Postal rates are increasing on May 11^th.   Rates for a regular letter will increase from 42 cents to 44 cents. Postcards rates will increase just one cent. 

Flat rate boxes went up effective Jan. 18^th.  There is a new small flat rate box that can be mailed for $4.95, the regular rectangular and square boxes are now  $10.35 and the large boxes are  $13.95. Mailing to APO addresses will receive a discount.

“Forever stamps” can be purchased currently at the 42 cent rate and used after May 11^th without additional postage.

The Talkeetna postal employees are advising those residents mailing letters overseas and out of the U.S. that first class international postage is also increasing. Starting May 11^th, letters to Canada will be 75 cents,  letters to Mexico will be 79 cents and postage for regular letters to the rest of the world will be 98 cents.

The Denali State Park Special Use District planning team met Wednesday night without finalizing any of the SPUD revisions.

Eileen Probasco, planning manager at the Mat Su Borough, says that 2 months ago, she was hopeful that planning had progressed enough that she expected the document to be completed and sent to the Assembly for approval in June.  Now, she says, it appears a more accurate completion date is later this fall. (more…)

The Jessica Stevens Foundation is one of 7 community foundations throughout Alaska to become part of the community asset building initiative.  The Foundation has been so successful at fundraising that it is partnering with BP to administer the Mat Su Challenge, starting in early April.  

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thanks to Diana Haecker and the Good Times for this story

Recent activity and various contractor trucks outside the old Tanners grocery and coffee cabin on main street in Talkeetna has heads turning and people wondering exactly what is happening. 

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Talkeetna resident Dave Johnston is just one of those to be inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame tonight in Anchorage.

The inductees include Red Boucher, Alaska basketball pioneer; Nina Kempel, four time Olympian; Wally Leask, basketball legend; Hilary Lindh, Olympic medalist; Colonel Norman Vaughan, polar explorer and adventurer. 

The first winter ascent of Mt. McKinley, and Doug Herron’s national best in the 800 meters, will be inducted as two moments in sports history.  The winter ascent was completed by Talkeetna residents Dave Johnston and Ray Genet  as well as Art Davidson. 

The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics will be inducted as the greatest on going sports event.

There will be a presentation, video biographies and acceptance speeches from the inductees. The event is free and open to the public.

The trophy for the first winter ascent of Denali, for now, will be displayed, along with the First-Ascent-of-Denali trophy in the Talkeetna Ranger Station.

Host Holly Stinson talks with Phil and Judy Wallona, a family with fishing fever. You can hear about Phil Wallona’s jobs with the FAA in the 70′s and with Myron Stevens in the 80′s, along with a few stories of local characters.

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This coming weekend is a big one for Upper Valley youth.

A team of high school students is traveling to Anchorage tonight to participate the next 3 days in the annual Academic Decathalon. Su Valley High School usually does very well in this event and last year, took home a second place trophy as well as receiving a standing ovation for dealing with the school fire, and still managing so many achievements. This year’s team is comprised of Mike Jurasek, Ian Merkley, Ian Makee, Jenna Moses, Forrest Morgan, Steen and Jens Timmers, and Bayne Salmon. (more…)

The Mat Su Borough recently released the results of its annual phone survey of residents. The survey asked questions about public transportation and Borough news and information. The survey also asked people to rate the Borough government. (more…)

Comet Lulin has been in astronomy news lately. Lulin was discovered two years ago and named after the observatory in Taiwan that first took photographs of the comet. Now the comet is visible in the Susitna Valley night sky by looking through binoculars.

Sunday the fuzzy patch of the comet was below and to the left of Saturn. On Monday night, it was to the right of Saturn. The planet Saturn is directly below constellation Leo the lion, and rises around 8 or 9 o’clock at night. By 10 o’clock Saturn is at an elevation high enough to make viewing the comet fairly easy. Residents can find the fuzzy patch of the comet with their binoculars by finding Saturn and moving two fields of view to the right, just below Leo the lion’s hindquarters.

Comet Lulin, a two-tailed green colored comet, was closet to Earth Monday night. By March 1st, the comet will be beyond Regulus and probably only visible by looking through a telescope. Lulin is heading out of our solar system and astronomers say it is likely we will not see it again.