run on April 21 will bring together hundreds to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and funds for the American Heart Association.
• Fairbanks: The Breakup Triathlon on May 16 celebrates Alaska’s spring season with a course around the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus.
• Ketchikan: The Prince of Wales Island Marathon on May 26 invites runners and walkers from across the country to southeast Alaska for good competition and better views.

– Nikkie Viotto, The Alaska 100

 

ANSEP Acceleration Academy accepting applications for fall

Teaching Alaskan Youth
ANSEP is now accepting applications for ANSEP Acceleration Academy (UAA).

Current eighth-grade students can jump-start their college careers with ANSEP Acceleration Academy (UAA) beginning this fall. Applications are currently being accepted via ANSEP’s website.

At ANSEP Acceleration Academy, students will start taking college courses the moment they begin high school. With ANSEP’s forward-thinking curriculum, students have the chance to graduate high school with up to two years of college credits for B.S. as well as B.A. degrees.

ANSEP strives to effect systemic change in the hiring patterns of Alaska Natives in science, technology, engineering and mathematics career fields by placing students on paths to leadership.

– Liz Baker, The Alaska 100

 

Don’t miss Hawk Watch Weekend April 21-22

Alaska nature events
Watch for eagles and other birds soaring through the sky on Hawk Watch Weekend.

Celebrate the return of spring migrating raptors with this annual event at Gunsight Mountain near MP 118.8 of Alaska’s Glenn Highway.

Migrating raptors that can be seen along the ridgeline include golden eagles, Harlan’s red-tailed hawks, rough-legged hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, northern goshawk, American kestrel, peregrine falcon, and merlin. Swainson’s hawks and osprey have also been seen migrating through this area as well as swans, Lapland longspurs, snow buntings, and the occasional northern hawk owl.

Bring warm clothing, binoculars, spotting scopes, plenty of snacks and lawn chairs to enjoy the migrating raptors gliding over the nearby ridge.

– Brad Fleming, The Alaska 100

 

A new way to track the aurora and midnight sun

aurora borealis
Fairbanks, Alaska, is known for its spectacular aurora displays in the winter and midnight sun in the summer.

Are you an aurora chaser? A midnight sun seeker? Explore Fairbanks has unveiled its one-of-a-kind Aurora and Midnight Sun Tracker.

The Aurora Tracker offers real-time and three-day forecasts of the northern lights for six different locations – Fairbanks, North Pole, Cleary Summit, Murphy Dome, the Chena State Recreation Area and Coldfoot. The Midnight Sun Tracker calculates the number of daylight hours for Fairbanks, Coldfoot and Utqiagvik (formally Barrow).

Check the Aurora Tracker before heading out to a cozy cabin next winter or use the Midnight Sun Tracker the next time you plan a summer night hike.

– Kailee Wallis, The Alaska 100

 

Catch ‘Spikes,’ Spring Carnival and more in South-central Alaska

Live music in Alaska
April brings a new play and plenty of live music to Southcentral Alaska.

Nonprofit theater Cyrano’s will debut the original play “Spikes” on April 13 in Anchorage. The show, which has performances Thursdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m., runs through April 23. Tickets are available now.

Always dependable for offering outstanding live music, the Sitzmark in Girdwood will have Jerry Joseph & the Jack Mormons with special guest Tim Bluhm on April 12, 13 and 14, as part of Alyeska’s annual Spring Carnival and Slush Cup. To close out the season, local favorite jam band the Photonz will play at the Sitzmark on April 19 and 20.

– Liz Baker, The Alaska 100

 

Why adaptable employees have an edge in today’s workplace

Indispensable Skills
Sarah Gibson of Accent Learning and Consulting explains why adaptability is a key skill in today's workplace.

The ability to adapt to rapidly changing work situations and the flexibility to overcome obstacles is a game-changer.

Why employers want it: Today’s fast-paced business environment requires employees who are open to change, willing to take initiative and don’t get emotionally sidetracked when plans go awry. “Adaptable employees can manage conflict and change more effectively,” says Sarah Gibson of Accent Learning and Consulting, based in Wisconsin.

How to gain it: Become a continuous learner. Embrace change. Seek ongoing development opportunities to help you stay relevant in an ever-changing business world. “It’s a lifelong learning process,” says Gibson.

– Rebecca Konya, The Wisconsin 100

 

Should employers allow mental health days?

importance of taking time off
Most managers acknowledge the importance of time off, and more companies are now encouraging "mental health days" separate from vacation or sick time.

Should a “mental health day” count as a paid sick day? Last year, a viral tweet from a CEO showing support for taking mental health days put this topic in the spotlight.

Operating under high stress, which we can measure within an organization, limits employees from performing at their highest capacity, much like physical illnesses. Time off to manage stress or anxiety will improve employee productivity and morale and may reduce health care costs over time.

Managers should not only encourage their employees to take mental health days, but they should also model this behavior by taking their own days.

– Marty Petty, The MPETTY Group

 

How to ‘spring clean’ your office

cluttered workspace
Review policies and procedures and eliminate general office clutter to increase productivity.

Spring is in the air and that means it’s time to freshen up your office surroundings. Clutter-busting tips include:

1. Digitize – Get rid of paper and save your documents to the cloud.

2. Sanitize – According to the Radicati Group, approximately 270 billion emails are sent every day. That’s 72 emails for each of the world’s 3.7 billion email users. Use apps like SaneBox or Airmail. that help you filter and clean out your inbox.

3. Unsubscribe to emails you no longer read or need.

4. Eliminate Unnecessary Meetings – if a quick call is an effective substitute, schedule it.

– Tara Frier, The Boston 100