July 2026 Edition
July 2026 Edition
July 1 National Postage Stamp Day July 2 National Wildland Firefighter Day July 4 National Independence Day. The Declaration of Independence, a document of foundational promise, was adopted unanimously On July 4, 1776, by the Second Continental Congress at the Pennsylvania State House. We know it now as Independence Hall. July 6 National Fried Chicken Day. If you’re vegetarian, wait until July 10 for National French Fry Day or National Pecan Pie Day on July 12. And maybe the best of them,...
After shopping at either Palmer Fred Meyer or Carrs/Safeway, while still in the parking lot, I sometimes look to the east and check out the weather conditions at the top of Lazy Mountain. It gives me a thrill to recall sitting at the top, thanks to my daughter Erin's help. It was a dream that I'd given up on, so the accomplishment was extra special. I'd told her that because of approaching the big 70, I was evaluating my life and thinking about dreams I would have to let go and consider...
It wouldn’t be July in Alaska unless people were readying to run up Mount Marathon in blazing fashion and then come cascading down. The July 4 event is a must-watch at least once, even if your knees beg you not to attempt it. https://mountmarathon.com/ It’s of course too late to register anyway, but it’s definitely possible to watch legends—David Norris and Allie Ostrander are registered—from the comfort of your lawn chair. Plan ahead and get to Seward the day before….You can also...
Angela Łot'oydaatlno Gonzalez sits at her kitchen window, beading what will be a doll-sized salmon that will be the center of another "Fish Camp Barbie" display, one of several she has made in recent years. Barbie herself stands to Angela's left at a small table wearing a pink kuspuk (the Yup'ik spelling is qaspeq and in Athabascan, the word is bets'egh hoolaanee). She sports a crown beaded with "B." When the display is finished, this Barbie, chosen for her caramel skin tone, will be posed...
Marjorie Kortkamp has a flower clipped to her soft gray curls, but she confessed it hasn't been the easiest morning, "I had a seizure!" she said matter-of-factly. But as she settled into her room at the Anchorage Pioneer Home, Marge (as most people call her), relaxed into a spirited retelling of her long life, from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to the Last Frontier. Her eldest daughter, Diana, was there to help her with her morning routine and to fill in any gaps in the narrative. A late-in-life...
Medicare and Medicaid are sometimes hard to understand, especially if you are eligible for both insurance programs. This month’s article will discuss how the two programs work together and how to apply for both. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the agency which provides regulatory oversight over both programs. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older. People younger than age 65 with certain disabilities, permanent kidney failure, or...
Sitting in a circle holding hands and praying may have some hidden health benefits, even for non-believers. A randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has found that a five-minute session of proximal intercessory prayer (PIP) significantly reduced pain and anxiety in primary care patients compared to a music control group. The PIP approach involves an in-person prayer offered by a trained volunteer. The findings, published in The Annals of Family...
Yellowstone is renowned for its huge bison population. Badlands National Park is famous for stretches of surreal striped landscape. On the Outer Banks, herds of wild horses roam freely. But you don't have to travel to Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Carolina to experience them. North Dakota's Roosevelt National Park has all that and more, including one of the largest prairie dog populations of any park. Named after the 26th U.S. president who was an avid nature lover and former area resident...
