Casey Ressler. President & CEO of the Mat-Su Convention & Visitors
Bureau joins host Mike Chmielewski on Valley Edition to discuss the new Gateway Visitor Center- a fully designed 9,000 square foot visitor center outside of Palmer.

Join Big Cabbage’s Radio Book Club as they discuss the novel ” The Girl Who Drank the Moon” by author Kelly Barnhill.

Join host Mike Chmielewski and his guests, Joy Bailey, Library Director, and Seina Bell, Library Services Coordinator, both with the Palmer Public Library, as they discuss the present and future of the Palmer Public Library.

Ed Strable from the Mat-Su Ski Club joins host Mike Chmielewski for this week’s Ski report. The report is current until 7:00 am Saturday, the 23rd of May.

A small museum on the outskirts of Wasilla is making a big splash. It has a 40-ton fin whale to thank for it.

Fin whales are the second-largest animals on Earth. Only blue whales are bigger. Fin whales can reach up to 80 feet long and weigh up to 80 tons. So, when one washed ashore near downtown Anchorage two winters ago, it was impossible to ignore.

Its final resting place is at the Museum of Alaska in Wasilla.

The Museum of Alaska has been part of Alaska’s story for nearly 60 years. It started in Anchorage in 1967 as the Air Progress Museum. It grew into the Alaska Museum of Transportation and Industry before moving to Wasilla in the early 1990’s.

Museum director James Grogan rebranded it as the Museum of Alaska. Grogan is a retired Air Force veteran. He started as a volunteer at the museum about a decade ago. He serves as curator, painter, grant writer, and janitor as well as museum director. He’s all in one.

Grogan moved to claim the deceased whale. He led volunteers through the permitting process with state, federal and Alaska Native agencies.

Then came the hauling the massive, flesh-covered bones from the tidal mudflats of Anchorage to the museum in Wasilla. Grogan says the whale’s cranium weighed about 2,000 pounds. The mandibles still had flesh all over them, and they weighed about 1,000 pounds each.

Fellow drivers on the Parks Highway got quite a surprise. If theydrove up behind him, they didn’t stay there.

Today the bones are buried on the museum grounds under 20 tons of donated horse manure. That’s not a prank. It’s a process called maceration. Bacteria break down the remaining tissue and clean the bones. They’ll then be bleached, sealed, and reassembled for permanent display.

Grogan says rounding up the manure was the easy part. They started calling horse farms to see if they had extra manure, and boy, a lot of people came forward.

The story caught the attention of theguardian.com. They ran a lengthy feature on the project. But Grogan says the whale is one part of a broader effort to revive the facility.

He says, “Museums just aren’t making it today by just being a sleepy little museum. We have to have something else to get people in.”

The Museum of Alaska is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 3800 West Museum Drive in Wasilla. General admission is $10, $8 for seniors, and free for kids under five. You can reach them at 907-376-1211 or online at museumofalaska.org.

The whale skeleton will fully reassembled and on display sometime next year. But Grogan says there’s plenty of reason to visit the museum now.

He says, “Everything you can imagine Alaska is out here.”

This summary is based on reporting by Matt Tunseth in matsusentinel.com

Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.

Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.

Please support Page 2 News. Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.

This Page Two article was summarized for Big Cabbage Radio by Emily Forstner and produced by yours truly, Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.

That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Friday May 22, 2026.

Photo courtesy of the Museum of Alaska

Here are some happenings around the Greater PalmerMetroPlex this weekend.

Our universe contains many mysteries. One of them can be answered tonight.

Do you know who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

Here’s a clue: Absorbent and yellow and porous is he.

If nautical nonsense be something you wish,

Drop to the deck and flop like a fish…

That’s right! The SpongeBob Musical is here. It opens tonight at the Glenn Massay Theater. Get tickets and show information at GlennMassayTheater.com. The show runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through June 6.

The Palmer Museum of History and Art hosts Artist of the Week Crystal Dermer at Friday Fling tomorrow. Come meet this Palmer-based creative. She is known for vibrant window art, murals, and mosaic work. The show includes mosaic frames, a fused-glass piece, and sculptural works. Dermer will be at the museum at 11 a.m.

Speaking of the Fling, Jerry Wessling will play live on the outdoor stage. Enjoy the music and explore local craft vendors and tasty food trucks. Bring your friends, grab a bite, groove on some great locally spawned tunes, do some shopping, and enjoy Friday in Palmer.

Music at the Palmer Alehouse this weekend includes Woodrow on Friday and Good Company on Saturday. Both shows start at 7 p.m. These are free, all ages, outdoors, rain or shine shows. Attendees under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. You can also hang out in the Palmer Town Square and enjoy the tunes, too.

Or drive out to the Palmer Fishhook Bar on Friday to see Jesse James and Sergio live at 6 p.m.

If you want to get out of town for some tunes, check out the Gunsight Lodge Music Festival all weekend at milepost 123 on the Glenn Highway. Confederate Railroad and other bands will play. More info on the Little Country Entertainment Facebook page.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Extreme Bull Riding competition runs Saturday and Sunday on the State Fairgrounds. This heart-pounding event brings together bull riders and the Big Stone Rodeo bulls from Canada for an epic showdown. More info and tickets available at rodeoalaska.com. Yee-haw!

Sponge Bob, bullriding and lots of music, that’s a weekend to remember. This has been just a peak at some of the exciting and stimulating stuff to do in our corner of the globe.

On a somber note, Monday is Memorial Day. It’s a federal holiday. Take a moment to honor and mourn our military personnel who died while serving in the Armed Forces.

Memorial Day events in the Valley include the Veterans Wall of Honor Ceremony at 1 p.m. Mat-Su Valley veterans host this memorial service and tribute. The Veterans Wall of Honor is at 801 N. Wasilla-Fishhook Road, next to the Wasilla Police Station.

Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.

Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.

Please support Page 2 News. Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.

This Page Two article was reported by Keith Peticolas and produced by yours truly, Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.

That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Thursday May 21, 2026.

Brandi Jo Nyberg joins host Ken Hoffman on this episode of Ag Matters as they discuss the Spring Pop-Up Market at the Mat-Su Community Farmers Market.

Join host Mike Chmielewski with Peter House from Deep Tree as they discuss current cybersecurity threats.

Hemp is not a weed. It doesn’t get you high.

Sarah Williams of the Sacred Seeds Foundation discussed the future of industrial hemp in Alaska with Ag Matters host Ken Hoffman. Williams believes hemp could become a major economic driver for the state.

She explained that industrial hemp can be misunderstood because of its association with marijuana. Both come from the cannabis plant family. However, hemp contains low levels of THC, the psychoactive compound that produces a high.

Hemp is not intoxicating and legal for industrial use. She says hemp has potential in Alaska. Uses range from housing materials and clothing to fishing nets, biofuel, animal bedding, and food products.

Williams moved to Alaska in 2009 from Oregon. She became involved in cannabis advocacy after Alaska legalized marijuana in 2014.

She shared her personal journey with cannabis. It helped her manage trauma and mental health challenges. However, after struggling with addiction and negative mental health effects tied to heavy cannabis use, she shifted her focus from recreational cannabis to industrial hemp as a healthier and more sustainable opportunity for Alaska.

That vision led to the creation of the Sacred Seeds Foundation. It officially launched earlier this year. The organization advocates for development of industrial hemp, food sovereignty, and local agriculture across the state. Williams believes Alaska relies too heavily on imported goods and volatile industries like oil. She sees hemp as a way to diversify the economy while supporting local communities.

One of the group’s goals is a manufacturing facility called Green Build Composites in Houston. The facility would process hemp into building materials such as hempcrete, insulation, fiberboard. It could expand to products like flooring, doors, rope, clothing, and fishing nets. Williams says hemp-based construction materials are naturally insulating, mold resistant, pest resistant, and fire resistant. These qualities are valuable in Alaska’s climate.

The organization hopes to connect hemp production with healthcare funding. Profits Green Build Composites would support future “Living Waters Wellness Centers.” These centers would provide preventative and diagnostic healthcare services focused on identifying root causes of illness instead of simply treating symptoms.

Williams says the first step is finding farmers willing to grow hemp. Although industrial hemp became legal in Alaska in 2019, only small pilot projects and trial acreage exist around the state. Sacred Seeds is working with farmers to help them navigate regulations, create business plans, and find buyers for their crops.

Hemp’s versatility is a selling point. Williams explained that hemp can be processed into flour, bread, pasta, ice cream, biofuel, biodegradable plastics, and even battery materials. Hemp seeds are rich in protein, omega-3s, omega-6s, and essential amino acids, making them a nutritious food source for both people and animals.

For Alaskans interested in getting involved, Williams encouraged listeners to connect through the Alaska Farm Bureau hemp program or visit Sacred Seeds Foundation online and on social media. She acknowledged the industry faces challenges. She says that Alaska needs bold new ideas and long-term economic vision.

Williams closed with a message of optimism, saying industrial hemp may not be an easy path, but it could help create a stronger, more self-sufficient Alaska for future generations.

Find the full interview with William on bigcabbagradio.org in Ag Matters under podcasts.

Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.

Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.

Please support Page 2 News. Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.

This Page Two article was reported by Mike Chielewski and produced by yours truly, Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.

That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Wednesday May 20, 2026.

Page 2 Tue. May 19: Superintendent Randy Trani

It’s time for Page Two: News that might not make the front page for

Tuesday May 19, 2026.

Mat-Su Borough School District Superintendent Randy Trani discussed graduation season, school safety proposals, and the district’s budget crisis with Emily Forstner on Valley Edition last Friday.

Trani began on a hopeful note: Graduation. The ceremonies are this week. He says it’s the most rewarding part of the school year.

He says that watching students walk across the stage is “the whole point of everything we do.” He added that the optimism of graduates motivates district staff for the year ahead.

The conversation shifted to the proposed concealed-carry policy in schools. It is scheduled for board action on June 3. The proposal would train volunteer staff members to carry concealed firearms in schools for use during emergencies.

Trani acknowledged that there is limited data on the effectiveness of such programs. Few districts nationwide have adopted concealed-carry policies. School shootings remain statistically rare.

He says the key issue for the school board is whether the district can create a training and oversight program rigorous enough to ensure safety for everyone.

Many implementation details would probably be handled through administrative regulations rather than board policy. This includes coordination with law enforcement.

Budget pressures dominated Trani’s discussion with Forstner. Although the Mat-Su Borough Assembly increased its contribution to the district this year, the district still faces a $28 million deficit.

Trani noted that higher insurance costs added nearly $6 million to the budget. The district explored alternative insurance carriers and possible plan changes. They found few meaningful savings options.

He defended the district’s decision to close and consolidate schools rather than pursue cuts. The proposed cuts included eliminating athletics, cutting transportation, or shortening the school week. More than 2,000 community members identified class size as their top priority. Consolidation was viewed as the best way to avoid more teacher layoffs.

However, Trani warned that continued reductions will affect student opportunities in the future. Last year the district cut approximately 160 positions.

More reductions may follow if additional state funding does not materialize. Programs already impacted by cuts include the intervention called the “4 Cs.” It helps struggling elementary students with academics.

Trani highlighted a major academic success: the new honors diploma program. Over one-third of this year’s graduates earned advanced honors or honors-with-distinction diplomas.

These diplomas require rigorous coursework in academics, career and technical education, or both. He called it one of the district’s proudest achievements this year.

Forstner asked Trani how he remains optimistic during these difficult financial times. Trani replied that education represents hope. He emphasized that today’s students are deeply aware of the world around them and capable of becoming future problem-solvers and leaders.

He closed by thanking families, staff, and the community for their continued support for the district during a difficult year. He expressed confidence that Mat-Su schools will emerge stronger despite ongoing financial challenges.

The full interview is on bigcabbageradio.org in Valley Edition under podcasts. The next school board meeting is on Wednesday June 3.

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly meets tonight at 6 p.m. in the Assembly chambers. You can stream the audio of the meeting at bigcabbageradio.org.

Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.

Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.

Please support Page 2 News. Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.

This Page Two article was reported by Mike Chmielewski and produced by yours truly, Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.

That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Tuesday May 19, 2026.

Image credit: Mat-Su Borough School District