Anchorage Daily News

PALMER -- The Federal Communications Commission has granted a Palmer-based nonprofit radio group, Radio Free Palmer, a construction permit to build a community radio station. Now comes the hard part, organizers say.

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David Cheezem

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The group this Saturday is kicking off a construction fundraiser at Vagabond Blues in downtown Palmer. Starting at 7 p.m. a troupe of local musicians and actors will entertain with music, skits and comedy.

The group hopes to raise money for a studio and equipment.

If fundraising goes well, the station could be up and running by 2009 although group organizers say 2010 is a more conservative estimate.

Radio Free Palmer takes its name from the World War II-era broadcasts of Radio Free Europe, which broadcast CIA-approved news stories behind the Iron Curtain.

But this group has a smaller focus -- to broadcast community news and locally picked music.

Radio Free Palmer, formed in April 2005, has already been broadcasting Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly meetings and a few other public meetings via its Web site, www.radiofreepalmer.org.

A handful of interviews and other podcasts are also available.

Organizers say they want the community to direct future programming available online and over the airwaves.

"People came together because they felt a need for more local news, information, weather checks, sports, local music, local problem-solving and other important public safety needs that a community station can meet.

As with the Girdwood and Talkeetna community stations, we will look to the people who live in Sutton, Palmer and in-between, including the people of Chickaloon and local schools to provide most of the programming," David Cheezem, the group's board president, stated in a written press release.

Find Rindi White online at adn.com/contact/rwhite or call 352-6709.

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