Anchorage Daily News

State urges caution on ice fishing

The Alaska State Parks and the Department of Fish and Game are warning anglers and other winter recreationists to stay off thin ice atop lakes in the Matanuska and Susitna valleys.

Funding for top projects tops agenda for meeting

The Valley's borough and state political leaders met this week to try to make sure the Valley's top road, building and other projects get adequate funding in the state budget next year.

Prostitution sting that netted 10 had different goal

Authorities say a recent Internet prostitution sting called the biggest to date in the Mat-Su revealed a previously hidden world of men seeking cybersex.

Talkeetna woman named PE teacher of year

Cramming a half-hour of exercise into two dozen distracted bodies looked almost effortless, but Karen Mannix has been doing it for 20 years at Talkeetna and Trapper Creek Elementary schools.

Swine flu vaccine clinics scheduled in Valley

Three swine flu vaccine shot clinics for Mat-Su Borough school students are scheduled over the next six weeks, and Alaska Public Health officials plan to hold two more clinics for the general public.

In brief: Mat-Su

Short news items from the valleys

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Mat-Su police reports

Mat-Su community datebook (11/4/09)

Events scheduled this week in the valleys

Strong Mat-Su winds knock out power, send roof flying

Gusty winds in Mat-Su knocked out power and sent one large roof crashing onto a pickup Thursday afternoon. Fifteen outages were reported, from the Glenn Highway to Wasilla and along Knik-Goose Bay Road.

Video: A windy day in the Valley

Wasilla considers regulating ATVs in city

City leaders are weighing whether they can maintain Wasilla's image of offering trail access from city doorsteps while the town, and traffic through it, continue to grow.

PDF: Proposed ATV regulations

Valley prostitution bust called significant

Ten men were arrested last week in a prostitution sting being called the first of its kind in the Mat-Su.

Wasilla chamber tightens spending

In the wake of a critical audit and other questions about a former executive director's expenses, the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce is tightening controls on spending.

School bonds likely to go to voters again

Some students will have to continue stepping around buckets catching drips in hallways at least for a while, as Mat-Su School Board members weigh when they think voters will approve spending tax money to replace roofs, floors and other major repairs.

Wasilla interim police chief set to start work next week

Wasilla's police department will wait a bit longer for a permanent chief after the agency's former top officer, Angella Long, was abruptly asked to step down last April after 16 years with the city.

Open houses set on Denali park trails plan

The state will hold three open houses to discuss the first trails plan for Denali State Park.

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Mat-Su police reports

Correction

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Runaway trailer blocks highway

A 40-foot flatbed trailer loaded with crushed cars broke free from a semi truck along the Parks Highway at Mile 96 Sunday night, blocking the southbound lane, Alaska State Troopers said Monday.

Water damages library

The Chugiak-Eagle River Branch Library is closed pending cleanup from flood damage. The library was flooded overnight Wednesday after the solder of a water pipe failed and started leaking. When staff arrived Thursday morning, there were two to three inches of standing water in parts of the library.

Port MacKenzie expansion to increase jobs

The Mat-Su Borough's Port MacKenzie will nearly triple the size of its barge dock next year, thanks to $3 million in federal money received through the federal economic stimulus funding package.

Wasilla considers proposals to make the city much larger

Wasilla could become Alaska's third-largest city under the most sweeping of several annexation proposals before city officials.