Tell me about Wasilla? (Anchorage, Palmer: hotel, neighborhood, landlords)

[JavaPhil]

I stand corrected Glitch. Sorry. Personally, I haven't got a problem with Wasilla, except that it's too far from Anchorage. LOL

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Alaska law enforcement is required by law to report any meth lab they encounter to the Department of Environmental Conservation which posts the information on-line.

False. Your cited list (at 29 of them) is not a list of all known places where drugs have been manufactured in Alaska.

You can find the current listing of every meth lab reported to DEC in the state at: Illegal Drug Manufacturing Sites

That is a grossly erroneous interpretation of a valid set of facts. First, consider that Metlakatla posted a quote citing a Trooper saying there had been more than 40 meth sites located in that area in just one year (2004).

Second, look at the site you've linked to. It has all of 29 properties listed that have been declared "illegal drug manufacturing sites ". Clearly, with a list of only 29 in 5 years they are not listing every know location where drugs have ever been produced, but rather those where it appears to be cronic.

Out of those 29, 6 are in Wasilla, and 3 are in Palmer, with 2 in Willow. That is, 38% of the declared Alaskan "illegal drug manufacturing sites" are in the Mat-Su, and 21% are in Wasilla alone.

It should be very easy to understand why the Alaska State Troopers call the Mat-Su "the drug capital of Alaska".

[Classic Satch]

Originally Posted by aurorawatcher

And what does this have to do with Wasilla. Go away little troll.

Good post aurora. Poor Mod Cut blindly accept the BS from Al Gore and the media without ever bothering to look at the mountains of contradictory FACTS which expose "climate change" as one of the biggest frauds EVER.

Why these people come in here spouting nonsense is beyond me. Isn't there a Starbucks or a drum circle somewhere for them to attend?

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by jet_A_helicopter

meth/tweekers in wasilla ? this is just what i am trying to escape from.... i would think it cant be as bad as it is here in oregon... tell me more before i move

I think that you'll find it not quite as out in the open as in Oregon; though that depends on where you live in Oregon. It might be easier in the Mat valley to avoid that kind of thing than in the lower 48 simply because people aren't crammed together so much. Still--you might consider relocating to another part of the state--but that depends on what you want from AK, and what you have to give.

Exactly, Floyd.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

Met do you have any articles that are current? 2003 was awhile ago.

Read what Floyd say; he is correct.

In some parts of AK, Whitesilla is routinely referred to as the "meth capital of AK". That term was used pretty widely by POW residents last fall, for instance. I certainly didn't teach them that.

It's a common enough reference in the state; used even by those who have friends and relatives in Wasilla that they certainly feel no hatred for...

Wasilla is large enough to afford some degree of anonymity and rural enough to lend itself to the production of illegal drugs. In those ways it's a paradise for meth freaks precisely because of that mix. POW for instance, is more rural, and certainly has its share of meth users/producers, but everyone knows what everyone is doing and it seems to be tougher for them to get away with it for very long.

(Next trip time you take a trip up, go on up to Talkeetna and get into a conversation or two with some locals (if you can find any during the summer) and ask them about the Talkeetna Bluegrass festival and why it's largely given a pass among local residents.)

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

False. Your cited list (at 29 of them) is not a list of all known places where drugs have been manufactured in Alaska.That is a grossly erroneous interpretation of a valid set of facts. First, consider that Metlakatla posted a quote citing a Trooper saying there had been more than 40 meth sites located in that area in just one year (2004).

Well if that's true Floyd let's see some statistics to prove that the trooper's claim is correct. Also I'm not interested in what was current in 2003-04. I'd like to see some figures from 2008-09.

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

Second, look at the site you've linked to. It has all of 29 properties listed that have been declared "illegal drug manufacturing sites ". Clearly, with a list of only 29 in 5 years they are not listing every know location where drugs have ever been produced, but rather those where it appears to be chronic.

Are there better sources of information available? Any current sources?

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

Out of those 29, 6 are in Wasilla, and 3 are in Palmer, with 2 in Willow. That is, 38% of the declared Alaskan "illegal drug manufacturing sites" are in the Mat-Su, and 21% are in Wasilla alone.

Well if we look at the labs listed by date the results are somewhat different. For 2008-09 there were 6 labs discovered. The labs were found in Eagle River, Cordova, Fairbanks, Nikiski, Kenai & Palmer. It would appear that the known labs are spread out in a wider area than they were before. The 2008-09 statistics reveal that the meth capital of Alaska is currently the Kenai Peninsula!

Originally Posted by Floyd_Davidson

It should be very easy to understand why the Alaska State Troopers call the Mat-Su "the drug capital of Alaska".

I think that it was easier to understand for the year quoted by the trooper. But times have changed. I'd like to see current figures on labs that have been discovered & see if there has really been a shift to the Kenai or if the MatSu Valley still holds the title. Either way it doesn't matter very much.

[Metlakatla]

I think that it was easier to understand for the year quoted by the trooper. But times have changed. I'd like to see current figures on labs that have been discovered & see if there has really been a shift to the Kenai or if the MatSu Valley still holds the title. Either way it doesn't matter very much.

It probably has shifted due to the rep. that Wasilla got--those types tend to scamper like cockroaches when someone turns on the light.

Don't know any current stats and have better things to do than spend my afternoon on the 'net looking for them (but if you find any, let us know). But I think that Floyd was explaining why Wasilla was labelled that in the first place and necessarily stating that it's still that way. But I think it's safe to say it's got a significant problem. It's really quite a shame; scenerywise it's a beautiful area.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Read what Floyd say; he is correct.

That remains to be seen. Floyd is very good at producing facts & figures to support his claims. I'd like to see current statistics. After all from Glitch's link it can be inferred that POW was the center of meth production in Southeast in 2005 simply because it is the only city in Southeast to be included in the list of discovered labs.

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

In some parts of AK, Whitesilla is routinely referred to as the "meth capital of AK". That term was used pretty widely by POW residents last fall, for instance. I certainly didn't teach them that.

That may still be true for precisely the reasons that you list below.

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

It's a common enough reference in the state; used even by those who have friends and relatives in Wasilla that they certainly feel no hatred for...

I never heard the Wasilla described this way till I looked at posts on this board. Friends that I have outside of this forum mainly have problems with the amount of traffic, larger population & proclivity of big box stores. No one ever told me about a bad meth problem in Wasilla.

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Wasilla is large enough to afford some degree of anonymity and rural enough to lend itself to the production of illegal drugs. In those ways it's a paradise for meth freaks precisely because of that mix.

Technically the entire state meets the qualifications listed above. Even my city is not immune from it. A lab was found here a few years ago in the ritzy part of town.

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

POW for instance, is more rural, and certainly has its share of meth users/producers, but everyone knows what everyone is doing and it seems to be tougher for them to get away with it for very long.

I agree. The closeness of the community is very strong on POW. I'm actually surprised that a lab ever got started without someone telling the troopers. The location of the lab certainly seems to be private enough.
200 Cold Storage Rd. Craig, AK - Google Maps

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

(Next trip time you take a trip up, go on up to Talkeetna and get into a conversation or two with some locals (if you can find any during the summer) and ask them about the Talkeetna Bluegrass festival and why it's largely given a pass among local residents.)

I will do that as soon as I am able. There's some good information about meth as well as other drugs on the following website.
Methamphetamine - National Drug Threat Assessment 2009

[Metlakatla]

Technically the entire state meets the qualifications listed above. Even my city is not immune from it. A lab was found here a few years ago in the ritzy part of town.

I have to disagree that the whole state meets those qualifications...you need a certain degree of population to be anon.

I agree. The closeness of the community is very strong on POW. I'm actually surprised that a lab ever got started without someone telling the troopers. The location of the lab certainly seems to be private enough.

The location was private; the community is not. I don't think that much is actually cooked on the island anymore; it's less dangerous for the dealers to bring it in from elsewhere.

A good thing about communities like POW is that even if you don't choose to rat the scum out is that you know who they are.

I never heard the Wasilla described this way till I looked at posts on this board. Friends that I have outside of this forum mainly have problems with the amount of traffic, larger population & proclivity of big box stores. No one ever told me about a bad meth problem in Wasilla.

It's been talked about by residents for quite some time; it wasn't until before the election that it became national news due to the scrutiny that was put on the governor.

It does seem to be everywhere though.

[Barkingowl]

MatSu is apparently still #1 for pot growing & distribution.

This team's primary enforcement duties have shifted from marijuana cultivation to the investigation of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. However, the Mat-Su region still comprises the bulk of marijuana related seizures throughout Alaska and has long been recognized as the primary area of marijuana cultivation and distribution in the state.