gistfile1.aw

Model:
<?php
class ZipCodes extends \app\extensions\data\Model {

    protected $_meta = array(
        'key' => 'zip_code_id',
        'title' => 'state_name'
    );

    protected $_schema = array(
        'state_name' => array('type' => 'varchar'),
        'StateFIPS'  => array('type' => 'varchar')
    );
}
?>


A method in my controller
<?php
    public static function statesDropdown()
    {
        $zipcodes = Zipcodes::find('list', array(
                'fields'     => array('DISTINCT StateFIPS, state_name'),
                'order'      => 'state_name ASC',
                'conditions' => array('state_name' => array('!=' => ''))
            )
        );
        //this returns an empty array.
        //but, running the logged query via mysql CLI yields the desired results
        return compact('zipcodes');
    }
?>