Most people recognize Vern Halter as an Iditarod musher with plenty of top 10 finishes in the Last Great Race and a first place victory in the Yukon Quest.
He’s also a lawyer born, raised and educated in South Dakota. He’s been an Alaskan since 1977. He labored for a decade as a public defender and for 30 years has maintained a small business with his wife and veterinarian Susan Whiton, Dream a Dream Iditarod Kennel in the Valley. He’s served six years on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly. He expressly champions the rural way of life.
Now he’s the mayor of the fast-growing Mat-Su. On Hometown Alaska, we’ll get to ask him all kinds of questions:
• Why did he run?
• What issues will he tackle?
• Which issues will tackle him?
• How will Mat-Su manage its tremendous growth in a declining oil-economy?
• What’s happening with the ferry?
• In tough times, what core values will pull people through?
• And importantly, will he still have time for his dogs?
Join us with your questions and observations.
HOST: Kathleen McCoy
GUESTS:
- Vern Halter, Mat-Su Borough mayor
- Patty Sullivan, former print and radio reporter, borough director of public affairs
- You, our listeners
LINKS:
- Why Vern Halter ran for Mayor
- His take on the borough’s chief issues
- Rapid growth fuels school, road talk, Frontiersman Oct. 31, 2015
- Mat-Su Borough, government information site
- MacKenzie: Is it the little port that could? (HTA, Marc Van Dongen)
PARTICIPATE:
Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2:00 – 3:00pm)
- Send email to hometown@alaskapublic.org before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
- Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air)
LIVE BROADCAST: Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Alaska time)
REPEAT BROADCAST: Wednesday, =November 4 14, 2015, 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. (Alaska time)
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