Alaska Ear

Anyhow, in an effort to entice an earwig to talk to them, they made the following e-mail promise: "We will not be replaying the lazy liberal caricatures that are so often founded on ignorance and a sneering attitude towards conservative values."

Ahhh, it's so nice to know they'll be approaching the subject with an open mind.

OUR VALENTINE . . . Charisse Millett, R-Anchorage, a charter member of the Love Caucus, sent a box of cookies to reporters working in the Capitol Building press room last week. Make up your own joke.

Charisse's office is two doors down from the press room, which is a clue to her ranking among those who assign rooms in the Capitol.

ON THE MOVE . . . Former legislator and recent candidate for governor Ethan Berkowitz has signed on as senior vice president of Strategies 360, a Seattle-based PR firm with eight offices across the Northwest, including Anchorage. Ethan is still an owner of local restaurants Snow City Cafe and The Spenard Roadhouse.

IN CASE SOMEONE CARES . . . So, is Bristol Palin writing a memoir or not? The N.Y. Daily News said Tuesday she was, citing a listing on amazon.com. Ear couldn't find it. Amazon apparently took down the listing.

Then on Thursday, Huffington Post reported that "an online spreadsheet for publisher HarperCollins viewed by The Associated Press ... lists an 'Untitled Bristol Palin Memoir' and shows that a planned release date of Aug. 16 has been moved up to June 21."

Amazingly, it's listed in their "adult" section.

ENCORE . . . Producers of the movie "The Doppelganger Principle," scheduled to start shooting here in April, say their star, Ed Asner, has agreed to give two performances of his one-man FDR play while he's in Anchorage. The shows will be on April 17 at the Discovery Theatre, 2 and 6 p.m. Tickets on sale at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.

ALL HAIL . . . Fur Rondy, which starts Feb. 21 and runs through March 6, raided local radio ranks for this year's Lord Trapper. K-BEAR's popular morning guy, Jim Robbins, will reign with Lady Trapper Diane Kaplan of the Rasmuson Foundation over a zillion events including a poker tournament and dog contests, Rondy race stuff and the ever raucous Trappers Ball. They get to wear big giant fur parkas.

I. O. U. . . . Pity poor defense lawyers, the ones that don't get paid by the state. According to a motion filed in court by the D.A.'s office last week, Rex Butler, Alaska's busiest defense attorney, and his investigator, Tank Jones, bodyguard to the stars, had to go through a client's home and pick out stuff in lieu of payment for services. The client turned out to be accused wife-killer William "Mike" Dixiano. According to Daily News crime reporter Casey Grove, Rex selected Native art and a "(Miami) Dolphins helmet signed by Dan Marino." (See stories at www.adn.com for case details).

KUDOS . . . Hackney & Hackney (that's Art and April) won four Reed Awards in newspaper, radio and TV categories for the big anti-Pebble campaign. The national awards are given by "Campaigns & Elections" magazine for excellence in political and public affairs campaigns and consulting. If it sounds familiar, they won a couple last year too.

A QUESTION . . . Earwigs keep hearing rumors that Olive Garden is about to open a restaurant in Anchorage. Ear prefers local restaurants, but the Daily News' Mike Dunham checked with the company and they said don't hold your breath, or words to that effect. Apparently the company scoped out some possible sites here for a future possibility, which got everyone's hopes up.

Compiled by Sheila Toomey. Message Sheila at ear@adn.com or 257-4341. Find Ear online at www.adn.com.