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The Palmer District Office, which has eleven probation officers, three criminal justice
technicians, one office assistant, and two supervisors are responsible for the supervision of the
Matanuska-Susitna Valley extending as far north as Cantwell, east to Mentasta and south
to the communities of Valdez and Cordova. A majority of the area is accessible only by
vehicle while Valdez, the home for the port of the TransAlaska Pipeline, is accessible
by air or 250 road miles from Palmer. Cordova, a landlocked community, can only be
accessed via air or by the ferry from Valdez or Whittier.
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About the Area
The Matanuska-Susitna Valley, which spans 23,000 square miles, is located 42 miles northeast
of Anchorage. It has a population of 55,747 people and encompasses the communities of Palmer,
Wasilla, Big Lake, Houston, Willow, Talkeetna, Trapper Creek, Sutton, Chickaloon, Eureka,
Lake Louise, and Skwentna. It is the link between Alaska's two largest cities, Anchorage to
the south and Fairbanks to the north. The Matanuska-Susitna Valley is comparable in size to
the State of West Virginia.
Wasilla is home to the world-famous Iditarod Sled Dog Race to Nome each spring and contains
some of the most breathtaking scenery in Alaska including majestic snowcapped mountains,
crystal clear streams, rushing rivers, glaciers and an abundance of wildlife. Palmer hosts
the annual Alaska State Fair, where local farmers show award-winning vegetables including a
98-pound cabbage during 1990 and a 91.6-pound cabbage during 1999. Cordova is the temporary
home to millions of migratory waterfowl and the Copper River's prized King Salmon.
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