Flip the script at Mat-Su Sentinel's election connection event
Oct. 16 event offers an interactive evening with the community and candidates.
Mat-Su residents will soon have a new way to engage with local government, share their perspectives, and connect with neighbors during a one-of-a-kind civic event hosted by the Mat-Su Sentinel.
The Flip the Script Election Connection Night will take place Thursday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Palmer Depot. The first-of-its-kind event is free and open to the public, with drinks provided by Bleeding Heart Brewery, 203 Kombucha and Hamilton Farms.
During the evening, attendees will:
- Meet candidates running for Mat-Su Borough Assembly and School Board and hear directly from Borough Manager Mike Brown about the proposed gas tax.
- Take part in live, interactive polling and a fast-paced discussion designed to highlight community feedback and amplify resident voices around the hottest topic in Mat-Su: taxes and the cost of schools and local government.
- Meet with friends and neighbors over food, drinks and civic connection.
Residents can RSVP for the free event now.
Unlike traditional town halls, Flip the Script is structured to be approachable, engaging and focused on public participation.
Candidates will provide brief introductions, and then the format will flip, opening the floor for audience-driven conversation and input.
“This event is about more than listening to speeches — it’s about true civic connection,” said Amy Bushatz, editor of the Mat-Su Sentinel and event moderator. “Our community needs spaces where they can learn directly from leaders, but also where leaders can hear directly from the people they serve. Flip the Script is designed to put Mat-Su voices at the center of the conversation.”
The event builds on the Sentinel’s mission to foster informed civic engagement across the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, one of Alaska’s fastest-growing and most dynamic regions. Since its launch in 2024, the nonprofit newsroom has worked to strengthen local community by producing fact-based reporting, interactive voter guides and civic connection events.
“Events like this are an extension of the Sentinel's journalism,” Bushatz said. “We believe that when residents have the chance to ask questions, share feedback and hear directly from candidates and officials, the entire Mat-Su benefits.”
Flip the Script is supported by the Mat-Su Sentinel, the Mat-Su Health Foundation, Bleeding Heart Brewery, 203 Kombucha and Hamilton Farms.