In 2018 a young 8-year-old girl from Homer, Alaska named Rosalina lost her beloved stuffed unicorn Piggycorn in a local park. So she made a poster with a picture of Piggycorn that read simply: LOST: Piggycorn, Favorite food: cheese, If found, please callโ.
Well, a man named Matt saw the poster and shared it on his social media. Then a woman named Debbie saw it and shared it with her friend Marissa, who is a fishing boat captain who happened to be fishing down in Seattle. A few days later Rosalinaโs mother, Mekeisha Smith received this text:
โ๐ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ช๐จ๐จ๐บ๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฏ! ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ. ๐๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต ๐ง๐ญ๐บ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ธ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ข ๐ง๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ, ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ด๐ฌ๐ข. ๐ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ข ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ข๐ฎ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ข ๐ง๐ช๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ข๐ต ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ญ๐บ. ๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ด๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ช๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐ช๐ค๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด. ๐๐ช๐จ๐จ๐บ๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ. ๐'๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ง ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฐ.โ
Soon they began to receive updates about Piggycorn's adventures, with pictures of Piggycorn and Pickles on a boat in Seattle helping with painting, fishing, watching movies with rainbow snacks, and napping on unicorn sheets. When it was time to send Piggycorn back, Marissa decided that the two friends had become inseparable, so she tucked Pickles and Piggycorn in together and mailed them home along with several gifts as a reminder of their adventure.
Later that yearin December of 2018, Marissa and Rosalina met in person since she had returned to Homer. They exchanged gifts and she and Rosalina stood at the front door to sketch unicorn horns into the window panes before parting.
I interviewed them both 5 years later so they could relive the special moment and share what it meant to both of them.
Now 13 years old, Rosalina is still very shy, but smiles and perks up at the thought of Piggycorn and Pickles. And Marissa? She took the time to make magic for a kid she didnโt know. Now the two are forever friends, real-life bonding over a mythical creature.
Naomi Weisman is just six years old but she has already developed and coded her own computer game called Find Lennix. It involves rainbow roses and kings and queens and an evil wizard โ complete with music, voices, and colors that pop. Mom Irene Boll says she showed her daughter the website code.org and thatโs where Naomi discovered Googleโs Blockly, a way to generate code and make a computer game. Well, not only did the young Naomi make her own game, but she also made a website and app to boot!
At just over six years oldโฆ Naomi could possibly be the youngest person to code and design her own game/app. Naomi showcased her game Find Lennix at the 2023 Alaska State Fair as part of her 4-H project. The launch went fine, and mom has submitted the necessary paperwork to the folks over at Guiness World Records to see if Naomi is in fact the youngest ever to code her own game. In the meantime, mom says Naomi is taking a break from coding to work on her ballet and just being a kid. She does hope to add more levels to Find Lennix and continue her coding journey.
Jim Coe, vice president of MSI Communications in Anchorage, has been battling colon cancer for the last two years. The father and husband is also a graphic artist, and he has a message: โGet screened and have a colonoscopy sooner than later.โ Jim found out later. He says his family has a history of colon cancer and his doctors say if he had gotten checked earlier, itโs a good chance he would NOT have cancer now. At age 52, Jim says his aggressive cancer has been put in check โ somewhat โ but the diagnosis has ignited his passion for painting and heโs holding an art show of his oil paintings since being diagnosed. The show is coming up on Saturday, Sept. 16. The idea is to offer hope and awareness, and Jim says he wants to leave a legacy for his future grandchildren. Even more, he wants to be there for them. Get checked!!
If you have an idea for an Allgood News story, email Dave: AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
Itโs the 34th Annual Moose Marble Madness fundraiser event in Anchorage. Dried and wrapped, 2,000 moose poo marbles โ or nuggets (which look like Tootsie Roll candy) โ are numbered, loaded up, and then dropped from a helicopter hovering 300 feet off the ground in the parking lot of the King Street Brewery. Winning is simple: the closest nugget to the bullseye wins $5,000! Brought to you by the great State of Alaskaโs marvelous moose, the Anchorage South Rotary, and Anchorage Hillside Rotary Clubs, itโs a fundraiser for local charities, including The Childrenโs Lunch Box.
You can insert your own poop puns hereโฆ but in the end, itโs all for a good cause and a lot of pure Alaska fun.
More info: Anchorage South Rotary and Anchorage Hillside Rotary can both be found on Facebook.
Allgood News story idea? Email Dave: Allgoodnews@ktuu.com
Alice Welling of Anchorage Trolley Tours makes facts fun! With singing, laughing, comedic one-liners, and subtle innocent innuendos โ well, it comes naturally to the hometown girl. The former Miss Anchorage, theater and stage star, and radio host just has a knack for good gab and a sly smile that can be seen in the big trolley rearview mirror that lets her riders know they are "in on" the joke, all while driving and laying down her histrionics of the biggest city in Alaska. Alice is known for her "Whale Fat Follies" and "Hullabaloo on 3rd Avenue" and she worked and traveled as an entertaining ambassador for Visit Anchorage for years.
Dave took an hour-long tour with Alice and tourists from across the country and the world. Alice says she just loves her hometown. When sheโs not driving, she works for the Anchorage School District as a paraprofessional at West Anchorage High School.
Have an idea for an Allgood News story? Contact Dave at Allgoodnews@ktuu.com.
Nick Danger fell into pro wrestling or โฆ letโs just say it came to him, in a gym way back in the early 1990s. The Vietnam veteran and extreme powerlifter was just doing his thing in a gym in Anchorage when he was approached by 'Macho Manโ Randy Savage while bench pressing over 600 pounds. Savage eventually convinced Nick to give wrestling school a shot and just like that, Danger spent almost 10 years as a popular โfall guyโ for several major pro wrestling outlets including the WWF. Nick is a staple here in the Anchorage community, from being a Boy Scout leader to starting a successful Alaska Pro Wrestling company. Funny, smart and with an infectious laugh, Nick at 70 years old is living his best life. He also is the national and World Record holder for the bench press in his age group with a lift of 396 pounds! He took Dave for a ride in his classic Corvette and took him for a spin in the wrestling ring! Pretty funny stuff! Hereโs his Allgood News Story.
Joseph Washington is a 52-year-old U.S. Army veteran who is running a mile in every one of the 50 states to bring awareness to homeless veterans. He started his journey on a Tuesday, Aug. 29, here in Anchorage, and plans to have all his miles done in all 50 states in a year. It's basically one mile a week in each state. He also has a film crew shooting a documentary about his journey to bring awareness to the mental and physical challenges facing veterans who are homeless. He hopes to raise $50,000 along the way. So, 50 miles, 50 states, and $50,000. The journey has begun.
If youโd like to know more about Joseph and why he decided to run or to donate, hereโs a link to his website โ 50miledocumentary.com
Dave met three couples in 30 minutes at the Alaska State Fair who have love or found love or are so in love, they soar! One couple met last year at the fair and were married just months later, one couple runs the award-winning 'Russian Eats' food booth, and last but not least, Dave caught up with the man who met his wife when he saw her shot out of a circus cannon.
Dave Allgood visited the Alaska State Fair for the first time, and couldn't believe how much delicious food and fun that he could find in Palmer. After taking a spin in a mini monster truck and eating some piroshki for lunch โ a savory little pie you can eat with one hand, yum! โ Dave decided to show his dedication to Alaska with some cool new body art, courtesy of Julia and the team of talented face painters at Marky's Facepainters on the Purple Trail.
The second weekend of the Alaska State Fair is underway, and Dave just had to check it out. Friday was Children's Day, a day to celebrate the youngest among us and the joy of being young. From being a spectator to half a dozen darlings in the Diaper Derby, to taking tips on trot technique from toddlers, the fair is where all the cool kids are!
G.O.A.T โ Greatest of All Time. That's what the Alaska State Fair is! The fair is where you can greet a goat, or train like one with Unalakleet native Nick Hanson, who was on hand to share his skills and teach folks how to train like the Eskimo Ninja. Dave even demonstrated his hula hooping skills for fair CEO Jeff Curtis โ was it his audition for next year? Will Dave be next year's big draw on the Borealis Stage? Only time will tell.
Meet Judy Vars. I was scrolling through TikTok and saw this lady with a nice smile, big glasses, and this unique verbal delivery. She was naturally humorous. I come to find out she works part-time at Valley Community Recycling (based in the Mat-Su) and was pitching their recycling booth at the 2023 Alaska State Fair. As are most of my stories, there is much more to Judy than just TikTok videos: Sheโs an artist, she used to sell cars in Salt Lake City, sheโs been married for 25 years, and she even sold one of her art pieces to the late U.S. Senator from Alaska, Ted Stevens! Meet Judy Vars, a self-described "old hippie."
Do you have a story idea? Email Dave at allgoodnews@ktuu.com
Alaskans broke out their duct tape on Sunday for the Duct Tape Art Contest at the 2023 Alaska State Fair. Contestants had 15 minutes to create art out of colored rolls of duct tape. If you have an idea for the Allgood News, email Dave at: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com.
The Cook Inlet Tribal Councilโs Denelchin Lab โ aka the Fab Lab โ had its grand opening on Wednesday, Aug. 16. The totally renovated, state-of-the-art creative space was made in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a place for students to use high-tech design programs, industrial grade machines and programming tools to transform ideas into reality. The new facility is a community effort designed to uplift and empower Indigenous youth from across the state. One of those who benefited from the program is Terrence Long, who came to the program as a middle schooler. He was homeless, couch surfing, and living in his familyโs truck. After he joined the CITC after-school program, he discovered an accepting community that celebrated his Inupiaq heritage. Dave talked to Terrence about his journey from a homeless 6th-grader to now a staff member at the very program that changed his life.
For more information on the Cook Inlet Tribal Council visit their website: citci.org.
The Delaney Park "Dude" Ben Farleigh is in his happy place on his skateboard. Dave first saw the 31-year-old a few weeks ago, cruising the streets around Delaney Park Strip in Anchorage. With his green headphones and pink fanny pack, he was hard to miss. But it was his infectious smile and pure joy in what he was doing that caught Dave's eye. Ben is a standup comedian and works in town at his father's business. But, when he's not doing those things, he's on his board, dancing and 'jammin' to some random techno and doling out a little "dude" vibes on his trusty longboard.
If you have an idea for the Allgood News, email Dave: Allgoodnews@ktuu.com
In the last nine months, the Alaska Zoo has taken in an invasive species of opossum named "Grubby," and a severely malnourished and orphaned polar bear now named "Kova." Dave headed over to the zoo to talk to curator Sam Lavin and to check on the positive progress of the two intriguing creatures, and also have a little fun with some other zoo favorites and โ of course โ humans.
For more on Kova & Grubby, go to the Alaska Zoo website: alaskazoo.org.
Have an Allgood News story idea? Email Dave at Allgoodnews@ktuu.com
Catholic Social Services was gifted 100 free laptop computers to give to refugee families enrolled in Catholic Social Services Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services. The event held Wednesday, August 9 was part of AT&Tโs national initiative to address the digital divide by providing communities with connectivity, computers, and digital skills needed for success in school and life. Back to school can be difficult for all families, but imagine having to leave your home country and being planted in a new country with a language you do not speak. The laptops help Catholic Social Services provide support to our new Alaska neighbors as technology is necessary for participation in school, accessing health services, applying for jobs, and so much more.โ For more on Catholic Social Services, go to their website, cssalaska.org. If you have a Story idea for the Allgood News Email Dave: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
I used to see this attractive girl staring at me as I ran at the Central Middle School track across the street (12th Avenue & C Street) here in Anchorage. So one day I saw โ who I thought โ the owner in the yard and she told me that blonde girl watching me out the window was Sadie, a 10 1/2-year-old labradoodle. I call her the โMona Lisa Doodle.โ After about three months, I met Sadie. We hit it off. Turns out she's a runner too! The windows to our worlds are all different. Now I'm not just a human that is a mystery blip on a track. I'm a human that Sadie knows. Sadie and Dave โ different views, same curiosity.
Have an Allgood news story? Email Dave at Allgoodnews@ktuu.com or Allgoodlife@outlook.com
The Clothesline Project and Anchorage Cops for Community have partnered with big sponsors like Kaladi Brothers Coffee, Matson, Walmart and NUVISION Credit Union โ to name a few โ to offer free and gently used clothes for families and kids in need for the upcoming 2023 school year and for people who just need clothes. On Saturday, Aug. 5, people lined up and happily waited in line to get free coats and boots, and to choose clothes they want and need! There was face painting, a bouncy house, hotdogs, and lots of fun stuff for the kids. It was the ninth year for the Clothesline Project which is all volunteer operated and staffed by Anchorage police, the fire department and lots of other wonderful people in our community. The event highlights two things โ the generosity of our community and how cops truly are peace officers, and it is a wake-up call to how many families are hurting financially and how much of a need there is for more of these highly organized events that truly change adult and childrenโs lives in our community.
If you have a story idea for the Allgood News, email Dave at Allgoodnews@ktuu.com
Tim Huffman is a believer in bees. He has the only Alaska-based beekeeping YouTube channel โ itโs called Anchorage Backyard Beekeeping. Heโs teaching people how to get their bees through an Alaskan winter. Normally Alaska beekeepers kill their bees in the fall and import new ones from California each spring. Tim is proving that not only can the bees make it through the winter, but they can also thrive with just a few environmental adjustments. Tim is passionate and ardent about getting the word out about bees and their resiliency โ and that anyone can be an Anchorage Backyard Beekeeper!
Tim Huffman on YouTube: Anchorage Backyard Beekeeping. If you have a story idea for the Allgood News Email Dave at: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
Alaskan Will Walker likes to ride bikes โฆ backwards. He just finished Ragbrai โ a 500 mile bike ride across the state of Iowa, from Sioux City to Davenport, 7 days of riding backwards with almost 30,000 other riders (riding forwards on road bikes with Spandex!) on a BMX bike! He recorded his journey and registered with race officials and has submitted his bike ride for a Guinness World Record for longest distance riding backwards on a bike with elevation gain. The current record distance is 209 miles!
So Will met me here at the station and we went next door to Cuddy Park so he could show me his backwards riding skills. Heโs amazing and takes it seriously and heโs so fast! Once you see his legs, youโll understand he is serious about riding in general. Heโs bringing a message of positivity and hope and he wants to start a foundation for kids to let them know they can turn their lives around.
Contact Will Walker on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=690649428&mibextid=b06tZ0
If you have an Allgood News Story: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
Sarah Eliassen of Eagle River passed away on July 3, 2023, at the age of 98. She had her funeral Sunday, July 30, at the United Methodist Church of Chugiak. Sarah was a โPioneerโ Girl Scout who came from Georgia and Alabama to Alaska in 1957 to be the executive director of the Susitna Girl Scout Council (now the Girl Scouts of Alaska). In 1958, she became Director of the Togowoods Camp. Sarah met her husband, Bob, when the float plane she was on landed on Three Mile Lake. Bob was a homesteader there and went to check out the rare visitor to his area โ little did he know he was about to meet his future wife.
After becoming the first camp director at Togowoods in 1958, Sarah and Bob were instrumental in building the camp and supporting its development over the years. Sarah took a break from her career to raise her children, Martha Lynn and Charlie. She returned to teaching at Eagle River Elementary School in the early 1970s, and later moved to the brand new Homestead Elementary School, where she continued teaching until the mid-1980s.
Girl Scouting remained a focus for Sarah throughout her life. She joined at age 10, and even when she moved into her teaching career, continued to volunteer to help with Togowoods and other projects, including a troop for her granddaughters. โOutside of family and religion, being a Girl Scout is the most important thing in my life. Not a day passes that Iโm not aware Iโm a Girl Scout. You have the Ten Commandments and the Girl Scout Law,โ she said. โWith those two guiding you, you cannot go wrong.โ Sarah was a tireless advocate for young people โ those she worked with as a Girl Scout leader and those she taught. She also rallied her neighborhood to save designated park land from illegal development. The little neighborhood park is now named in honor of the Eliassen family. In October 2020, Sarah was inducted into the Alaska Womenโs Hall of Fame.
Story Ideas or questions or comments, email Dave at AllgoodNews@KTUU.com.
Sgt. Jon Butler of the Anchorage Police Department and Anchorage Cops for Community partnered with Young Lives Alaska to give a surprise free shopping spree to selected teen mothers. This year, they decided to move the โsurpriseโ giving to the teen moms from December to July, thus โChristmas in July.โ With help from Walmart and Matson, two teen moms were selected to help shop for a host of teen moms on the receiving end of the community's generosity. The two young women chosen to shop were Puata 'Pua' and her son Ezrah and โฆ Lacy and her son Gabriel. Both moms are bettering themselves with college and entrepreneurship so to be able to defer the costs of diapers, formula, baby clothes and playthings is quite a financial relief. Again, this was all a surprise! What a wonderful gift from the community to better Anchorage citizens. A big thanks to Katie Bailey of AC4C and Celeste Johnson of Young Lives Alaska. If you are a teen parent or about to become one, there is support and help available at younglivesalaska.younglife.org and facebook.com/YoungLivesAlaska. If you have a story idea for The Allgood News, email Dave at AllgoodNews@KTUU.com.
Janet Carr-Campbell has been teaching the arts to Alaska kids for six weeks a summer for the last 42 years! Her summer camp is called the "Music Machine" and the intense four-day-a-week, six-week camp culminates in a two-hour musical revue at the Discovery Theater. At the Performing Arts Center, 65 kids learn to sing, dance, and take floor direction and perform under the bright lights of the stage. Janet loves what she does, teaching generations of Alaskans how to shine! Janet shows no signs of slowing down! The show must go on!
The show is this weekend: July 27, 28, and 29 (tickets available at centertix.com or call 907-263-ARTS)
For more information on The Music Machine: themusicmachineanchorage.com
Go fly a kite! It's just another day at Delaney Park Strip in Anchorage... for Amy Cuaresma, a kite enthusiast who takes the art of capturing air to the stratosphere with her large, colorful, and hypnotic wind-dancing creations that captivate passersby. The gravity-defying designs can be larger than a football field or simply just dance and hover across the ground. The magic and allure of kite flying on a sunny Saturday in Anchorage.
More information on the Kite Club in Alaska - https://www.facebook.com/Alaskiters
If you have a story idea for The Allgood News, email Dave at AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
Barbie and Oppenheimer are two of the summer blockbuster movies hitting theaters this weekend. The Century 16 here in Anchorage had a special Thursday preview of both movies and Dave and the Allgood News were there to capture the pink sights of Barbie fans and the happy sounds of people going "back" to the movies.
Have an idea for the Allgood News? Email Dave: AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
"Howling with Huskies and other ways to feel good" is a book by world renowned scientist Dr. Linda Chamberlain in association with the Alaska Childrenโs Trust. The book is a product of Dr. Chamberlainโs knowledge on stress and itโs effect on the brain, and her 25 years as a musher. Trevor Storrs of The Alaska Childrenโs Trust says it was a โno brainerโ to partner with Dr. Chamberlain when she mentioned she could use a little help to get her idea of a childrenโs guide to feeling better into print. "Howling with Huskies" was born during a trip to rural Alaska, where Dr. Chamberlain noticed the need for simple tools and family resources for kids as they develop. She notes that the book combines traditional Indigenous and Western knowledge, as many of the techniques have โdeep roots in traditional practices and are supported by the latest science as effective strategies to build stress resilience skills and self-regulation.โ For more information go to Howlingwithhuskies.com. Idea for the Allgood News? Email Dave: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
Elverda Lincoln just turned 100 years old. Sheโs lived at Wasilla Area Senior Incorporated Center since the early 2000s. Born in 1923, she grew up in Minnesota, joined the Navy, served during World War II, married, and moved to Alaska in 1950. In Wasilla, she and her husband started a dairy farm and then got "real" jobs. Life for Elverda has been all about her 13 siblings, her family, and growing old gracefully. Sheโs got a few opinions and thoughts on living to be 100. She actually blew out all her candles with 14 breaths!
Do you have a story idea? Email Dave at allgoodnews@ktuu.com
Spider-Man has been spotted across the Anchorage Universe over the last few years. Dave finally met the web slinger and pinned him down in his web for a tiny 'Spidey' interview, learning about the Peter Parker behind the mask. Beloved by everybody, his mission is simpleโฆ just having fun like a neighborhood Spider-Man should. And, bringing smiles and joy by simply being himself.
If you have a story idea for the Allgood News, email Dave: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
Megan Walsted is a wife, mother to eight children, a teacher, and a sustainable urban farmer โ which means she lives in the city of Anchorage and grows vegetables, has some rabbits, chickens, and now goats and sheep. Goats and sheep are pets and future food, but in the meantime, the cost of feeding them can be a bit pricey. So on a whim, she posted her goats on the Next Door app as a lawnmowing alternative, and the response has been overwhelming. Goats will eat just about anything put before them and sheep love fresh greens. Just last week, she began lending her small herd out to groom and chew on lawns. She doesnโt charge yet, but says she probably will start collecting a small transportation fee to offset any gas and travel expenses.
Have a story idea? Email Dave at allgoodnews@ktuu.com
Just beyond the chalet at Russian Jack Park, down the paved path and across a bridge is a nondescript trail that is the home of... fairies. Along with the Anchorage Museumโs Seed Lab, Barbara Brown had the inspiration for building "Fairy Houses." The path is short but filled with tiny homes for our magical friends, but you have to look closely as they blend in with the wooded scenery. Dave went there and ran into an Irish woman named Ann who โ as luck would have it โ had a poem about fairies ready to read. Sometimes chance encounters are the most magical in the most magical places.
Hollywood! Homer, Alaska style! If you want to see a new movie in the quaint fishing town, head to the Homer Theatre where Dave Allgood enjoyed a cornucopia of reasons to pop on over. If you watch closely, you'll also see where Dave may or may not have had the letters changed on the theatre display. Dave went into a secret door and made an appearance out of a secret entrance. Have a story idea? Email Dave at AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
Dave went to the 2023 Anchorage Fourth of July Parade at Delaney Park and interviewed a fun couple celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. Ron and Diane of Wiseman, Indiana, were visiting Alaska for the sixth time, and said that they love it! Dave also met Star, the legendary Anchorage reindeer. See the sights and sounds of the wonderfully cohesive and jovial patriotic parade!
Have a story idea? Email Dave at AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
Debbie Sis nurses kittens back to health. The big-hearted grandmother takes kittens that need feeding and nurturing into her home and cares for them until they are ready to be adopted out from Anchorage Animal Care and Control. To date, Debbie as taken in more than 400 kittens that needed care and love. Why does she do it? Because she has a big heart and the means and time to do it. And, she tells me, she has found her calling.
The 42nd Annual Alaska Scottish Highland Games were held June 24-25, 2023 at the State Fairgrounds in Palmer. Music, competitions, and all things Scottish could be found. Dave and the Allgood News set up a camera and took in the sights, sounds, and smiles of all the Gaelic gallivanting and Scottish traditions. This is the 50th anniversary of the Alaska Scottish Club and officials estimate 18,000 visitors attended the weekend-long event. For more on the Alaska Scottish Club visit their website: alaskanscottish.org
Have a story idea? Email Dave at AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
TOPSoccer in Anchorage is for, according to coach and coordinator Joe Schmid, โAny athlete between the ages of 4 and 21 with a physical or cognitive disability โ this could include autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida or whatever it is โฆ we find a way to make it inclusive and have them participate in soccer.โ The adaptive TOPSoccer program brings disabled children to a place where they can be themselves and have fun without judgement. And they get to name themselves! Each year, they vote on an animal and a colorโฆ this year they chose the name Purple Pandas! They meet on Thursdays at 6 p.m. at the Dome at Fox Hollow on Brayton Drive. The participants love it, and the volunteers are compassionate, kind amazing human beings that bring this incredible program to life. There are anywhere from 30 to 50 players, with a one-to-one ratio of volunteers to assist each player. Megan Coleman leads the program along with Schmid, and says it is a labor of love and very rewarding.
Here is a link to the TOPSoccer website: https://www.alaskayouthsoccer.org/programs-and-leagues/topsoccer/
Interested in supporting TOPSoccer? Please contact topsocceranchorage@gmail.com" Attn: Megan Coleman, Founder.
This month, the non-profit Heroes Healing Homestead โ the brainchild of veteran Atz Kilcher โ celebrated progress of its Homer location at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Atzโs family homesteaded in Alaska in 1940 when his father Yule Kilcher was given 160 acres of federal land. Yule was also a senator in the State Legislature. Called pioneer veterans, eight military veteran musicians (that Atz met at country singer Zach Brown's camp south of Atlanta last fall) came up to spend four days at Heroes Healing Homestead โฆ and also perform around Homer during the week of Summer Solstice with a big concert at the Homer deep water dock on June 21. This is the story of the opening ceremony which took place on June 16. For more on Heroes Healing Homestead go to their website, heroeshealinghomestead.org. Have an idea for the Allgood News? Email Dave at AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
Sarah Meneghin was a teacher, now sheโs a cook, a hostess, an owner, a waitress and even a food deliverer! You get the picture she does it all, from the bottom of her double-decker bus to the top!
She takes orders, and with care, prepares each one as if she were cooking for her own family! Meneghin bought the bus last year and now has it parked on the Spit in Homer, Alaska. The former English teacher wanted to be her own boss and do what she loves: feed people and make them happy. So far so good, The โLil Taco Bus is driving home fresh ingredients in her tacos and burritos and you only have to go as far as her last customer to find satisfaction in a smile and in the last bite of one of her creations. You can reach Meneghin by calling 907-841-2519.
If you have an idea for an Allgood News story, simply Email Dave at: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
Mario Jones spent 30 years in the military as a medic. In retirement, he has been working with Tlingit Traffic Control Professionals as a flagger on their most recent project of rockfall mitigation along the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Girdwood. On June 1, 2023, while flagging with traffic stopped, he noticed some commotion and a man signaling for help for a woman passenger in his car. Without hesitation, Mario jumped into action. The woman was unresponsive. With help from a nurse who happened to also be on the scene, the two administered CPR and continued to do so until an ambulance arrived. Because of Marioโs quick actions, authorities say heโs a large part of why the woman survived. You never know who will be put in your path to help you in the most unique of situations. The fact that Mario was there, traffic had stopped, the lady had an emergency, and he was able to swiftly attend to her as a former military medic is the perfect storm of being in the right place at the right time. Marioโs boss Lisa Keane calls him a hero. Mario just smiles and says he did what he had been doing all his life; helping people.
Have a story idea? Email Dave at AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
Alaskaโs largest Renaissance fair is the Three Barons Renaissance Fair. The celebration this year commemorated Hillthelstan the Bold. Dave and his Allgood News bring us the sights and unique sounds and views of the large weekend festival, where the role players stay in character โ and escapism, joy and, inclusion are the theme โ as well as possibly an โoff with his headโ or two! Red, blue and green!
If you have a story for Dave and the Allgood News, email him: AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
Dave just asked people what they are grateful for and the Allgood News discovered that being positive and appreciative can boost mood, optimism, and overall health (according to experts)! It's no surprise Alaskans are grateful for family, friends, and the mountains.
If you are grateful or have an idea for the Allgood News, email Dave at AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
Zoe McHenry, owner of a cat named Homeboy Thumbs, says he has no idea fame is coming his way, so heโs pretty chill right now.
Each year, Nationwideโs pet insurance team celebrates some of the craziest names among its insured pets, and Homeboy Thumbs was among the "Wacky Pet Names" finalists that were announced recently. He has an unusual condition of having extra toes! The wackiest names in each category will be determined by a public vote that runs through June 9 with the top cat, dog, and exotic pet names being announced on Tuesday, June 13.
Naming such a unique cat took time, Zoe recalls. โI started to refer to him as โHomeboyโ and โThumbs,โ and I couldnโt pick between them โ so I decided to combine the two.โ The name was the perfect fit for this fantastically unique feline. โMy cat acts like he has street cred, and itโs because he legitimately does. I have no idea how long he was out on the street for,โ she says. โHeโs also a goofy dude โฆ I thought Homeboy Thumbs was the perfect mix of goofy and gangster, because thatโs what he is.โ
If you have an idea for an Allgood news story, email Dave: AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
The Paul and Ruth Lemp Memorial Community Garden is open and ready for business. And business is good! The 50 "pre-fab" raised gardens are sold out for the summer! The project that started three years ago is a hit with the locals and kids too. It's amazing what a small group can do to impact and improve their community by simply taking an idea and putting in the work. The garden is located at 1612 Oceanview Drive behind its sponsor church, Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church. The project was funded by a bequest from Paul and Ruth Lemp and several local donors including the Rasmuson Foundation and a nearby senior housing facility. Gary Matthews says all the new beds are spoken for โฆ and that the small fee they collect goes to having a port-a-potty on site. For more on this new community garden, reach out to the church and ask for Gary Matthews or Dan Gullickson.
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Will Bennett loved his dog Holly. The bachelor got his dog during the height of COVID-19 and said Holly was a gem of a dog, going wherever Will would go and doing whatever Will was doing. The two were inseparable. So, when Holly, at just 4 years old, got sick and suddenly passed away just a few months ago, Will was devastated. But this past weekend, he decided to โ on Memorial Day โ have a "remembrance" service for his beloved dog. A couple of close friends stopped by to remember a pal that gave nothing but pure love. Why do we get so attached to dogs? And why does it hurt so much to lose them? Will is candid and open about the pain of losing what is more than just a dog.
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Since March 30, an opossum has been running loose in Homer. Grubby, as she came to be known, arrived in a container ship from Washington, and was free for a couple months before being caught by Homer police on May 24. Grubby was sent to the Alaska Zoo, where she will live out her life. She is doing fine and enjoyed a big dinner of salmon! The news of Grubby's safety and that she will have a long and happy life here in Anchorage was great news to those in Homer who advocated for her rescue. Others think she should still run for mayor and apply for her PFD โ โPossum Fund Dividendโ. Either way, Grubby is a bit of a unicorn as she is the only known opossum residing here in the state of Alaska. Considered an invasive species, opossums are of course not welcome here in Alaska โฆ but it was Grubbyโs cult following and social media pages advocating for her safety that in the end probably saved her life. Grubby does have her own fund set up at the Alaska Zoo, to donate just head to their website: AlaskaZoo.org
If you have an idea for an Allgood News story, just email Dave: AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development just announced the 2024 Alaska Teacher of the Year. This year's winner is Catherine Walker of Dimond High School
Mrs. Walker currently teaches science classes including oceanography, marine biology and STEM. She has been a teacher at Dimond high since 2017. She also instructs an unmanned aviation class, flying drones. Acting DEED commissioner Heidi Teshner came to Dimond High to make the announcement, and she says out of the 130 nominations this year, Mrs. Walker was the one! Mrs. Walker has been an educator for 17 years. Before that she spent time in the Peace Corps, and her husband has also won the top honor, being named Alaska Teacher of the Year in 2018. If you have an idea for an Allgood News Story email Dave : AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
At the Alaskan Heart Run & Walk, there were these amazing Star Wars characters โ and they had a real R2D2 unit! Come to find out they make their own costumes ... they must be approved by a legit Star Wars group. And the people, a Commander, Storm Trooper, Snow Trooper and a Librarian Jedi (yes Librarian Jedi!) all work real jobs and they do this free of charge. The response to them was electric, people love them. And come to find out this group visits hospitals and many other places where joy is needed, asking for nothing but the smiles on the faces they receive. Allgood! If you have a charity or non-profit event coming up (even if not Star Wars-related), please reach out to them โ they would love to partner and support if possible. The Website: 907STARWARS.COM
Lillian Yang of West Anchorage High School is a 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar! She is one of two students selected from each state (male and a female). Lillian will be heading to Harvard University to continue her education in the fall, but before that she will spend part of her summer in Washington D.C. interning for Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Lillian is her schools valedictorian, loves playing the piano and is a self-described โfoodieโ. Her future plans include applying for law school.
If you have an idea for the Allgood News: Email Dave โ AllgoodNews@KTUU.com
Jackson Powell Church of Bettye of Davis East Anchorage High School is a 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholar. He is one of two students selected from each state (male and female). Jackson will be heading to Dartmouth College in the fall to continue his education, but before that, he will spend part of his summer in Washington D.C. interning for U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Jackson was the captain of his cross-country track team and has overcome being diagnosed with cerebral palsy to not only excel in everything he does, but in most cases be the best. With the support of his parents, Rob and Jana, Jacksonโs future looks to have no limits.
If you have a story idea for the Allgood News, Email Dave: AllgoodNews@ktuu.com
