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State Will Have to "Kill Grandma" to Remove SignDiamond Jim's Liquor and Gifts has been in Indian since 1964Related Content
INDIAN – At Mile 103 of the Seward Highway the neon lights of Diamond Jim's Liquor and Gifts flash for the attention of passing motorists. Owner Mary Lou Redmond has been running the business since her uncle left it to her in 1957. At that time the log cabin was in Portage, but the 1964 earthquake changed that. Redmond said the massive quake didn’t destroy her building or her sign, but the ground sank so much she was forced to move. “The tide would come in with big chunks of ice and come right to our building," said Redmond. “When Governor Egan and the State of Alaska moved us all up here after the earthquake, all the people from Portage they moved them up here to Indian. My husband and I asked the DOT where we can put out sign, so we won't have to move it.” At the time of the move the sign was relocated to a position consistent with law at the time. But the laws have now changed and business owners along the Seward Highway were given a July 1 deadline to move their signs. The state said the signs must be moved off the public right of way land. Some business owners in the Indian area said it’s the federal government putting pressure on the state because the Seward Highway receives federal money. Federal law said all real property within the boundaries of a federally assisted highway project must be devoted exclusively to public highway purposes. There is another law dampening Redmond’s cause. In 1998 Alaskans voted to support an anti-billboard referendum and the state said Redmond’s sign is in violation of that law. Redmond has been offered $7,500 to move her sign back 68-feet, but she declined. "I'm going to chain myself to the sign if they come down and move it and they'll just have to kill grandma." “I’m not moving my sign.” |
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M. Callahan said on Friday, Jul 13 at 7:50 PM
You go, Girl!
96323696RIP said on Friday, Jul 13 at 8:12 PM
They killed the eagle lady in Homer
96325396wtf said on Friday, Jul 13 at 8:16 PM
they cant cut the grass or pick up the trash on the hwy but they can bully an old lady to death about a historic sign on the hwy?
96325566Steve B. said on Friday, Jul 13 at 8:26 PM
Just another way waist our tax dollars. To bad they don't do any real work and fix what they've messed up.
96326021yah said on Friday, Jul 13 at 8:43 PM
they can't remove ice in the spring before it falls on the highway and injures people, or boulders that are loose and potential threats, but we can harass people that should be grandfathered in on laws they obeyed. Libs are killing this country, run them out of the state.
96327076Sandy Claws said on Friday, Jul 13 at 9:07 PM
The state needs to go after real criminals. Let her keep the sign until she's unable to work anymore or if she retires.
96328226dmn said on Friday, Jul 13 at 9:11 PM
People are sick to death of the liberals and government telling us what we are going to do----to hell with them -- you hang in there girl
96328336Old Timer said on Friday, Jul 13 at 9:50 PM
Let us know if you have to chain yourself to the sign and we will come down and join you. That sign has been there longer then most of the people making "laws" up here now.........
96330396Wes Craske said on Friday, Jul 13 at 10:27 PM
The state should exercise some wisdom and let her slide until the property changes hands. I've been in her store more than once and really enjoy the relic. I'm pretty sure the state wouldn't be liable for equal protection with this method; it seems like good politics to me.
96331896Banky said on Friday, Jul 13 at 10:52 PM
That sign causes no harm to any one, it is a historic land mark, and should be left alone, I would have to agree, is this the Sovereign State of Alaska or is it just still a colony of the USA, we have entirely too much Federal interference in our State affairs already.
96332916whatever to another space taking article said on Friday, Jul 13 at 11:28 PM
The sign has already been moved once, what is one more time? It doesn't need to be memorialized.
96334356commonsense said on Friday, Jul 13 at 11:46 PM
Do the city streets and state roads get some federal dollars, they should go after canidates that still have their posters up years after the election.
96334746GFY said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 12:19 AM
Tell the government to kiss off, they don't need to be harassing us citizens. To all you politicians, WE are coming after you in November...
96335731Anonymous said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 1:39 AM
thats right keep the feds out of state matters what a waste of energy for something so small
96338516Robert Lincoln said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 2:09 AM
Doesn't she have Grandfather Rights???
96339476steve adams said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 4:44 AM
i would think she should be given grandmother rights!!!
96346802jbird said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 6:13 AM
She took all the money th4e State gave her to move from Portage though, didn't she? She was sure full of cooperation then!!
96352346Independent thinker said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 6:48 AM
State needs to exercise some common sense. Glad to see so many people supporting her and feeling the same way I do about Government run amok! WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ELECT THESE REPRESENTATIVES!!!!
96354966lud larson said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 7:14 AM
Folks, The Billboard law needs to be abolished. It is anti business. These Highway beautification programs need to start with the DOT&PF clearing the Right-of-Way to their limits. 100/150/200 feet wide, whatever! This would eliminate many Animal/Vehicle collisions and make the signs visable too. These signs are the Life Blood of all Business! If the State and Feds want to control the land along the highways they need to clean em up!
96356756Law Abiding Citizen and Taxpayer said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 9:39 AM
They won't need to kill her-they will just bulldoze it! Get a life-it's just a sign! Besides we don't need to memorialize a place that sold booze along a dangerous stretch of highway.
96366066Anonymous said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 10:54 AM
and legally has the sign caused damage? no? roll the eyes...and the big deal about this is....control issues may be? Voters can the Senate to pass another bill to abolish that one, OR revise it...isn't that sign and that business museum quality? 64' quake?
96371286Eric Brown said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 6:08 PM
HELL I can remember that sign ever sence I was a kid living in Whittier Ak . Leave it the HELL along . Is it hurting someone.
96398136TedtheBear said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 7:04 PM
It pretty clear that she have to move the sign or else how can the state tell anybody else what to do with their signs. Its all or nothing.
96401031OTS said on Saturday, Jul 14 at 11:19 PM
OCCUPY THE SIGN!
96413896Robo said on Sunday, Jul 15 at 10:24 AM
It all starts at the local level...they get power and start to "mandate" what we can/can't do. Just look at the plan to expand the smoking distance -- we need to pay attention and not continue to advance the people that "cherish" power. Like Senator Begich, has he kept his promises...NO, he has actually oted to increase taxes on eery American with his vote on the Affordable Cre Act. Remember this in 2014.
96450356send in said on Sunday, Jul 15 at 8:10 PM
Send in APD they can claim she was a threat with a cane or stick and shoot her they like that.
96483946Anonymous said on Monday, Jul 16 at 4:02 PM
the mood the cops are in they will kill Grandma...
96563186Barbara Pack OMeara said on Monday, Jul 16 at 7:26 PM
I believe she has Grandma Rights!! Let the sign remain!!
96579501Bob said on Monday, Jul 16 at 7:36 PM
I hope they don't kill the old woman. If she isn't compliant they will kill her. Maybe it doesn't matter that much at her age, but it's deeply humiliating that we must cower before the government and the police while they taunt us and kill those among us who show any backbone. God I despise them.
96580776Sourdough AK said on Wednesday, Jul 18 at 12:00 AM
If memory serves me right, it was akk those Republicans that passed the the Billboard bill, not Liberals. Boy, those Republicans preach no government regulations, but sure do otherwise.
96706796Pay for Then Lady said on Thursday, Jul 19 at 7:00 PM
When you are ready to cough up the money equal to what the Feds did to fix the road then you can keep your sign. I'm sure you rebels enjoy using the new road. I agree, stop memorializing something that has caused more deaths than anything on that highway-Booze!
969138161sayeroftruth said on Friday, Jul 20 at 8:15 AM
Everything here is changing and not for the better I myself wish it was like it used to be this used to be a place for individuals and free thinkers that's all been replaced by cell phones and the internet one day the thread that bins them is going to break and human beings will have to learn to live with the earth again.The first few years will be interesting with no cars,planes or cellphones
96959266Anonymous said on Monday, Oct 15 at 10:43 PM
isn't that where they sold HUGE cinnamon rolls?
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