As winter draws near, it’s hard not to notice the unmistakable scent of woodsmoke filling the valley air. Around these parts, nearly every home boasts a wood stove and a neatly stacked pile of firewood, ready to fend off the season’s chill.

In a recent community decision, valley residents firmly opposed a proposed 7-cent-per-gallon gas tax. While the vote was merely a non-binding expression of voter sentiment, in our tight-knit borough of just a few thousand, such opinions tend to carry significant weight with the local council. As I often remark, governance is most effective when it’s rooted close to the people it serves.

The suggested gas tax was intended to fund road repairs and other local projects, potentially collecting revenue from the influx of tourists passing through the Mat-Su during the summer months. However, the verdict from the community, myself included, was clear. In Alaska, the introduction of new taxes is rarely embraced with open arms.

Alaska Man Score: The decision results in gas remaining 7 cents cheaper per gallon. Kudos to the Mat-Su voters for voicing their stance.

While Alaskans are known for their self-sufficiency, they also appreciate a helping hand when disaster strikes. Following the devastating flooding in western Alaska triggered by Typhoon Halong, a couple from Kansas generously contributed a substantial donation of beef to assist those affected.

Tuesday’s tally includes early ballots but not 1,713 absentee votes. Full results are expected following a canvass board count Friday evening.

The Assembly, which will make the final decision on whether the tax is approved, placed the question on ballots as a way to gather a sense of the voters. If approved, the tax would apply to all gasoline and diesel sold at pumps in the borough and would sunset in 2027, according to the measure.

Now, we could argue that the gas tax, which would be applied to road repairs here in the borough, among other things, would also collect revenue for people passing through the Mat-Su – especially all those summer tourists. But the voters have spoken, our household among them, and Alaskans are seldom in favor of new taxes.

Alaska Man Score: 7 cents a gallon cheaper gas. Well done, Mat-Su voters.

On another note, Alaskans take pride in their self-reliance, but after a disaster, some generous help is still welcome. After a lot of people in western Alaska were hit in the recent flooding following Typhoon Halong, a Kansas couple has stepped up with a hefty donation of beef.

Jeremy and Nicole Sheffler started the nonprofit, Cow Team 6, a little after Hurricane Helene devastated part of the southeastern United States last September. The couple noticed the needs and made several trips to donate food and supplies. This outreach effort was successful enough for Cow Team 6 to build off of it, donating supplies and helping with recovery efforts in other parts of the U.S.

Now, they’re attempting their biggest undertaking yet, getting aid to Alaska, specifically, thousands of pounds of beef.

This will be a great boon to the people displaced by Typhoon Halong. Bear in mind that a lot of these folks may not even get back to where their homes once stood until late spring. Winter is setting in here in the Great Land. Here in the Susitna Valley, we already have about seven or eight inches of snow on the ground, and it’s not going anywhere until April or May.

Our winters are not to be taken lightly.

Alaska Man Score: 5 pounds of beef.

Two videos today: In this first, some enterprising Susitna Valley entrepreneurs of our acquaintance, but one of them misinterpreted what a “product launch” entails.

You can see the Chaga Chick’s website with all Alaska products here.

Now, a look at a rather unique piece of paraphernalia for the truck.

Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.

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