Emily Forstner gives insight into the school board meeting on November 19th .

The board welcomed two returning members, Brooks Pitcher and Kendall Kruse, and one new member, Lori Colee. Discussion included the replacement of the land acknowledgment at schools. There were presentations from proposed charter schools.

David Cheezem, Herb Bischoff, and Judy Donegan discuss the book Enshittification. There was a question of whether the FCC would allow that word to be aired, so they were looking for substitutes. Enpoopification, Enscatification, and Ensitification were considered. The book’s subtitle is “Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It, which seemed appropriate, given the “names” being discussed.

Enshittification examines the internet and tech landscape, where platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Google start great but, over time, squeeze profits at the cost of user experience. Herb and Judy both agreed that if they had a higher level of technical understanding of the internet and how these platforms work, they would have gotten more from the book. All three felt empowered to see these platforms differently and to identify the actions they can take.

Palmer Mayor Jim Cooper joins Mike Chmielewski in the studio to talk about his first month in office.

Mike asks Mayor Cooper what he sees as the change from being a council member and being mayor. Mayor Cooper joked that it is easier to schedule meetings as the mayor. He went on to explain that the mayor had more opportunities to bring ideas to the city and move items forward than a council member does. Mayor Cooper and Mike discussed what the end of the year brings and what we can look forward to in 2026.

Emily Forstner talks with Mat-Su Borough School District Superintendent Dr. Randy Trani.

Emily and Dr. Trani discuss several issues, including enrollment, chronic absenteeism, busing, and school funding. Dr. Trani addresses also the controversial removal of the 2021 land acknowledgement from buildings and school events. 

Peter House from Deep Tree talks with Mike Chmielewski about current cybersecurity threats and how they affect us here in Alaska. Today’s topic was router vulnerability. Routers have become a target for malicious actors and many older routers cannot be updated and are vulnerable.

Credential theft is on the rise: they are using the puzzles that you fill out to prove you’re human when visiting a website. Be aware: if a you are asked to paste anything using the “R” key. This is the “run” shortcut and it can give remote control access to your computer.

Mike Chmielewski talks with Meggy Abe from the Palmer Arts Council.

Meggy explained the goal of the Palmer Arts Council’s goal – to bring more art opportunities to Palmer. They do this through education, workshops, performances, and literary events. The Arts Council is excited to host Parlor in the Round, Friday, November 23rd at 7:00 p.m. Parlor in the Round has been described as a songwriter’s game show. The audience actually helps by writing down song suggestions.

For more information or to learn about other upcoming events, visit the Palmer Arts Council website.

Palmer Food Bank Executive Director Jennifer Brandt talks with Mike Chmielewski.

The Palmer Food Bank opened in 1991 with the full name Palmer Emergency Food and Community Services. 25% of its food comes from the USDA; the other 75% is from community donations. Executive Director Jennifer Brandt started in September and is seeing significant growth of the food bank. Palmer Food Bank is moving to a new building at the corner of S. Denali Street and East Arctic Avenue. At 5,300 square feet, it is three times bigger than the current site. There will be a cookbook corner and other new features. Jennifer is humbled by the volunteers , and the donations and of food and money from the residents of Palmer. You can email her for information or volunteering or donations or visit the website.

Mike Chmielewski and Mayor Jim Cooper discusses the November 18 Palmer City Council meeting. Penny Mosher was sworn in as a council member. Mayor Cooper is impressed with the council members and believes they will accomplish wonderful things together. Palmer City Manager Kolby Zerkel explained the issues surrounding the airport, golf course, and the FAA in her report. During audience participation many citizens spoke passsionately about the golf course. Mayor Cooper said that in the future, there will be more open and transparent information about the airport, golf course, and the FAA.

Misty Vanderweele from All Dahlia’d Up visits with Ken Hoffman and talks about growing flowers in Alaska.

Starting with one smushed dahlia brought home by Misty’s son, Luke. All Dahlia’d Up has grown to 2,000 dahlias and hundreds of other flowers in 13 years. The flower farm grows everything you could want in an Alaska-grown bouquet. In summer, farm walking tours are available as well as an authentic Alaskan farm-to-table dining experience with a five-star chef, live music, and a farm tour. You need reservations for both the dinners and the walking tours. For more information, visit their website.

It’s time for Page Two: news that might not make the front page for Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough is updating the Government Peak Recreation Area (GPRA) plan as visits to the popular Hatcher Pass destination continue to climb.

The Borough reports a 300% increase in daily use of GPRA since 2017, from an average of 135 to 403 parking passes issued per day. Current data shows 300,000 annual users at GPRA. 

The 2026 plan update will revise the 2017 GPRA – Southern Sub-Unit Development Plan. This follows the recent completion of a land patent, which finalized transfer of the remaining state-owned parcels. The Borough had already owned and managed much of GPRA and with the patent, now holds full title to the entire recreation area.

“It’s the right time to revise the management plan,” said Christian Munar, a land management specialist with the Borough’s Community Development Department.

An online survey  is open through December 29 at matsu.gov. Survey responses will help shape the draft plan by identifying how people use the area, their priorities, and what improvements they’d like to see. Survey participants will be entered for a chance to win a borough trailhead parking pass.

“Please take the time to take the survey,” Munar said. “The survey will help the management plan meet the needs of a wider range of users and reflect what the community wants.”

The borough will also gather public input at an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. on December 10 at the GPRA Chalet on North Mountain Trails Drive.  A second virtual workshop will be announced in mid-December for those unable to attend in person.

The draft plan is scheduled for release in January 2026. The  30-day public comment period follows  in February. The final plan will be released in March 2026.

GPRA spans approximately 7,860 acres. About 985 of those acres are in the Hatcher Pass Public Use Area. Development of the area began in 2009 when the Borough secured $6 million in federal funds. 

In 2012, the Borough and Mat Su Ski Club volunteers constructed 6.5 kilometers of Nordic ski trails. Today, GPRA has more than 10 miles of ski trails and 8 miles of singletrack bike trails.

The borough continues to maintain and improve the area through grants, community fundraisers, and grassroots organizations. 

The Mat-Su Ski Club, Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers Association, and Backcountry Horsemen of Alaska have also volunteered thousands of hours of labor. 

“Without their involvement, GPRA wouldn’t be as successful as it is today,” Munar said.

MASCOTart Script Club meets every 3rd Tuesday from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Tonight’s meeting features “The Thanksgiving Play” and other works by Larissa FastHorse.  There is no charge. MASCOTart Studio is located in the Trinity Barn at 10355 E Palmer Wasilla Highway. 

The final Matanuska Community Farmers Market of the season is tomorrow from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the basement of the log church. 

Mutual Aid money coupons are available at the welcome table for those short on funds. Just take what you need – no questions asked. 

There will be a gluten free minestrone soup with local vegetables and focaccia available from 4-7 p.m, or until it’s gone. It is free, but their hope is that folks with the means will donate.

The Palmer City Council and the Borough Assembly meet tonight at 6 p.m. The School Board meets tomorrow at 6 p.m. 

We will stream all the meetings from bigcabbageradio.org

Page Two articles are written by Emily Forstner and Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at [email protected].

Please support Page 2 News. Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org. 

That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.