Allgood News

Dave asks people at New Sagaya Market in Midtown Anchorage what they’re grateful for … and meets a dog named Bradley that looks like he could be in the Fat Bear contest! People are happy and grateful for most things — friends, family, the first snow, and their communities. Have a story idea? Email Dave at Allgoodnews@ktuu.com

Fashion Pact is a community-driven thrift store that gives back 40% of its sales to the charity of the customer's choice. In their first year, they infused $100,000 into the Anchorage nonprofit community! But in March 2023, their building on Ingra Street was destroyed when the roof collapsed under the weight of heavy snow. Owner Brittani Clancey is resilient and persistent and is opening a new store on Friday the 13th of October at Lake Otis Parkway and 68th Avenue. With the help of family, friends and customers Brittani's dream of a community-driven thrift store that gives back is alive and well. Her family has famously owned local businesses here in Anchorage for decades, and her goal is to carry on that legacy and also be a good steward of the community. Mission accomplished! Have a story idea? Email Dave at allgoodnews@ktuu.com

There’s a new write-in candidate for Anchorage mayor. He promises to be everybody’s best friend, loves kissing babies, and basically anybody who rubs him the right way. In this dog-eat-dog world of paw-litics, it’s a candidate that can relate to the working man and the most elite of his future constituents. Meiko the Alaskan Malamute is vying for the top dog of the city of Anchorage in 2024. His campaign just began, and his headquarters are located right on East 5th Avenue between C and A Streets, so he’s very available to shake paws and elicit "awwwws" from his adoring fans. Not that it matters in politics but Meiko is quite the looker, with stunning pale blue eyes and a fur coat that is the envy of any Alaskan in the wintertime. His campaign manager, Robert "Ziggy" Zeigler says right up front tjat his candidate can be bought with treats and scratches. Gotta love his honesty in today’s world of "interesting" politics. Have a story idea? Email Dave at allgoodnews@ktuu.com

We catch up with Katie, Kelsy & Tony, three visually impaired people who talk laughter, darkness (visually and mentally) and the realities of being blind in a visual world. All three friends have benefited from the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Anchorage. I ask the question: What do they see that we don’t see? The answers are intriguing, candid and real. Depression and even thoughts of suicide were discussed and no surprise that spending time finding and arranging rides to and from places is a big issue as well as weird interactions with the ‘uniformed’ public.

Help Emma Save the Lives of Stray Kittens! It's a passionate GoFundMe plea from an Alaskan. Emma Clyne is trying to rescue, spay, and neuter the cats in her small neighborhood before the looming Anchorage winter arrives. She works two jobs, stays busy and loves cats. But she knows she can't adopt them all, so what she can do is make a small difference in her neighborhood. She started a GoFundMe which has raised $1,000 so far. But that won't go as far as she needs. She wishes more people would focus on their immediate community and the difference they can make within their own ranks. Helping those who cannot help themselves — domestic cats and kittens unprepared for the brutal and deadly winters of Alaska. For those who wish to help, here is the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-emma-save-the-lives-of-stray-kittens-cats?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unknown&utm_campaign=comms_7fny+help-emma-save-the-lives-of-stray-kittens-cats

Aunt Phil’s Trunk – “Bringing Alaska’s History Alive.” Laurel Downing Bill went into retirement like most people wondering what to do with all that "time." It was an inheritance from her Aunt Phil that steered her in the right direction to know more. Her aunt left her newspaper clippings, research, and rare Alaska history books. Aunt Phil was an award-winning journalist and Laurel knew she had to bring them to light in the world. So, for the past 17 years, Laurel has dedicated her life to writing and reviving the history of Alaska the way Aunt Phil saw it. And she went all in! She returned to college, earned a degree in journalism in 2003, and began the long journey of putting her passion to paper in the form of Aunt Phil’s Trunk series of Alaska history books which are now being taught in schools across the state and country, and her books and persona have garnered her national attention and major awards. She dresses in period costumes when she visits schools and at various fairs and festivals across Alaska. But like most Allgood News stories... There's more. There is Don, Laurel’s husband of 50 years who supports her 100% and even dresses us up in costume sometimes with his wife! Don and Laurel are loving their new life in retirement and they love Aunt Phil’s Trunk … but what do they love the most? Each other. Nobody does it alone and this couple proves it, thanks to an inheritance and a dream.

In 2018, a young eight-year-old girl from Homer 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 call... 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, a fishing boat captain who happened to be fishing down in Seattle. A few days later, Rosalina’s mother, Mekeisha Smith, received this text: “𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘺𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯! 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳, 𝘈𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘢. 𝘐 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺. 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘓𝘖𝘝𝘌 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴. 𝘗𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘺𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘦. 𝘐'𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰.” Soon, they began to receive updates about Piggycorn's adventures, with pictures of Piggycorn and Pickles on a boat in Seattle 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 year, in December 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. Dave interviewed them both five 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 didn’t 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 — complete with music, voices, and colors that pop. Mom Irene Boll says she showed her daughter the website code.org and that’s where Naomi discovered Google’s 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 old… 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: “Get screened and have a colonoscopy sooner than later.” Jim found out later. He says his family has a history of colon cancer and his doctors say if he had gotten checked earlier, it’s a good chance he would NOT have cancer now. At age 52, Jim says his aggressive cancer has been put in check — somewhat — but the diagnosis has ignited his passion for painting and he’s 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

It’s the 34th Annual Moose Marble Madness fundraiser event in Anchorage. Dried and wrapped, 2,000 moose poo marbles — or nuggets (which look like Tootsie Roll candy) — 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 Alaska’s marvelous moose, the Anchorage South Rotary, and Anchorage Hillside Rotary Clubs, it’s a fundraiser for local charities, including The Children’s Lunch Box. You can insert your own poop puns here… but in the end, it’s 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 — 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 she’s 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 … let’s 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 Man’ 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 ‘fall guy’ 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! Here’s 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 you’d like to know more about Joseph and why he decided to run or to donate, here’s a link to his website — 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 — a savory little pie you can eat with one hand, yum! — 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 — 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 — 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: She’s an artist, she used to sell cars in Salt Lake City, she’s 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 Council‘s Denelchin Lab — aka the Fab Lab — 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 family’s 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 — of course — 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&T’s 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.” 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 — who I thought — 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 “Mona Lisa Doodle.” 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 — 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 — to name a few — 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 — 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 children’s 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 — it’s called Anchorage Backyard Beekeeping. He’s 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 — 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 … backwards. He just finished Ragbrai – 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. He’s amazing and takes it seriously and he’s so fast! Once you see his legs, you’ll understand he is serious about riding in general. He’s 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 ‘Pioneer’ 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 — 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. “Outside of family and religion, being a Girl Scout is the most important thing in my life. Not a day passes that I’m not aware I’m a Girl Scout. You have the Ten Commandments and the Girl Scout Law,” she said. “With those two guiding you, you cannot go wrong.” Sarah was a tireless advocate for young people — 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 Women’s 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 ‘surprise’ giving to the teen moms from December to July, thus ‘Christmas in July.’ 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 … 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