Assembly greenlights police services proposition for upcoming

T U R N A G A I N
turnagaintimes.com
VOL. 19 NO.3
FREE
TIMES
Serving Indian, Bird, Girdwood, Portage, Whittier, Hope, Cooper Landing & South Anchorage
Girdwood 2020 holds Annual
Meeting, Banquet & Fundraiser
By Jon Scudder
Turnagain Times
Girdwood 2020 held its
Annual Meeting, Banquet and
Fundraiser at Alyeska Resort on
Saturday, Jan. 30 for an evening
of dining and entertainment
with one goal in mind – raising
money as a community benefit
for Girdwood.
A record crowd led by
Master of Ceremonies Paul
McGuire started festivities with
a flag salute, an invocation by
Alaska’s First Lady Donna
Walker followed by opening
remarks from her husband Gov.
Bill Walker and Anchorage
Mayor
Ethan
Berkowitz.
Walker delivered an upbeat
message about issues ranging
from the state economy to how
Girdwood has shaped their
Jon Scudder/Turnagain Times
“Go For the Gold” chairwoman Carol Makar is
supported by Olympic athletes, left to right, Rosey
Fletcher, Holly Brooks, and Lars Flora. They all
attended the Girdwood 2020 Annual Meeting, Banquet
and Fundraiser at Alyeska Resort, Saturday, Jan. 30.
lives.
“My connection with Alyeska
kind of goes back to the
beginning of time, somewhere
in the 60s,” said Walker.
He then delighted the crowd
recounting courting his wife
Donna and many stories of
skiing and expressed to the
delight of the crowd that “Skiing
is just a huge part of our lives”
“Thanks to all of you here who
do have a vision,” he continued.
“It’s important in tough times.
We still have a great Alaska.
We still have the best state in the
union…I don’t subscribe to the
doom and gloom, and the future
is bleak. The future is bright,
very bright. It’s because of
people like yourselves, willing
to step up and make Alaska a
much better state.”
Many of those attending
the banquet have been or are
currently influential in shaping
private, municipal, and state
policies.
“The goal of this annual event
is to raise about $45,000,” said
Diana Livingston, co-chair of
Girdwood 2020 along with
co-chair Lynn Johnson. “This
is one of only two events that
See Back Page, Girdwood 2020
February 4, 2016
Assembly greenlights
police services
proposition for
upcoming election
Ken Smith
Turnagain Times
The Anchorage Assembly
unanimously approved an
ordinance at its Jan. 26 meeting
allowing a ballot proposition
to be included in the April 5
municipal election for police
protection services in Girdwood.
The proposition allows
Girdwood residents to vote for
the Whittier Police Department
to oversee public safety in the
Girdwood Valley Service Area.
If approved, the Girdwood
Board of Supervisors will
begin the process of pursuing a
contract with Whittier, which is
the preferred option to provide
policing services beginning
July 1; the sole expense will be
covered by an increase in the
mill rate of Girdwood property
owners.
The policing proposal was a
response to an announcement
a year ago by the Alaska State
Troopers that as a result of
state budget cuts they would be
closing the Girdwood post. The
closure is slated for June 30 and
comes just before the start of the
Girdwood Forest Fair July 1, 2
and 3.
Tommy O’Malley, co-chair
of the Girdwood Public Safety
Task Force and Girdwood
Board of Supervisor for fire and
public safety, briefly addressed
the Assembly prior to the
vote. He described the public
process at the Girdwood town
hall meeting Nov. 21 that led
to the approval of the Whittier
police option with 110 people
supporting the option and 10 in
favor of no police services.
“You don’t just hire a police
force; you’re not looking for
the cheapest hired gun,” he
said, “you’re also buying or
renting a judicial system, a
prosecution, when you book the
crime, corrections, probations,
all of that, it’s very complicated.
Our Assembly people Jennifer
Johnston and Bill Evans
See Page 11, Assembly Approves Ordinance
Cooper Landing’s Sunrise Inn re-opens under new
ownership and a whole new look and menu
By Susanna LaRock
Turnagain Times
Cooper Landing Correspondent
Last winter, residents of
Cooper Landing lost their
local watering hole for the first
time in over a decade. Former
owner, Mary Louise Molenda,
after many years of serving
the community and several
years of trying to sell the
Sunrise Inn, decided to close
the doors of the bar and diner
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ANCHORAGE, AK
PERMIT NO. 353
ECRWSS
Postal Customer
for the winter of 2014/2015.
Residents and folks traveling
on the peninsula were
disappointed to see one of
the few businesses that are
available in the winter closed.
This winter it was looking
like more of the same. The inn
was closed after the fishing
season, and it looked like it
would remain closed until the
fishing season opened again in
the summer. Last November,
however, residents started
Inside this Issue
Letters to the Editor...............................3
Hope Happenings..............................5
Alpine Ski Championship................. 6
Cooper Landing News.....................7
Mountain News................................8
Lively Arts......................................9
Trooper Report................................10
Powder Hound.....................................11
Photo courtesy of Arden Rankins
The crew in Cooper Landing that’s been working on the renovation of the
Sunrise Inn stand in the new dining room. The Inn is under the new ownership
of Arden Rankins and her business partner Brian Kime.
See Page 7, Sunrise Inn
Page 2
Turnagain Times
February 4, 2016
The Girdwood Scene
By Gretchen Matt
Turnagain Times Correspondent
The legendary jamgrass band
Leftover Salmon demonstrated
their ability to move a crowd at
the Sitzmark, both through their
impressive music and earthshaking finale. Leftover Salmon’s three-day weekend started
out on Thursday, Jan. 21. While
the band warmed up on stage
before their first show, the lead
singer Vince Herman joined
me by the Sitz deck globe fire
to have a quick conversation.
Along with his love of Alyeska,
he shared his passion for dog
sledding, Alaskan summers,
and his status as a newlywed.
G: Where is your favorite
place in Alaska to visit?
V: John’s been a friend of
ours since 1990. John Byrnes,
from the hotel, so we love coming up here. They treat us great.
G: And you always play the
Sitz?
V: Yeah, we did Salmonstock, you know, we've done
the Beartooth, we've been up to
Homer at Alice’s.
G: Do you remember the first
time coming up to Girdwood?
V: They do a Wildflower
festival, kind of a folky festival
up here. I think I came up with
my other band, Great American
Taxi.
G: Yeah! And you're coming
back up here with them?
V: I’m not in the band anymore.
G: Uh oh, I might have wrote
some bad information in the last
paper…
V: Oh really? Oops.
G: Well that's what the Internet said….yeah.
V: When Salmon started
playing regularly again, I bailed
out of that band. It was just too
much to do both for me.
G: That's why I was surprised! I was like, maybe he's
going home and then coming
back.
V: Yeah, no more Taxi for me
these days, but like any taxi, it
rolls on no matter who’s in it.
G: What do you look forward
to the most when you hear you
are coming up to Girdwood?
V: Man, um, chilling in the
greatest hotel around!
PRICKLY PROGNOSTICATOR SEES HIS SHADOW
Photo courtesy of Ben Napolitano
Vince Herman lead singer of Leftover Salmon
performed at the Sitzmark last weekend.
G: Yeah, it's all hotel life for
you?
V: Yeah, I don't ski anymore.
G: What about meals? You
have any favorite meals in Girdwood?
V: Going up the glacier.
G: 7Gs?
V: Oh, it's great, yeah. But,
yeah, I really like getting my
steak on at the Double Musky.
I love the Musky. Sometimes
we have a day up here without
playing where we hang, and
those are the good days at the
Double Musky. Stay there for
hours, get all rowdied up, cause
a disturbance, ya know? But
when you play, you gotta keep
it tight. Yeah, we just love coming up. Down the Arm is always
beautiful. There’s just good cats
around here. The people who
started Salmonstock, ya know,
people who live around here are
doing great work. People doing
good things to keep Alaska the
treasure it is.
As Herman stated, Great
American Taxi is rolling into
Girdwood on Feb. 12 and
13. The Americana band was
formed during a hiatus of Leftover Salmon under the direction
of Herman in 2007. After Herman’s re-entry into Salmon in
2013, GAT kept its core members: Chad Staehly, Jim Lewin
and Brian Adams. Their latest
two albums have been produced
by Tim Carbone who is the fiddle player for Railroad Earth.
Check them out this Friday or
Saturday night at the Sitz!
Photo courtesy of Chandelle Cotter
While the rest of the world was banking on the insight from a ground hog in
Pennsylvania, the staff at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center were placing
their stock in a weather expert that is a little closer to home. The resident
porcupine on campus at AWCC, Snickers, came out of his home and proclaimed
another six weeks of winter for Alaska. For what has been an incredibly unusual
winter in Portage, winter is about all the animals are hoping for these days.
“These past few years have proven that although winter will show up on a
calendar, it doesn’t always show up here on campus,” AWCC executive director
Mike Miller stated when asked about the weather. “All of our elk still have their
antlers, and our bears are awake like its May,” Miller continued.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center will remain open exclusively on the
weekends, until February 22nd, when the public is welcome to visit seven days
a week again. After his adoring fans moved on to see the other AWCC critters,
Snickers climbed back into his house after what experts believe, was his ninth
perfect weather prediction.
By Phone:
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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 4, 2016
Page 3
Opinion
PADDY WAGGIN’
Did you ever just think to
yourself one day, “Boy, there
sure are a lot of weirdo’s in
this state.” I’m not talking
about those with severe
mental illnesses but your
everyday person who’s just
not all there. By no means
do I think this population of
strange behavior individuals
belongs in special homes, but
I would like to see them go
live on another planet.
I’ve run into dozens of
people since moving here
in 2004 that remind me of
a man I once knew in New
York. I’ll call him Fred for
this column, and he acted as
if the whole world were out
to get him. If you invited
him out for a drink or a bite
to eat he demanded all of
your attention and would
get jealous if you talked to
other people. He’d also get
up and leave in the middle
of a conversation because
you said some sort of trigger
word like “happy” or “okay”
to him while telling a story.
Everything had to do with
Fred and it always made me
wonder what went wrong
Paddy
Notar
in his childhood. But that
was one person in a very
populated state. Alaska seems
to have more fruitcakes than
a five dollar grab bag at a
Christmas party. It really is
strange to see so many people
that seem off their meds.
The American Psychiatric
Association, who should
have a field office up here,
explains behavior like this as
part of Histrionic Personality
Disorder. It begins in
childhood with the excessive
need for attention and
exaggerating your emotions
by being over the top with
laughter and being upset.
They like to be the big talker
but they lack details to their
stories and often are proven
wrong.
Some studies have linked
anti-social behavior to this
disorder. It’s as if the person
wants to be someone that
they aren’t by going out and
acting as if they’re the cat’s
meow of whatever place
the go to but the sad fact is
that they really just want
to be home alone probably
building a fort under the sink
while playing with the cat.
Other traits include anxiety,
paranoia, and narcissism. If
nothing else, it’s fascinating
to talk to these people and
watch their mannerisms. It
beats any kind of reality TV
show.
Eventually,
I
stopped
hanging out with Fred. The
weirdness was unmanageable
and he started screwing
up my other friendships.
People began questioning
as to why I would hang out
with someone like that. As
far as I know he spent the
next year badmouthing me
to anyone that would listen
to him. Do you know any
people in Alaska that are
like that? If you don’t help
them through life by holding
their hand and pumping up
their ego they suddenly snap.
You’ve become the problem
in their life and it leaves you
wondering who their next
victim is.
The problem with people
who have HPD is that they
also have a tendency to
explode with aggressiveness.
It’s similar to their verbal
cadence. One minute they
seem fine while laughing and
then something goes wrong
in their head and they start
yelling at you because they
think you’ve offended them.
They can’t keep reality real.
The same holds true for their
physical behavior.
A person with HPD can
go from calm to wanting to
choke you to death in a matter
of seconds. They just snap
for no reason. Psychiatrists
believe that this happens
because the person with the
disorder creates a scenario
in their head where you are
pushing their feelings aside
or are placating them. Many
psychiatrists feel this is a key
factor with domestic violence
and is the main reason men
go ballistic and attack their
wives.
Whatever the reasons are I
think living in Alaska has all
sorts of pressures. There’s
the lack of sunlight, then too
much sunlight, beautiful,
snowy winters, then rain and
mud winters, and many other
things but there definitely
seems to be a growing number
of weirdo’s that might just
be sociopaths brought on by
HPD.
I know I’m becoming
more aware of people that
seem very odd and a little
too “clingy” for my liking.
I’ll enjoy their company and
conversation, but I don’t plan
on handing over my smart
phone number anytime soon.
We’ve all made that mistake
with someone.
There haven’t been too
many studies to determine
what treatment is best but
most psychiatrists recommend
heavy doses of psychotherapy,
basically getting them to talk
all about their lives.
Spending time with these
people or involving them in
your life, is as my mother said
once, “If you’re about to walk
down a road at night and get
a weird feeling, turn around
and go the other way.”
Letters to the Editor
Financial Watch
Columnist’s blame misplaced
By Jeff Stanford
To the Editor:
I read with interest Paddy
Notar’s January 21 column
regarding
weather
and
roads. It seems there may be
a few pieces of information
that he might find useful.
First off, both the Seward
and
Glenn
highways
are
state-owned
and
state-maintained.
The
only municipal role is
maintaining some of the
traffic lights on behalf of
Alaska DOT.
Second, the Municipality
of Anchorage does employ
deicing fluid, magnesium
chloride. It’s not traditional
salt and it does tend to cause
grit stick to your vehicle,
but it doesn’t cause the
severe rusting associated
with traditional salt.
Third, and most relevant to
this matter, Girdwood roads
– like most roads in South
Anchorage, Eagle River,
Chugiak and Birchwood –
are not maintained by the
Municipality of Anchorage.
Instead they are part of road
service areas. In each of
these cases the area road
service board contracts with
the private sector for road
maintenance. The current
Girdwood
contractor
is
Cooley
Contracting.
Should Mr. Notar or other
Girdwood residents prefer
more use of salt and less
use of gravel, they would
be best served by working
through
the
Girdwood
Board of Supervisors and
Cooley Contracting.
In short, Mr. Notar’s
concerns may be valid,
but the blame he lays is
misplaced.
Patrick Flynn
Apple Dumpling Gang
(Assembly) member
District 1
Diabetes Clinic in Anchorage Feb. 20
To the Editor:
In the Jan. 21 issue of the
Turnagain Times, the article
on the Girdwood Health
Clinic title implies that the
diabetic conference is being
held in Girdwood. This is not
the case. We would like to
encourage anyone impacted
by diabetes to attend the
Taking Control Of Your
Diabetes to attend the event
that will be held in Anchorage
on Feb. 20. A brochure and
more information can be
picked up at the Girdwood
and Hope Clinics.
The Girdwood Health
Clinic would like to provide
everyone with Diabetes and
Hepatitis C the necessary
screening and primary care
for these and other chronic
conditions. Please call the
clinic more information is
needed.
Thank you for your help
spreading the word about
these important conditions
and the care that is now
available for them.
Kerry Dorius
Girdwood Health Clinic Inc.
Clinical Director
What a ride it has been
with the fluctuation of oil
prices and interest rates.
Both appear to be on a
downward slide. Thirty
year fixed mortgage rates
are consistently below 4
percent and 3.125 percent
on the 15 year mortgage
loan.
Home values continue
to increase in Girdwood
as well. Lower end priced
homes are selling very
quickly, often within a
day of being placed on the
market and with numerous
offers. Recently, we have
seen quite a number of
higher
priced
homes
being listed. This could
be the result of lower oil
prices having a dramatic
and negative impact on
oil industry jobs. There
is definitely a lack of
confidence in the air that is
resonating throughout the
state. Time will tell what
the final outcome will be.
In
financing
news,
Anchorage’s
financial,
insurance, and real estate
sector lost and estimated
100 jobs in 2015. Since
2008, this sector has
experienced
flat
or
declining
employment.
AEDC predicts this sector
will lose another 100 jobs
or 1.4 percent in 2016.
Slowing residential real
estate activity in Anchorage
is one of the primary reasons
employment in this sector
continues to decline. New
construction was down in
2015 as compared to 2014.
The downward trend in new
construction has increased
the demand for existing
homes in Anchorage and
the
surrounding
areas,
including Girdwood.
I’m seeing more people
buying in Girdwood and
commuting to Anchorage.
In summary, I think 2016
will be a turbulent year of
ups and downs, not just in
interest rates and real estate
prices, but in the Alaskan
economy as a whole. If you
are thinking of buying or
selling in the Girdwood/
Turnagain Arm area.
Jeff Stanford, AVP, is
a lifelong Alaskan and
Girdwood
property
owner and Assistant Vice
President Sr. Mortgage
Loan Originator for Alaska
USA Mortgage Company.
Page 4
Turnagain Times
February 4, 2016
South Anchorage News
By Amy Newman
Turnagain Times
South Anchorage
Correspondent
February may be the
shortest month of the year,
but it’s packed full of
activities – many related to
Valentine’s Day, which is
less than two weeks away.
February is a busy month in
my house, too; my daughters
turn 7 on the 17th, and my
husband and I celebrate our
12th wedding anniversary
on February 29 (in case you
forgot, 2016 is a leap year).
We’re taking advantage of
that extra day to skip the
Valentine’s festivities and
celebrate in typical Alaskan
fashion – escaping the cold
by going to Hawaii.
February is ‘Visit our
Schools’ Month
February has barely begun,
but if you have children
entering
kindergarten,
middle or high school in
the fall, it’s time to start
thinking about the 2016-17
school year. Whether you
have children attending a
new school in the fall, or if
you plan to try your luck at
getting into an optional or
charter school through the
school district lottery, now
is the time to check out the
school and see if it’s the
right fit.
Throughout the entire
month of February, every
school in the district will
host campus tours each
Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. (one
evening tour will be offered
on February 23 at 6 p.m.)
Tours are open to everybody,
whether you have – or will
have – a student attending
school in the fall, no
appointment necessary.
Valentine’s for Animals
at the Alaska Zoo
Show some love to our
furry friends at the Alaska
Zoo at the Valentine’s for the
Animals event on Saturday,
Feb. 13, from noon to 4 p.m.
Make Valentine’s cards at
the coffee shop to deliver
to your favorite animals
– there will be special
envelopes placed along the
trail fences to hold the love
notes. You can also enjoy
zookeeper chats, enrichment
and hands-on activities, a
scavenger hunt and a photo
booth in the greenhouse.
For more information, visit
alaskazoo.org/valentinesanimals.
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
South
Dinner
Sweetheart
Love is in the air at South
Restaurant, so make a date
with that special someone
for the Sweetheart Dinner
with South’s Chef Shane
on Saturday, Feb. 13. The
eight-course menu, prepared
tableside in South’s Back
Room, includes: butter
poached lobster in an
heirloom tomato broth;
seared scallops with beet
mascarpone ravioli; grilled
lamb with a white chocolate
risotto, and; a braised
duck crepe. Each course
is complemented by a
carefully selected wine. The
intimate evening (only 26
tickets are available) begins
at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are
$125 per person; call 7709200, or visit the front desk,
to reserve your spot.
Valentine’s Day Dinner
at Torchon Bistro
Torchon Bistro, which
serves contemporary new
American-French
cuisine
and locally sourced proteins
(when
available),
has
prepared a $99 prix fixe
dinner for Saturday, Feb. 13
and Sunday, Feb. 14 in honor
of Valentine’s Day. The
menu for the four-course
dinner includes a spiny
lobster and Dungeness crab
bisque, seared foie gras, your
choice of Australian rack of
lamb or grass-fed ribeye,
and a dark chocolate mousse
for dessert. Reservations are
recommended, and can be
made by calling 563-8888.
Torchon Bistro is located
at 1921 W. Dimond Blvd.,
across from Fred Meyer.
The restaurant’s regular
menu will also be available.
Zoo Adventure Camps
School’s out on Feb.
15th (President’s Day) and
19th (in-service day), so
the Alaska Zoo is hosting
two adventure camps for
Amy Newman/Turnagain Times
A plaque honors Girl Scout Troop 301. The troop works
to keep Potter Marsh free of litter and maintain the
wildflower garden.
children ages 6 – 12. “What
Does the Fox Say” attempts
to answer the question
posed in that grating song
of the same name, while
“Incredible Ice Bears” will
explore exactly how polar
bears survive in their icy
habitat. Visit alaskazoo.org/
adventure-camps for more
information and to register.
Potter Marsh Service
Projects Completed
If you’ve ever sat on a
bench during a break from
ice skating at Potter Marsh,
admired the wildflower
garden, or used a trail to
access the north end of
the boardwalk, you have a
local scout troop to thank.
Over the years a number of
scout troops have designed
and completed projects at
the marsh to earn a coveted
badge or simply to tackle a
community service project,
said Joe Meehan, statewide
program coordinator of
the Alaska Department of
Fish and Game’s Lands and
Refuges Program.
Eagle Scouts installed
the skating bench, painted
the highway side of the
boardwalk
and
planted
trees to separate the Marsh
from adjacent neighbors’
properties,
while
Girl
Scout Troop 301 adopted
Potter Marsh in 2013 as a
permanent service project,
going down twice a year to
pick up litter in the parking
lot, installing a bench on the
boardwalk and planting the
wildflower garden.
It’s all part of the
program’s effort to instill a
sense of pride and ownership
in public lands, especially
as declining budgets limit
the amount of time state
employees can devote to
upkeep.
“We’re trying to get
community stewardship and
appreciation of the marsh,
and ultimately project it
for wildlife and people’s
use,” Meehan said. “Getting
the community involved
is the best way to do that.
And working with kids
– obviously, they’re the
future of all these areas,
and building appreciation in
them when they’re young”
is one of the best ways to
ensure these areas continued
to be protected in the future.
Anybody interested in
completing a service project
at the marsh, or any of
Alaska’s state lands, can
contact Joe at 267-2281, or
joe.meehan@alaska.gov.
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 4, 2016
Page 5
Hope Happenings
By Jeannine Jabaay
Turnagain Times
Hope Correspondent
Hope
School
Remain Open
To
After
much
concern,
discussion and communitywide action, the Small Schools
Matter movement is pleased to
learn that the Hope School is not
in danger of closing its doors.
Current Alaska state statute
requires that each state-funded
school maintain a minimum of
ten students. The Hope School
currently sits just above that
requirement at 12 students.
As the state faces deep budget
cuts, one possible source of
cost savings is small schools.
A widespread possibility was
requiring Alaska's small schools
to have at least 25 students, a
number that the Hope School
hasn't seen in almost two
decades.
Rep. Lynn Gattis has put those
concerns to rest, confirming
that there is no proposed bill to
change the minimum nor will
there be. Legislators are being
forced to scrutinize any and
all state spending to determine
how to gap the state's massive
budget deficit. Cuts statewide
are inevitable, but there is no
bill being proposed to change
the school's minimum.
Well done to each of the
Hope community members
who rose up to shout their
support for Hope's beloved
school. For more information
on the statewide Small Schools
Matter movement, visit any
social media site and type in
#smallschoolsmatter. 
 
Hope Village
Reconvenes 
Council
Let your voice be heard at the
Social Hall in downtown Hope
as the Hope Village Council
discusses the relocation of the
solid waste transfer station. On
Feb. 13 at 3 p.m., the Solid
Waste Department will join
Hope Inc.'s regular meeting to
share the survey results from the
community comment. Spread
the word, and be a part of the
conversation. 
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
will be on hold for two weeks
(Feb. 6 and 13), and will start
up again on Feb. 20 and 27.
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. 
 
Valentine's, Live Music,
at Tito’s Discovery Café 
 Make your plans now to
celebrate Valentine's Day with
your sweetie at Tito's Discovery
Café. A prix fix menu, featuring
a surf and turf offering of rib
eye and shrimp scampi, will
be served with a light salad,
side of veggies, and completed
with a mouth-watering Maria
Motoyama
specialty
of
tiramisu. Valentine's seating
is from 5-9 p.m. Reservations
are not required but they are
encouraged. Call 782-3274 or
make contact through the Tito's
Facebook page. 
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. 
Essential Oils 101
You've heard all about them,
and now you can learn to use
them in your everyday life. Join
Deah Thompson in her quaint
downtown shop across from the
museum on Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. to
learn the basics of essential
oils. This class is free to attend
and open to the public. Want
to make your special someone
a custom handmade gift for
Valentine's Day? Then stay for a
workshop immediately after the
class to create custom blended
bath salts, roller balls, and
sprays. The cost for gifts range
between $8 and $15. Check out
Deah's Facebook page for more
information. 
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. 
Hope School News
The students of the Hope
School are once again
participating in the Battle of
the Books, which begins on
Feb. 2. 
The Hope Huskies
are represented by two teams,
the 3rd and 4th grade, and the
5th and 6th grade teams. Each
team will compete against
other KPBSD schools who
have also read a list of state
requires books. Good luck,
Huskies!
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.
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 per attendee,
this experience is affordable
and uplifting. Visit 
www.
KenaiChristianChurch.org for
registration information. 
 
Church News
The Hope Church welcomes
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Page 6
Turnagain Times
February 4, 2016
Jujiro Wada ‘Samurai Musher’ to be commemorated
By Lia Slemons
Special to the Turnagain Times
“This is my country,
Frank. I hope to live and die
here.” Jujiro Wada’s friend,
Frank Cotter, recorded this
sentiment during the historic
scouting trip he, Wada, Albert
Lowell, and a small team
of trailblazers made from
Seward to the gold fields of
Iditarod in December of 1909.
Wada and Lowell’s team
was hired by the Seward
Commercial Company to
string together the long-used
sections of trail between
Resurrection Bay and interior
Alaska. Mapping and flagging
a feasible route would firmly
establish Seward, rather than
Valdez, as the Gateway City
for Alaska.
On Jan. 11, 1910, Wada
was able to telegraph news of
their timely trek to the Seward
Chamber of Commerce from
Iditarod. The historic Iditarod
Trail, with Mile 0 in Seward,
shaped the settlement of
communities throughout the
Turnagain corridor.
Wada is now regaining
attention in many Alaskan
communities. The Kenai
Mountains-Turnagain Arm
National
Heritage
Area
awarded a $24,500 grant
matched with over $50,000
worth of other contributions
to the Seward Iditarod Trail
Blazers to create and install
a Wada memorial in 2016. A
bronze statue of “The Samurai
Musher”
commemorating
Wada’s accomplishments and
adventures is planned for the
Obihiro/Seward sister city site
on the Seward waterfront.
Jujiro Wada was born in
the village of Komatsu-cho,
of Shikoku Island, Japan, in
1875. At age 16, he left home
to San Francisco, probably as
a stowaway.
Wada was drugged in the
city and woke on an Arcticbound whaling vessel. The
captain taught his new cabin
boy English. Wada did not
squander his time aboard the
Balaena, which, Wada states,
boasted “an exceptionally
fine library … in the three
years I was on the ship I
read every book we had and
learned to keep the ship's log
and accounts. By the end of
the three years, I had a fair
English education," including
the navigational skills and
knowledge of biology that
would serve him in years and
miles to come.
Wada
traveled
the
Yukon and the Pacific. He
periodically, and briefly,
returned to Japan to visit his
mother. He remained close
to her throughout her life,
sending money, letters, and
photographs.
In interior Alaska, Wada
struck gold near Fairbanks
in 1903. He allegedly ran to
Dawson with news of the
strike. Frustrated gold-seekers
subsequently nearly lynched
the messenger.
Nome newspapers hailed
him as “King Wada, the chief
of the aboriginal people of Icy
Point,” apparently because of
trust by local Inupiat earned
by his role in negotiating a
fair deal on furs with white
traders.
Wada’s prestige in Nome
and statewide increased when
he raced four ultra-marathons
in 1907, winning $2,800 in
one 35-mile foot race.
Wada returned to gold
prospecting in the Yukon
and developed a productive
stake on the Tuluksak River.
He returned $12,000 in gold
to Seattle and re-equipped
with materials and men,
including other Japanese dog
team handlers. He earned the
financial backing of a variety
of entrepreneurs, including
Photo courtesy of Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm NHA
Jujiro Wada was known as the ‘Samurai Musher’.
E.A. McIlhenny, the Tabasco
king of Louisiana. Wada met
McIlhenny when he worked
as a mail carrier and fur trader
in Barrow.
National World War I
xenophobia spread to Alaska,
and in 1914 or 1915 an article
in the Cordova Daily Times
accused Wada of being a
spy. He carried in his pack
a detailed map of routes and
prospecting sites.
Wada lowered his profile
and continued to explore
Alaska,
trapping
and
prospecting. In 1937, though,
he was in San Diego when he
suffered a heart attack at age
62. He died three days later in
a hospital with 53 cents in his
pocket. He was buried in an
unmarked grave because no
acquaintance was found.
Jujiro Wada did not die in
his adopted home of Alaska,
but he certainly lived here. His
life of mushing, prospecting,
and trail blazing made an
impact on routes and rushes
throughout the state.
Reference: Matsuura, H.,
Blatchford, E., Wang, S., and
Nakazawa, T. (2014) Who is
the samurai musher? Jujiro
Wada. Studies in Science and
Technology, 3(2).
Alyeska hosts State Championship Alpine Series
By Jon Scudder
Turnagain Times
Ski Clubs across Alaska
including Alyeska, Juneau,
Fairbanks, Hillberg and Hilltop
are competing in the Alaska
State Alpine Championships
at Alyeska Resort through
Sunday, Feb. 7. The event
billed as Alaska’s premier ski
racing event will crown a State
Champion in three disciplines:
Super G, Giant Slalom and
Slalom. The event started
Tuesday, Feb. 2 with speed
training.
More than 120 skiers are
vying for the championship,
according to Alyeska Ski
Club Program Director Aaron
Stiassny, who is the chief of
race for this event.
“Alyeska Resort provides
incredible support for ski
racing, with early ride load
times, on-on-site ski patrol and
grooming the race venues,”
said Stiassny. He said the
majority of the competitors are
between 12-20 years old and
race in various age categories.
The categories from oldest
to youngest: U19, 16-18 years
old; U16, 14-15 years old; U14,
12-13 years old; and U12, 1011 years old. United States Ski
Association Ski Racing groups
athletes by their years of birth.
For example, U16 athletes are
the millennium generation
born in 2000 and 2001. There
will be some racers who are
younger and a few Masters.
Alyeska Ski Club U16 Head
Ski Coach Sophie Ostroski
has been pushing to train
and race more speed for the
athletes, and expects it to be a
competitive for the State Super
G titles.
“We have a fast group of
U16 boys who are pushing
each other’s pace and I
anticipate for them to do well,”
said Ostroski.
The Super G races took
place Wednesday, Feb. 3.
The Alyeska Cup is a fiveday series which started
Tuesday with a training day.
It progresses to feature two
Super Gs, two Giant Slaloms,
and two Slaloms. The first race
day of each discipline is for
the state championship title.
The skier who accumulates the
most points from the state title
races is crowned the Alyeska
Cup Overall Champion.
Racing began Wednesday
with the Super G and continues
with the Giant Slalom, today
and Friday, at the Race Trail;
racers travel out of state to
train at other resorts and to
participate in summer ski
camps off season.
“We have a strong program
with many talented skiers,”
said Stiassny. He said the
Alyeska Club skiers have a lot
of time on the snow this year
compared to last year. This is
despite the warm weather and
rain at the lower levels.
He said the Tanaka Hill,
where the club normally
trains, has been closed due to
Photo courtesy of Bob Eastaugh lack of snow so the program
Alyeska Ski Club U19 athlete, Hannah Lukes, carves
has moved training activities
through a Giant Slalom turn during the Coca-Cola
toward some of the higher
Holiday Classic. Hannah is a Girdwood resident and
elevations where there has
senior at South High School. Come watch Lukes
been plenty of snow.
and other ASC athletes compete at the Alaska State
The club’s programs have
Championships through Sunday, Feb. 7.
created a community where
generations of Alaskan skiers
and the Slalom, Saturday and 5-10; U16 Western Region
have achieved high levels of
Sunday, at the Steilhung Start. Championship Races are at
success on slopes around the
All events begin at 11 a.m. for Mammoth Mountain Resort
world and include alumni of
the first run and at 1:30 p.m. if in California, March 17-20;
Olympic, World Cup and U.S.
and U14 Western Region
a second run is needed.
Ski Team athletes, according to
The top competitors from the Championship Races are at the Alyeska Ski Club website.
Alyeska Cup earn qualifying Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
The Alyeska Ski Club is a
points, which could earn them in Wyoming, March 10-13.
nonprofit, volunteer-focused,
He said the skiers start in the public organization working
status to compete at Western
Region Championship Races fall with dry-land, off-snow with parents, families and
athletic conditioning and many other youth program to
held in March.
U19 Western Region races progress to on-snow when the provide exciting, challenging
are at Schweitzer Mountain resort opens in November. and
character
building
Resort in Idaho, March Additionally, many of the experiences for Alaskans.
Turnagain Times
February 4, 2016
Page 7
Cooper Landing News
By Susanna LaRock
Turnagain Times
Cooper Landing Correspondent
The Sun Returns to
Cooper Landing
As residents of Cooper
Landing will tell you, there is a
time in the winter months when
much of Cooper Landing does
not get any direct sun light.
The mountains surrounding
Cooper Landing make for
an incomparably beautiful
setting, but they also tend to
block any chance of the sun
shining down on us even for a
few minutes during those dark
winter months. The last week
of January was an exciting one
for Cooper Landing residents.
All over town you could hear
reports of sun shining through
windows and on yards from
many people who had not been
kissed by the direct glow of the
sun for months. For the last week
of January, all around Cooper
Landing, people were stopping
what they were doing to take
time to appreciate the return of
the sun, and dispositions were
generally brighter.
Students Begin Ski on Tuesdays through the first
week of April. If you happen
Lessons at Alyeska
For the seventh year in a
row, Cooper Landing School
students will be taking
six weeks of ski lessons
at Alyeska Ski Resort in
Girdwood. Every year the
Parent Advisory Committee
and the staff and students at
Cooper Landing School work
hard to raise funds and ensure
that the students have this
wonderful opportunity. With
the help of a community that is
so supportive of the school and
of the student’s endeavors, all
of the students will be learning
to ski, improving their skills,
or learning to snowboard
this winter. This program is
beneficial to the students in
many ways; it supplements
their
regular
physical
education curriculum, it builds
their self- confidence, and it
gives them an opportunity
to learn a new skill that they
may not otherwise be exposed
to. The students will head to
Alyeska for their first lesson of
2016 on Tuesday, February 2
and will be continuing lessons
to run into a Cooper Landing
School student, ask them
about what they are learning at
ski school and watch their face
light up.
Snug Harbor Road
Paving and Bike Path
Meeting
The
Federal
Highway
Administration and Ancor
Inc. will be holding an
informational
meeting
regarding the Snug Harbor
Paving and Bike Path Project.
Ancor Inc. was awarded the
project in November of 2015
and plans to begin fieldwork in
March of 2016. The meeting is
open to the public and will be
held at the Cooper Landing
Community Hall on Bean
Creek Road Wednesday, Feb.
17 from 5-7 p.m. This will be
an opportunity for residents to
learn more about the project
and construction schedule
and to have questions about
the project answered. It will
also be an opportunity for
representatives from the
Susanna LaRock/Turnagain Times
The afternoon sun peeks out from behind the
mountains and shines on a portion of Kenai Lake.
Federal Highway Association
and Ancor Inc. to meet with
residents of Snug Harbor road,
who will be directly affected
by the construction, and begin
the coordination that will be
essential to the project during
construction.
The
Cooper
Landing
Gun club will be hosting a
Cooper Landing Friends of
the NRA Banquet in April,
and tickets are on sale right
now. This event will be held
at Sunrise Inn and will help
to raise money for the Cooper
Landing Gun Club; tickets are
$50 per person and include
Arden’s amazing BBQ Rib
dinner, raffles, auctions, and
a chance to win guns, gear,
and more. Tickets are subject
to availability and they will
go quickly. Don’t miss your
chance to support the Cooper
Landing Gun Club and attend
this fun event; purchase tickets
on-line at www.friendsofnra.
org or contact Laura at
lauraway@yahoo.com.
served seven days a week.
The bar will be open late on
the weekends and the gas
station will be open as well.
When Arden talks about
the menu she emphasizes
that everything will be
homemade.
“There will be nothing out
of a box,” she said. “There
will be gluten free options,
and we will have the freshest
ingredients possible.”
The breakfast menu will
feature everything from
oatmeal to eggs Benedict.
The lunch menu will have
burgers, salads, soups, and
more. Arden’s famous blue
cheese stuffed mushrooms
will be on the menu and
poutine,
a
traditional
Canadian dish, will be served
as well. The dinner menu will
feature everything from pasta
to seafood, ribs and steaks
with homemade desserts to
top it off. The restaurant will
also be family friendly with a
special menu for kids.
The Sunrise Inn will
continue the tradition of
hosting community events,
and live music events for the
entertainment of the patrons.
The Cooper Landing Gun
Club has already booked a
fundraiser there in April,
complete
with
Arden’s
well-known BBQ rib dinner
and all the fixings. Plans
are in the works for a night
of live music to celebrate
the opening of the fishing
season. “We plan to have live
music every other weekend,”
Arden said, “unless there is a
demand for more.”
The Sunrise Inn is more
than just a bar and restaurant,
though, it is a motel, gas
station R.V. park, and along
with the bar liquor license,
there is a package store license
as well. There are plans in the
works to incorporate all those
aspects of the business.
Every motel room has new
TVs and bedding. In addition
to the rooms, there will be a
house available for rent for
a three-night minimum. The
R.V. Park will have 15 to 16
spaces available for people
to rent for the entire summer
season with winter storage
available.
There are visions of a small
liquor and convenience store
in the building next to the gas
pumps that has in the past
housed a gift shop.
“With
box
lunches
available for fishermen to
order the night before and
pick up early in the morning,
before they get on the river,”
Arden said. She’s not sure
if she will be able to make
that happen the first year of
operation, but she definitely
has a vision.
Tickets on Sale for
Cooper Landing Friends
of NRA Banquet
Sunrise Inn
Continued from page 1
hearing rumors that the it
had been sold and may open
soon. On Nov. 24 long-time
Cooper Landing resident and
owner of Kenai Lake Escape,
Arden Rankins partnered
up with Brian Kime and
purchased the Sunrise Inn.
Since the purchase there has
been much work going on at
the inn.
Arden, her partner Brian
and the crew of mostly locals,
who have been working on
the remodeling of the Inn,
have put a lot of love into it,
and it shows. The bar, diner,
kitchen and rooms have all
undergone some remodeling
and
redecorating.
With
such changes as new floors
throughout the bar and diner,
walls taken out and replaced,
new furniture, a huge
topographical map of Cooper
Landing painted by local
artist Katie Fiechtinger, new
appliances in the kitchen, and
everything freshly painted
throughout, anyone who had
been in the Sunrise Inn in the
past would not recognize it
now.
When the Sunrise Inn reopens, Arden will surely
bring her many years chef
experience at the Kenai
Lake Escape, her catering
business, and her training
in Canada to the menu and
the food preparation in the
bar and restaurant. Arden’s
past chef experience is vast
and diverse, and an obvious
testament to her ability to
bring some fabulous foods
to the community of Cooper
Landing. Arden grew up in British
Columbia
and
always
loved to cook. She got
her
first
professional
cooking
experience
in
geology exploration camps,
preparing meals for crews
in the mountains of British
Columbia. She went on to
a three-year apprenticeship
program with the Pacific
Vocational
College.
She trained in a French
restaurant in Vancouver;
then she started cooking at
the Engineer’s Club. Back
in 1985, the Engineer’s
Club in Vancouver was an
exclusive restaurant for men
only. Women were only
allowed in the establishment
if accompanied by a male
engineer, and Arden entered
through the back door to
cook.
“Eventually, I got the head
chef position,” Arden said.
The restaurant also hired a
male chef to assist her. “We
got along just fine, but one
day I saw his paycheck and
he was making more money
than me. That’s when I quit
and moved to Alaska.”
Arden lived in Anchorage
when she first moved to
Alaska, but she spent all of
her days off traveling in her
motor home. She would drive
down the Kenai Peninsula
and explore roads that she
had never driven before.
One day she was in Cooper
Landing and decided to
explore Quartz Creek Road.
“That’s when I saw my
place,” Arden beamed talking
about the property that is now
Kenai Lake Escape. “It was
just a tiny cabin on a little
over acre of land. I sold my
motor home and bought it.”
Arden has since built up a
lodge and catering business
at Kenai Lake Escape well
known for incomparable
hospitality, delicious food,
and a relaxing homey feel.
As a long time business
owner in Cooper Landing.
Arden has been happy to
give back to the community.
She has for years donated
her catering expertise to the
Cooper Landing Community
Library
Sweepstakes
Fundraiser. Arden puts so
much of herself into all
of her endeavors and the
Sunrise Inn is sure to be no
exception.
Arden plans to open the
Sunrise Inn the second week
of this month with breakfast,
lunch and dinner being
Page 8
Turnagain Times
February 4, 2016
Mountain News
• Sunday, Feb. 28 - 8:30 a.m.
• Registration starts at the
Ticket Offices on Feb 19th
• Open to all disciplines
Free your heel, free your
mind – Telepalooza is
back at Alyeska
King & Queen of the HillHow many telemark skiers
does it take to change a light
Head-to-Head Dual Slalom 
• Sunday, Feb. 28 – 2 p.m.
signature
punk/rock/Celtic
sound has almost torn down
the Sitz in the past, literally.
There shows are pure
craziness with dancing and
getting wild. The Sitzmark
VIP Concert Package is a
great way to get out and play
while taking out the worry of
where you’re going to crash
for the night.
Great Winter Eats at
Alyeska Resort
Alyeska
Resort’s
restaurants are open and
serving great food as we roll
through December. Whether
you’re in the mood for sushi,
pizza, or a tenderloin filet,
Alyeska has you covered.
Sakura Asian Bistro is serving
the best sushi in Alaska every
Friday – Monday from 5-10
Photo courtesy of Ben Napolitano p.m. Check out the daily roll
and entrée specials. Every
A bluebird day at Alyeska as seen from the top of the
Monday the chef offers up the
Silver Bowl hike.
popular beer and a roll special
for just $10! Swing in from 5-6
bulb? The answer is five, • Registration starts at the p.m. for happy hour, which
one to screw it in and four Ticket Offices on Feb. 19 and offers up a chef’s special roll
standing around watching ends at Noon on race day.
and discounted apps.
saying “duuuude, nice turns”. • Telemark Only
Aurora Bar & Grill will
Ok, so maybe that was a bad
continue to operate seven
joke but in all seriousness Rock Out and Stay the days a week beginning at 11
Telepalooza is a celebration night with the Sitzmark a.m. throughout the winter
of the telemark community VIP Concert Package
season serving delicious
that includes clinics, fun
Sometimes the adult life refined comfort food in a
races, demos, live music, and can be tough, you really family atmosphere. Menu
tons of fun, raffle drawings for want to go to rock out and highlights
include
fresh
gear, and tons of other prizes. go see a concert but you’re Alaskan seafood, steaks,
Proceeds from the charity worried about the commute gourmet sandwiches and
raffle benefit SheJumps, back home after the show. salads. Try one of the specialty
a non-profit organization There’s a balance between pizzas, including Margherita,
whose mission is to increase going all out and being able Alaskan Seafood, and Greek
the participation of women to get back to your bed, style or create your own. Visit
and girls in outdoor activities.  safe and sound. Does this the staff Saturday and Sunday
This year's theme: "Where sound like a situation you’ve mornings for Football Brunch
The Wild Things Are". All found yourself in? The Hotel and enjoy delectable Bloody
races are FREE as is music Alyeska has you covered with Marys and tasty brunch menu
each night, by one of our local the VIP Concert Packages for items.
favorites, The Hope Social the weekends that the headline
For dining with a view visit
Club! We have some great bands come to town, and it is Seven Glaciers, Alyeska’s
races and competitions for a deal to not miss.  Starting at AAA Four Diamond award
those brave enough! Check $139 a night, for the concerts winning
mountaintop
out the website for more in February this package not luxury restaurant. Offering
information.
only covers a room for two, signature Alaskan entrees in
but includes two tickets to the an elegant atmosphere, the
Events Schedule:
concert playing that evening, Seven Glaciers experience
NorthFace Vertical Challenge  a Sitzmark Music T-Shirt, is extraordinary from start to
• Friday, Feb. 26 - 9:30 a.m. and the opportunity to add on finish. Your journey begins
to 5:30 p.m. Race Time
discounted dining cards and with a scenic aerial tram ride
• Registration starts at the discounted lift tickets as well.  that takes you high above The
Ticket Offices on Feb. 21 at Please call our reservations Hotel Alyeska to 2,300 feet
9:30 a.m. limited to the first staff for more information above sea level. From this
50 people. 
and availability at 754-2111. mountaintop perch, Seven
• Open to all disciplines
With great shows coming up Glaciers is surrounded by
Classic Telemark Race w/ in February including Great nature from every direction.
Rapaloosa 
American Taxi February 12 This means that every table
• Saturday, Feb. 27 – 2 p.m.
& 13 with their classic rock/ features panoramic glacier
Americana sound. They’re and water views for a truly
Costumes Mandatory!
one part Wide Spread Panic, unique
Alaskan
dining
• Registration starts at the one part Jack White and one experience.
Chef
Aaron
Ticket Offices on Feb 19th at part Wilco. This show is a Gilman has carefully crafted
9:30am and ends at Noon on don’t miss for folks who like the Seven Glaciers' menus
race day.
to jam out to good music. with an emphasis on locally
• Telemark Only
Following will be Young available produce, seafood
Uphill/Downhill Race 
Dubliners Feb. 19 & 20, their 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 currently open Friday –
Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.
reservations are strongly
recommended. Call 754-2237
Hungry for lunch? The Bore
Tide Deli offers panoramic
views of Turnagain Arm, the
Chugach Mountain Range,
and seven "hanging" glaciers. 
Bore Tide Deli is a selfservice dining experience
featuring soups, salads, chili,
sandwiches, wraps, and snacks,
now proudly serving Boar’s
Head deli meats. Whether you
are spending the days skiing
in the snow or just checking
out the winter sights, Bore
Tide Deli is a memorable way
to enjoy lunch at 2,300 feet
above sea level. Come grab
some great food and great
views from 11 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. daily.
Recharge your body in
between runs or have an
après beer with the ski posse
by stopping into Girdwood’s
only slope-side bar & grill:
the Sitz! The Sitzmark is open
seven days a week and serves
up a variety of food from
south of the border favorites
to classics like the Tanaka,
build your own burger and
the popular Fire & Ice wrap.
Grab your favorite brew from
Alaskan, New Belgium, Sierra
Nevada and more. The full
bar and great bartenders will
mix you up any cocktail you
want or pour you a delicious
glass of wine. Tuesdays all
winter feature Absolut trivia
with great prizes up for grabs
while Wednesdays feature a
wide variety of ski films and
Hollywood movies. For a full
list of events and live music
visit www.thesitzmark.com
The Sitzmark is open daily at
11 a.m.
shows start 10pm | full schedule & advance tix online
fRee
feb. 5 & 6
Nervis Rex
Putting SKA in Alaska
$10
feb. 12 & 13
Great American Taxi
Americana Jam band
$20
feb. 19 & 20
Young Dubliners
celtic Rock
viP coNceRT PAcKAGe
starts at
By Ben Napolitano
Special to the Turnagain Times
$139
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
Turnagain Times
February 4, 2016
Page 9
Lively Arts
By Ron Holmstrom
Turnagain Times Correspondent
As a benefit for Standing
Together Against Rape,
(STAR,) our friend Colby
Bleicher is directing Eve
Ensler’s
The
Vagina
Monologues,
to
be
performed on Feb. 5 and 6 at
For the upcoming big
football day on Sunday,
Lounge Lizards by Terry
Earp at the Anchorage Lofts
Hotel will be hosting Super
Bowl Widows Day. You
can park your spouse/fan in
front of the Big Screen in
their Music Cafe while you
enjoy a great meal and the
Photo courtesy of Frank Flavin
Harold (Mark Stoneburner) returns home to wife
Penelope (Krista Schwarting) after being missing for
over six years in the play in the play Happy Birthday
Wanda June at Cyrano’s Theatre Company.
Mad Myrna’s, downtown at
7 p.m. Tickets are available
at Myrna’s. This play
has been performed in 48
languages and in more than
140 countries since 1996.
The Vagina Monologues
addresses women's issues
ranging from the beautiful,
funny, joyful to the complex,
powerful or challenging.
The mission of Standing
Together Against Rape,
Inc. is to provide the best
quality of crisis intervention,
education and advocacy
services to victims of sexual
assault and sexual abuse,
and their families and our
community.
Ms. Colby told me “The
cast is an exciting, extremely
diverse group of 15 women
many
with
performing
experience,
some
with
none – raising money for
an incredibly important
organization.”
Tickets are only $10, the
Myrna’s event may already
be sold-out at press time,
but STAR is also hosting a
Black Tie Gala in the Top
of the World Room at the
Anchorage Hilton where the
play will also be performed.
Tickets for the Hilton event
are $75. You may call STAR
at 276-7279 for tickets and
more information about this
outstanding
organization,
STAR’s website is here:
http://www.staralaska.com.
very wacky hit play in the
showroom right next door.
Then, right after the play,
join your fan in the Cafe and
enjoy some cool live music in
downtown’s entertainment
mecca. plus, if you want
to stay over in one of the
hotel rooms, You will get 35
percent off on your room. For
reservations, go to centertix.
net or call 263-ARTS (2632787.) There is also a great
romantic Valentines Day
Dinner, Show and Hotel
Room package being offered
for both Saturday Feb. 13
and Sunday Feb. 14. For
more about this, call the
hotel at 793-5555. Lounge
Lizards continues its usual
run Friday and Saturday at 7
p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.
Also,
downtown
at
Cyrano’s, the only play Kurt
Vonnegut ever wrote, Happy
Birthday
Wanda
June,
directed by Dick Reichman,
continues for just one more
weekend. Showtimes are
Thurs. Friday and Saturday at
7 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.
The New York Times said:
"Richly and often pertinently
funny...[with] a sure instinct
for the carefully considered
irrelevance.. It’s a great
deal of incidental hilarity...
[and] inspired idiocy." This
sharp satire, the author's
trademark, was written in
protest to Vietnam yet seems
pertinent today as well and
has been getting raves from
patrons and the press. The
show has been selling out,
so go to centertix.net or call
263-2787 for tickets.
Across town at Anchorage
Community
Theatre,
(ACT,) Over the River and
Through the Woods by Joe
DiPietro is playing through
Valentines Day. This funny,
heartwarming family show
has become hugely popular
with Anchorage audiences
and the local papers, as
well. It concerns young
Nick, at the weekly Sunday
dinner with both sets of his
beloved, (but annoying,)
grandparents, where he
breaks the news that he is
moving across the country
for a great new job. The
elders have other ideas
and have even invited a
beautiful young woman to
dinner. For Nick to meet.
(Wink - Wink!) The show
plays Thursday, Friday and
Saturday nights at 7 p.m.,
Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m.
ACT is located at 1133
East 70th, right off the Old
Seward Highway. Tickets
and more information about
their season are available at
their website: actalaska.org
or call 344-4713.
Also, to watch for, is
TBA Theatre’s upcoming
production of the classic
family musical, The Wizard
of Oz , which will be
opening later this spring, so
stay tuned. In the meantime,
check out their website at:
tbatheatre.org.
I would like to add just a
word about booking tickets to
local shows. Early in the run
is better. I have noticed over
the years that a great many
people wait until well after
a show has opened. Since
word of mouth begins to
spread, the last performances
often sell out and there is
simply no way to hold-over
a show in these busy venues.
Consequently, waiting until
the final weekend of a plays
run can practically guarantee
that there will be no seats
available.
So a word to the wise:
book your seats earlier in
the run and you won’t have
to miss some terrific local
productions.
In closing, thank you for
checking in on our Lively
Arts column each edition
and for tuning in to my
weekly FOX-4 segment,
Your Entertainment Link
on Thursdays during the 9
p.m.. Newscast. So get out
there and enjoy some local
theatre. And book your
seats early.
Participate in
Your Community!
The Girdwood Board of Supervisors meets
on the third Monday of each month at 7 PM
in the Girdwood Community Center.
Next Meeting: Monday, February 15
For Agendas, Minutes,
and more information go to
www.Muni.org/GBOS.
See you at the meeting!
Page 10
Turnagain Times
February 4, 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.
Vehicle Theft
GIRDWOOD—January
20 at approximately 8:44
a.m., William Johnson, age
28 of Girdwood, reported his
vehicle was stolen sometime
between Jan. 19 at 11 p.m. and
Jan. 20 around 8:15 a.m. The
vehicle was last seen parked
and locked at 150 Hightower
Road. The vehicle was a white
2001 Toyota Tacoma bearing
Alaska license plate GXG559.
Anyone with information is
encouraged to contact the
Alaska State Troopers at 2624453.
to milepost 67 of the Seward
Highway for a reported motor
vehicle collision rollover
with injuries. Investigation
revealed that Calum M.
Dixon, age 52 of Seward, was
traveling southbound in his
2002 Land Rover Freelander
when he lost control, crossed
left of center and struck the
northbound snowbank causing
the vehicle to go airborne and
roll several times. Girdwood
Fire and EMS, along with
Moose Pass EMS responded to
the scene to assist. Dixon and
his passenger were evaluated
at the scene and released
with minor injuries. Both
occupants reported wearing
their seatbelts. Glacier Towing
responded for the vehicle,
which was disabled. Alcohol
is not believed to be a factor in
this crash.
Motor Vehicle Collision
G I R D W O O D — J a n u a r y – Damage/DUI
Fraud, Theft
21 at 3:21 p.m., troopers
received a report of fraud at
a business in the Girdwood
area.
The
investigation
determined an unknown adult
male purchased an $8 item
using a counterfeit $20 bill.
The business employee didn’t
notice the counterfeit $20 bill
until 20 minutes after the fact.
The investigation continues.
Motor Vehicle Collision
MILE
67
SEWARD
HWY—January 23 at about
6 p.m., troopers responded
GIRDWOOD—January
24 at approximately 1:45
a.m., troopers responded to
milepost 1 of the Alyeska
Highway for a reported single
vehicle rollover collision. An
investigation revealed that
Christopher L. Hester, age 39
of Anchorage, was traveling
southbound on the Alyeska
Highway when he lost control
of his vehicle entered the
northbound ditch and rolled
over. Girdwood Fire and
EMS responded to the scene
and evaluated Hester and his
ROAD
PROBLEMS
HOTLINE
Girdwood Service Area
Road Maintanence Department
To report a road problem please call:
343-8374
passenger. Both occupants
reported
wearing
their
seatbelts and were released
at the scene without injuries.
Hester was determined at the
scene to be intoxicated and was
placed under arrest for DUI.
Southside Towing responded
to the scene and towed the
vehicle, which was disabled.
Hester was transported and
remanded to the Anchorage
Jail without incident where he
was held on $250 unsecured
bail.
Hit and Run
GIRDWOOD—January 24
at approximately 2:48 a.m.,
troopers were notified of a hit
and run traffic collision in the
parking lot of the Sitzmark
Bar and Grill in Girdwood.
An investigation revealed
that a mid-size pickup driven
by a male operator backed
into a parked blue in color
2003 GMC Safari causing
damage to the passengers
side rear sliding door and
then left the area. If you have
any information about this or
any other crime, contact the
Alaska State Troopers at 907262-4453 or Crime Stoppers at
561-STOP (7867).
DUI
GIRDWOOD—January 25
at about 11:17 p.m., troopers
responded to the area of North
Face Drive at the Alyeska
Resort for a report of a vehicle
in the ditch. Investigation
revealed William Brownfield,
age 55 of Girdwood, had been
driving while intoxicated and
drove off the road and into
the ditch. Brownfield was
arrested and remanded at the
Anchorage Jail without bond.
Texting While Driving
GIRDWOOD—January
26 at 2:52 p.m., troopers
arrested Ryan Morrill, age 39
of Fairbanks, for texting while
driving. Morrell was contacted
on a traffic stop for operating
a scene device while driving.
Morrill was operating an
early 2000s model passenger
car on Arlberg Avenue in
Girdwood. An investigation
revealed Morrill was reading a
text message from a handheld
device while driving. Morrill
was issued a misdemeanor
mandatory court appearance
citation for texting while
driving. Morrill was released
at the scene on his own
recognizance.
Theft
GIRDWOOD—January
27 at about 3:38 p.m.,
Jonathan Hartford, age 32 of
Anchorage, reported to the
Alaska State Troopers his skis
were stolen on Jan. 24 between
6-11 p.m., from the Alyeska
Resort. The skis were green
Line skis with white Look
bindings. The value of the
theft was approximately $950.
Anyone with information is
encouraged to contact the
Alaska State Troopers in
Girdwood at 783-0972.
Theft
GIRDWOOD—January
27 at approximately 3:30
p.m., troopers received a
report of theft from a vehicle.
Michael Krueger, age 40
of Girdwood, reported that
sometime between 2 and 4
p.m., on Wednesday Jan. 17
an unknown person(s) entered
his early 2000s model van
while it was parked unsecured
and unattended in the parking
lot area of the Alyeska Resort.
The item stolen was an Apple
MacBook Air 13-inch laptop
computer valued at $999. The
investigation is continuing.
Assault
GIRDWOOD—January 30
at around 4:31 a.m., troopers
responded to the Alyeska
Resort Hotel for a reported
physical altercation between
guests and hotel staff. An
investigation revealed that
Dillon E. Matteson, age 25 of
Anchorage, and his brother,
Davin J. Matteson, age 23 of
Anchorage, were involved in a
verbal altercation with security
staff that turned physical when
Davin allegedly attempted
to strike a security officer at
which time Dillon struck that
same security officer. Both
Dillon and Davin were charged
with assault and driven back
to Anchorage where they were
released without incident.
Turnagain Times
February 4, 2016
Page 11
Powder Hound
By Kirra Sherman
Falling in Love with Powder
You know that moment you
realize you’ve fallen in love?
It’s just an awareness that a
feeling has taken you. Then,
because you’ve had a moment
of realizing it, you, “whoosh”,
plunge even deeper into it.
Well, my love for skiing is
officially way past that point.
When I got back into my car
and started driving, I realized I
was still leaning into my turns
in the car. 
I’ve also started looking
at getting new skis that are
longer than what I’ve been
skiing. I have the Blizzard
Samba 152’s, which I love and
holds like hell on edge unless
I’m going really fast. So when
I threw on the Blizzard Sheeva
165’s and they held so strong
and sexy while giving me a
new turn shape experience, I
knew I was in big trouble. It
seems two set ups just aren’t
enough for this much skiing;
especially with the myriad of
conditions Alaska can throw at
us. They all ski so differently.
Dare I say I’m verging on a
quiver. In my mind, I know I
need to spend more money on
skis like I need a hole in my
head. And yet… in my heart,
regardless of two or three
setups, I’m finding myself
falling deeper in love and I
can’t help myself.
I’m laughing at myself
leaning into my turns both on
and off the mountain. 
I now have resigned to
knowing that I will ski at
least one lap a day, and not to
fight against it. I have found
a home at Challenge Alaska
and teach at least three lessons
a week. And while I take full
responsibility for all these
experiences, the desire to be
on the mountain is something
that feels almost like it’s
happening to me, that I am no
longer in control of where it
takes me. 
Next thing I know I’ve
signed up for the PSIA Level
I, Adaptive, with Challenge
because I love learning. The
more I teach others, the more
I learn and observe my own
skiing. And the more I play
with skis on the snow, the
more comfortable I am on
any conditions. One day I
just started skiing backwards
because I had to, and now I
can ski backwards faster and
switch around the hill while
moving—I still take diggers
and lose balance on flat
surfaces, but I’m pretty sure
I’ll always do that. 
I adjust and tweak each
time Miss. Brooke Edwards
takes me out for a lesson, and
then every so often, I have a
breakthrough where I really
understand what it means to
finesse the inside and outside
ski, and feel the difference,
or to hook up my edges at
the top of the turn, rather
than cheating it. Who knew
that would change my life so
much. Whatever epiphany it
is that strikes, it’s “click”, and
I am starting to ski a way I
couldn’t have grasped before. 
Some really good skiers
are taking notice to and tell
me how I’m really starting
to look like a good skier. I
don’t feel like a good skier,
so I haven’t been taking
those compliments very well
because half the time I’m face
down in powder, but just to be
clear, that doesn’t mean I’m
any less in love. 
Sixteen inches of Sierra
Cement pretty much flattened
me every 40 feet last week.
For any of you watching my
pink jacket, I admit I probably
didn’t get that far. My love is
growing; I can feel it sinking
into my body and bones.
Yesterday, I woke up with
slightly sore knees, and my
calf muscle feels like it may
never be normal again. My
ribs feel a little tender after the
Center Ridge opening on Jan.
31, but the perma-smile on my
face has barely worn off after
a few hours. 
Then there’s just being on
the mountain with a view to
behold, the inlet like a lake
mirroring the reflection of
Alpenglow and surrounding
mountains on a bluebird
January surprise. I don’t know
who the patroller was today
when I snapped his photo
looking out at the distance,
breaking for silence, for the
shimmering day we were so
privileged to share, and it
really doesn’t matter because
it could have been anyone; it
could have been you. 
The truth is that love is too
generic a word to capture
the feeling, overused, and
probably under-appreciated.
So I’ll leave you today with
silence, knowing we may
share the same leaning into
our turns, creaking in our
knees, and involuntary smile.
And so just like falling in love
with another, this passion for
powder just keeps taking me
deeper.
homes and property, but there
still needs to be people who
need to be educated about this.
We had seven public meetings
and went to rotary and other
organizations.”
O’Malley also expressed his
concerns for the lack of police
protection in other Turnagain
Arm communities like Rainbow,
Indian, Bird and Portage. All of
these communities are part of
the municipality, but Anchorage
police do not extend their
services to these areas. Local
policing of Turnagain Arm
and the Seward Highway has
always been the responsibility
of the troopers, but with the
six Girdwood-based troopers
relocating to Seward, Palmer
and Anchorage, the resources
available to police Turnagain
Arm communities will not be
readily available.
“Frankly, it really isn’t my
business that there is no plan
for Bird Creek and Indian,”
said O’Malley, “but I feel an
obligation to them for their
safety and protection. They
didn’t have any option, no
plan B, and if the plan fails in
Girdwood, we will be in the
same boat. I don’t want anything
bad to happen, but it is my
concern that there is not a plan
B and that is the municipality’s
responsibility to take care of
Bird Creek and Indian. They
don’t have a way of raising
their taxes, and they don’t have
a Board of Supervisors. My
feeling is somebody should
have looked out for them.”
Assembly Approves Ordinance
Continued from page 1
listened to the resolution that
the Board of Supervisors sent
forth and that resulted in the
ordinance that is before you for
the proposal for the election,
and I hope that you will approve
it.”
The Whittier police option
was included in the ballot
language, but also added was
the language “or by other
means” leaving the door open
if a contract is not reached
with Whittier to negotiate with
another agency or if in the future
the GBOS seeks to pursue other
options, it can do so.
Contracting with the Whittier
Police Department is also the
most financially feasible with
a budget estimated at $620,00
compared to the $2.6 million
price tag for the Anchorage
Police Department. The APD
plan was to bring in 21 officers
to patrol the local area with
three officers per shift, and three
shifts per day, 24 hours a day.
Whittier, on the other hand,
will use two officers on-call
24 hours a day and on duty 16
hours a day.
The tax rate to cover the cost
of Whittier police services is
based on an estimated mill rate
of 1.18 mills or $118 for each
$100,000 of assessed taxable
property based on the assessed
2016 value of the Girdwood
Valley Service Area. If the
proposition is approved, the
increased mill rate will be
applied this year.
Assemblyman
Patrick
Flynn, who owns property in
Girdwood, but is not a resident,
expressed his support of the
ordinance.
“I compliment the people of
Girdwood and Ms. Johnston
and Mr. Evans on a very elegant
solution,” he said. “They are
creating their own service
area, already established, as a
roads service area there, and
allowing them to contract with
the city of Whittier, thereby
avoiding the complication of
trying to incorporate them
into Anchorage because that
would be an extraordinarily
complicated thing to explain
‘saying, by the way Anchorage,
we want you to allow Girdwood
to tax themselves to allow our
cops to go there.’ That’s a very
tough argument to make. This,
I think, is a very simple and
appropriate solution.
“I appreciate the hard work
that has gone into it. Mr.
O’Malley, I know you spent
a great deal of time on it, and
the whole board of supervisors
have spent a lot of time on it.
I pick up the Turnagain Times
every time I’m down there, and
I think this, despite that fact it’s
going to cost me some money, I
think it’s a good choice.”
One issue not resolved with
the ‘police protection services’
proposition is the lack of police
coverage for communities
between McHugh Creek and
Portage, including residents of
Crow Creek Road.
“Basically everybody’s just
scratching their heads as to what
happens in those areas if there’s
crime,” said Assemblyman
Evans. “Certainly nobody’s
patrolling there and who do
they call. The tax service areas
are great in one way, but when
it comes to police officers or
these things that we consider
fundamental services, I find it
very problematic. But I think
like Mr. Flynn said, the people
in Girdwood did an excellent
job of finding a solution that
kind of works for them and
is cost effective, and it at least
takes care of their problem. So
I urge my colleagues to vote for
it.”
Four days after the Assembly
meeting, O’Malley told the
Turangain Times that it is not
a certainty that the community
of Girdwood will vote in favor
of a local police force. He
believes the votes to approve
the proposition will come down
to the year-round residents
who have a vested interest in
the security for their homes,
as do the second homeowners
who won’t be voting but are
important nonetheless.
“We’re in a good position
because about half of the
property taxes are paid for by
people who own second homes,
but don’t vote in Girdwood,”
he said, “and they provide
half or more of the tax dollars.
There will be a benefit to these
homeowners who don’t live
here because there will be
police here that will protect their
Page 12
Turnagain Times
February 4, 2016
Girdwood 2020
Continued from page 1
amazing support of military members and their families.
“What an honor,” said Sullivan, referring to her
husband’s feelings. “It meant so much to him to give
that award. This was really, really important to him. He
supports the vision of Girdwood 2020--we both do.”
Livingston the took the podium and described the
Girdwood 2020 board and membership as a diverse
group with a passion for responsible growth and a deep
love of community. “Their vision can be realized by
developing and sustaining a world class, four-season
destination that protects and markets our most valuable
asset – our valley’s unique setting,” she said.
The Girdwood 2020 membership is a group of nearly
1,000. The executive committee includes a Permanent
Fund trustee, the general manager of the state’s largest
shipping company, three vice presidents of Native
corporations and the owner’s representative of Alyeska
Resort. Directors also include architects, retail owners
and a retired school administrator, realtors, a CPA and a
government relations consultant.
One retail owner is Carol Makar, who is on the board
of directors of Girdwood 2020. She is a long-time,
Girdwood resident and owner of The Ice Cream Shop,
along with Bud and Carol’s Bed and Breakfast. During
the event she, along with Livingston, talked with this
reporter and offered their insight and personal experience
in Girdwood 2020 and the organization’s goals.
“I like the fact that I see so many people from all
walks of life participating in a well thought out manner
to support the mission statement,” Makar said. “Having
been on the board of directors for three years now, I feel
that I have learned, and continue to learn, so much, as I
watch Girdwood 2020 work with different entities for
the benefit and safety of the Girdwood community.”
“Being on the BOD gives me the opportunity to see
firsthand some of the local issues on the table,” she
added. “By doing this I can help clarify to community
members what I see from my point of view if there is
confusion or rumors about situations that may arise.”
Livingston echoed Makar’s dedication to
improvement, “Girdwood 2020’s over-riding focus is
community advocacy,” said Livingston, who is also a
former three-year member of the Girdwood Board of
Supervisors.
“Girdwood 2020 enjoys a strategic partnership with the
Girdwood community through the Girdwood Board of
Supervisors and with Alyeska Resort,” said Livingston.
“We recognize that Girdwood and the Resort are a
significant economic engine for South Central Alaska,
and we are constantly working to improve this asset.”
According to Livingston, Girdwood 2020 and Alyeska
Resort representatives actively work with our elected
officials to continually update and advise them regarding
local issues, and to seek support where appropriate.
Girdwood 2020 is in its 16th year and has spearheaded
many community projects and infrastructure over the
years. “In the few years past, we were awarded grants
for some major community improvements,” said
Livingston, who has lived in Girdwood since 1979.
Some of the projects Girdwood 2020 are the Arlberg
Extension to gain access up valley and open the lands to
further use; Olympic Mountain Loop Rehab to improve
access to valley trails and businesses; Egloff Drive
Rehab to improve access to the Fire Station, Library,
Community Meeting Room and South Townsite area;
and Rehab Girdwood Pedestrian Safety Corridor to
improve ingress/egress and safety for users.
Many of these projects will be completed in 2016,
with possibility of some overlap to 2017, according to
Livingston.
©Heatherthamm
provide funding for all the programs and projects of
Girdwood 2020.”
Keynote speaker for the evening was Julie Fate
Sullivan, who is an Athabascan Alaskan Native, a
graduate of Harvard University, and the wife of Alaska
U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is also a United States
Marine.
The couple has three daughters, one who aspires to
live and raise her family in Girdwood and motivated
her mother to speak at the Girdwood 2020 event. “That
is what Girdwood 2020 is all about, our children, our
children’s children, our future and the future of the
community. It’s all about families,” said Sullivan.
Growing up in Fairbanks, she shared her past living
in the frigid north, talking about fish camp, skiing, and
eventually coming to Girdwood with her husband about
25 years ago. She said they absolutely fell in love with
Girdwood. Her favorite memory was in 2006 following
a lengthy military deployment. “He did not want to go to
Disneyland, he wanted to go to Girdwood.”
“Honestly, it was one of the most special moments
for us,” she said. “After so much uncertainty and so
much time apart, to just be here, under these beautiful
mountains and this healing air. I can’t even describe it.
It is one of those memories you always have with you
forever.”
She commended Alyeska Resort for supporting local
military service members and their families through
discounted programs, and monthly “Military Mondays.”
“It may seem like a small thing, but you’ll never
know how much it means to those families who have
sacrificed so much,” she said. “In this community that
support really starts with leadership at the top.”
She recalled when her husband gave an award to
Alyeska Resort owner John Byrne for the Resort’s
907-754-2111
AlyeskAResoRt.com
telepAloozA
"Where the Wild things Are"
super Bowl
specials
kickoff is at 2:30pm Alaska time!
Watch it on the big screen at the sitz,
or 42" plasma tV's at the Abar.
Feb. 26 - 28
FRidAy
sAtuRdAy
RomANce pAckAge
stARtiNg At
midWeek*
$159
stay and enjoy champagne, chocolate & tram tickets.
Add on a lift ticket or dining credit for $40!
“BRAts & tots”
*Based on double occupancy, subject to availability, taxes and fees.
Housemade brat with sauerkraut
& stoneground mustard, served
with tater tots | $12
VAleNtiNe's At seVeN glAcieRs
BuFFAlo style poRk sHANk
With bleu cheese mashed potatoes
& celery salad | $22
chef’s 5-course tasting menu
Available Friday, saturday & sunday starting at 5pm
Reservations recommended | 907-754-2237
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
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