My favorite Frontiersman stories and photos of 2019

The title explains it pretty well, these are my 10 favorite stories we published at the Frontiersman this year. Well then, pitter patter.

• Family Tradition https://www.frontiersman.com/sports/family-tradition/article_bb441512-b43e-11e9-8ade-2fd973da7609.html

The Boulware Family were an incredible group to get to meet. Not only does Ben have some fantastic stories about the good ol’ days playing for the Miners, but watching Ben watch his son play is exhausting by itself. Ben loves the game and has tremendous respect for the work his son has put in to be one of the best ballplayers in the ABL as he once was nearly 30 years ago.

• https://www.frontiersman.com/sports/viral-impact-of-toronto-s-first-nba-championship-reaches-the/article_5e615786-91a9-11e9-bc75-97cf98cceac7.html

In the Mat-Su Valley, we often prefer to be left with the wilderness rather than face the faulty facets of fame. While Wasilla High grad and Grand Canyon University student Bryce Wheeler is still waiting on that photo credit like Drake is waiting on a text from his ex, it was remarkable to be able to meet the man behind the viral photo and find out what it was like to receive that many interactions, even if online.

• Local students helping to build portable classrooms https://www.frontiersman.com/news/local-students-helping-to-build-portable-classrooms/article_1c2b3bca-9c5d-11e9-9258-df962dd2b1fa.html

I think out of all the different Frontiersman stories Houston Junior/Senior High School appeared in this year, this was my favorite.

Maybe it was the sound of power tools, but most likely it was the bonafide work that this handful of kids was willing to put in to repair and rebuild these portables while they did not have their own school and are still awaiting a final decision on what the Assembly will do with HMS.

• On the road again https://www.frontiersman.com/news/on-the-road-again/article_4f7a5ad6-e421-11e9-899b-fbde35445c60.html

Crime in the Mat-Su has gotten out of hand, and unfortunately not even 10-year-old Dwayne Coleman is immune. After his three-wheeled bike was stolen, Dwayne was wearing a helmet and a smile a mile wide as he pedaled up and down the road in front of his family’s apartment. The community rallied to make him whole again.

• First responding fourth grader https://www.frontiersman.com/news/first-responding-fourth-grader/article_af8d73f0-02a2-11ea-be27-cbc65f02ccf8.html

Kids are amazing. 8-year-old James Emery helped save his grandmother’s life, but he struggled a bit when talking to me about the incident. That didn’t matter — he held his composure when it counted, speaking with 911 operators to get his grandmother to safety.

• On a mission https://www.frontiersman.com/news/on-a-mission-local-groups-raising-domestic-violence-awareness/article_588e7812-eb3a-11e9-a32e-8ba685424fa1.html

If you haven’t noticed, Career-Tech High School senior Anthony Jones has been producing some outstanding work for the Frontiersman while working as an intern this last semester. While Anthony has shown skills with a camera, during an interview, and on tight deadline, Anthony’s ability to cover difficult topics like Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence are part of the reason I am so proud of him.

• Borough assembly candidate sued by nonprofit https://www.frontiersman.com/news/borough-assembly-candidate-sued-by-nonprofit/article_f3de7936-f5f6-11e9-a41d-03d537bc3bf4.html

While in the grand scheme of things, Liz Maxson did not garner enough votes to be considered a challenge to eventual District 2 Assembly seat winner Stephanie Nowers, we did get to break some political news. I never enjoy reporting the alleged theft from an organization that feeds kids, but Ms. Maxson later expressed on Facebook “Good scoop by the Frontiersman, they knew before I did lol.”

• Protesters thwart Wasilla Middle session with sit-in https://www.frontiersman.com/news/protesters-thwart-wasilla-middle-session-with-sit-in/article_711ae330-a35e-11e9-bbbd-7fcc34f42b97.html

While the Valley’s legislative delegation was optimistic at the start of the attempted legislative session at Wasilla Middle, others were not. Regardless of which district you live in or who you voted for, being present to see a peaceful protest unfold was better than your average Wednesday.

• ‘In my blood’ https://www.frontiersman.com/news/in-my-blood-after-debate-former-wasilla-high-teacher-returns/article_6f19e21a-8da7-11e9-a83a-eb83ee32f1dc.html

Rarely are parents so vigorous in their defense of a teacher, but rarely do they have to be.

As Jason Marvel’s history of teaching challenging material in his english class was brought before the school board while Marvel was scheduled to be confirmed as the WHS principal, those who had been affected by Marvel’s career in education voiced their support for Marvel, who just finished his first semester as WHS principal.

• Talkeetna Pilot was the first to report Montana Creek Fire https://www.frontiersman.com/news/talkeetna-pilot-was-the-first-to-report-montana-creek-fire/article_673eb8c2-9ec8-11e9-87e3-d78f0aa573f0.html

Not that I don’t love Talkeetna, but I spent too much time up there this summer chasing plumes of smoke. Luckily in Alaska, sometimes just a friendly greeting can lead to a story right under your nose. As I was about to depart from taking photos on the deck of the Alaska Bush Flying Service dock, I discovered that Jason Sturgis was the first one to have seen the first fire that caused problems near Talkeetna last summer.