Top Mat-Su Valley Stories for 2007

The Anchorage Daily News' December 21 Mat-Su Valley edition had a year-end recap story by Joe Ditzler, called Top Mat-Su Stories of 2007. Basically, at least on the web version, it was a way to link to earlier coverage by the ADN's Valley Bureau of the listed events. By having to stick to that limiting format, Ditzler's list is different than mine.

That's not a put-down. Each of the events he lists is important to the Valley. Here's my short version of his list:

ADN top 2007 Matanuska-Susitna Valley stories:

1. Mat Maid closes
2. Target sets to open in Wasilla
3.Christopher Rogers murder-mayhem rampage
4. MEA plans announced, challenged, stifled
5. Halloween robberies in Talkeetna
6. Su Valley School fire
7. Trapper Creek wildfires
8. Sportsman’s WH development and resultant questions
9. Another ARR Pt. MacKenzie spur proposal
10. AK DOC abandons Palmer prison proposal, expands at Pt. Mac instead
11. Houston City Council feuds after election
12. Borough libraries face major funding cuts
13. House fire has impact on number of dog’s one can keep at home

Here's my list: Progressive Alaska's Top 2007 Mat-Su Stories:

1. Vic Kohring convicted
2. Matanuska Electrical Association dirty coal plant plans thwarted, challenged by growing insurgency
3. Progressive candidates continue to make gains in local government
4. Proposition 1 - Penny Nixon's Full Employment for Attorneys Plan - goes down in flames
5. Su Valley School destroyed - Community unites
6. Rogers murder-mayhem
7. Continued Upper Cook Inlet salmon declines lead to questions
8. Mat-Su Borough government finally accepts rational planning as a paradigm
9. Trapper Creek wildfires test emergency response structures, resources
10. Meth epidemic peaks
11. Gov. Palin prefers living in her family's beautiful Lake Lucille home to the Addams Family mansion on a dank, slippery hill in Juneau

Locals know the details behind these stories. One can only hope that #10 is correct, as I've simply heard anecdotal evidence so far.

I'm open to suggestions on other important stories, if they don't duplicate either Joe Ditzler's list or mine.

Neklason Lake from the ridge by my garden