Dr. Jill Valerius joins Lee Henrikson to discuss high blood pressure.

Dr. Jill explains how your blood pressure is taken and when it should be taken. The top number in your blood pressure reading is your systolic pressure — the force of the blood flow when it is pumped out of the heart. The second number is your diastolic pressure, which is measured between heartbeats when the heart is filling with blood. Blood pressure can be a problem all on its own, but it can also be a symptom of other ailments.

Part 1

Mike Chmielewski welcomed Mike Liebing with the Palmer Community Foundation.

A community foundation is a grantmaking public charity dedicated to improving the lives of people in a defined geographic area. Community foundations generate sustainable and permanent assets to support charitable activities and local nonprofits. This year, Palmer Community Foundation has given $120,000 in grants to local non-profits. The Palmer Community Foundation invites everyone to come to the Fall Community Celebration. There will be live music by The Robots, and Turkey Red will be supplying the food: Thursday, September 25th, at the Palmer Depot from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. You can learn more about the Palmer Community Foundation at the celebration or on their webpage: palmercf.org.

The 17th Annual Mat-Su Emergency Preparedness Expo will be held on Saturday, September 20th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The expo is a free, family-friendly event held at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla. The expo will feature hands-on training, live demonstrations, and exhibits covering a variety of safety topics: Hands-only CPR, Basic first aid, Backcountry safety, Home safety, Pet and livestock preparedness. 

School District Superintendent Dr. Randy Trani talks with Emily Forstner on Valley Edition.

Emily congratulates Dr. Trani on winning the Alaska Superintendent of the Year. Another celebration is that the 2025 AK STAR results are in. Our students are not just keeping up; they are leading the way. Mat-Su students exceeded the state average in every subject.

Peter House from Deep Tree talks about current cybersecurity threats with host Mike Chmielewski.

Mike and Peter discussed the Anchorge Neighborhood Health Services breach, which involved 60,000 patients’ records. Peter explained that healthcare is a favorite target due to the diverse information available in the records. Elections are coming up soon, and Mike asked Peter how likely it is for voting machines to be hacked.

Mike Chmielewski and Palmer Mayor Steve Carrington discuss the September 9th council meeting.

At a special city council meeting on October 13th, the council will certify the election. The new mayor and council members will be sworn in, and Steve Carrington will hand the gavel over to the new mayor.

Host Ken Hoffman welcomes Mark Wolbers, the President of the Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association.

You don’t need to be a commercial grower to benefit from membership in The Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers Association. The association aims to share information with anyone interested in fruit growing through monthly meetings, guest speakers, workshops, and tastings.

Dr. Jill Valerius talks with Lee Henrikson about the types of headaches and their causes.

50% of adults suffer from headaches, which are categorized into two main types: primary headache syndrome and secondary headaches. Your doctor can help you understand what type of headaches you have and thus get proper treatment.

Triggers for the different types of headaches are often the same causes for many other ailments. These include stress, posture, tmj, poor sleep, bad pillows, loud noises, bright lights, and caffeine.

Gino Graziano from the UAF Extension talks about invasive plants with host, Mike Chmielewski.

The two invasive plants that Gino has been working with are the European Bird Cherry and the Choke Cherry. These plants were introduced to Alaska in the 1950s as ornamental plants, but they are now causing damage to our ecosystem. Both of these plants are quarantined by the Division of Agriculture, which means they can not be sold or distributed in Alaska. Gino shares websites where you can get more information about invasive species in Alaska:

www.uaf.edu/ces/garden/landscape-plants/index.php

www.invasive.org/state.cfm?id=us_ak

accs.uaa.alaska.edu/invasive-species/non-native-plant-species-list/

Mike Chmielewski talks with Larri Spengler about her first novel, “Taking Time: Sailing with My Family in Southeast Alaska.” 

Larri chronicles her family’s adventures on the sailboat Altariel. Larri, her husband, and daughter experienced a range of adventures, from the dangerous to the appreciation of Southeastern Alaska’s fantastic nature. Taking Time conveys one way to live in the present, and to nurture together time in the face of brimming schedules and encroaching technology.