The fire that burned a home on I Street in East Talkeetna on Thursday left owner Bob Johnson homeless and five of his dogs dead. One dog suffered burns and is still in treatment. Another dog remained unscathed as it was outside in a kennel at the time of the fire. Nancy Hall, the district manager for Red Cross of Alaska came to Talkeetna from Wasilla to help Johnson.

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The first batch of H1N1 vaccines arrived in Talkeetna’s Sunshine Community Health Center recently and is available for a few targeted populations. The clinic received 20 doses of the vaccine which contains a weakened live virus. Sunshine clinic doctor Mary Loeb explained that this particular vaccine is in the form of a nasal spray. Since it contains the weakened live virus, it is only to be given out to healthy people from 2 to 49 years of age. Pregnant women or persons with existing health problems like heart diseases, kidney diseases or asthma are not eligible. Since there is only a limited amount of the vaccine available, the Sunshine Health Center aims to administer the vaccines first to day care workers who take care of small children, and children between 2 and 4 years of age. (more…)

The Susitna Community Council is holding board of director elections next week during their regular council meeting on Thursday, November 5 at the Senior Center/ Su Valley High School . (more…)

Strong winds blowing through the Mat-Su area, wreaked havoc in the Wasilla Palmer area but for the most part spared the upper Susitna valley from damages. (more…)

In Tuesday’s meeting, the Talkeetna Parks Advisory Committee passed a motion recommending that 90 acres of land recently transferred from the State of Alaska to the Mat-Su Borough be added to the borough’s Talkeetna Lakes Park. (more…)

Guest Eric Martin tells about the Halloween party he hosts for twenty-four hours at his home, and how he and his wife, Elaine, prepare for it. We find out why Halloween is his favorite holiday, and we learn about the ancient Celtic-Druidic roots to the holiday. Last but not least, the rules for the party…Colleen Love hosts the show.

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FIRE— Talkeetna fire fighters go back into a burned home on I Street to look for dogs that were trapped in the blaze on Thursday, Oct. 29. Photo by Diana Haecker

Five dogs perished in a blaze in East Talkeetna that burned a house on I Street. The home is a total loss and uninhabitable due to extensive fire and water damage. Talkeetna EMTs and firefighters responded after a 911 call came in shortly after 11 a.m . Nobody was at home when the fire broke out.

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Mat-Su public health officials are gearing up to organize their first large-scale H1N1 vaccination clinics. As the swine flu vaccine trickles into Alaska and is distributed by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, the Mat-Su School District has announced swine flu vaccination clinics to be held at Colony High School on November 14, November 21 and December 21. Mat-Su Public Health holds a walk-in clinic on Friday, October 30.

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INDULGENCE— Nova Papasadora enjoys the fruits of her labor after participating in the first baking/cooking class for kids held at the Flying Squirrel Bakery Wednesday, October 28. The kids created scary Halloween treats and got to eat them, too. Photo by Diana Haecker