Matanuska Maid Dairy

Mat-Maid roof catches fire, damage estimated at $10,000

A fire broke out in the old Matanuska Maid Dairy building on Northern Lights Boulevard on Thursday night, causing thousands of dollars in damage, according to the Anchorage Fire Department.

One suit against Mat Maid settled

WASILLA -- One of two employee lawsuits filed against the now-defunct Matanuska Maid dairy has been resolved. John Havelock, an attorney for former dairy chief executive Joe Van Treeck, said Thursday that a settlement was reached between Van Treeck and managers of the state-owned dairy. He declined to reveal the details, however, saying the terms were "confidential."

Matanuska Maid bottling plant has no takers

The Matanuska Maid dairy's old bottle-making plant in downtown Palmer will remain on the chopping block and in the state's hands, at least for now.

Remnants of Mat Maid still for sale

The Matanuska Maid dairy’s old bottle-making plant in downtown Palmer will remain on the chopping block and in the state’s hands, at least for now.

Creamery board audit finds good, bad in Mat Maid sale

The Matanuska Maid dairy has been closed for almost a year, but a state legislative audit into how managers handled operations in the final few months was just recently finished.

Matanuska Maid bottle-making shop for sale

The state is putting the Matanuska Maid dairy's former bottle-making facility in downtown Palmer up for sale. Officials said they hope to have a sale brochure out by early next week with a deadline for bids of Dec. 1.

Matanuska Creamery plays catch-up on lease payments

WASILLA -- The Matanuska Creamery, which started up after the demise of the Matanuska Maid dairy, made good this week on lease payments for nearly six dozen pieces of equipment from the state-owned dairy's old Anchorage plant.

Mat Maid's Anchorage plant brings $1.5 million

WASILLA -- The historic Matanuska Maid dairy in Anchorage, which churned out milk, yogurt, and cream for more than 40 years, will be turned into a heated self-storage facility.

Matanuska Maid bids set to be opened

The Matanuska Maid dairy's landmark plant in Anchorage could be in new hands this week. At least state officials hope that's the case.

State puts dairy plant up for sale once again

The state is taking another shot at selling the historic Matanuska Maid dairy plant in Midtown Anchorage.

Matanuska Maid items up for sale

Ribbon-cutting opens creamery

WASILLA -- For a guy who's currently propping up the state's tiny dairy business, Kyle Beus is deceptively at ease.

Matanuska Maid items up for sale

A bit of Alaska history goes on the auction block today and Thursday. Altogether, 885 items from the defunct Matanuska Maid milk-processing plant in Anchorage and bottle-making facility in Palmer will be offered for sale.

Mat-Maid audit says payments to 4 farmers were wrong

The overseers of Matanuska Maid dairy were wrong to give nearly $40,000 to four dairy farmers after the state-owned creamery shut down, according to a state audit.

State rejects Matanuska Maid auction protest

WASILLA -- An Anchorage auction company has lost its bid to have the state reconsider a decision to pick two California firms to auction off what's left of the defunct Matanuska Maid dairy's equipment.

Local milk, cheese to be on sale soon

Dairy farmers in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough can breathe a sigh of relief. The new Matanuska Creamery, in the works since last year, is up and running, which means farmers will no longer have to dump milk.

Firm protests contract for dairy equipment sale

WASILLA -- An Anchorage auction firm is formally challenging the decision to hire two California firms to auction off what's left of the defunct Matanuska Maid dairy's equipment.

Churning up hope for dairy farmers

The day begins at 4 a.m. on Jean and Bob Havemeister's farm in the Valley with the first milking of their herd of more than 100 cows. Twelve hours later, the udder-heavy cows tromp back into the milk parlor for another round. These days, though, there's often a third chore -- taking that same milk, up to 500 gallons a day -- and pouring it on their field.

Auctioneers cry foul over dairy selloff

A group of Alaska auctioneers is protesting the state Creamery Board choice of two Lower 48 firms to sell off what equipment remains of the defunct Matanuska Maid dairy.

Matanuska Maid's solvent in end

WASILLA -- Despite more than $1 million in losses in its final year in operation, the Matanuska Maid dairy ended its 71-year run in the black, with a bit of help from the state, according to state officials.

Mat Maid appraisal plan OK'd

PALMER -- The state Agriculture and Conservation Board has unanimously approved a plan to obtain appraisals of the Matanuska Maid properties as part of an effort to dispose of them.

Palmer gets OK to negotiate for portion of Mat-Maid facility

PALMER -- City Manager Bill Allen got the go-ahead Tuesday night to negotiate with the state Agriculture and Conservation Board to buy the Palmer portion of the Matanuska Maid facility.