Join host Mike Chmielewski and his guest, Greg Wickham, Maintenance Superintendent for the City of Palmer, as they discuss the construction going on this Summer.

Image Credit: Big Cabbage Radio

Blake Allen, C.E.O. of the Alaska State Fair, joins host Mike Chmielewski on Valley Edition to discuss the ongoing improvements to the Alaska State Fairgrounds. Plus an update on some new attractions coming to the fair.

Image Credit: Alaska State Fair

Tomorrow we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

But here’s the funny part. July 4th is not the whole story. Congress voted for independence on July 2^nd, 1776. The Declaration got its first public reading on July 8th. And most of the signatures happened on August 2^nd, almost a month later.

So why July 4th?

Turns out, Congress signed off on the final wording on that day. And it stuck once that date got locked onto the page.

We’ve celebrated on that date ever since. The first anniversary was in 1777. Philadelphia threw a party. There were bonfires. Bells rang. Reading the Declaration of Independence out loud on July 4th became a ritual. 

Here’s something to think about as we get ready to read these words again.

There’s one sentence in the Declaration that almost everyone knows by heart. Historian Walter Isaacson wrote an entire book about it. He calls it the greatest sentence ever written. Here it is:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Which of the 35 famous words matter most? 

Most people say it’s the obvious part. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” It’s the line Lincoln basically built the Gettysburg Address around.

But get this. That line almost didn’t say that.

Jefferson’s first draft stated that these truths were “sacred and undeniable.” Most historians believe Benjamin Franklin crossed it out. He wrote “self-evident” instead. Jefferson was leaning on faith. Franklin leaned on reason. It’s amazing what one little edit can do. 

There’s a deeper part of that same sentence worth a second look. 

English philosopher John Locke once wrote that people had a right to life, liberty, and property. Jefferson borrowed that idea. However, he replaced ‘property’ with ‘the pursuit of happiness.’ These might be the quietest, most radical four words Jefferson ever wrote.

One sentence. Two ideas big enough to start a nation.

But wait. There’s a second sentence worth knowing. Legal historian Peter Berkowitz points to this line: “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

It’s not the flashiest line in the document. But it’s the one that turns a complaint into an actual argument. It’s the line that justifies the whole revolution and breaking away from a king.

Two hundred fifty years later, these words still hold. They’re the words we Americans measure ourselves against through wars, through change, through every argument about what they really mean.

As first read in 1776, the same words still ring true. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Happy Independence Day everyone. 

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 and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org. 

This Page Two article was reported 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, July 3, 2026.

Hey! It’s almost our birthday. Funny, for 250 years old, we don’t look that bad. In case you haven’t paid attention or live under a rock, Independence Day weekend is coming our direction. There is so much going on it’s hard to start, but we’ll give it a try.

Catch Natalie Gelman at Bleeding Heart Brewery tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. She is playing for free! More information on the Bleeding Heart Brewery Facebook page.

Live tonight at the Fishhook Bar join the cool kids for an evening of classic country, honky-tonk piano, and great entertainment with Mario Carboni. Carboni and his band play from 6 to 9 p.m.

Friday Fling features musician Scott Helle tomorrow from noon to 3 p.m. The Fling runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Palmer Museum of History and Art welcomes Artist of the Week Amanda Fedewa. She will be at the Museum starting at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Fedewa has called Alaska home for more than 12 years. Her artwork reflects a deep appreciation for Alaska’s wilderness, from northern lights and mountain scenes to iconic animals such as moose and bison.

Alaskan favorite Matt Hooper and the Roman Candles plays at the Palmer Alehouse on Friday beginning at 7 p.m.

Hooray for Saturday! It’s our 250th birthday.

Celebrate our nation’s independence at 11 a.m. with the annual Fourth of July parade in Wasilla. It begins at Wasilla High School and winds its way downtown. The Wasilla Mayor’s picnic at Iditapark follows the parade from 1 to 3 p.m. Come out for live music and free hot dogs.

Or travel up the Glenn on Saturday for the annual Glacier View Car Launch. This unique celebration of the Fourth involves cars flying off a cliff. The Glacier View Car Launch is a popular event at mile 103 on the Glenn Highway. The launch starts at 2 p.m. but get there early to get a good spot. More information is at glacierviewcarlaunch.com.

Celebrate the country’s 250th milestone with flag reviews, patriotic music, historical reenactments, and musket volleys at the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Palmer. This is a free, family-friendly, one-of-a-kind American celebration. Join patriots, historians, and neighbors as we step into the past for a memorable 250th anniversary! Festivities start at 3 p.m. on the green at St. Johns at 440 East Elmwood Avenue in Palmer.

And if it’s live music that will drive your Fourth, there is a ton to be found.

See Natalie Gelman live at Hatcher Pass Lodge, if you missed her on Thursday, she’ll play again Saturday, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Local music royalty Ken Peltier plays at the Palmer Alehouse starting at 7 p.m. Attendees under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at this free, all ages show.

Rounding out the weekend is car racing! Get ready for three days of racing this weekend at Alaska Raceway Park. This is one of the biggest motorsports weekends of the summer from NASCAR/INEX oval racing to 200+ MPH drag racing. More info is on the Alaska Raceway Park Facebook page.

That’s a taste of the events and celebrations headed for the GreaterPalmer MetroPlex this weekend. Have a great day and a better tomorrow.

Happy Independence Day to us all. Have a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend.

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 and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.

This Page Two article was written 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 July 2, 2026.

Join host Mike Chmielewski with Peter House from Deep Tree as they discuss current cybersecurity threats and how much AI is a current threat in the cyber world

Image Credit. NSA

Auctioneer Seth Pifer with Wild Alaska Auction Company joins host Ken Hoffman on this episode of Ag Matters.

Join host Mike Chmielewski as he interviews actor/author Kirk Fox, as they discuss Kirk’s debut novel “Palmdale: A Dirtbag Noir.

Author Kirk Fox.

Image Credits: Meridia Publishing

One of the treasures of the borough core area is the Matanuska Greenbelt. These trails loop between the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, the Glenn Highway, the Parks Highway, and Trunk Road. However, you’re not alone if you’ve taken a wrong turn on the trails and wondered where you were and how to get back to your car.

That experience is becoming harder to do. The Mat-Su Borough is installing over 300 signs across 33 miles of trails in the Greenbelt. You-Are-Here markers, directional signs pointing toward exits, and boundary markers are going up across the trail system. Many include QR codes linked to online navigation tools.

New trailhead maps are coming, too. Bear-safe trash containers are coming. And every trailhead will get pet waste stations.

The Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation provided about $40,000 in grants for the project.

The Greenbelt covers almost 3000 acres. The Mat-Su Borough, Mat-Su College, the UAF Experiment Farm, and the Matanuska Lakes State Recreation Area each own a piece of the area.

The rules of the trail change depending on where you’re standing.

For instance, some trails run through active agricultural and research lands. Staying on the designated trails really matters.

Mat-Su Borough Outdoor Recreation Trail Specialist Alan McClain says most people weren’t ignoring the rules. They just didn’t know they existed.

McClain loves seeing people use the Greenbelt. However, if someone gets lost, they’re less likely to go back.

The Greenbelt is outdoor backcountry-style recreation for many Valley residents. McClain knows that when the experience is clear and confidence-building, it becomes a gateway for more exploration. When the experience is confusing, it becomes a barrier.

McClain wants people to have positive experiences on Alaskan trails so they can feel comfortable spreading out to other outdoor adventures.

The signage project has been years in the making. Borough GIS Specialist Heidi Whipple spent several years refining trail data. A public dataset was released last summer. That groundwork made the signage project possible.

Getting the land managers from the four stakeholders on the same page took patience and cooperation. McClain said it was a give and take — this is what we want, this is what they want. It made the whole thing feel cooperative.

Borough Recreation and Library Services Manager Hugh Leslie calls it a legacy project. It is designed to serve trail users for years to come.

Crews began installation when trails dried out.

The Matanuska Greenbelt has always been worth exploring. By the end of summer, it’ll be easier to find your way back to your car.

This story is drawn from the May edition of the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation newsletter. Visit their website at matsutrails.org for more information on the Foundation and their work.

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 and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.

This Page Two article was reported 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.

photo credit: Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation

The Susitna River Coalition is kicking off a watershed planning process for the Susitna River basin. Program and Communications Director Margaret Stern said, “This is a community-driven roadmap of what you are seeing, how you are recreating, what you want to protect.”

The watershed contains all the water that flows into the Susitna River. It includes the Chulitna, the Skwentna, and other major rivers, as well as all their tributaries and wetlands. It includes streams like Wasilla Creek and Cottonwood Creek that run through urban areas. Six rivers designated by the state as Recreational Rivers are also in the watershed. These are the Little Susitna, the Deshka, the Talachulitna, and the Talkeetna Rivers, along with Lake and Alexander Creeks.

Information exists about some places, like around Talkeetna. The research that was done for the Su-Watana hydroelectric dam project is valuable, however the Susitna River drainage is huge. It’s over 20,000 square miles of lands that go from bogs to glaciers.

People that use the area have knowledge and a lot to contribute to the watershed plan. One way to contribute is through the survey. What changes have they seen? What are they concerned about? What are they excited about? Maybe they see a bird at a certain place or a certain time, or a fish where they haven’t seen one before. All that information is valuable.

A Citizen Science component begins this month. People who are out on the land can participate and collect new information.

Stern says, “If you are hunting, floating, going on a hike and you come across a body of water you can tell us what is there, what you are seeing because so much of the area hasn’t been characterized. You don’t need to be a scientist. This can be anyone who is just out enjoying the region and wants to provide some of that baseline data. Someone who’s out rafting and wants to collect a little something to benefit the broader picture.”

Citizen Scientists will be provided with kits that contain temperature gauges, fish identification guides, and habitat assessment forms. The kits are small and can be taken along when people go out on the water to work or recreate. People aren’t assigned locations. Part of the process is finding out where people go and what areas are being used.

Citizen Scientists will be asked to log the coordinates at a site, collect water temperature, take photos, and write down what they see about the water, the vegetation, the fish and wildlife. The program goes through September and starts again in the spring.

There are also scheduled field days at core locations. These are opportunities for people to learn how to collect the information, see how it is relevant, and even do some minnow trapping.

Learn more about the Watershed Planning process at susitnarivercoalition.org/watershedplan or contact Margaret Stern at info@susitnarivercoalition.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 and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.

This Page Two article was reported by Kendra Zamzow 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 June 30, 2026.

Image credit: susitnarivercoalition.org.

Join Dr. Jill Valerius and host Lee Henrikson as they have a discussion on ovarian cancer screening.

Image Credit: Southern Cancer Center