One Small Valley Social inJustice

Fair warning: There will be an individual named here, who does exist here in the Valley. 

First, social injustice.  

This is perpetrated upon all of us by our own government, and perpetuated by a combination of civil restraint and the inability of the governed to effect meaningful, rapid, common sense change.  Most readers will be painfully aware of the consequences of SB91, and their partial "fixes" as attempted by the Legislature in the last session. This feel good legislation, meant to keep habitual offenders from lengthy jail sentences has failed utterly and completely.  Originally proposed to go hand in hand with a massive increase in drug and mental health services (which likely would not have been effective anyway, if you look into the reports of this system in other states) the legislature, in its stupidity, did one without the other.  So, criminals are let loose, given citations at best, and are seldom incarcerated or successfully prosecuted. Even felonies get less than a slap on the wrist (as evidenced by the release of the felon who sexually assaulted a woman in broad daylight, was convicted, and gets off with time served.....in his own home, with an ankle monitor)  and lesser crimes? Most residents already know how futile it is to report pretty much anything. Not enough Troopers for our area, and so on.

This situation will not be rectified for many years to come, and in the meantime, crime has skyrocketed across the Valley. Just as the Troopers are not given enough tools to be effective in stemming this in any significant way, the laws as they exist, do not give the public the means to respond effectively either. 

Just make a noise about an informal community patrol, or making a citizen's arrest, or tracking down a thief on your own, or serve a little payback-and watch the law enforcement community stand shoulder to shoulder and cry out: You may not do that! That's our job. In fact, there are literally hundreds of cases where private citizens have handed the AST a solid, air tight case and absolutely nothing is accepted. Period end. Photos, videos, caught red handed, does not matter-none of it is ever prosecuted and for that, lay some blame at the feet of the DA-who prefers a high conviction rate (as a means to a seat on the bench) and who will plead out anything and everything to get the right magic numbers. So just to be clear: If you have been made a victim of criminal behavior, you have to literally work it through the AST hierarchy, then over to the DAs office. If you are very fortunate, you will get the ADAs to persuade the DA, and they'll get their cases assigned. Which is not the same thing as having a Trooper call you back with a case #, hours or days after you have been victimized by some lowlife who likely has numerous warrants already.

On to the specifics of the topic.....

There is a woman here in the Valley, Brandi Slover.  Not quite sure how old Brandi is, but she is definitely an adult, and according to her own family, has made poor life choices and has a history of drug abuse.  If you drive between, say, the Meadowlakes area and Talkeetna, you stand a pretty good chance of seeing her, live and in person. This is the nutjob that literally darts into traffic moving at highway speeds. She dances and spins along the roadways, has thrown rocks and other debris at passing cars...and is not afraid to be topless, or to literally flash her genitals at traffic. She is completely impulsive and a driver has no idea the woman might very likely, step right into the lane. She has caused dozens and dozens of people brake hard and take evasive action, and one day, she will not beat the odds and that will be the end of Brandi Slover. 

She is well known to the AST, and has been to API numerous times in the past. In their 72 hour hold, she passes the psych eval and is released into the unsuspecting public again...and it all starts over. Her family cannot commit her, she has to commit herself. (Although seeking legal guardianship might be an answer, don't know) The thing is this: Brandi may not be a danger to herself in the clinical sense, but she is a clear and present danger to the community. Period end. And nothing can be done. If family cannot get her committed to API long enough for effective treatment, the courts surely don't act to protect the public either. They know her history, they know she'll be released and so....nothing happens. 

One day, this little facet of social injustice is going to cause a mentally unstable woman to be killed, and the operator (and passengers, if any) of the vehicle that takes her out to be traumatized, thanks to your government. 

However, if it had been a man flashing his genitals at dozens of vehicles on the highway?  Well, you can bet his butt would be in jail. For a very long time. And you know it's true.   And that is also a social injustice. 

All the leaves are brown.....

and the sky is blue........

(apologies to the music fans)


For some reason, the current state of things, has prompted that snippet of song into an ear worm of major proportions. Think this through:

In May this year, we had roughly six weeks of very cool, dark, and cloudy weather.

When did the bees show up in earnest at your place?  If you are like me, they never really did. Had no pollinators whatsoever except for the occasional bumble bee, lost from a local beekeeper. But native bees? None until August.

Had plenty of robins early on, but they took off in early June. Where did they go?

Gardening reports have the season as mixed, at best.  Some were fortunate and had a great year, but many folks, like myself, had a marginally productive year-despite added amendments and care.  Even my raspberry patch, reliable for 5 to 7 gallons of great berries every season-produced only a fraction of normal.

And then there are the trees.  Didn't it seem like things were turning color a little too soon?  But if you take a really close look at those birch trees.....well, I think we have a problem. Maybe a big problem, on the heels of the huge spruce bark beetle kill off of our local spruce. 

Our local birch trees have been subject to attacks by a pest known as "birch leaf miner" for some years now. This is what produced the bare tree tops in a wide swath of the Valley.  In some areas, the entire tops of the trees are dead-including, seemingly, a portion of the main trunk. On my own property, I have some that appear dead for the upper ten feet or so and looking around my travels, I see many birch showing the same effects of "whatever it is". 

And there is something else. The trees are not the bright and cheerful sunny yellow and vibrant orange that a combination of a good frost and dropping sap provides.  Nope, if you check closely, you will see some have leaves that are browning at the *branch*. At the stem where they attach to the limb. In fact. some of the leaves affected appear nearly singed. 

At first I thought it had to be something specific to our several birch species...but nope, the same thing shows on my own well tended lilac shrubs.  The leaves are browning from the stem outwards. There is no other symptom of disease or distress that I can identify. These shrubs are well watered, pruned every two years, and get at least some fertilizer from being planted in the lawn.

All the leaves are brown....and the sky is blue.......

.........??

The perils and perks of posting

Yep, another post by the blogger most of you love to hate.

You've done your part to squelch free speech, productive discussion, outright dissenting opinions, threatened livelihoods, and stomped all over the 1st Amendment rights of many locals over the past few years.  The incredibly slimy, seedy underbelly of Alaskan agriculture continues to bully honest criticism, and this blog has done it's part in exposing a portion, unknown to many (including local politicians) but it will no longer be the focus here. Yes, plenty has been shared, and continues to be shared but it has become such a yawner.....same story, different players, over and over. Blech.

In the meantime, I will post whatever the hell I feel like, whenever I feel like it, and as always, comments are welcome here.  Topics to come will include, but are not limited to:

The state of Alaska election issues.

The mismanagement of our collective resource (game and fish).

Crime and punishment.

And the occasional hard look at agriculture.

Alaska Ag......Plucked Again

In the scramble to make a buck in Alaska agriculture, many folks have tried various business models, inventive production techniques, attempted new crops and a wide range of assorted scams and dubious transactions have all had their place here. Sometimes, the only way to tell the difference is by the trail of victims left behind.

One such victim is a relatively unknown supporter of Alaska ag, who is, in his own right, an astute businessman with many years of successful history in the corporate world.  Just how this otherwise perceptive individual fell prey to one of our shining champions of locally grown, is unknown.....but fall he did:

Over 2,600 whole frozen chickens, abandoned into his care. And he is has been (reportedly) plucked himself, to the tune of over $90,000.00. The local champion has recently posted on social media that "their visions no longer" matched or words to that effect.  I have no doubt that the business man wanted to get paid for his services and investment, and the producers (who may or may not be paid) were sure that their hard work was happily sold into the fast growing Anchorage market.  But the truth is in the photos here, and tell a different story.

However, take a close look at this label:

A simple bar code does not an inspected chicken make.  Despite oral claims and fancy sales pitches, the co-op does not meet any USDA standard. And in fact, many of the weights are wrong, many by nearly four ounces.

The requirements for actual exempt labeling are:

So, there you have it. 2,600 improperly labeled, improperly weighed chickens, evidently produced *without* a ready market.  If there had been a ready market, they would not exist.....proving that the ground work for local poultry was not adequately researched, and that either the price point is beyond the market, or the demand for this specific product does not meet production-or a combination of all three.

Plucked, indeed, and a mighty shiner on the face of our local champion.

Alaska Ag.....The Devil is in the Details

If former President Reagan is is known for his famous quote: I'm from the government and I'm here to help"  then it should be added  "....and the devil is in the details".

In reviewing Governor Walker's proposed 2019 budget, it took just a little digging to find the documents relating to the DOA. (Division of Agriculture)  If you are adventurous, there are a number of pdf files available through the Department of Natural Resources webpage. These multi-page entries can be a bit tiring to sift through, we suggest the detail and the change record files as starting points.  It is entirely likely that there is more data for the DOA on the DNR proposed budget list, since the manner in which these positions and departments and activities are funded is complex and can be confusing.

A few facts:

The DOA has, at the Southcentral Region offices, a total of 17 positions.  According to their website as of December 27th, they currently have 3 vacant positions. 

The DOA has, at the Palmer area Plant Materials Center, a total of 13 positions, 2 of which are vacant.

The DOA has, at the Northern Region office, 3 positions, of which one is vacant.

So that is 33 positions (sometimes known as PCNs, the short moniker assigned by the state) and of those, 6 vacant positions. On the surface, this appears as a reduction in personnel, a tightly run division where the public is still being served well. Again, the devil is in the details. 

Departments and divisions jealously guard each and every PCN they have. The reason?  There will hopefully come a time in the future when every position is fully funded. A fully funded organization can then plead the need for more PCNs to meet increased demand...and thus, government always grows, and never truly shrinks.

They can also simply decrement (love that guvspeak, don't you?) positions into new ones, by assigning the funding to a newly created or renamed PCN.  In this way, the organization stretches into nooks and crannies of public service it was never meant to go.

In the 2019 proposed budget, the DOA intends to decrement and in the end, create two new positions (in addition to the job the closed earlier this week, presumably)  The new position is called "the state veterinarian"  Now, it is not clear whether this is literally a behind the scenes move to place the Office of the State Veterinarian (currently occupied by the exemplary Dr. Robert Gerlach at the Department of Environmental Conservation) or the creation of a new "state veterinarian" under the auspices of the DOA.  We suspect the latter in this case. Dr. Gerlach has made clear in previous legislative sessions that he must and should remain at ADEC where his work can continue, he has excellent staff, and the support he needs to perform those duties.

This new "state veterinarian" will have "Development Specialist" for assistance. With what, exactly, is not explained in print. There is talk of livestock, and importing and exporting, but what the actual job duties are? Well that, friends...is one of those "the devil is in the details"  things. Who knows? The funding for these two positions will come from a surplus in the Agriculture Revolving Loan Fund component. 

However, one must not forget the Golden Boy's desire to mimic the Department of Agriculture in other states-nearly all of whom do have state veterinarians on staff. And one must not forget his desire to make the DOA a regular Department within state government. 

To understand, even in part, of what this means for our livestock producers, one should keep this in mind:

The State of Alaska already has an Office of State Veterinarian.  

That Office is already fully involved in one of the most pressing issues facing livestock producers, which is the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundations' continued efforts to make owning sheep and goats illegal within state borders. (And don't think the Board of Game sides with our protein growers-they do not. Look for the AWSF to push legislation in Juneau this coming session)

That Office already has excellent rapport with importers of livestock, a great working relationship with many Alaskans pursuing animal husbandry here in Alaska, and has experienced, trained staff at hand to perform inspections, etc. 

Now, ask yourself this.....for what purpose would another "state veterinarian" serve the DOA?  What regulation by pen would that person generate? Because you can be sure, that as soon as that person is on staff, the legislation for statutory authority to regulate will follow....because it's logical, if for no other reason. 

Alaska Ag.....That 20/20 Hindsight

Finally functional after a long period without a working computer. Whew!

(Report for previous post: The Board of Game took no action on the proposal to effectively outlaw sheep and goats for the time being-more to come on this subject in the future)

In the course of writing this blog, many people have reached out to share all sorts of information, or rumors, or just to bully this author.  Between the emails and phone calls, texts, lunches, and other interactions, seldom is offered such a damning example of ag malfeance as this:

The above scanned images originate from a three fold brochure provided by a reader quite some time ago.  Very fancy, isn't it?  According to the person who shared this, the cost was approximately $500,000 to MatSu Borough tax payers to see the project end at the brochure.  The Boro did the research, obtained (or leased, not sure) the property, created the brochure....and then funding disappeared. The land chosen ended up being used for what is now the school district commercial kitchen, which is seemingly another complicated, sideways story all on its own.  Crafted in the heady days of high oil prices, and sorely needed to spur agricultural growth, it turned out to be yet another state (Matanuska Susitna Borough in this case) government boondoggle.....just not one costing into the millions. 

It's a shame that this "Economic Development Project" was never completed. Such as facility would be a tremendous asset to the Borough, and its citizenry.  And might have served to set the stage for a serious look at export markets....since the producers all know that one of the major missing links to sustained growth is a processing center like the one described above. In hindsight, the other expensive boondoggles (such as the ferry fiasco) gobbled up excess revenues, and left Ag by the wayside. Again. 

Do you suppose they have a file gathering dust in Palmer, that a more forward thinking, enterprising individual could review?  

(Edited to add a link to the 2008 report on the subject)

Agricultural Processing Center Report-2008

Alaska Ag....Will ADF&G Outlaw Domestic

sheep and goats by Sunday?

That question is worrying all who stand in opposition to the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation's push to remove our domestic flocks from the "clean list". 

Prop 64 is on the Alaska Department of Fish & Game meeting agenda this weekend. If you would like to speak up in support of your local farmers, ranchers, and hobbyists, you have until Saturday at 10:30 to sign up for oral comments. 

The meeting is being held through the 17th at the Lakefront Hotel, 4800 Spenard Road, Anchorage.

Over 360 fellow Alaskans took the time to submit letters in opposition to this proposal. 

The supporters are knowingly misleading the Alaska public, by stating that if the proposal passes, then folks can just get a permit, test, and be reimbursed for any stock destroyed as a result.  This is a lie. Not just an untruth, or a misstatement, it is a lie.

Direct from the State website:

In other words, the Board of Game has the power to remove species from the "clean list" If the animal is not on the clean list, then ownership is prohibited. Period end. 

Unfortunately, our local reporter was not as thorough as she could have been, when this was published by the ADN:

Permits for domestic goats and sheep?

The article does not go into depth on the lack of scientific data, how Dall sheep differ from Bighorn, what has occurred in the lower 48, under what conditions, etc.  After all, there have been domestic sheep and goats here for decades, with absolutely zero disease outbreak between domestic and wild stock.  ADF&G have not even identified habitat, yet the AWSF is intent on destroying a significant portion of animal husbandry in Alaska.  

If you can add your voice in support of local livestock (and food security!) in Alaska, it would be greatly appreciated.  This action is flat out fear mongering, has wide ranging implications (see previous entries on this subject), and serves no one but the pocketbooks of guides and outfitters, and their wealthy clients. Who, by the way, killed over 700 wild sheep last year alone.