Saving Sixth Grade Music in the Anchorage School District **UPDATED**
by Linda Kellen Biegel 2010 Hanshew Middle School Band Not many people in political circles know that I credit music with saving my life. I started playing the piano when I was six-years-old. I often kicked and screamed about practicing, but my mother was determined and I continued through my entire school career. In sixth [...]
The War on Alaska’s Public Schools — The Basic Outline
by Linda Kellen Biegel Last school year, I wrote a post about the proposed cuts in the Anchorage School District budget and how they would affect a family of a middle school student. It was then I became aware of the outrageous fees Mayor Dan Sullivan was charging the school district–for example: 100% of the [...]
APOC Ruling Assigns Large Penalty to Bob Griffin for Multiple Campaign Violations
by Linda Kellen Biegel Last week, I listened-in on an Alaska Public Offices Commission hearing regarding an old friend of ours here at Mudflats, Mr. Bob Griffin. You remember Bob: – In April 2011, he ran on his status as a veteran and a pilot in order to win a seat the Anchorage School Board [...]
Extremist Lies — Why One Anchorage Needs Volunteers to Spread the Truth!
by Linda Kellen Biegel When “One Anchorage” was preparing to file their now-successful petition with the city to place their initiative on the April 3rd ballot, most supporters and those experienced with similar campaigns agreed that it would be very difficult to provide a rational argument against the initiative itself. As it states on the [...]
Back to the Sidewalk — Assemblyman Traini will introduce Repeal on Tuesday
(photo courtesy of Alaska Commons)By Linda Kellen Biegel A few days ago, Jeanne recounted the tale of Anchorage City Attorney, Dennis Wheeler and his role in the Mayor’s no-lying down/no-sitting sidewalk Ordinance. If you remember, Municipal Attorney Wheeler lied used “a poor choice of words” when he claimed the ordinance had been “run by” the Alaska [...]
Open Thread – Saturday Drive-Thru for Equality!
You might remember that in September, a coalition of organizations launched the One Anchorage Campaign: The One Anchorage campaign filed an application this morning with the Anchorage Municipal Clerk’s Office to place an initiative on the April 2012 ballot asking voters to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Alaskans in the same legal protections [...]
Twin Sons, Newt Gingrich & Dan Sullivan (New Sidewalk Ordinance–Public Testimony TONIGHT!)
by Linda Kellen Biegel (Homeless Anchorage protestor John Martin and his faithful friend) On the same day that the world is outraged by the pepper-spraying of peaceful UC Davis protestors, Newt Gingrich still manages to capture the attention of the media. Friday, his announcement of “extraordinarily radical proposals to fundamentally change the culture of poverty [...]
The Swindling of Our Wounded Warriors — A Request for Assistance *UPDATED*
By Linda Kellen Biegel Those of you who live in Anchorage may have heard about a fundraiser put on by Arkansas transplant politico and drag performer Caleb Pritt for an organization called “Homes for Our Troops.” The money was supposed to be designated towards a home for Latseen Benson and his family. Latseen lost both [...]
Almost a Year Later, APOC Will Render a Verdict on Rep. Bill Thomas
By Linda Kellen Biegel Mudflatters, think wayyyyyy, wayyyyyy back to October of 2010 and you might remember Representative William Thomas, Jr., a Republican legislator from the beautiful little town of Haines, Alaska. Representative Thomas is not someone who generally comes to my attention way over here in Anchorage. However, in September of 2010 while [...]
“One Anchorage” Takes the Case for LGBT Rights to the People
Last week, an organization called Equality Works launched the One Anchorage Campaign for a ballot initiative to be voted on by Anchorage residents in the Spring 2012 Municipal Election. The initiative would add sexual orientation and transgender identity to the Municipality’s Equal Rights Code. Per the Press Release from Equality Works: One Anchorage Files Initiative [...]
Mayor Sullivan’s Appointees Don’t Want to Let the School District Spend Their Own Money
On August 3rd, there was a regular meeting of the Municipality Budget Advisory Commission. (You remember, this is the commission that used to be two — the Budget Advisory Commission and the School Budget Advisory Commission. However, when the word “school” made people think twice about the appointment of one of the Mayor’s LGBT-hating wing-nutter [...]
Open Thread – Fuchsias (LKB)
I have tons of work to do in my garden, but fortunately, my hanging plants are absolutely gorgeous this year. Here’s my 2-tone pink/lavender fuchsia combined with blue, lavender and white lobelia, and… Here’s the one with pink/lavender flowers with just blue lobelia. I’m hoping to have more garden pictures for you this week…if I [...]
Open Thread – Scenes from Setnetting the Kasilof (LKB)
Here are just a few pictures from my weekend at the mouth of the Kasilof River: The constant, beautiful view from the beach is Mt. Redoubt Volcano — if you remember, it was the one spewing a bit in 2009. Occasionally in the nets we catch more than just Red Salmon — here a King [...]
Beware, Netrooters! Breitbart’s “Pimp Suit” is Heading Your Way!
Yes, Progressives, convicted felon and liar extraordinaire James O’Keefe is en route to Minneapolis thanks to a benevolence of a federal judge. Per The Smoking Gun: Since O’Keefe needs judicial approval to travel outside New Jersey (due to his federal conviction for last year’s harebrained scheme targeting Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu), yesterday he filed a [...]
Open Thread: Preparing for Setnetting!
Here’s a picture from several years ago of our campsite where we were setnetting during the annual personal use fishery. I’m looking forward to being there in just a couple of days! Setnetting at the Kasilof is already going on and in the Alaska tradition, we have a number of families sharing the nets and [...]
