This week on AK, we learn the 3 R’s that define rural Alaska: Remote, Resourceful, and Resilient. We’ll drop in on the Rural Providers Conference and find out why cell phones don’t work in Yakutat. Plus, a chat with author Seth Kantner about his rugged rural upbringing, and find out how the new Farm Bill will help with high energy costs.
All that and more this week on AK, heard statewide on local APRN stations statewide.
Guest Host: Ellen Lockyer
Rural Providers’ Conference
Every year, the Rural Alaska Community Action Program hosts a week of workshops somewhere in bush Alaska for the benefit of village health care and social services workers. They have to deal with stressors like alcohol and mental health issues, so they need to keep up with the latest information and network with peers. AK’s Ellen Lockyer visited the latest conference in Glennallen, and came back with some powerful stories from Floyd Guthrie, Nick Gonzales and George Stone.
- Music Button: Haida chant and rattle
Yakutat Cell Phones
Reporter Ed Shoenfeld speaks with Yakutat folks about the pros and cons of mobile phones in their town. It seems Yakutat can’t get cell service, and people there really don’t care.
- Break: “Rural Renewal” by the Crusaders and Eric Clapton from Rural Renewal
Seth Kantner
Author Seth Kantner, who wrote “Ordinary Wolves”, has a new book out called “Shopping for Porcupine”. This one is an account of his own life in the Arctic. He spoke with Lori Townsend.
- Calendar of Events (“Wild Horse” by The Stairwell Sisters from Feet All Over the Floor)
300 Villages
Eagle
Egegik
Anderson Land Giveaway
Fairbanks reporter Lori Neufeld speaks with Anderson mayor Keith Fetzer, and Eric Warmer and Dave Miller, two people who took advantage of Anderson’s home-site giveaway program last year, to see how things are shaping up.
- Break: “Small Town (Karaoke Version)” by John Mellencamp from Karaoke – John Mellencamp, Volume I
One Resourceful Guy
KNOM’s Paul Korchin introduces us to Nome utility manager John Handeland: his thrifty ways are saving Nome residents lots of money on electricity.
Energy & The Farm Bill
Like the rest of the country, Alaska is facing an energy price crisis. For some that’s a reason to ramp up agriculture. The latest version of the federal Farm Bill has big bucks authorized for Alaska projects. AK’s Ellen Lockyer speaks with Congressman Don Young, the state’s Rural Development guru, Chad Padgett and others about what could make Alaska agriculture take off.
- Music Button: “Plant a Radish” by William Larsen & Hugh Thomas from The Fantasticks: Original Cast Album
Small Southeast Villages
AK’s Scott Burton spoke to the Southeast Conference, Craig manager John Bolling and Maxine Thompson of Angoon, to find out how rural Southeast towns are weathering tough economic times.
- Closing: “True Life Blues” by George Shuffler and James Allan Shelton from The Legacy Continues
