Hometown, Alaska - Alaska Public Media

Starting a thriving small business is daunting on even the best days. But what happens when you want to start a small business in an often stigmatized Anchorage neighborhood like Fairview, Spenard, Muldoon and Mountain View?

According to the Anchorage Community Land Trust (ACLT) and its partners like the Cook Inlet Lending Center and the Cook Inlet Tribal Council, the path forward to revitalizing these neighborhoods is business creation, local job growth and resident leadership through innovative programs like the Set Up Shop.

"When you believe deeply in the potential of every single person in a neighborhood, regardless of their skin color, or their economic attainment, or their credentials, and you believe that they all can contribute in some way, I think really incredible and powerful things can happen," said ACLT CEO Kirk Rose of the Set Up Shop program.

So far, the program, which offers microloans and business training, has served nearly 400 small businesses and provided over 3,000 hours of direct support to entrepreneurs. In 2013, ACLT won the National Development Council’s Most Innovative Community Development Project Award, and in 2016 the nonprofit won the Alaska Planning Association’s Grassroots Planning Award.

HOST: O'Hara Shipe

GUESTS:

Kirk Rose, CEO, Anchorage Community Land Trust

Jeff Tickle, CEO and President, Cook Inlet Lending Center

Jamieann Bell, Program Director, Anchorage Community Land Trust/Co-owner, Arctic Moon Bakery

Shane McHale, President, Blueberry Tours

LINKS:

Anchorage Community Land Trust

ACLT Indigenous Peoples Set Up Shop program

Cook Inlet Lending Center: small business lending

Cook Inlet Tribal Council

Arctic Moon Bakery

Blueberry Tours

Alaska has a long history and continued relationship to the Armed Forces. To preserve and honor that history, the Alaska Veterans Museum features exhibits and artifacts from the state's territorial days to modern times. Ahead of Memorial Day on May 27, host Dave Waldron tours the museum to find out more about the men and women who gave their all to serve the country. We'll also hear pieces from Alaska Public Media and StoryCorps' Military Voices Initiative.

HOST: Dave Waldron

GUEST: Jann Sherrill, volunteer coordinator and curator for the Alaska Veterans Museum

LINKS:

Alaska Veteran Museum website

Virtual Tour

Facebook

Alaska Public Media/StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative

40 years ago, tucked inside a tiny Anchorage shoe repair shop, BOSCO'S Comics was born. On this Hometown Alaska host Dave Waldron speaks with John Weddleton, the owner behind the man with the sword. It's a reflection on the past 40 years of comics, cards and games in Anchorage, and much more, including an appearance from Batman.

HOST: Dave Waldron

GUEST: John Weddleton, Owner, BOSCO'S

LINKS:

BOSCO'S website

Facebook

Instagram

It’s spring and neighborhood streets, parks and gathering places are filling with people. Where does this season take you? To new parts of the city or to the same haunts as winter? What’s on your map of Anchorage? Anchorage Park Foundation is celebrating the city through a new project, "Map Your Anchorage."

HOST: Anne Hillman

GUESTS:

Barbara Brown, Map Your Anchorage Coordinator

Michelle LeBlanc, Anchorage Park Foundation

LINKS:

Download map HERE

Anchorage Park Foundation Map Your Anchorage page

Map Your Anchorage Facebook

May 16, 2024 is the 223rd birthday of the one and only William Henry Seward. In honor of this, Cook Inlet Historical Society’s final event for their lecture series this season will be a program featuring songs, instrumental music, dramatic readings and a look at the life of the man who helped make Alaska part of the United States. It’s called “Seward’s Follies: The Life And Legacy Of William H. Seward.”

On this episode of Hometown, Alaska we find out about the event, discuss Seward's political career and examine the driving force behind his motives to expand the territory of the United States.

HOST: Ammon Swenson

GUESTS:

Laura Koenig, adjunct professor of music, University of Alaska Anchorage, board member, Cook Inlet Historical Society, producer, "Seward's Follies."

Stephen Haycox, emeritus professor of history at the University of Alaska Anchorage

LINKS:

Cook Inlet Historical Society

Shake City String Band

Rachel Taylor Brown

Walter Stahr, "Seward: Lincoln's Indispensable Man" Simon & Schuster, 2012.

Seward Family Digital Archive

Today is Earth Day, and in honor of it we'll be discussing recycling. We find out what you can and can't recycle in those bins you drag to the bottom of your driveway, and find a place for the other items that you may be looking to get rid of during your spring cleaning.

HOST: Dave Waldron

GUESTS:

Jenny Forner and Patti Guist, cofounders of Anchorage re:MADE

Kelli Toth, acting director and recycling coordinator for Solid Waste Services

LINKS:

Anchorage re:MADE

Anchorage Solid Waste Services

Alaskans have a deep history with sourdough. Even the word itself is a moniker for Alaskans who are as resilient as they are self-sufficient. A name most wear with great pride. April 1 is National Sourdough Bread Day. On this Hometown, Alaska we discuss Alaska’s rich and fascinating history with sourdough; how to make it, what it tastes like and how it secured a place in so many Alaskans' hearts.

HOST: Dave Waldron

GUEST: Julia O'Malley, journalist and food writer

LINKS:

Julia O'Malley website

"The Whale and the Cupcake"

Julia O'Malley bread recipes

Starting next Monday is the Alaska B4UDie comedy fest, a week-long event taking place in Anchorage, Wasilla, Girdwood and Talkeetna. The festival will feature some out-of-state headliners but will also offer plenty of local talent. On this episode of Hometown, Alaska we meet the founder and some comedians behind B4UDie, talk about the art of stand-up comedy and explore how it's cementing its place in Alaska.

HOST: Dave Waldron

GUESTS:

Kass Smiley, comedian, founder of B4Udie

Katelyn Owens, comedian

Ben Peterson, comedian

LINKS:

Alaska B4UDie website

Facebook

Instagram

Rubber Ptarmigan website

Some young people drink alcohol. Others don’t. It’s pretty obvious on the surface, but the decision making around drinking can be complicated. Many people and experiences shape if and when we decide to drink, and talking about those influences can be hard. On this episode of Hometown, Alaska we talk to young people and some adults who support them about alcohol use and how to talk about it.

EVENT INFO:

Anchorage Youth Speak Out: Conversations About Underage Drinking

Wednesday, April 24, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

BP Energy Center or virtually

HOST: Anne Hillman

GUESTS:

Aaron Osterback, Volunteers of America-Alaska, coalition coordinator

Asher Farrally, youth speaker

JJ Hanley, youth speaker

LINKS:

VOA Alaska website

Facebook

Instagram

Youtube

When you think of game night, there really isn't anything more timeless than trivia. On this episode of Hometown, Alaska we talk with a quizmaster from the group Geeks Who Drink and explore why so many are drawn to this pastime. Later in the show we host our very own trivia throwdown here in the Alaska Public Media studio.

HOST: Dave Waldron

GUESTS:

Sarah Hull, Quizmaster, Geeks Who Drink

Valerie Lake, Director of Production, Alaska Public Media

Adam Nicely, Multimedia Production Associate, Alaska Public Media

Wesley Early, Anchorage Reporter, Alaska Public Media

Ava White, Statewide Morning News Host, Alaska Public Media

LINKS:

Geeks Who Drink website

Geeks Who Drink - Alaska Facebook