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Wednesday post:
A Fairbanks man cited for trying to swap moose meat for firewood -- "meat for heat," as the case has quickly become known in Fairbanks -- has hired a well-known local attorney and will fight the misdemeanor charge, reports the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Chad Gerondale first made the barter offer on the local "Tradio" radio program, and that prompted an Alaska Wildlife Trooper to call him and arrange a trade. The trooper then went to Gerondale's home and cited him.
"I've got a lot to say about it but (attorney Bill Satterberg) told me not to," Gerondale told the News-Miner Tuesday morning when he returned phone messages left during the weekend. ...
"My phone has been ringing off the hook," Gerondale said. "I'm getting calls from all over the state from people who can't believe it."Because illegal barter of game meat is a misdemeanor and not a violation, Gerondale will be entitled to a trial by jury, Satterberg said.
"We'll get to see what the public thinks about it and get right down to the meat of the matter," the attorney said. ...
Satterberg, a hunter himself, insinuated that trading game meat for fish and vice-versa is a common practice in Alaska.
"Most people don't even think about it," he said.
Satterberg implied that he'll argue a First Amendment defense for Gerondale, who he says was cited for talking about a trade but not actually completing it.
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