By Paddy Notar

Just when you thought winter was over we get a dumping of snow last Tuesday and Wednesday. Alyeska Highway looked pristine. Plowed 100 times over and buffed with a fine shammy. How about those side roads, McKenna?

“What are side roads, Paddy? We've never heard of them hear at McKenna Brothers, Sons and Daughters. “If you do have them, which we highly doubt you do in Girdwood, we'll gladly plow them after everyone is already at work.” Well done, guys. This is precisely the reason you don't go for low bid, but, instead, put out a request for qualifications and get the best company for the best price. I also learned that McKenna is responsible for fixing the roads that DOT doesn't handle. My understanding is that DOT handles Crow Creek Road and that's pretty much it. So why do I always see a front loader piling riverbed rock into the watermelon sized potholes in front of the Merc? How about this: dig up the road and add another eight inches of height to it so the water runs off instead of settling and creating the same problem again and again. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to figure that one out.

There's nothing like the only road into our tiny downtown looking like Iraq after a bombing. I also love how we keep creating parking lots for people to dump their cars in. Nobody parks there except at Forest Fair. Put the money towards fixing the roads that people use who live here year-round.

I went to “candidates' night” at the community room hosted by Girdwood Rotary. The Rotary did an okay job but giving candidates only 30 seconds to answer a question before hitting something that resembled my grandmothers broken doorbell, was not effective way to hold a debate. It reminded me of the Gong Show.

Tommy O'Malley, running for the school board, said he wasn't running against anyone but running for something. That may come as welcome news to the three other candidates running for school board Seat A. How noble and non-confrontational.

David Chadwick, the 23-year-old son of Fire Chief Chadwick, is running for the GBOS seat. He means well and is a political science major but he's never left Girdwood. A wordly view never hurts. David also agrees that the roads stink and the contract should be re-evaluated. That alone gets him my vote.

Jeannie Mackie showed up; she is running for school board Seat B. Her opening statement was, “I was appointed to fill a vacant seat a year ago, and I'm looking to get re-elected for another three years.” Great insight into her agenda on how to make schools better. GONG!

The moderator should have given more time and done a better job at reading the crowd's frustration at the constant ringing of the bell. Thirty seconds to answer a question is just not long enough for candidates to articulate their views.

Sarah Palin has gotten a reality TV show at $1.8 million per episode. She'll be showing the world what Alaska looks like by going on multiple adventures. Giver her credit. She took her miniscule life in Wasilla and parlayed it into a fortune. I'm not a fan at all of our former Governor but she does know how to ride the gravy train.

The Health Care bill passed and most of America is not happy with the process that makes it a law for everyone to have health insurance or face up to $750 in fines. You also have to watch what you eat and take special courses if you smoke and drink or your premiums will also go up, which will be approximately 6 to 8 percent of your salary. Due to the bill the government will add another 159 agencies and 16,500 IRS agents to our, already, swelling government. Senator Begich applauds the bill while Murkowski and Young voted against it.

Then again, maybe the requirement of making everyone have insurance isn't such a bad thing, especially if we have to drive through the potholes in Girdwood.