Fair, fall and a presidential visit

Do you feel it? Do you see it? That crisp chill in the morning air on a clear day. The cold and damp that creeps into your bones on the days when it rains. The hints of the trees turning colors that are beginning to appear all over. It is actually dark at night now. School is back in session in the Valley. Yes the signs are all in; autumn is on its way. Which means big happenings for Alaska.

Two big events are going to happen shortly. One, the Alaska State Fair is going to kick off this Thursday. I like going to the fair, I couldn’t go last year due to my heart troubles.

But now I'm up to par health wise so I'm more than ready for fair fun and food. And to top it off I'm working it this year in Raven Hall for KVRF – Big Cabbage Radio. We will be broadcasting live from our little booth there for the time the fair is in session. (I’m working just two Thursdays.) Look for Mike and I during fair days and say hello. Who knows, we might make you famous on the air. I'm excited to have a small part with the radio gig. I will be working the sound board and doing the DJ thing. Maybe even picking the songs for the play list. Either way I’m going to have fun at the state fair this year.

The second event is something just plain historic. President Obama is coming to Alaska at the end the month. During his stay here in the Great Land he will tour not just Anchorage, but also Seward, Kotzebue and Dillingham. He is expected to talk about the issues of climate change while he is here. Perfect, because Alaska is the canary in the coal mine regarding this subject. The spotlight he will put on the subject will help on trying to deal with it.

His visit is stirring some people up apparently to some in the media both printed and broadcast. Some are worried just how Alaskans are going to react to the Commander in Chief of this nation stepping off Air Force One and into the history books on Alaskan soil.

If I had to judge by reader comments in various media sites I would be a little worried. Some of those range from open support to downright hostile to anything related to Obama.

There been some questions on how our elected congressional leaders (all Republican by the way) are going to react as well. There was some talk they were getting the silent treatment from the White House. (I believe they haven't asked in my opinion.) Since there has been a history of the Republicans treating the president in less than stellar ways since his election to the office in 2009 to put it nicely. I would like to think Senator Murkowski, our senior senator, would show the most common sense and respect during the presidential visit. I hope she gets a chance to show the president what Alaska really is and what Alaskans really are.

It’s Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don young I have serious reservations about. The junior senator makes me wonder as to who he really works for. (As in Koch brothers.) I have yet to hear anything coming from him that is, well his own thought. Then there is our very own Don Young who is very much is own person and makes no bones about it. I shudder to think what will come out of his mouth if he ever escapes from his handlers during Obama’s visit to our shores. I guess it could be worse, it could be Donald Trump instead.

As for the average Alaskans, it is my belief that the vast majority will give the president a warm welcome to Alaska. And pose some good questions for him to answer about Alaska's future. Perhaps even show him our vision of what we really want to do with this wonderful land and its resources. Give him some ideas beyond grubbing for oil.

I would love to see him in person; heck, I would love to see any U.S. President in person.

But I can’t deal with all the crowds that are sure appear along with the hoopla and the hype. I once even entertained the fantasy of being able to sit down with the president and interview him for the radio and the newspaper. Yeah like that is going happen in real life. But if I could, I would have a lot questions coming from a veteran’s point of view.

Oh well I will just have to settle for watching on the TV and reading about him the newspapers. Either way Alaska is in for some interesting times this fall. Very interesting times indeed. Fall is the time to see Alaska at its most colorful best. I look forward to seeing you all at the fair.

Oh, and I almost forgot: Welcome to Alaska, Mr. President!

Daniel D. Grota is a retired Veteran of the U.S. Army with over 21 years in service. He is also a Tuesday morning co-host on KVRF 89.5 FM, Radio Free Palmer. To email him, write to news@frontiersman.com.