Ski Inn planned for downtown Girdwood Public Safety Task Force

T U R N A G A I N
turnagaintimes.com
VOL. 19 NO.4
FREE
TIMES
Serving Indian, Bird, Girdwood, Portage, Whittier, Hope, Cooper Landing & South Anchorage
February 18, 2016
Public Safety Task Force moves
Ski Inn planned for
forward amidst Muni-Trooper dispute downtown Girdwood
By Jon Scudder
Turnagain Times
The Girdwood Public Safety
Task Force met Feb. 11 at the
Girdwood Community Room
to discuss recent developments
and inform citizens about what
happens after the upcoming
municipal election April 5,
which will include a ballot
proposition for Girdwood
voters to choose whether or
not to fund local police service
through a property tax rate hike.
“The public safety ballot
initiative is locked down and
ready to go,” said Sam Daniel,
co-chair of the Girdwood Board
of Supervisor, and PSTF cochair. The cost for police service
to the Girdwood Valley Service
Area residents is $615,000 a
year, utilizing Whittier as the
police option. GVSA residents
currently pays the second lowest
tax rate in the Municipality of
Anchorage.
Daniel told the full audience
about a recent letter from
Municipal Attorney William
Falsey who challenged the
Alaska State Troopers decision
to leave the Girdwood post,
and another letter by Alaska
Attorney
General
Craig
Richards refuting the city’s
claims.
In the letter Falsey wrote, he
quoted Alaska Statue 18.65.080,
which states the Troopers,
are to enforce criminal laws
throughout the state, using
the Borough of Juneau as an
identical example. In practice,
Falsey said the troopers are
the primary source of law
enforcement for all Alaskans
who live in places that do not
have local certified police
officers.
“The Municipality appreciates
that your organization is facing
difficult budgetary and internal
challenges,” wrote Falsey.
“We also recognize that AST
(Troopers) retains some amount
of flexibility in how it will
enforce the state’s criminal
laws. But we do not believe it
is within the discretion of AST
to leave an area of the state
entirely without general law
enforcement services.”
He continued, “I am
therefore writing to confirm my
understanding that, regardless of
whether the Troopers maintain
a post within the Municipality,
the Alaska State Troopers will
continue to provide general law
enforcement services to areas of
the MOA that are not served by
a local police force.”
Richards asserted in his
response the Alaska statute
quoted by Falsey is permissive
and not mandatory. He also
disputed Falsey’s understanding
of the distribution of law
enforcement
resource
in
Juneau. “The Juneau Police
Department is responsible for
law enforcement activities in
the entire City and borough of
Juneau. AST generally provides
search and rescue services only,
and assistance as needed.”
In closing, Richards added,
“AST will continue to provide
three troopers to do traffic
enforcement on the Seward
Highway from the Girdwood
area, and will back up the
Anchorage Police Department
in that area as needed.”
Daniel offered his view on the
letters stating that “One of the
concerns Tom (GBOS member
Tommy O’Malley) and I have
was that the question of when
the state and municipality would
resolve the issue of whether the
troopers have a responsibility
to respond in Girdwood if there
is no other police presence,” he
said. “We were concerned that
this issue wouldn’t be resolved
prior to the election. It appears
clear now what the state’s
position is.”
He added, “Until someone
decides to file a lawsuit against
the state of Alaska, it is unlikely
we are going to get trooper
coverage in Girdwood after July
1, 2016.”
See Back Page, Public Safety Task Force
By Jon Scudder
Turnagain Times
The Girdwood Land Use
Committee met in a special
session Monday followed
by the Girdwood Board of
Supervisors monthly meeting
to hear initial plans for a new
inn proposed for downtown
Girdwood.
Long
time
Girdwood
resident
and
business
representative,
Jeremy
Cerutti,
introduced
the
proposed business, Ski Inn, to
both boards. It will be located
at 189 Hightower Road,
formerly Alta House Vacation
Rentals, and now owned by
Kurt Erikkson. The building
is in the heart of downtown
between the Silvertip Grill
and the Girdwood Health
Clinic, and adjacent to Town
Square Park.
“All our rooms will be
unique,” said Cerutti, referring
to the eight-bedrooms, with
the largest room having twoqueen beds. “We plan on
making it something that will
stand out that people will
come in to and think is kind
of neat.”
He added that rooms will
be available nightly with a
projected spring opening.
“It’s really exciting for
me to hear new businesses
that are opening up…that’ll
serve visitors and create
opportunities for people to
work,” said GBOS member
Tommy O’Malley.
“There is a need for
alternative lodging,” said
Cerutti. “It’s something I
always thought would be
a great idea. I think it’s
going to be beneficial to the
community, especially to the
downtown business district.”
The project has been
submitted to the Municipality
of Anchorage for a Major Site
Plan Review, with future,
more detailed, presentations
slated for next month’s
board meetings. Under the
proposed plan, the first two
levels of the building will be
for commercial use and third
level being residential.
Cerutti said there will be
significant
improvements,
such as added landscaping.
There will also be rooms with
private and shared bathrooms,
with a price range between a
Bed and Breakfast and The
Hotel Alyeska. Guests will
have a drop-off area on site,
which will comply with the
American with Disabilities
Act.
Parking
will
be
available at the Town Square
with continental breakfast
provided.
He said the location is
great with close proximity to
restaurants and the shuttle.
“I’m really excited about it,”
said Cerutti.
Gerrish Library Manager brings passion for reading to job
By Kate Sandberg
Special to the Turnagain Times
Traveling to 37 countries
in 21 years demonstrates
a true passion for learning
about foreign cultures. Claire
Agni, Girdwood’s Gerrish
Library Manager, has just
that passion. Having traveled
with her family since she was
six years old, she then started
traveling alone after college
graduation. Through working
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ANCHORAGE, AK
PERMIT NO. 353
ECRWSS
Postal Customer
in major cities, such as Rome,
or volunteering for short-term
projects in South America and
Africa, she has made friends
around the world.
“Travel is a big part of my
life, and I am always thinking
of where to go next,” Agni said
enthusiastically.
Agni’s other major passions
are reading and libraries. To
the good fortune of the Four
Valleys area, she has managed
Girdwood’s library since
Inside this Issue
The Girdwood Scene..............................2
South Anchorage News.......................4
FVCS News......................................6
Cooper Landing News.....................7
Mountain News................................8
Lively Arts......................................9
Trooper Report................................10
Powder Hound.....................................11
September 2015. However,
Agni didn’t always like to read
or visit libraries. She never read
for pleasure as an elementary
school child.
“Everyone in my family
liked to read, but not me,” Agni
said.
However, reading Princess
Diaries by Meg Cabot when
Agni was 12 or 13 changed
that. Now she devours books
for pleasure, primarily young
adult fantasy and historical
fiction, and her eyes light up
when she talks about libraries.
Agni graduated from Polaris
K-12 School in Anchorage
then went on to graduate from
Alaska Pacific University
(APU) with a bachelor’s degree
in Liberal Studies, Creative
Photo courtesy of Gerrish Library
Clair Agni is in her first year as the Gerrish Library
Manager. A world traveler who has visited 37 countries,
Agni is also an avid reader and a fan of young adult
fantasy and historical fiction.
Writing and English. During
her undergraduate years, she
worked at the UAA/APU
Consortium Library where she
See Page 6, Gerrish Library Manager
Page 2
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
The Girdwood Scene
By Gretchen Matt
Turnagain Times Correspondent
The Young Dubliners are
starting their 2016 tour in
Alaska this month and will
be playing at the Sitzmark on
Feb. 19 and 20, making this
the fifth year in a row that
they’ve played in Girdwood.
As well as touring across the
Lower 48, the band will be
reaching as far as the lead
singer’s homeland of Dublin,
Ireland.
Keith Roberts of The Young
Dubliners is in fact, an Irish
rocker, but don’t let that fool
you into thinking that the
band can simply be summed
up as “an Irish rock band”. I
had the opportunity to speak
with the lead singer and talk
about just how hard it is to
fully and honestly describe
the band in words.
A lot of media’s first
impressions simply come
from the band’s name. “We
were just playing – young
guys from Dublin, started
a band, so that’s what
everybody called us, but
we didn’t have a name,”
he said “For a year, we had
different ideas for names and
then people started calling
us The Young Dubliners.
And then we got the record
deal. They didn’t want to
change it because we started
to sell out the rock scene in
Hollywood, like weird venues
we shouldn’t even be in. And
we started to get in there and
sell the places out and the
name stuck and so, ya know,
ten records later, twenty years
later, do I wish, perhaps, I
had chosen a different name?
You know it! It sort of allows
people to pigeon-hole us.’’
Roberts elaborated that
pigeonholing can be felt from
the buzzword descriptor that
is “Celtic rock”.
“All the sudden ‘Celtic rock’
kind of became a thing,” he
said, “and anybody who plays
anything Irish is a ‘Celtic
rock’ band, and it’s a bummer
because it’s definitely not. So
we really just wanted to be
a band that wrote songs that
used whatever uniqueness we
had from the fact that we were
from a different part of the
world. And it was always a
blend of American music and
Irish- never Irish first, then
American… I think now we
defined our own sound which
is a rock band that writes
songs that has Irish influence
and rock influence and we try
to just write whatever comes
out of us and not force any
type of genre on it.”
With over 20 years and six
albums under their belt, The
Young Dubliners have had
time to shape their music
into something that can’t be
described in two words.
Similarly, we talked about
the other major players in the
“Celtic rock” industry and
surprisingly what it is like to
constantly be compared to
them.
“Most people in America
nowadays would be like,
‘Oh you mean you are
like Flogging Molly or
like Dropkick Murphys,’”
Roberts said, “and we have
such history with those
bands, that we know them
so well and have played with
them- we have had such a
part to play in their careers
and them in ours. And yes,
when Pandora started people
started listening to Dropkick
Murphys and Pandora started
putting Young Dubliners on
there. We now have so many
young fans who say that they
heard us on their Flogging
Molly Pandora station and
couldn’t believe there were so
many different tempos in the
music.”
It seems that Roberts
has come to terms with the
comparisons between bands
in similar genres. He also
only had good things to say
about Girdwood, and Alaska
as a whole.
“It’s great because it’s
one of the places where we
absolutely love because these
are music lovers, he said.
“You never get that feeling
that you are just entertaining
Photo courtesy of Leif Ramos
Alaskan band Hope Social Club will be headlining Alyeska’s
Telepalooza. Left to right band members: Aaron Benolkin,
Tony Restivo, Sean “Spiff” Chambers, Rik Nielsen, Tim
Haren and Melissa Mitchell in the middle. Originally their
name was the Sociables, but they changed it due to several
other bands with the same name.
people at a resort. I mean, it’s
a real true show that we’ve
always had there and we love
it. And that’s what bands do,
when you have gigs that you
feel relevant, that you feel
get your music and they dig
it, not only do you play your
best but you want to go back.”
When asked if he will be
skiing this winter, Roberts
said that the band has a rule
against extreme sports while
on tour. Instead, he admitted
that he can be found in
Girdwood relaxing at Chair 5
with a bloody Mary.
The weekend after The
Young Dubliners on Feb. 25
and 26 Alaskan band Hope
Social Club will be headlining
Alyeska’s Telepalooza event.
The folksy instrumental band
previously known as The
Sociables was created from
local Alaskan musicians to
collectively form Hope Social
Club. It consists of lead
singer Melissa Mitchell, Sean
“Spiff” Chambers, Aaron
Benolkin, Tim Haren, Tony
Restivo, and Rik Nielsen.
Restivo was most notably
known for his work on bass
for the Girdwood regulars
The Photonz, and Benolkin
on guitar for The Whipsaws.
Don’t miss this free show!
The Alyeska Snow Classic
is almost here! This annual
split-the-pot
fundraiser
is a fun way to play while
supporting Four Valleys
Community School. Tickets
will be available throughout
March at local Girdwood
businesses and from Four
Valleys Community School
board members. Submit your
guesses of snow depth March
1-31 for measurement on
Alyeska’s closing day. Check
out Alyeskasnowclassic.org
for more information and
look for this sweet Snow
Classic logo by Dawn Gerety
around town.
By Phone:
(907) 783-1135
By Email:
info@turnagaintimes.com
By Mail:
P.O. Box 1044
Girdwood, Alaska
99587-1044
T U R N A G A I N
TIMES
Owner
Publisher & Editor
Ken Smith
Production Artist
Opus Studio, Inc.
Serving Indian, Bird, Girdwood, Portage, Whittier, Hope, Cooper Landing & South Anchorage
The Turnagain Times is published the first and third week of each month by Midnight Sun Communications, LLC, Girdwood, Alaska.
© 2016 Midnight Sun Communications, LLC
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Page 3
Opinion
PADDY WAGGIN’
Do you have any heroes? We
all have them. They’re people
that are selfless, eager to help,
and are always looking out
for the well being of others.
They’re like the young man in
Wasilla who pushed his friend
out of the way of an oncoming
car and ended up losing his
own life.
Let me ask you this
question: are any of your
heroes politicians? Have you
put your head on the pillow
at night and thought, “I’m so
thankful that Cathy Giessel
helped oil companies get $5
billion in tax credits,” or “I’m
proud of Mike Hawker and
how he helped put a brand
new legislative building in
downtown Anchorage?”
Who knows, maybe there are
those that think our political
landscape is filled with heroes
but I’ve yet to meet any of
them.
We need heroes in politics if
for nothing else than to make
people believe that our country
isn’t heading down a divisive
path where it’s all party
politics with very little thought
of what’s in the common
person’s best interests.
Our veterans are heroes,
but yet they still wait months
and months for treatment and
many end up on the street
homeless, lost and trying to
figure out why they mean so
Paddy
Notar
little to our representatives.
Have our U.S. Senators
Lisa Murkowski and Dan
Sullivan even made a dent in
all of the red tape that makes
it practically impossible for
veterans to get the help that
they need? I’d like to see
Murkowski and Sullivan go
and try living on the street and
eating at Bean’s Café while
the Veterans Administration
tells them it will be about
six months before anyone is
available to see them, and
they’ll need to fill out about
20 documents that need eight
levels of approval before that
can even happen.
I don’t think our legislators
want to go that route, though.
That would require a different
kind of champion, one who
is sympathetic and tucks
their own morality away for
a moment and tries to lend a
hand. Basically, a true hero is a
person who wants to do the right
thing, even if they don’t like it
at the time and swallow their
self-righteousness. Later, they
thank themselves. That doesn’t
sound like any of our elected
representatives – does it?
Letter to the Editor
No need for Girdwood taxpayers to fund police services
To the Editor:
This community does not
need a $620,000 taxpayer
funded solution for a “policing
problem”. Reading the trooper
report every month for years
and years there are three main
categories of incidents.
Foremost is highway stops by
the troopers, who will continue
to be responsible for these
after the Girdwood post closes.
The second are drunk drivers
associated with the bars, mostly
involving visitors, on the big
ski weekends. The third are the
multiple incidents associated
each year with Forest Fair.
Remaining incidents involving
Girdwood residents you can
count a year’s worth on one
hand.
Our modest policing needs
can be solved by hiring a local
sheriff and buying a used
police cruiser. The sheriff can
have office space in the Fire
Department. Total cost should
not exceed $100,000 per year.
We should require our sheriff
to live in Girdwood that way
he can take his boy fishing on
Saturdays. Think Andy Griffith.
Maybe we need to hire a parttime deputy, but we probably
won’t find one as funny as Don
Knotts.
Any solution on law
enforcement needs to come
with reductions in non-essential
programs to make it cash neutral
to taxpayers. I would start by
eliminating the paid Municipal
Liaison position (previously
reported in this paper at $65,000
per year) and tightening our
belts on payments for other
community programs.
Paying $620,000 to the city
of Whittier each year merely
enriches that community on the
backs of Girdwood taxpayers
and is grossly out of proportion
to our needs.
Paul Wharton
Girdwood
For some strange reason
we just don’t have that today
within our political arena. It’s
like the residents of Girdwood
and other places in the state
and country asking why we
don’t test fluoride from China
when it comes off the boat in
its raw from. That would make
sense with something that is
more toxic than lead. Instead,
let’s wait until it goes into
the water and we’ll see what
happens. Ask anyone in Flint,
Michigan if waiting to see
what happens is a good idea.
Here was Murkowski’s
response to me when I asked
her the fluoride question, via
Karina Petersen, her Alaska
Communications
Director.
“This is the information that
she (Sen. Murkowski) learned,
stating “you are correct that the
majority of the fluoride comes
from China, although addition
of the fluoride to drinking
water is subject to regulation.
Let me know if you ever need
anything in the future.”
Actually, Ms. Petersen, I
would, it’s called an answer
as to why the EPA doesn’t test
it when it comes off the boat?
Instead, we wait until it’s in
the system and in our bodies.
But I’m not a big donor, and
I just write for a small town
paper. Therefore, don’t expect
Murkowski to become a hero
for my cause or yours for that
matter. You need some serious
donor dollars for that kind
of attention. I just got the PR
response which is somewhere
between no response and, well,
no response.
You, as a voter, are
considered to have the most
powerful voice with a click
of a button but even then
our elected officials have
no problems bypassing the
will of the majority and then
creating laws that they’re more
comfortable with.
Assembly members Patrick
Flynn and Bill Evans know all
about that. When Proposition
5 came out for a public
vote in 2012, 57 percent of
Anchorage residents said they
did not want equal protection
for lesbian, gays, bi-sexuals,
and transgenders, yet in 2015
Flynn and Evans went on to
sponsor an ordinance which
passed the Assembly and was
signed into law by Mayor
Berkowitz that called the vote,
“A clear expression.” Nice
sentence, Mr. Berkowitz. Is
there an ending to it that you
left out? They even named it
the Evans-Flynn ordinance.
It couldn’t be the “Fair
Protection for All” ordinance?
That’s nothing more than your
dollars paying for an ego trip,
but it is a cute name.
Personally, I don’t think
anyone should be denied
equal protection in our society
because of their sexual
orientation. It’s a no-brainer
to me, and shouldn’t we try
and educate people that we
think made a bad choice?
Apparently not with Evans
and Flynn. After all, they
know more than all of us,
and the majority of taxpayers
simply don’t matter. Aren’t
our representatives supposed
to be an extension of our own
vote? Why wouldn’t a person,
especially an elected official,
embrace the only true form
of democracy in this land?
The people cast their vote and
you repealed it because you
somehow know better? That’s
not heroic, that’s just arrogant.
Maybe there’s a reason a
74-year-old socialist is beating
Hillary Clinton. Maybe, just
maybe, the millennials do have
an idea of a political hero.
We need our politicians to
be more forthright, take up our
causes and to educate voters if
they disagree with a majority
of us. In the end, we need our
politicians to think about the
people they represent and not
themselves or their Wall Street
friends.
I think actor Gene Hackman
summed up my thoughts about
our politicians when he said,
“The difference between a
hero and a coward is one step
sideways.”
Page 4
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
South Anchorage News
By Amy Newman
Turnagain Times
South Anchorage Correspondent
I’m finishing this week’s
column on the tail end of
baking and frosting 36
cupcakes for my daughters’
7th birthday party. I swear
every year will be different,
but it’s always the same – I
inevitably find myself up
well past midnight the night
before the party, critiquing
my decorating skills and
wondering why I stress
so much about a handheld
treat the kids barely pay any
attention to beyond making
sure it gets into their mouths.
Oh well, there’s always next
year.
There’s still a lot going
on in South Anchorage this
month. The New Years’
Resolutions must have all
been tossed aside, because
there’s a variety of foodrelated events to choose
from. And a candidate forum
in anticipation of the April 5
municipal election and a flyfishing class are indications
that spring is on its way
– a much better predictor
than the groundhog, in my
opinion. Enjoy the rest of the
month.
Knife and Scotch
Classes at South
Restaurant
Not together, of course.
Learning how to slice and
dice
while
consuming
copious
amounts
of
Scotch could quickly turn
dangerous.
Instead, South is offering
two different classes the
final two Saturdays of
this month. On Feb. 20,
become a kitchen ninja
and learn basic knife
techniques from South’s
expert staff. Afterward,
you’ll get a chance to nosh
on the food you spent the
afternoon slicing and dicing
(and they’ll pull out the
alcohol once the knives are
safely stashed away). Each
participant goes home with
a Wusthof paring knife, too.
Join
bartender
Levi,
South’s resident Scotch
expert, on Feb. 27 to learn
about and sample one of
the world’s most popular
liquors.
Six
different
samples will be paired with
special appetizers prepared
by Chef Shane.
Classes are $95 each and
begin at 3 p.m. Call 7709200, or visit the front desk,
to reserve your spot.
Polar Bears
RELY ON ANCHORAGE’S EXPERT
FOR YOUR HOME FINANCING.
Jeffrey ‘Jeff’
Stanford
NMLS Unique Identifier #205117
Assistant Vice President
Sr. Mortgage Loan Originator
(907) 261-3444 direct
j.stanford@alaskausamortgage.com
Apply online 24/7
jeffstanford.net
License #AK157293
International at the
Alaska Zoo
A few friends were having
an exchange on Facebook
recently
about
whether
or not the world’s polar
bear population is actually
declining. The conversation
turned out to be extremely
timely, as the Alaska Zoo
is hosting a free lecture on
polar bear conservation
efforts. Geoff York, senior
director of conservation with
Polar Bears International,
will speak about polar
bears, life in the Arctic
and conservation efforts.
The event takes place on
Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7
p.m. in the Alaska Zoo
Gateway Hall.
Pizza, Beer & Flies at
Mountain View Sports
Learn how to fly ties,
or just prep for this year’s
season with fellow anglers,
at Mountain View Sports’
Fly Night on Wednesday,
Feb. 24 from 6 p.m. - 9
p.m. Some materials will be
provided, but feel to bring
your own. Moose’s Tooth
will provide the pizza and
beer. Mountain View Sports
is located at 11124 Old
Seward Hwy., off O’Malley
Rd.
2016 Municipal
Candidate Forum
The Anchorage Hillside’s
Home
and
Landowner
Association (HALO) will
host a candidate forum at
O’Malley’s on the Green on
Wednesday, March 2 from
6:30-9 p.m. Meet municipal
assembly and school board
candidates, hear their take on
the issues and ask questions
so you’ll make an informed
decision on election day.
Bonds and propositions on
this year’s ballot will also
be discussed. All assembly
and school board candidates
have been invited and, based
on turnout from prior years’
events, most, if not all, are
Photo courtesy of South Restaurant
Join South Restaurant Chef Shane for a culinary tour of the
tapas of Spain on March 1.
expected to attend.
The Great Alaskan Bed
Races
Fur Rendezvous is right
around the corner, and the
Great Alaskan Bed Races at
Hilltop Ski Area are back.
Grab three teammates, find
a costume and your fastest
mattress, and race down the
mountain for the trophy and
$200 cash prize. Afterward,
enjoy a drink at the Beer
Garden, hosted by Koot’s.
Register online now at www.
hilltopskiarea.org, or the day
of the races starting at 11:30
a.m.
Tapas Dinner with Chef
Shane at South
If a meal comprised
entirely of appetizers sounds
delightful, then you’ll want to
make reservations for South’s
tapas dinner. For those who
are unaware, tapas are small
plates of Spanish appetizers
or snacks, and can be either
hot or cold. Chef Shane
will be highlighting small
plates from central Madrid
and the coastal regions of
Spain, and each dish will be
paired with sparkling cava,
rioja wines and South’s
signature Barcelona style Gin
& Tonics. The dinner costs
$100 per person; stop by the
front desk or call 770-9200 to
reserve your spot.
American Heart
Association Dinner
Fans of Bravo TV’s Top
Chef may remember Andrea
Beaman from the show’s
inaugural season. Beaman
is a natural food chef who
advocates the use of nutrition
and whole foods to harness
the body’s natural healing
powers. She attributes a
complete diet overhaul to
eliminating
her
thyroid
condition.
Beaman is bringing her
cooking
and
coaching
to South to benefit the
Anchorage chapter of the
American Heart Association.
Join her for a cooking class
and sit-down dinner on
Thursday, March 3. Class is
limited to 26 people - six at
the counter ($250 per person)
will enjoy an up-close and
personal look while Beaman
cooks, and 20 at the table
($200 per person). The cost of
the tickets is tax deductible.
Visit http://bit.ly/20Z20Mv
to register.
Winter worship In the heart of Girdwood ...
Girdwood Chapel
A United Methodist Church open and welcoming to all
Located at the corner of Alyeska Hwy. and Timberline in Girdwood
Sunday Morning Worship
8:30AM short service • 10AM main service
11:15am – Funday School for kids
In the TESORO MALL
Open 7 days a week
Sunday through Thursday 11am-10pm
Friday and Saturday 11am-11pm
Deliveries after 3pm everyday!
Home of Girdwood Food Pantry • Room and building rental available
Community Pastor Rev. Sandy Ward
www.girdwoodchapel.net • 907-783-0127 • girdwoodchapel@gmail.com
P.O. Box 1068, Girdwood, AK 99587
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Page 5
Hope Happenings
By Jeannine Jabaay
Turnagain Times
Hope Correspondent
35-year member of the Hope
Village Council.”
announced and discussed at the
public hearing.
www.KenaiChristianChurch.
org for registration information.
Zoning Fines, Legalized
Marijuana and Emergency
Response Vehicles
A
jam-packed
Kenai
Peninsula Borough Assembly
meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m.
on Feb. 23 in the Assembly
Chambers
in
Soldotna.
Public discussion and written
comments will be heard and
addressed.
Residents of Hope and the
Kenai Borough are asked to
engage in the conversation to
discuss zoning issues in the
neighboring towns of Hope,
specifically Moose Pass and
Cooper Landing. Ordinance
2016-03 is drafted to repeal
an ordinance indicating fines
and ambiguity to land use and
establish new regulation, such
as nonconforming buildings,
visible storage, derelict vehicles,
on-street parking, excessive
traffic (20 round-trip vehicle
Photo courtesy of Derrick Jabaay
trips per day), livestock, poultry
Local resident Chloe Jabaay visits the horses in downtown
and pets.
Hope and provides a grassy snack.
The Central Emergency Area
is requesting the use of reserve
community activities. And with management of our game is bond funds for the purchaser of
the recent winter opening of absolutely critical.”
Emergency Response Vehicles.
Tito’s Discovery Cafe, tourism
Walker
said
that Bond proceeds in the amount of
has begun trickling back in Trimmingham “spent decades $2,795,137.58 on Feb. 2, and
unseasonably early.
in the Alaska outdoors, and the Kenai Peninsula Borough
bring a wealth of knowledge would like to use that money
Waste Station is Moving
to the Board of Game.” A as a portion of a $4.4 million
The Hope Village Council recent press release issued dollar purchase of additional
invited
Lanie
Hughes, by the governor’s office emergency response vehicles.
Environmental Coordinator of states, “A life-long resident
The Kenai Peninsula is
the Kenai Peninsula Borough, of Hope, Guy Trimmingham proposing to enact the Marijuana
to share at the quarterly Town guided hunters on the Alaska Regulation
committee
Hall Meeting on Feb. 13 at the Peninsula, the Alaska and and establish the Planning
Social Hall. Hughes shared the Chugach Mountain Ranges, Commission as the local
results of the 2016 Hope Solid the Kenai and Talkeetna regulatory authority within the
Waste Transfer Site Survey. Mountains, and in Kodiak for Kenai Peninsula. Additionally,
Nearly 75 percent of the survey nearly 30 years. While being the Assembly will address
responses returned were in favor an active hunter himself, Mr. local protests of state marijuana
of moving the waste station to Trimmingham also appreciates licenses, permit requirements
the fire department site. General the value of balancing certain for marijuana establishments,
comments regarding the new non-consumptive uses along and amend an ordinance
location included, “Fits into with the more traditional ones. regarding the enforcement of
community Land Use Plan
He has worked for over 20 marijuana violations.
(already used for public service) years as an instrumentation,
The
Marijuana
Task
and centrally located,” “Good electrical, and fire and gas Force supported a boroughaccess options,” “Lower cost specialist for Udelhoven issued counter permit for
for development,” and “Reduce and now BP Alaska. Mr. marijuana
establishments
operational costs by sharing Trimmingham has served on at its Jan. 20 meeting. Land
plowing and sanding with the Kenai Peninsula Fishery use recommendations of the
HVFD.” Hughes indicated that Subsistence Board, and is a Marijuana Task Force will be
Quilting Class Continues
at the Hope Library
If you’ve ever been
interested in quilting, now is
your chance! Hope’s librarian,
Susan Anderson, is offering a
community-wide quilting class
on Saturdays at 3 p.m. Classes
have been on hold for 2 weeks,
and they will start up again on
Feb. 20. The next classes will
focus on paper piecing for
quilting, which is ideal for wall
hangings. The ultimate project
will be a collaborative quilt that
will be sold this summer by the
library as a fundraiser.
Church News
The
Hope
Church
welcomes the community
to join them in their weekly
interdenominational worship
services held on Sundays at
3 p.m. Coffee and dessert
immediately follow each
service, and a highly anticipated
all-church potluck is held on the
third Sunday of every month.
The Hope Christian Church
has launched its ladies’ Bible
study on Wednesdays at 11 a.m.
This fellowship time is open to
any and all women who would
like to join. The location will be
in a different lady’s home each
week, so call Dovie at 7829733 for this week’s details.
Additionally, the church
offers a food bank ministry
on Thursdays at noon. A
general Bible study follows
the food bank at 3 p.m.
each Thursday. For more
information, visit Facebook.
com/HopeChurchAlaska.
If it weren’t for the extremely
icy roads, one could hardly tell
that it is winter in Hope. The
green grass from the summer
of 2015 is more visible in most
areas than is the snow of this
winter. While this has most
definitely affected the regular
winter activities of crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing
and snowmachining, those folks
who call Hope “home” yearround are busy with many other
this will be the direction taken
by the Borough.
Hope Resident Appointed
to the Alaska Board of
Game
Congratulations to Guy
Trimmingham
who
was
recently appointed by Gov.
Walker to the Alaska Board
of Game. The board’s mission
is to set policy related to the
management of the Alaska’s
wildlife resources. Gov. Walker
said, “Alaskans have such a
unique relationship with the
state’s wildlife resources, proper
Valentine’s, Live Music,
and Tito’s Discovery Café
If you missed it in January,
now’s your chance to remedy
it! Tito’s will again be hosting
live music and a fire on the
deck on the last Saturday of
February. Stop by and join the
most happening public event
in Hope to experience a true
small town phenomenon community!
Tito’s winter hours continue
to be Fridays, Saturdays and
Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
and will occasionally be open
late for dinner on Saturdays.
Dishes include homemade
soups and pies, some breakfast
and lunch items, and a full beer
and wine selection. Be sure to
follow the Discovery Café on
Facebook for the most current
information. Call 782-3274
or make contact through the
Tito’s Facebook page.
Men’s Retreat
Calling all men who want to
get away, rejuvenate, and get
spiritually renewed! The Hope
Christian Church invites you
to join them at the Solid Rock
Bible Camp Men’s Retreat on
Feb. 26-27. At only $65 dollars
per attendee, this experience is
affordable and uplifting. Visit
Hope School News
And they’re off! Well, soon
they will be, anyway. The
Washington D.C. trip has been
paid for in full, and tickets for
April 17 have been purchased
for 4 of Hope School’s students
to be part of a one-in-a-lifetime
experience in our nation’s
capital. A huge “thank you!” to
all who pitched in to fundraiser
and donate to our town’s kiddos
The Hope School PTSCA
invites the community and
families to join in the monthly
planning meetings. These
meetings take place on the
second Tuesday of each month
at 3:30 p.m. at the Hope School.
Additionally, a leadership
group has started for middle
school students on Wednesdays
at 11:30 a.m. These meetings
take place in the library.
Contact Ms. T. or Mr. Yoter for
additional information.
Page 6
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Four Valleys Community School News
By Briana Sullivan
Special to the Turnagain Times
Outdoors to Indoor
Kinder Ski and Junior
Nordic Ski Club enjoyed a
break in the rain last week
during a pleasant hour for
their first practice. Kids
were gliding along the
soft magic carpet snow for
perhaps their first time on
Nordic skis in months.
Thank you to Brian Burnett
and Alyeska Resort for
access to the magic carpet
especially for the FVCS
Nordic Ski program. Boys
and girls were all smiles,
clipping into their featherlight cross-country skis and
hands free of poles while
they hopped, ran, fell, got
up, and played games. They
familiarized
themselves
with these skills, circling
the groomed slope, before
skiing through a colorful
obstacle course set up by
volunteers.
Puffy animals, bright
cones, bridges, and hulahoops made for fun objects
to ski around, under, and
through. Thank you to
coaches Ari Stiassny and
Gabrielle
Hoessle
for
coordinating the program
this year and making it
happen.
Thanks also to volunteers
Kari, Matt, and Briana. Visit
the FVCS Facebook page
for fun photos of the day,
plus Valentines Day themed
programs that took place over
the last weeks.
April is not here yet, although
it sure may feel like it.
Tennis Anyone?
It’s time for tennis with
tennis pro Aaron Haines.
Recall that great summer
sport with much attention in
the news earlier this month?
With the beautiful Girdwood
School gym and new outdoor
tennis courts in Girdwood
this summer, getting skills
honed with this unique
indoor tennis opportunity is
perfect timing. Learn basic
tennis skills and improve
your game. Tennis I and II
begins April 3. Reference
the dates and commit. Your
child will be glad you did.
Alyeska Snow Classic
Coming Soon
Guess the snow depth
on Mt Alyeska. March is
getting close and that is
when the guessing begins!
This fun split the pot
fundraiser is a guessing
game similar to the Nenana
Ice Classic. Visit many
local businesses to purchase
tickets and make your
guesses. The Alyeska Snow
Classic takes place March
1-31, when participants can
submit guesses on tickets for
a measurement on April 17
on Mt Alyeska. Thank you
to the following businesses
who will have tickets to
purchase and a Snow Classic
Bucket for dropping your
guesses in: Alyeska Ticket
Office, Brown Bear Saloon,
Chair 5 Restaurant, COAST
Pizza, Slack Tide Gallery,
Jack Sprat, Powder Hound
Ski Shop, Silvertip Grill,
Tesoro in Girdwood, CPG,
Alyeska Accommodations,
the Bake Shop, the Merc,
and Anchorage locations
Steam dot and AK Yogurt
Lounge, both in O’Malley
Centre.
Wait, refresh, what do
I do? Answer: Purchase
tickets from a FVCS Board
Member or local business
listed above - let’s say 10
tickets to increase your
chances by 10. Next, write
down your guesses and drop
your lucky stubs into a Snow
Classic container at any of
these locations. The guesses
you submit refer to a snow
depth on Mt Alyeska, taken
on April 17.
Guess anytime in March
and then wait until April 17
for the official measurement.
That is the fun of this game.
And if you win, you split the
pot, which means 50 percent
of the monies raised will
benefit FVCS and 50 percent
will go to the closest or spot
on guess on the Alyeska
Snow Classic measuring
stick.
If a parent wants a Ready-toRead kit for either newly born,
toddler, or pre-school children,
Agni can order it from
Anchorage. The kits include
age-appropriate books, toys,
and music for check out. She
can order any other item that
Loussac Library checks out to
Anchorage patrons, including
book club bags of books. If
a reader wants Agni to create
an activity for the Gerrish
Library, she encourages him or
her to stop by the library to talk
to her.
“For instance, I created the
book club because somebody
stopped by and requested one,”
Agni said.
For
book
or
movie
purchases, she encourages
patrons to suggest a purchase
at
http://apl.muni.org/
LibraryMaterialRequest/.
Agni and the Girdwood
Library Boosters, a group to
support Agni and the library,
encourage everyone to drop
by the Library and Community
Center foyer to view the
collection of glass book spines.
Each spine’s title is created by
the donor(s) of $100 to the
library. Forms are available
there. All support is welcome,
and any donation amount may
be sent to Girdwood Library
Boosters, P.O. Box 1102,
Girdwood, AK 99587.
Gerrish Library Manager
Continued from page 1
learned to love archival work.
“It just happened to be APU’s
50th anniversary, and I worked
on a display panel for that. I got
to learn so much APU history.
That was my first foray into
librarianship,” she said. And
from that moment on knew she
wanted to be a librarian.
After her undergraduate
college experience at small,
local APU, Agni launched
herself into New York City’s
Pratt Institute where she earned
a master’s degree in Library
and Information Science with
Advanced Certification in
Archival Studies. She fell
in love with New York’s
museums and libraries and
thrived in the noisy, vibrant
city. “I could go to sleep with
the window open,” Agni said.
After
graduation
and
travel, Agni came back to
Anchorage and worked in the
Anchorage Museum archives,
at Alaska Resources Library
and Information Services,
and then Loussac Library in
Anchorage. After being hired
to manage the Gerrish Library,
she moved to Girdwood with
her Newfoundland dog, Glory.
Agni’s primary goal for the
library is to attract locals to it
and have them come back over
and over again.
“I want to make the library
the best possible space it can
be and to provide the programs
and materials that people
want,” she said.
Agni realizes that on a sunny
day, the usage may be down,
but she encourages everyone
to visit the library as much as
possible. Programs include a
monthly book club for adults,
Family Storytime on Fridays,
LEGOs on Saturday, family
films on Saturday, and many
other events throughout the
year. The Anchorage Library
calendar displays all Girdwood
and Loussac events at http://
anchoragelibrary.evanced.
info/signup/EventCalendar.
aspx, and Gerrish Library has
a Facebook page.
Happy Skiing this New Year!
Call Us to keep Your Teeth
Shiny and White!
Total Patient Care
IV Sedation • Implants • Invisalign • 3M Incognito Braces • Teeth Whitening
Smile Design • Same Day Crowns • Same Day Wisdom Teeth
Jon Scudder/Turnagain Times
Former Girdwood Volunteer Fire Department Chief Bill
Chadwick received a GBOS resolution honor from Tommy
O’Malley, GBOS supervisor for fire, safety and cemetery.
Chadwick served for 17 years as fire chief guiding and
overseeing the department, strengthening the qualifications
of the membership and providing exemplary service to the
Girdwood community. Also recognized was Bob Dugan.
4050 Lake Otis Parkway
Suite 200
Anchorage, AK 99508
www. Family FirstDentistry.com
"T" is here and
continues to enjoy
seeing our Girdwood
patients!
907.562.2820
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Page 7
Cooper Landing News
By Susanna LaRock
Turnagain Times
Cooper Landing Correspondent
Cooper Landing School’s
Battle of the Books Team
Wins 1st Place
Wednesday, Feb. 10 was a
very exciting day at Cooper
Landing School. The morning
started with the two fourth grade
students and a local third grade
Connections student sitting
down to a table with Tommy
Gossard and a telephone. Mr.
Gossard called the third and
fourth grade team at another
school in the Kenai Peninsula
Borough School District, and
the battle began.
Students from both teams
were asked questions about the
15 books that had been selected
for their division this school
year. Cooper Landing School
came out on top in their first
battle. At break time all of the
students looked at the plaques
on the wall in the gym. They
noticed several plaques from
past Battle of the Books team.
Cooper Landing School had, on
more than one occasion, taken
second and third place in the 7th
and 8th grade division.
All of the students, even the
ones not competing, began to
dream of another plaque on
the wall. And the team battled
on. By lunchtime, the team had
won two more battles and the
student’s enthusiasm over the
team competing in the finals was
palpable. The team members
sat in the classroom at the large
table that they had been battling
at all day.
Mr. Gossard set up a Link
conversation with the three
other schools competing in the
competition and the officiator.
Everybody met and talked
about their love of reading and
the Battle of the Books, and
the final battle began. Cooper
Landing School once again
came out on top, and the 3rd
and 4th grade team became the
first at Cooper Landing School
to win first place in the Kenai
Peninsula Borough School
District. The team and all of the
students were absolutely elated;
there was much celebration, and
much talk about the hard work
it took to win first place and the
hard work ahead to prepare for
the statewide competition on
Feb. 25.
Cooper Landing
Emergency Services to
Reduce Service Area
In the small community of
Cooper Landing there is very
little infrastructure. Cooper
landing is not a city and
therefore lacks the funding
for services that many who
don’t live in a rural community
may take for granted. Folks
in Cooper Landing, however,
manage to offer several services
to the community through the
hard work of many dedicated
volunteers.
Cooper Landing has a
fabulous library completely
staffed by volunteers, a thriving
Community School run by
volunteers, a recycle center run
by volunteers, a fabulous group
of seniors who pulled together
to secure the senior housing
development and who keep a
community garden thriving on
their property, and a volunteer
emergency services and fire
department.
People in Cooper Landing
recognize that in order to have
the services that a community
needs to not just survive but
also thrive, everyone needs to
contribute. That being a reality,
the emergency services, the
people who run the ambulance
and are trained to help in the
case of a medical emergency,
have been worn thin and their
numbers have been dwindling.
There have been many pleas
to the community, via the
Community Crier, for people
to step up, come to EMT/ETT
trainings, and volunteer to help
the emergency services. Dan
Michels, the president of the
CLES board, and other board
members have been considering
options to deal with the issue of
not having enough volunteers
to effectively run an emergency
services.
For many years now the people
who volunteer for CLES have
been responsible for running on
ambulance calls from Ingram
Creek, at the ‘Welcome to the
Kenai Peninsula’ sign, to Gene
Lake Hill; this is an 85-mile
long service area. Volunteers
have been making ambulance
calls that often times could take
up to 8 hours. One of the options
that the board is seriously
considering is reducing the
service area so as not to burn
out the few volunteers that they
have, and in the hopes that others
will be willing to volunteer if
the commitment is not so time
consuming.
Recently Dan Michels, the
president of the board for
CLES, had a meeting with Mike
Navarre, the Kenai Peninsula
Borough Mayor. The purpose of
this meeting was to discuss the
Mutual Aid Agreement between
CLES and Central Emergency
Services. The Mutual Aid
agreement states that CES will
help CLES if there is a call
that is beyond the capacity of
the volunteers for CLES, for
instance if there is a need for
an EMT III and CLES does not
have one.
The agreement, however,
does not cover an emergency
situation in which CLES is
out of service due to a lack of
volunteers. It has been the case
in recent months that CLES has
had to go out of service because
there was nobody there to
answer calls.
Michels said, “Essentially,
when CLES is out of service,
from Gene Lake Hill to Ingram
Susanna LaRock/Turnagain Times
Cooper Landing School’s 3rd and 4th grade team celebrate
their victory with coach Tommy Gossard.
Creek is no man’s land.” The
possibility of CLES reducing its
service area was discussed at the
meeting held with Dan Michels,
two other CLES board members,
the mayor, and representatives
from state EMS and Soldotna
Dispatch.
Michels asserted at that
meeting that the board planned
to put the issue to a vote at a
meeting in February, and he
asked, “If our service area is
reduced, who will respond to
emergency calls?” He said that
there was no answer to that
question and that the mayor
requested that the board wait on
the vote in order to have more
time to come up with a solution.
The board will now be voting
on the issue at the May meeting
and inevitably the service area
will be reduced. In the mean
time, there are days when CLES
has to call out of service, which
essentially means that the whole
stretch of highway from Gene
Lake Hill to Ingram Creek is
without an ambulance service.
Gun Club Selling
Raffle Tickets
The Cooper Landing Gun
Club is raising funds selling
raffle tickets for a 3-Gun Reload
Raffle. Tickets for this Cooper
Landing Friends of the NRA
Raffle tickets are $25 each or 5
for $100. When you buy tickets,
you are helping to raise funds
for the Cooper Landing Gun
Club and you will have a chance
to win a Kimber 8400 Classic
.300 Win Mag Rifle, a Benelli
Nova Camo 12 gauge Shotgun,
or a Ruger GP 100 .357 Mag
Revolver. Three Hundred tickets
will be sold, and the drawing
will be held on Saturday, April
2 at noon during trap shooting.
This is a reload raffle, which
means that the first ticket drawn
will give the winner first choice
of guns or the choice to put their
name back in for a chance to win
all three guns.
Friday Night Book Club
The February Friday Night
Book Club meeting will be
held at the Cooper Landing
Community Library on Friday,
Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. The discussion
will be about the novel, ‘The
Children Act’ by Ian McEwan.
Bring your favorite drink and
a snack to share, and enjoy a
great conversation in the cozy
atmosphere of your local library.
Page 8
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Mountain News
By Ben Napolitano
Special to the Turnagain Times
Free heels, Free Tibet –
Telepalooza is back at
Alyeska
Telepalooza is Feb. 26-28.
It’s a celebration of the telemark
community
that
includes
• Open to all disciplines
• The venue for this event is
rowdy. Starting at the upper
tram terminal, racers will skin
up Mighty Mite then ski down
to Most Neglected Rope Line
where they will skin back up
into Glacier Bowl, change over
quickly and then ski down to
Photo courtesy of Ben Napolitano
Girdwood PE student McQuade Ellis takes full advantage of
POW skiing for gym class!
clinics, fun races, demos, live
music, and tons of fun, raffle
drawings for gear, and tons of
other prizes. Proceeds from the
charity raffle benefit SheJumps.
org, a non-profit organization
whose mission is to increase
the participation of women
and girls in outdoor activities.
This year’s theme: “Where The
Wild Things Are.” All races are
FREE as is music each night,
by one of our local favorites,
The Hope Social Club! We
have some great races and
competitions for those brave
enough! Check out the website
for more information!
Schedule of Events:
North Face Vertical Challenge
S/He who laps North Face most
wins
• Friday, Feb 26th - 9:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m. Race Time
• Registration starts at the
Ticket Offices on Feb 21st at
9:30am limited to the first 50
people.
• Open to all disciplines
Classic Telemark Race w/
Rapaloosa finish
• Saturday, Feb 27th - 2:00 p.m.
• Costumes are Mandatory!
• Registration starts at the
Ticket Offices on Feb 19th at
9:30am and ends at Noon on
race day.
• Telemark Only
Uphill/Downhill Race
• Sunday, Feb 28th – 11:00 a.m.
• Registration starts at the
Ticket Offices on Feb 19th
the finish line on Silver Tip.
King & Queen of the HillHead-to-Head Dual Slalom
• Sunday, Feb 28th - 2:00 p.m.
• Registration starts at the
Ticket Offices on Feb 19th and
ends at Noon on race day.
• Telemark Only
Lots of Jam Legends on
Stage – David Nelson
Band at the SITZ
The David Nelson Band is an
original San Francisco based
jam band currently celebrating
its 20th anniversary and is still
rockin’ strong! The band was
established in 1994 and features
current founding members
David Nelson, Barry Sless and
Mookie Siegel and long term
members Pete Sears and Wally
Ingram. Don’t recognize any of
those names? Let’s break down
the list of legends in this band
to fully get an understanding of
the magnitude of talent starting
with the front man, David
Nelson. David has played with
a few famous names such as
Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band
and Phil Lesh and Friends. He
rips on the guitar, mandolin
and vocals. Barry Sless, Bass
player and Pedal steel guitar
has performed with such acts as
Great American Taxi, Phil Lesh
and Friends, Moonalice and
Flying Other Brothers. Then
there’s bass player Pete Sears.
This English born rocker melted
faces with his psychedelic riffs
and mesmerizing play. Pete
has worked with everyone
in the game including John
Lee Hooker, Rod Stewart,
Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship
and Moonalice just to name
a few. Mookie Siegel is on
keyboard and also dominates
the accordion. Mookie was also
in Phil Lesh and Friends along
with Kingfish and Kettle Joe’s
Psychedelic Swap Revue. And
it wouldn’t be a band without a
drummer and Wally Ingram is a
master in his trade. Performing
with Sheryl Crow and Jackson
Browne this American based
drummer is most famous for his
work in the band Timbuk 3.
The stage is clearly staked
with talent and this threenight musical run at the Sitz is
shaping up to be an absolutely
fantastic show but if that wasn’t
enough to motivate you and
your friends, there’s more. Each
night, at the end of the first set,
K2 will be giving away a new
pair of skis or a snowboard.
Concert goers will receive a
raffle ticket at the door and the
winner walks with free gear!
One more reason to come out
to a show on a Thursday night?
Not only will ladies be FREE
on Thursday night but the Sitz
is throwing a theme party!
Given the musical style of
David Nelson Band the Sitz is
hosting a ‘Summer ‘69” theme
party. So come out in tie-die
and your best free spirit attire
and get ready to jam! Tickets
are $10 and are available online
at TheSitzmark.com or at any
Alyeska ticket office.
Seven Glaciers – Now
OPEN on Thursday
Town
Leaguers
and
Thursday night skiers rejoice!
Seven Glaciers will be open
Thursday night’s starting Feb.
18 operating dinner and the
cocktail lounge from 5-10 p.m.
Night skiers will be able to
stop in for a bite to eat, a Fizz
or other beverage while taking
a break from making laps.
But Thursday nights at Seven
Glaciers isn’t just for the ski
crowd so take advantage of an
extra night of Seven Glaciers
operations.
For dining with a view visit
Seven Glaciers, Alyeska’s
AAA Four Diamond award
winning mountain-top luxury
restaurant. Offering signature
Alaskan entrees in an elegant
atmosphere, the Seven Glaciers
experience is extraordinary
from start to finish. Your
journey begins with a scenic
aerial tram ride that takes you
high above The Hotel Alyeska
to 2,300 feet above sea level.
From this mountain-top perch,
Seven Glaciers is surrounded
by nature from every direction.
This means that every table
Photo courtesy of Ben Napolitano
February 9 was a deep day on the North Face. Alyeska has
received 563 inches of snow since Oct. 1.
features panoramic glacier and
water views for a truly unique
Alaskan dining experience.
Chef Aaron Gilman has
carefully crafted the Seven
Glaciers’ menus with an
emphasis on locally available
produce, seafood and game.
Seven Glaciers boasts an award
winning wine list and full bar
to perfectly complement your
meal. Please leave room for
dessert; the Baked Alyeska
cannot be missed. Seven
Glaciers is also open Friday
– Sunday from noon to 10
p.m. reservations are strongly
recommended. Tel. 754-2237.
shows start 10pm | full schedule & advance tix online
$20
FEb. 19 & 20
Young Dubliners
Celtic Rock
FREE
FEb. 26 & 27
Hope Social Club
Local Favorites
Ladies
FREE
$10 Thurs!
maR. 3, 4 & 5
David nelson band
Legendary Jam band
WIN K2 SKIS!
th eme
Th u rs d ay n igh t
’69”
is “S umme r o f
vip ConCERT paCkagES avaiLabLE
Stay at The Hotel alyeska + concert tickets
& more! Reserve online or call 907-754-2111
beers on tap | 21 & over | food ‘til late | TheSitzmark.com
*based on double occupancy. Subject to availability, taxes and fees.
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Page 9
Lively Arts
By Ron Holmstrom
Turnagain Times Correspondent
This has been a great
season for local theatrical
productions and the next
two weeks will be seeing the
opening of three new shows
and the final performance
of the first installment of
Anchorage’s new dinner
theatre.
First up is the Feb. 19
opening of Our Voices Will
Be Heard by Vera Starbard
downtown at the Sydney
Laurence Theatre. The play
was commissioned by The
Alaska Native Heritage
Center for the Alaska Native
Playwrights Project.
Voices is a powerful
mother- daughter journey
that reveals how generations
face the choice of continuing
to perpetuate – or disrupt –
family violence. Through the
lens of fiction, and the palette
of Alaska Native Storytelling,
the playwright tells the true
story of her mother’s strength
against impossible pressure.
Our Voices Will Be Heard
weaves together legend
and truth in a fierce call for
healing and forgiveness.
The play by Tlingit/
Dena’ina Athabaskan writer
Starbard, began as a short
story she wrote when she
was 18 years old. The story,
The Eyes of Love, was about
the sexual abuse she had
experienced at the hands of
an uncle and the journey that
she and her mother took.
When Starbard was accepted
into the Playwrights Project,
she chose to turn that story
into a play, but to craft it from
her mother’s perspective.
The setting is now a 19th
Century Tlingit village and
the playwright was inspired
by the ancient stories told to
her by her mother, which now
weave in and out through the
play. There is a short video
available, featuring Starbard
and Jack Dalton, one of
the actors from the show
who plays the role of The
Storyteller. Well worth the
watch, you can find the video
here: http://www.ptalaska.
org/video-our-voices-willbe-heard/
Voices had its world
premiere last month in
Juneau and will be playing at
the Sydney through Sunday,
February 28. For show times
and ticket information, go
to centertix.net or call 2632787.
Also downtown, Cyrano’s
will be hosting Toss Pot
Production’s
workshop
production
of
Kevin
Armento’s
Good
Men
Wanted. Set during the
American Civil War, Good
Men Wanted is based on
hundreds of true stories, says
playwright Armento. Five
women leave their identities
and the safety of their
feminine domain behind to
join the war efforts -- as men.
It is a tale of warriors, woven
from the lives of women,
divided from their true selves
as mothers, wives, sisters,
and lovers, to become men
to become soldiers. This is
not a tale of North vs. South,
but a tale of gender divided.
Why did they do it? Anger?
Revenge? Excitement? Even
compassion? Whatever the
reason, they were the secret
soldiers in a war that changed
America forever.
Directed
by
Carrie
Yanagawa
and
starring
several
of
Anchorage’s
best-known actors, Good
Men Wanted will be
TossPots’ second fullystaged production. There
will be a Pay-What-You-Can
performance on Thursday
Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. It opens
on Friday, Feb. 26 and runs
through March 20 and plays
Thursdays through Saturdays
at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 3
p.m.
The play was first read
at Cyrano’s as part of Toss
Pot’s popular Readings for
the Dark Times, a continuing
series of staged readings of
new works presented for the
Anchorage audience. The
response from the reading
convinced the folks at Toss
Pot to produce the play in its
now fully-staged production.
To read more about this play
and all the other projects being
planned, go their website at
tosspotproductions.org for
tickets, go to centertix.net or
call 253-2787
RKP Productions and Out
North will be presenting
Shakespeare’s The Winter’s
Tale, also opening on Feb. 26.
Although seldom performed,
the play contains perhaps the
best known stage direction
of any play, ever: “Exit
pursued by a bear!” The play
is directed by Teresa K. Pond
with monologue assistance
from Dave Dahl, a noted
Shakespearean scholar who
was brought in from Arizona
specifically for this project.
Originally classified as
one of the bard’s comedies,
it was later called one of
his later romances, since the
final two acts are comedic
and actually supply a,
(mostly,) happy ending.
Briefly:
King
Leontes’
queen becomes pregnant
and the king becomes wildly
jealous, accusing the queen
of adultery and ordering the
new-born daughter to be
abandoned on the sea coast
during a bleak winter. Found
and raised by a kindly old
shepard, the young princess
is eventually recognized and
reunited with her father and
his court.
This play runs from Feb.
26 through March 13 at
Out North Contemporary
Playhouse.
Fridays
and
Saturdays at 7 P.M. and
Sundays at 3 p.m. For tickets
and more information, go
to Out North’s website at
outnorth.org or tickets may
be purchased at the door.
Out North is located at 3800
Debarr Road. With one of the
cast members eaten by a bear
every night, this program
seems VERY Alaskan.
This is the last chance to
catch the first dinner theatre
production of Lounge Lizards
at the Anchorage Lofts Hotel
at 4th Avenue and C Street.
Playing Friday, Feb. 19,
Saturday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
and Sunday, Feb. 21 at 3 p.m.
this raucous comedy, (with
a terrific dinner,) has been
selling out, so book those
seats now at centertix.net or
call 263-2787. The Lofts has
become something of a local
entertainment mecca with
their lively Music Lounge,
which kicks in at the end
of every performance of
Lounge Lizards. Plus, they
have now added Helicopter
Tours with Egli Air AND
two audience members will
be selected by raffle each
performance of Lizards for
a free helicopter tour above
Anchorage. Also, the Lofts
is offering 35 percent off on
their hotel rooms to anyone
with a ticket stub from ANY
Centertix show. A great deal
for Out-Of-Towners!
Lizards has been a terrific
experience for all of us at
Last
Gasp
productions.
Our partnership with the
Anchorage Lofts continues
to provide a fine home for
our shows. Lounge Lizards
will be returning in midMarch for a second run with
new cast members Corinne
Rollman and Jeremy Gaunt,
so stay tuned.
Lastly, thank you all
for viewing my column
here every edition and for
tuning in to my weekly
Your Entertainment Link
on Thursday’s 9 p.m. News
on FOX-4 TV. I am always
happy to provide some
insight into all the fun stuff
to do around our great town.
Page 10
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Trooper Report
The Alaska State Troopers
reported
the
following
incidents.
Any
charges
reported are merely allegations
and the defendants are
presumed innocent unless and
until proven guilty.
Driving While License
Revoked, False
Information
MILE
105
SEWARD
HWY—February 1 at about
10:39 p.m., troopers contacted
Jason Dixon, age 30 of
Anchorage, on a traffic stop
near mile 105 of the Seward
Highway. During the course
of the stop, Dixon provided
a false name to the Trooper.
Dixon was also found to
be driving on a revoked
driver’s license. Dixon was
released after he was issued
a
misdemeanor
citation
charging him with making a
false report and driving while
license revoked.
Warrant Arrest
BIRD—February
3
at
approximately 3:06 p.m.,
troopers contacted Michael
Wool, age 25 of Indian, at the
Birdhouse Garage. A records
check revealed Wool had an
outstanding warrant for his
arrest for Failure to Appear
for a Bail Hearing. Wool was
arrested and remanded to the
Anchorage Jail. Bail was set
at $2,500 plus court approved
third party.
Motor Vehicle Crash Injuries
HOPE—February 4 around
4:27 p.m., troopers responded
to a report of a motor vehicle
crash with injuries involving
a sport utility vehicle
and a commercial semitruck near mile 71.2 of the
Seward Highway. The crash
investigation
determined
Mikayla Wallace, age 21 of
Anchorage, was operating
a late model sport utility
vehicle traveling southbound.
Brandon Henry, age 27 of
Anchorage, was operating
a mid-2000’s semi-truck
pulling doubles and was
traveling northbound. There
was heavy rain coming down
and the sport utility vehicle
apparently
hydroplaned.
Wallace was unable to
control the vehicle as it
sideswiped the semi-truck’s
rear tires and the front tires
of the first trailer. Henry
was unable to stop or avoid
the collision with the sport
utility vehicle. Wallace and
her 16-year- old passenger
were wearing seatbelts and
sustained non-life threatening
injuries. Wallace had her
infant daughter secured in an
infant car seat in the center
back seat area of the sport
utility vehicle. The infant was
uninjured. Wallace and her
16 year old passenger were
transported to an Anchorage
area hospital by ambulance.
Henry was uninjured. The
sport utility vehicle was a
total loss and was towed from
the scene. The semi-truck and
trailer sustained more than
$500 damage and had to be
towed from the scene.
Warrant Arrest
GIRDWOOD—February 5
around 11 p.m., troopers with
the Bureau of Highway Patrol
Girdwood Team stopped on
a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
near mile 114 of the Seward
Highway for speeding. The
passenger, Lorenzo La Dale
Brown, age 26 of Anchorage,
was found to have an
outstanding
Anchorage
Police Department $250
arrest warrant for failure to
appear, for no insurance.
Brown was arrested for the
warrant and later transported
to the Anchorage Jail where
he was remanded on the $250
warrant.
Motor Vehicle Collision
COOPER
LANDING—
February 6 at approximately
9:58 p.m., troopers responded
to a single vehicle accident
at mile 61.5 of the Sterling
Highway. An investigation
revealed Hollie Lauritsen
age 38 from Soldotna was
traveling southbound on the
Sterling Hwy when she lost
control of her vehicle on
icy roads. There was minor
damage to the vehicle and
the vehicle was drivable.
Everyone in the vehicle was
wearing their seatbelt and
alcohol was not a factor in the
accident.
A Tribute to KMTA National Heritage Area Founding
By Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan
Special to the Turnagain Times
Jim Richardson, 88, a
founding member of the
Kenai Mountains-Turnagain
Arm Corridor Communities
Association passed away
January 3, 2016. He and his
wife, Pinkie (Muriel) had
just moved from Alaska to
Washington.
Years ago, a group of
Alaskans from the eastern
Kenai
Peninsula
were
traveling on the East Coast and
noticed an interesting group
of places known as National
Heritage Areas. These areas
celebrated the heritage and
culture of a geography that
was significant in the forming
of our nation. Jim heard about
National Heritage Areas at a
Kenai Peninsula Historical
Association meeting. He and
others started to rally around
a National Heritage Area for
Alaska to celebrate the rich
history of the Kenai MountainsTurnagain Arm. The group
formed the KMTA Corridor
Communities Association and
organized the efforts to receive
the Congressional designation
for a National Heritage Area in
Alaska.
For nearly a dozen years,
Richardson and other cofounders of the KMTA CCA
advocated for the National
Heritage Area designation.
The designation came with
grant funds to support grass
roots, community projects
tha¬t would tell the story of
the region. Finally, in 2009,
with Senator Lisa Murkowski
ROAD
PROBLEMS
HOTLINE
Girdwood Service Area
Road Maintanence Department
To report a road problem please call:
343-8374
Photo courtesy of Pinkie
(Muriel) Richardson
Jim Richardson was a strong
advocate and co-founder of
Alaska's first and only National
Heritage Area.
introducing the legislation,
President Obama signed the
bill that formed the Kenai
Mountains-Turnagain
Arm
National Heritage area.
Richardson was involved in
the National Heritage Area until
his retirement from the Board
of Directors in May of 2015.
At his retirement celebration,
he expressed how gratified he
and his wife, Pinkie, were to
watch the KMTA NHA grow
into a program that benefited
the people and communities of
the region.
Richardson came to Alaska in
February 1964. Pinkie and their
children joined him a month
later on a memorable day in
Alaska’s history. Just two hours
after their plane landed at the
Anchorage airport, the 1964
Earthquake rocked the region
– the largest earthquake on the
North American continent to
date. The
Richardson’s
were long-time volunteers in
the community. Along with
the National Heritage Area,
they helped establish the
Camp Fire program in Alaska.
Jim attended Oregon State
University where he earned
Bachelor and Master degrees
in forestry. He retired from the
Bureau of Land Management
in Alaska in 1985. His wife,
Pinkie, and two children,
Katheryn McKinney and Brit
Ritchey, survive him.
The Kenai MountainsTurnagain Arm is indebted to
Jim and Pinkie Richardson,
along with other founding
members, for their work in the
creation of Alaska’s first and
only National Heritage Area.
For more information
about the work of the Kenai
Mountains-Turnagain Arm
National Heritage Area,
visit www.kmtacorridor.org.
Classified
Advertising
Up to 25 words for $20 • 25¢ each additional word
Email: info@turnagaintimes.com
Tel: 783-1135 • Fax: 907-783-1136
P.O. Box 1044, Girdwood, AK 99587
All classified ads must be paid in advance either by including
payment when placing the ad or charging it to a VISA or Master
Card. Please mail, email or fax your order with payment.
Furnished apartments for rent in Whittier: Studio $600,
1 BR $700, 2 BR $850, 3 BR $950. Utilities included.
Call (907) 472-2398.
Girdwood Lots for Sale: All utilities, in flat, sunny
locations with best views. Call Tim at 632-8467.
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Page 11
Powder Hound
By Kirra Sherman
Everything hurts except for
my feet
You may have been the one
on the chairlift reminding me
to “parallel” as I descended
down ashcan the other
day, and rightfully so. It’s
like I forgot everything
Miss Brooke Edwards has
been teaching me lately in
our lessons. As I verbally
defended my wedge christie
with a cheeky laugh, I was
sufficiently
humbled
a
moment later. I caught an
edge and ejected from one of
my skis, rolling down a few
times over. It felt like: splat,
wham, landing on my back,
and hard. It was the first time
in a while I felt so grateful to
be wearing a helmet, holding
my precious head.
And I knew in that moment
that I was in trouble. Falling
down at 20 hurts, but at
my age, I knew I’d feel it
acutely in the coming days. I
say this with all due respect
to everyone older than I.
Moreover, my legs feel like
they’re about to fall off, and
my neck is tweaked to the
point that I have to roll over
and lift with my whole body
while holding my head to get
out of bed. I also have to turn
my entire torso to look at you
if you’re on my left.
Don’t misunderstand, I am
not complaining. I’m just
saying “Ouch!”
At this point, the only thing
that doesn’t hurt are my feet,
thanks to Powder Hound.
My ankles are a little sore
admittedly, but I’m starting
to realize that falling is a part
of skiing, and so is pain. I
have aches in muscles I didn’t
know I had. I limp, stiff to the
gills, on my way out of bed
to the sink every morning as
I rise to the sounding powder
guns. Our ski tech, Colin
Hewitt, says that is what a
ski season feels like. And ski
season might mean different
things to different people,
but I am speaking of a “ski as
much as you can” ski season,
whatever that means to you
personally.
At Sakura sushi Monday
night, which by the way was
packed as usual, I ran into
a friend, who we watched
crash into a snowboarder two
nights before. I asked if he
was still feeling it. He said,
“oh yeah I’m still feeling
that one.” “That one?” I
curiously questioned. “Well,
which one?” he asked, as if
there were more and now
he was confused which I’d
meant. “That snowboarder
from seeing you at 7 G’s with
Brooke,” I reminded him.
“Ahhh, yeah, that isn’t the
one I’m still feeling” and as
if seeing the look in my face,
he added, “you know, when
you ski a lot, you crash a lot,”
with an innocent smile on his
face.
I chuckled and thought to
myself how my minor crash
is nothing compared with
what this young man might
experience on a regular basis.
So now I’m feeling like a
wuss.
But seriously, everything
hurts except my feet.
Here’s the thing: it’s worth
every stiff pain. And I’ll
take back nothing, even the
aches, even the pains. Even
if I seriously injured myself
(knock on wood). I said
last week how I’m falling
in love with skiing in a way
that’s unexplainable, and its
probably the same reason
many of you have wrapped
your lives around the ski life,
for better or worse, richer or
poorer.
This is what it is. This is
what it takes. I do it for the
feeling it gives back to me.
Photo courtesy of Kirra Sherman
“The Payoff” on Center Ridge at Alyeska Resort.
Adam's Camp Alaska would like to thank the Girdwood community for your outstanding support of our
therapy camp for the past three summers. Thanks to the following business and individuals, the lives of
children who experience autism, and their families, have been changed for the better. We look forward to
seeing you again in July 2016!
Alaska Back Country Access and Andy Morrison
Alaska Red Cross and Carolyn Coe
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Sarah Howard and Erin Leighton
Alyeska Accommodations
Alyeska Resort and Di Hiibner and Darren Hawes
Chair Five Restaurant and Spike Farley
Challenge Alaska and Beth Edmands-Merritt and Johanna Brown
Chugach Adventures and Melanee & Ari Stiassny, Molly Liston, Kat Jacobs, Justine
Siemens and Erin Henszey
Coast Pizza and Mike Mroczynski and Michelle Reiman
Crow Creek Mine and Kate & Nate Toohey
Girdwood Chamber of Commerce
Girdwood Chapel and Pastor Sandy Ward
Girdwood Community Center and Kyle Kelley
Girdwood Fire Department
Girdwood Health Clinic
Girdwood Rotary
Girdwood Suite Retreat House and Sue & Bill Connell
Glacier City Snowmobile Tours and Chris Roberts, Connie Cooley, Nick Petite, Jeannie
and Tim
Glacier Ranger Station and Jennifer Ilse
Indian Valley Meats
Jack Sprat Restaurant and Frans Weits
Jennifer Hughes Photography
Portage Glacier Tours
Subway of Alaska (Girdwood) and Michelle Reiman and Cheryl
The Bake Shop and Stephanie & Mike Flynn
The Ice Cream Shop and Carol Makar
Sarah Bartholomew
Vernon Brown
David Connell
Laurie & Mackie Derrick
Anne Gore and David Hart
Just Jen
Lynn & Terri Johnson
Alec Kay
Erin Kilbury
Nick Laughlin
Jahna Lindemuth
Mera Matthews and Chester Gilmore
Tami McCann
Patty & Mark Melchert
Toni Restivo and Rex
Penny Vadla
Mitch Vandenberg
Jennifer Wagner and Tim Seaver
WWW.ADAMSCAMP.ORG
Page 12
Turnagain Times
February 18, 2016
Public Safety Task Force
Continued from page 1
broad areas that they must service around Southcentral
and the state due to cuts to their budget and reductions
in trooper numbers, but they will have a presence on the
Seward Highway.
“Currently, we have three troopers in the borough
highway patrol unit,” he said. “We used to have 19
assigned to the Southcentral, Fairbanks area, but now
we have three, and we will be focusing our enforcement
efforts on the Seward Highway because it’s a high
fatality highway and very busy traffic.”
But, he said, the Legislature may cut more from the
AST budget, perhaps $3.5 million in the next budget
cycle, which would amount to eight additional troopers
being released, “and there is talk on the Senate side that
we will lose more troopers,” he said.
Later in the meeting, Opalka clarified a question
about the Whittier Police Department’s experience and
capabilities. “They are no different than any other small
community’s law enforcement office,” he said. “They
do not have the expertise…of in-depth investigations,”
said Opalka, referring to the lack of equipment, training
and time. Whittier would secure the scene, obtain
medical care and await Troopers to do the investigation.
If the ballot initiative doesn’t pass and APD responds,
“Believe me, they are going to send a bill to the GBOS,”
said Opalka, referring to Girdwood compensating the
MOA for police services.
Daniel added, “As we go forward, we are going
to work on informing the community so they know
what they are really voting on, and answering as many
questions as we can.”
Bill Chadwick, PSTF member and former fire
chief, expressed the urgency of getting a draft contract
solidified if the initiative is approved.
“I am really uncomfortable with the time frame,” he
said. “We vote in April, the election is certified two
weeks later, that gives us May and June to come up
©Ralphkristopher
Coincidentally, raising the stakes is the start of Forest
Fair July 1 with several thousand visitors coming to
Girdwood, along with other area-wide events such as
the Seward’s Mount Marathon, which would likely
consume the troopers ability to respond.
PSTF board member Mike Opalka, a retired trooper,
said the Forest Fair security aspect is still uncertain in
light of the situation.
Based on Daniel’s understanding from Cockrell,
“They (troopers) are not coming into Girdwood Valley.
They are not responding, that is the responsibility as far
as their concerned of the MOA and Anchorage Police
Department.”
He added that in a life-threatening event, such as a
homicide, either the troopers or APD would respond.
Minor crimes, such as thefts or house burglaries, trooper
reports would be logged, but not responded too.
“Our primary focus moving forward is to educate
the community on the ballot proposition and to prepare
for the potentiality we may enter into a contractual
agreement with the city of Whittier,” said Daniel. We
will also continue to address what type of contingencies
can be made if the ballot proposition fails and we are
left without any public law enforcement in Girdwood.”
When contacted by the Turnagain Times, Cockrell
addressed the troopers’ position on responding to
incidents outside of the municipality and Girdwood
policing areas.
“Essentially if there’s a crime in progress where
somebody has a life-threatening situation, we would
certainly respond and contain the scene until the
Anchorage Police Department responds,” he said,
“and then we will hand it over to them. If Whittier is
in Girdwood, we would turn it over to them. We will
provide back up to both, but we will not be conducting
criminal investigations.”
He added that troopers are straining to cover the
with a contract.”
The proposed Whittier Police contract is for three
years with a cost to taxpayers of $118 for every
$100,000 of assessed property taxes annually.
“That’s the reason we want to start now and get
things rolling” Daniel responded. “The best part of
Girdwood is that we have so many involved, engaged
and intelligent people here. If we use all of our resources
we can do great things.”
The PSTF then proceeded to establish public
information and contract committees, and a
recommendation for a future five-member public
safety committee to advise the GBOS should the ballot
initiative pass.
Developing a contract was designated as the highest
priority by the PSTF after several citizens questioned
how the contract would be implemented and monitored.
“There’s a lot of things to work out,” admitted Opalka,
who summed up the general consensus.
Informational projects proposed by the PSTF are
another public meeting, informational booths, surveys,
fact sheets, newspaper articles and a Glacier City Radio
Show, where listeners can get their questions answered.
Half of Girdwood citizens are part-time residents
and unable to vote unless registered here, according
to Daniel. He said all Girdwood property owners who
live outside the local area were notified by mail of the
Townhall Meeting held in November 2015.
“I certainly feel a responsibility to the property
owners that live in Anchorage who own property here
in Girdwood,” said Daniel. “They contribute hugely
to the quality of life in our community, and we have a
responsibility to keep them informed on what is going
on down here.”
A Girdwood and Whittier Police Service Proposition
Voter Information Meeting is scheduled for March 7 at
7 p.m. in the Girdwood Community Room.
907-754-2111
offer expires
telepAloozA
FeB. 26!
"Where the Wild things Are"
©Ralphkristopher
FRidAy
sAtuRdAy
stAy & ski FRee
FRom
peR NiGHt*
$129
iNcludes 1-NiGHt stAy (suN - tHuRs)
& 2 FRee midWeek liFt tickets.
AlyeskAResoRt.com
Feb.
26
28
10:30am - 5:30pm: North Face Vertical challenge
2pm: classic telemark Race with Rapaloosa
(costumes are mandatory!)
suNdAy 8:30am: uphill/downhill Race
2pm: king & Queen of the Hill
3:30pm: Icebug "Get a Grip" 5K
All events are FRee! plus clinics, demos & raffles!
prizes will be awarded for top performers.
Registration starts on Feb. 19. sign up at either ticket office.
Full schedule & details online at AlyeskaResort.com
seVeN GlAcieRs WiNe diNNeR
sunday, February 28 | 7pm
lawer estates, calistoga, california
With a special chef’s tasting menu to complement and
enhance the 5 select lawer estates wines.
$149 per person
tram ride included with reservation
*Based on double occupancy, subject to availability, taxes and fees.
Blackout dates: Feb. 28 - march 26
Reservations: 907-754-2237 | Hotel packages: 907-754-2111