Radio Free Palmer

Join Dr. Jill Valerius and host Lee Henrikson as they begin a three part series discussing the pros and cons of health screening.

This week we discuss new federal oil lease sales in Alaska, new hate speech by federal officials outside Alaska, and how the SAVE Act would be a possible unconstitutional return of poll taxes to Alaska. Rachel also presents John an especially difficult version of “Who said It”, our weekly quiz game.

Join host Mike Chmielewski and his guest, Michele Harmeling, Development and Outreach Director, as they discuss the United Way of Mat-Su’s fundraising efforts.

Join host Mike Chmielewski with Peter House from Deep Tree as they discuss current cybersecurity threats

Dr. Randy Trani, The Superintendent of the Mat-Su Borough School District, joins host Emily Forstner to discuss the bus strike and the upcoming school budget for the Mat-Su School District.

Jude Bilafer joins host Mike Chmielewski on Inside The City to discuss the ongoing and future plans of the City of Palmer’s Public Works Department.

Join us for the current 24-hour avalanche report by Forecaster Andy Paul of the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center. The forecast is good until 7:00 a.m. Saturday, March 21st.

On this week’s show, we’ll have our three usual segments. The first will be headlines. That’s when we talk about a recent news story that caught our attention that we’d like to share with you. And then we’ll have “Who Said It”, a weekly quiz game where Rachel tries to stump John about the week’s […]

Palmer City Manager Kolby Hickel Zerkel joins host Mike Chmielewski on Inside The City to discuss the latest issues affecting the City of Palmer.

Join host Ken Hoffman and his guests, Rachel Schoonover and Adam Crivello from Peak Feed and See, the new feed store in Palmer, and learn all they are offering.

Tamara Boeve, the Executive Director of the Valley Community for Recycling Solutions, joins host Mike Chmielewski on this week’s Valley Edition to learn about the past, present, and future of the VCRS.

Join host Mike Chmielewski with Peter House from Deep Tree as they discuss current cybersecurity threats

Join us for the current 24-hour avalanche report by Lead Forecaster Tim Rogers of the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center. The forecast is good until 7:00 a.m. Saturday, March 7th.

Nelson Crone gives the monthly update on the UAF Farm and Extension Service, along with his sage advice.

Join host Mike Chmielewski and his guest, Adelina Rodriguez, and her work as Scholarship Program Officer for the Mat-Su Health Foundation.

Dr Jill Valerius and Lee Henrikson continue a two-part discussion about Asthma.

For this show we review the gains and losses in federal funding for rural healthcare, recent ICE arrests in Soldotna, and how the US Constitution's Progress Clause means for Alaska. We also review some of the stranger things said by some of the nation's leaders.

Dr Jill Valerius and Lee Henrikson begin a two-part discussion about Asthma.

James Bunch, COO at Mat-Su Regional Hospital joins host Mike Chmielewski on Valley Edition to discuss the new behavioral health center in Wasilla.

: Join host Mike Chmielewski with Peter House from Deep Tree as they discuss current cybersecurity threats

Palmer Airport Superintendent John Diumenti joins Mike Chmielewski on Inside The City to learn about future plans of the airport

Join us for the current 24-hour avalanche report by Lead Forecaster Tim Rogers of the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center. Forecast is good until 7:00 a.m. Saturday, February 21st.

Dr. Jill and Lee discuss what is Gout. What causes Gout and ways to avoid getting it.

Join Host Mike Chmielewski and his guest Dr. Randy Traini to discuss the latest goals of the Mat-Su School District.

Join host Mike Chmielewski and Palmer’s Mayor, Jim Cooper, to discuss the February 10th, 2026 Palmer City Council meeting.

Join Host Mike Chmielewski and Palmer’s Chief of the Fire and Rescue Department, John Prevost.

Join hosts Rachel Levitt and John Robertson to discuss likely consequences of the DHS shutdown and of the Trump administration's decision to pretend that global warming is not real. We also discuss the Constitution's Speech and Debate Clause and laugh about some of the weirder public statements of the past week.

Join host MIke Chmielewski as he welcomes author Erica Watson to discuss her book “Ghost of Distant Trees”.

Join host Ken Hoffman and his guests Tara and Brad to discuss the Alaska Farmers Market Association.

Ken Barkley, Director of Emergency Services for the Borough, joins Mike on Valley Edition/Inside the Borough

Scott Blair from My Favorite Realty gives an update on the real estate market.

Palmer Police Commander Luke Szipszky joins Mike Chmielewski on Inside the City at 8 a.m., repeating at 5:30 p.m. on Big Cabbage Radio

Rachel and John  discuss the prospect of a new Canadian consulate, federal pressure to stop states from keeping medical debt off credit reports, and federal threats to deport Alaskans due to errors by Alaska's DMV. We also see who Mike Johnson works for and how Trump's threats to Greenland are especially relevant to Alaska.

Judy Gette and her daughters discuss “It’s the Most Wonderful Crime of the Year” by Ally Carter.

Telsche Overby and Rachel Christensen talk about Mat-Su Health Foundation community partnerships and community engagement stories.

The Book of Reservations is the second installment of The Ghost Table trilogy. It picks up one year after The Coat Check Girl ends. It is autumn 2000 and Miss Sylvie's Bistrot in Greenwich Village, New York is struggling to survive.

Petra Illig from Alaska Rhodiola joins host Ken Hoffman on Ag Matters.

Rachel and John discuss disappearing federal health insurance subsidies, disappearing federal atmospheric research, and disappearing manufacturing jobs. We also discuss the how the Constitution's ban on religious tests was intended to protect religion, not just the government, from hypocrisy.

Mikę Chmielewski interviews Lucas Cantor Santiago regarding his book UNFINISHED.

Host Ken Hoffman interviews Meg Bagetis from Alaska Farm Supply

Mikę Chmielewski talks with Palmer Mayor Jim Cooper about the Dec. 16 Palmer City Council meeting

Host Mike Chmielewski interviews Palmer Fire Chief John Prevost

It’s time for Page Two: News that might not make the front page for Friday December 19, 2025. Chief Chad Cameron quickly made his presence felt when he arrived at Palmer Fire & Rescue. His focus was clear from the beginning: build stability, plan for the long term, and take care of people. He understood […]

Palmer Mayor Jim Cooper summarizes the actions taken by the City Council at the end of this week’s Council meeting.

Ken Hoffmann speaks with Big Dipper Ice Cream owner, Rob Brown. Rob and Lisa Brown opened the first Big Dipper Homemade Ice Cream location in downtown Palmer in May 2021. It has expanded to three locations in the Mat-Su Valley. Rob said that he knew he wanted to run a business with the whole family, but […]

Nelson Crone speaks with Mike Chmielewski to give the monthly update on the UAF Farm and more. Nelson recently visited Kodiak Island. He described Kodiak’s success in extending its growing season by the use of wind tunnels and hydroponics. He also discussed the many events planned at Matanuska Experiment Farm this month. Check out the […]

Mike Chmielewski flips the microphone on Ag Matters host Ken Hoffman to talk about the Mat-Su Farm Bureau and farming microgreens. Ken Hoffman wears many hats. He started Mat-Su Microgreens in a spare bedroom in 2022. He now has three employees and a 30X30 barn filled with 50 varieties. Ken says he loves working the […]

Dr Jill Valerius and Lee Henrikson begin a four-part discussion about sleep apnea. Part One Nov.10, 2025: Sleep Apnea is when breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often with loud snoring and or gasping. Dr. Jill describes the three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and combination. Dr. Jill lists the common symptoms for […]

Director of Finance for the City of Palmer, Gina Davis, joins Mike Chmielewski on Inside the City. Gina describes her job as collecting the city’s revenue and then spending it.

Mike Chmielewski talks with author and long-time Alaskan Bailey Berg about her latest book. Secret Alaska features stories of ghost towns, unique festivals, and the history of the state’s eccentric figures. Bailey explores the quirky, hidden, and unusual sides of Alaska. 

Two interviews in one this week, Ken Hoffman talks to both Max Lyons from the Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute & Valentina Romanovskaia of Northern Beauty Alaska. The Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute is a community-based, non-profit organization based in Kodiak, Alaska. Their mission is to support the long-term sustainability of our region's coastal communities of Alutiiq heritage. […]