I mean, what the heck, California! Can’t you keep your problem children down there?
On June 29, 2025, the Delta Junction AST tried to stop a dirt bike that was performing wheelies on the sidewalk in town and driving on the road. However, the rider decided against stopping and took off down a trail. Eventually, the rider was found and identified as Jeremy Gutierrez-Munoz from California. He received a citation and a summons for Second Degree Failure to Stop.
This troublesome character will probably end up with a ticket, and no more than that. Will he pay it? Who knows?
Alaska Man score: No moose nuggets. Go back to California, kid.
Also, for those who are interested, the bear cams are back up!
The internationally acclaimed bear cam livestream is set to return for its 13th year at Katmai National Park and Preserve on Tuesday, June 18. Starting at 12 pm Alaska Daylight Time, viewers worldwide can tune into eight high-definition cameras to witness the captivating spectacle of Katmai brown bears in their natural environment.
The link to the cam: https://explore.org/livecams/brown-bears/brown-bear-salmon-cam-brooks-falls
Every season, numerous brown bears gather at Brooks Falls in late June, aligning with the annual salmon migration. The bears are often seen vying for the best fishing spots on the falls, standing for hours in the rushing waters as they catch their slippery prey. A single bear has the capability to catch and consume over 30 salmon in one day.
Bears are amazing critters. I confess I feel a certain kinship with them; like bears, I will eat almost anything (I do draw the line at carrion) and I have a somewhat ursine countenance myself, along with a strong urge to sleep through the winters.
Alaska Man score: 5 moose nuggets, because, bears.
Finally, on Friday, we went to the Independence Day parade up in Willow. Willow, Alaska, despite how it sounds, isn’t a town. It’s a Designated Census Place, with no municipal officials, law enforcement, or authorities of any kind. Still: You can’t beat a small-town Independence Day shindig, and Alaskans tend to be a pretty patriotic lot. Due to the length of the parade, in the video embedded here, I hit some of the highlights, including such gems as our local volunteer firefighters and their equipment, some old cars, an old restored Army deuce-and-a-half truck, and a couple of cool old tractors. Watch:
Independence Day is probably our greatest holiday. It’s the birthday of America, and it’s a day when all over the fruited plain, in little communities like Willow, Alaska, and thousands of its counterparts from Alaska to Florida, from Maine to Arizona, you can see patriotic celebrations just like this. There’s a reason people call these communities “The Heartland.”
You can see the entire parade, unedited, here.
