Peek at the Past

Here's what made the news 21 years ago, from the Jan. 23, 1991, edition of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman:

Mat-Su bills proposed

While the rest of the planet focused on events in the Middle East, Alaska legislators spent the weekend preparing for another lawmaking season in Juneau. At least one of dozens of bills pre-filed this month is literally out-of-this-world. House Bill 46 calls for the creation of an Alaskan Spaceport Authority. The bill would establish a board to oversee and fund space-related projects and is aimed at expanding the role of the existing University of Alaska research rocket-launching site at Poker Flats near Fairbanks. Subsistence fish and game use, another bundle of ethics rules for government and a major bulge in the state treasury should provide ample fodder for debate between now and adjournment.

Enstar rates rise

More than 80,000 Alaskans saw their home and business heating bills rise substantially this month when Enstar Natural Gas Co. quietly hiked its rates. The utility, which uses fields under Cook Inlet and the Beluga area to fuel much of Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, raised the price of gas an average of 5.5 cents per 100 cubic feet, a spokesman for Enstar said. He explained that it has been three years since the last time Enstar raised the base costs of its natural gas. He said these new prices will likely remain in effect until at least January of next year.

Road issue resurfaces

Senate Bill 41, introduced by Sen. Jay Kerttula, would put to rest, at least for this year, the question of maintenance for class III roads.

The bill calls for a $2.9 million supplemental budget appropriation to the state Department of Transportation for maintenance of those roads.

The Mat-Su has more than 80 roads deemed class III. "We have a small state in numbers and not that many miles of roads," Kerttula said. "You can't expect 20 people or 50 people in a subdivision to pay for roads that thousands of people are traveling. ... There's not enough tax base."

Mat-Su Borough Manager Don Moore said the borough could handle class III roads under the right circumstances.

Moore said the most efficient way to maintain those roads is to have the local municipality do it. "There seems to be a never-ending move by the state to foist these roads on the borough," Moore added. "Both the state and the borough need to quit quibbling about the bureaucratic issues and instead look at ways to provide the service to the people."

It cost what?

According to advertisements, in 1991 you could:

• Fly round-trip to Hawaii for $359.

• Rent a two-bedroom apartment in Wasilla for $550 a month.

• Go see "Dances with Wolves" at Mat-Su Cinema for $6.