News from Patrick Flynn

Okay, time to pull back the curtain a little further with the second inning results of Assembly Insider Baseball!  So, without further ado:

1. For those without a dog (like me, though I had a couple as a kid) it might seem odd to spoil one’s pet by training it to use a treadmill.  My friend Mike Gutierrez and his wife, Linda, don’t have kids so I’m not surprised at how much he dotes on his pup.  And, just to be clear, I have never, ever, heard him utter the term “walkies.”
2. Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander’s family bought a lot just down the road from where she lives, I think with the idea of one day building a new home there.  It has a structure on it currently but I’m told it’s all but worthless, which wasn’t the conclusion of the municipal assessor…
3. I remember speaking to one of my mom’s friends on the phone (in my youth) and having a little difficulty understanding her.  As an emigrant her English was fine, just accented, but it was one clue that Lidia Selkregg’s roots were in Italy where, as a young woman, she fought against fascism.  Her daughter, Sheila, still pulls for the underdog.
4. Since I was present when the comment was made, I have to concur that Elvi Gray-Jackson did look quite elegant in her sleeveless black gown.  I’ve only seen the first lady in pictures, though, so it’s tough to decide who has the better guns.
5. Most folks aren’t aware that a small section on the north end of Spenard isn’t hooked up to the municipal water system.  Instead local businesses and residents, including the Sunrise Bakery and Harriet Drummond, get their water from a community well governed by a local water board.
6. When I arrive at Assembly meetings and see a red pick-up with a license plate that appears to mean “touch-and-go” – a term used to describe the process of landing and aircraft and immediately taking off again –  I know Bill Starr is already there.  Apparently his passion for flying led him into the development side of that hobby.
7. One of the down sides of working in the criminal justice system is the constant exposure to the darker side of human nature.  That might help explain why Chris Birch’s daughter, a prosecutor, felt safer moving from my one of the lower-income neighborhoods in my district to South Anchorage.
8. Given that he has to row the boat and is responsible for the safety & comfort of the group he’s escorting I suppose I don’t begrudge Matt Claman for getting paid to float the Colorado River every year.  But I am a little jealous.
9. Frequently spotted sporting shirts with an “Alaska Aces” logo, it’s easy to remember Dan Coffey is part owner of that franchise.  Ownership begets information, and apparently season ticket sales are slow this year as folks are conserving their resources.
10. Raised in Vermont, Jennifer Johnston still visits her old stomping grounds from time to time.  On her last trip she obtained quite a bit of maple syrup, which was good news for her colleagues!
11. We all have nights where we don’t sleep very well, which makes the following day seem like a long one.  Except the last time that happened to me I just stayed in bed ’til almost 8 am (that never used to happen), which is one advantage to not having a day job!

Two of you managed to get eight out of 11 correct, which was quite impressive.  One of them, though, inexplicably got number 11 wrong – how the heck did that happen?  Anyway, thanks to all who played and I’ll get started on more factoids for the third inning.  Your suggestions are welcome!

Regards,

Patrick