August 10, 2016 - Glacier City Gazette

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VOLUME 1 / ISSUE 12
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
LOCALLY OWNED AND PRODUCED IN GIRDWOOD, ALASKA
Spencer Glacier
Tour
Page 7
Rebuilding Girdwood’s fire hall
By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
With the Arlberg Extension, Egloff Road
and bike path renovation projects ongoing,
it’s easy to forget that Girdwood Volunteer
Fire and Rescue is having its fire hall rebuilt.
The project will expand and update the building while including significant upgrades.
When completed, the modernized building is
expected to be operational for the next thirty
years or more.
Construction began in the middle of May
when the department moved out and consolidated its equipment before ground was
broken. With a projected 18 months of continuous work, completion is expected by next
August. The cost of the rebuild is $4.1 million,
and it is funded by a state grant. The project is
currently on schedule and on budget.
Interim Fire Chief Will Day gave an interview to the Gazette while giving a tour of the
construction site to explain the new additions
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
Girdwood Volunteer Fire & Rescue’s hall is receiving an extensive
rebuilding that should be completed by next August. The old
cement has been taken out and
new cement will be poured soon.
and features. Chunks of cement that used to
be the floor lay in a jagged pile, awaiting removal. Workers prepared the area with rebar
where the new floor is soon to have its ceSee back page
Tasting series a unique treat
By P.M. Fadden
Associate Editor
Tuesday Night’s Summer
Tasting Series blends craft
brews with grilled cuisine
amidst the friendly comfort
of a music-infused, outdoor
seating.
Hosted on alternating
Tuesdays at renowned Girdwood restaurant Jack Sprat
and sponsored by popular
retail libation station La Bodega, the on-going calendar
event marks its second, successful year of evening introductions to Alaska craft
brewed beer, valley culinary
flavor and local musical talent.
Cooperatively led by
Sprat management and La
Bodega’s Pamela Hatzis, the
Summer Tasting Series concluded its 2015 launch after
six well-received evening
events.
“The concept is to enjoy
an informal, outdoor party
among your neighbors and
friends,” said Hatzis. “[Tasting Series] is fun, and people
really seem drawn to it.”
The 2016 Summer Tasting Series schedule is an
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ANCHORAGE, AK
PERMIT NO. 26
ECRWSS
Postal Customer
P.M. Fadden / Glacier City Gazette
Jack Sprat SousChef Rob Glover
prepares a burger
grilled to order at
Summer Tasting
Series’ most recent
Tuesday installment.
ambitious expansion upon
first year success. Series dates
have expanded to include 6
p.m. starts every other Tuesday, May 31st through September 6th.
“We saw a really good
following from last year’s
Tasting Series,” said Jack
Sprat Front of House Manager Sioux Blackledge. “It’s a
family-friendly, kid safe environment with local music
and beer, so it’s bound to be
really cool gathering of the
community.”
The informally formatted proceedings occupies
the outdoor seating and fire
pit to Sprat’s front terrace,
offering space for children
to play and adults to dance
beneath panoramic Alyeska
views. Marquees shelter
chefs, brewers and acoustic
guitar duo Cerutti and Eriks-
son flank the terrace area.
Guests congregate along
aligned table fronts sampling artisanal brewed taster
‘flights’ or poured pints while
awaiting grilled to order culinary accompaniments.
“That these evenings are
separate from restaurant
service adds to the Tasting
experience,” Blackledge said.
“You meet the brewers first
hand and chat with the chef
while watching your selection cook. [Jack Sprat] hosts
other events throughout the
year, but this series is definitely special.”
Established for nearly
two decades as among Girdwood’s premier dining locales, the fourteen tabled,
bar-fronted and outdoor
seated ambience of Jack
Sprat was considered the
natural choice for Summer
Tasting Series’ first two years
in action.
“[Jack Sprat] is one of
those locations able to facilitate most occasions or
events,” Blackledge said.
“We’re a flexible staff accustomed to keeping pace with
a busy flux.”
The restaurant is enjoying
yet another, consecutive, record breaking summer season of business. While the
restaurant reports average
diner numbers of 200 persons during summer weekends and 80 persons over
winter, 2016 seasonal figures
See back page
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
A Dall sheep nursing her ewe
The Phoenix in Bird Creek
By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
The Phoenix, carved by Jordan Anderson,
is currently on display outside at Turnagain
Gallery in Bird Creek.
Rather than rise from
ashes, this Phoenix rose
from red cedar with the deft
touch of chainsaws. With
wings flapping at 11 feet
high and its charred, beaked
head looking fiercely upward
at nine feet, this carving is
intimidating and fascinating. There is something
indescribable that feels real
about the wooden bird, like
the mythical creature could
come to life at any moment.
And watch out if it did.
For carver Jordan Anderson, imagination and inspiration intersected to create
The Phoenix. He has transformed the bird of myth into
a tangible, physical presence that is visually powerful, especially up close. Each
footstep around the carving
yields new perspectives that
reveal the depth of Anderson’s artistry and skills.
There are many details to
take in. Large wings with
layers of feathers are ominously suspended just at the
moment The Phoenix lifts
off from the fire. The carving
has a number of places where
a propane torch has been apSee page 11
Glacier City Gazette
Page 2
Letter to the Editor
Community of Girdwood:
As you may be aware, Alyeska Resort believes that the better policing option to transition into a Girdwood police model
is to contract with the Alaska State Troopers (“AST”) and not
the Whittier Police Department. While we acknowledge that
Whittier has shown good faith efforts to negotiate a contract
with Girdwood, we do not believe that such should be the reason to choose the poorer of the two options.
In an effort to understand what AST is offering, representatives of Alyeska Resort met with representatives of AST and
the Public Safety Department on August 1, 2016 for a couple
of hours. The result of that meeting is that the Resort does not
believe that the Community of Girdwood really understands
what AST is offering and what issues will be created by Girdwood contracting with Whittier. Following are a few facts
and issues we learned from the meeting with AST. Our understanding is:
1. If a contract were entered into with AST, AST would
assign six (6) Troopers the Girdwood Post, three (3) of the
Troopers would be Bureau of Highway Patrol Troopers and
three (3) Troopers would be general Troopers; the Girdwood
post at the Tesoro would stay open;
2. AST would commit to a three (3) year contract at $620,000
a year. There would not be additional charges for serious crime
investigation, no additional costs for prisoner transport, fuel,
cars, or helicopter, the $620,000 would be essentially for salaries and benefits and the cost to keep the AST Post in Girdwood open;
3. Contracting with AST would make available to Girdwood
all AST resources, including serious crime investigations,
search and rescue, helicopter, and crime lab. If Whittier had
to pay for these AST services, if offered by AST, the cost of a
Whittier contract could exceed the $615,000 per year contract
price. The importance of this is immediately evident in the
resources that AST is providing with respect to the lost hiker
on the Winner Creek Trail. Could or would Whittier provide
those services? Would AST charge Whittier for such services
if Girdwood contracted with Whittier? What would be the
cost for such services?
4. If Whittier contracts with Girdwood, AST would likely
provide support to Whittier for investigative services, including serious crimes, and special cases for only a couple of years
and after the first year, AST would likely expect Girdwood to
contribute to the costs of those services up to the maximum of
the established mill levy cap;
5. A contract with AST would result in at least the status quo
of service, but likely improved services. While AST could not
commit to a Girdwood response time, AST would commit to a
greater presence in the community at places (including school)
that the community would request and have after hour Troop-
OBITUARY
August (Gus) Zaccaro
August Zaccaro was
born March 11, 1927 in
Bressanone, Italy. His parents were Maria Schram
Zaccaro and Luigi Zaccaro.
August was conscripted
by the German and Italian
army at the age of 16 into
W.W.II. Following the
war he immigrated to the
United States in 1956. He
lived in New Jersey until
1958 when he traveled
west to Sun Valley, Idaho
where he was employed
on the Ski Patrol. He then
moved to Kalispell, Montana where he was employed by the U.S. Forest
Service. There he met his
wife, Edna Faye Windiate. They were married in
December 1959.
August and Edna traveled the Alaska Highway
in 1960 where they filed
on homestead land in Dot
Lake. They lived in the
Interior until 1963 when
they moved to Anchorage
and subsequently to Girdwood in 1968. They both
worked for Alyeska Resort until the mid 1980’s.
During his twenty-year
career with Alyeska Resort, August was head of
the ski patrol and was an
Glacier City Gazette
© 2016 Roaming Wolverine Media, LLC
We cover the communities of Rainbow,
Indian, Bird Creek, Crow Creek, Girdwood,
Portage, Whittier, Moose Pass, Cooper
Landing, Hope and South Anchorage.
August 10, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 12
>> IN THIS ISSUE
ers on call in South Anchorage 24/7. AST is willing to engage
in community policing activities such as coming to the school
and helping establish a Neighborhood Watch;
6. The training that Troopers receive is longer and more in
depth. While all officers in Alaska are required to attend one
of three police academies in Alaska, Troopers have an additional training period of (3) three weeks and are provided better
hands-on experience more quickly before being assigned to a
rural area;
7. We were informed that because of the way Alaska law is
written, a police department could hire anyone with a modicum of training as a police officer and give that person a year
to go through an academy. It would be possible for a police
department to hire seasonally and hire persons as police officers
that don’t get through the academy and then lay them off before
the end of the year period;
8. If AST lays-off the three (3) Troopers and then the Community of Girdwood attempts to go back to AST because of
a problem with Whittier or an early termination of a Whittier contract, it would be unlikely that AST could make the
same offer because AST would have to hire and train three (3)
Troopers which could take up to 18 months;
9. Significant concerns with a Whittier contract include, but
aren’t limited to, 911 calls and dispatch, prisoner containment
and prisoner transport, costs of future serious crime investigations; and
10. AST is willing to commit to what it offered previously and enter into a three (3) year contract. It is believed that
Whittier would like to be able to terminate the contract upon
notice, possibly as little as thirty (30) days’ notice.
Are we certain that the $615,000 paid annually to Whittier
by Girdwood residents will pay only for public safety in Girdwood or is a significant motivation of Whittier to enter into a
contract with Girdwood to supplement Whittier revenue?
For these and other reasons, Alyeska Resort believes that
contracting with AST for three (3) years while Girdwood investigates whether it can establish its own police department
is the better option. There are just too many uncertainties and
unanswered questions with a contract with Whittier. Once a
mutually acceptable contract with Whittier is agreed to by the
Municipality of Anchorage on behalf of Girdwood, the AST
option is likely lost. Alyeska Resort believes that the AST option has not been sufficiently presented to the Community of
Girdwood. A hurried vote was taken at the May GBOS meeting before the proposed AST option could be thoroughly discussed. At a minimum, it is our belief that there should be a
properly noticed town meeting where all of the facts concerning a proposed Whittier contract and the AST option can be
fully laid out and another vote taken.
Playful Wolf Sisters
A year ago, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center...
Page 4
Frozen in Time
A look back at the week
that was...
Page 5
HEADLINE
READS
3 top stories
from home
and away
Blueberry Festival
Turnagain Arm berry yields
hang harvest ready upon...
Page 6
Page 5
Spencer Glacier Tour
Page 7
Alyeska Resort
avalanche technician. He
also worked as a heli-ski
guide for Far North Ski
Guides, Inc. In addition
to his work for Alyeska
Resort, August and Edna
owned Alyeska Chalet
Builders, a contracting
firm in Girdwood. The
company built several
homes in the early years
of Girdwood.
In 1987, August moved
to Mt. Shasta, California
where he resided until his
death on July 6, 2016.
August is survived by
his ex-wife, Edna, and four
children: Marco Zaccaro
of Girdwood; Maria Zaccaro of Portland, Oregon;
Lara Hildreth of Anchorage; and step-daughter,
FVCS
All those sunny days full of
fun activities...
Page 9
Cindy Buchanan of Seattle.
He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Brent
and Christina Buchanan,
Cabell and Sage Hildreth
and Dessa, Brenner and
Leland Zaccaro.
August’s ashes will be
brought back to Girdwood.
Published the second and fourth
Wednesdays of the month
Email:
marc@glaciercitygazette.net
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1903
Girdwood, Alaska 99587
Alyeska
Sitzmark music just keeps
getting better...
Page 10
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
Jeremy Cerutti and Kurt Eriksson play
outdoors at the Jack Sprat Tuesday Night
Summer Tasting Series.
Marc Donadieu – Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
P.M. Fadden – Associate Editor
Marlene Buccione – Chief Photographer
Matthew Bailey – Graphic Designer/Webmaster
Volume 1, Issue 12 | August 10, 2016
Glacier City Gazette
SALMONFEST 2016
Page 3
Live Music
BROWN BEAR SALOON
Aug. 12 – mini-festival, $15 cover,
6:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Dead Winter
Carpenters, The Dirty Hands, High
Pets, Hazia
Aug. 19 – Pot Roast (8 p.m.)
CHAIR 5
All shows start at 10:30 p.m.
Aug. 10 - Edge or the West
Aug. 11 - Aurtur Leland
Aug. 17 - Dan Lesperance
Aug. 18 - Junosmile
SILVERTIP GRILL
All shows begin at 8:30 p.m.
Girdwood musicians were well represented
at this year’s Salmonfest in Ninilchik. The
Dirty Hands (top left) and Hope Social Club
(bottom right) were photographed with a
fish eye lens. King Sam (right) is the star of
the parade on Saturday. Ava Earl (top right)
plays a solo set. Eli Whitney (bottom left) of
The Dirty Hands plays the baritone sax.
Aug. 12 - Boogie Shoes
Aug. 13 - Dan Lesperance
Aug. 18 – The Honky-Tonk Rebel
Mario Carboni
Aug. 19 - Lost Smoke
Aug. 20 – Wrick Luv
TRAIL LAKE LODGE
Aug. 19 - Tyson James and
The Strangs
Aug. 26 - Emma Hill and
Bryan Daste
Sept. 10 - End of Season Blowout
with The Shootdangs
SITZMARK
All shows start at 10 p.m.
Aug. 13 – Dead Winter Carpenters
Aug. 20 – Grant Farm
Aug. 26 – Super Saturated
Sugar Strings
Aug. 27 – Super Saturated
Sugar Strings
JACK SPRAT
Community Calendar
Aug. 23 – Tuesday Night Summer
Tasting Series. The Dirty Hands
and Arkose Brewery
Aug. 14 – THE SPORTSMAN - Houston vs. San Francisco Potluck BBQ.
The Sportsman opens at 2 p.m. The game starts at 3 p.m. Bring food.
Aug. 26 - MUSHROOMS & MARTINIS COCKTAIL PARTY – 7:00 - 10:30 p.m.
This is a fundraiser for the Girdwood Center for Visual Arts and the signature event of the Girdwood Fungus Fair weekend featuring mushroom
themed appetizers and cocktails, live music by the Super Saturated Sugar
Strings, silent auctions and fungi games. Tickets are $49 per person and
available at the Alyeska Tram Ticket Office, (907) 754-2275.
Aug. 26-28 - GIRDWOOD FUNGUS FAIR – The fair is a weekend celebrating
all things fungi, with displays, talks, forays and evening entertainment.
Learn about mushrooms in our area from national and local mycologists
at the U.S. Forest Service Glacier Ranger District Office, 145 Forest Station
Rd. More information at fungusfair.com.
Aug. 27 - GIRDWOOD LIONS 17TH ANNUAL HUMPY FEST AND RUBBER
DUCKY RACES – Food and Humpy Derby - Town Square Park, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
165 Hightower Rd.
Girdwood, AK 99587
(907) 783-2594
Community Calendar submissions and letters to the editor
for the next issue should be submitted by Aug. 20.
THE GLACIER CITY GAZETTE
To Go orders welcome
is looking for freelance writers and photographers
in Cooper Landing, Moose Pass and Hope.
9 a.m. to midnight
Please contact: marc@glaciercitygazette.net
Wednesday thru Monday
Breakfast served all day
Glacier City Gazette
Page 4
August 10, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 12
Playful wolf sisters
By Marc Donadieu
Glacier City Gazette
A year ago, the Alaska
Wildlife Conservation Center acquired a female wolf
pup named Deshka as part
of a program to maintain
wild wolf genetic lines in the
event of a severe population
crash requiring reintroduction. Although she befriended a large domestic dog as a
companion, it was not the
same as interacting with another wolf.
right over and let Deshka
sniff her. We haven’t seen an
ounce of anything that looks
like aggression. They are
very comfortable with each
other and fit together very
quickly.”
Cotter likes what she sees
when the sisters interact,
especially when they engage in behavior typical for
their wild brethren. When
Deshka is greeted by Brie,
her ears are down and her
tail is in a more submissive
position. Then they go right
ing physical punishment.
The training is based on trust
and building relationships by
working with them in a way
that they benefit.
“We do a lot of husbandry
training,” Cotter said, “things
like teaching them how to
have a physical examination
and have a vet give routine
vaccinations. You just want
it to be more comfortable
for them and their life here
in human care. By teaching
them those sorts of things,
their life is better.”
“Deshka is just enamored with Brie’s tail.
She thinks the tail is quite the fun new toy.”
Doug Lindstrand / Special to the Glacier City Gazette
Deshka (r) grabs her 16-week old sister Brie’s tail regularly.
– CHANDELLE COTTER,
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING MANAGER FOR AWCC
At the end of July, Deshka
was introduced to her now
16-week old sister named
Brie, and the two have been
rowdy playmates ever since.
Brie had been quarantined
at the facility for a month as
a safety precaution and met
her sister after being deemed
healthy. AWCC would eventually like to acquire a male
wolf and establish a pack, but
have no immediate plans to
do so. A pack living together
is a healthier, more normal
situation for the wolves than
living by themselves.
Chandelle Cotter, Animal
Behavior and Training Manager for AWCC, was present
for the introduction of the
wolf sisters when Brie was
placed in Deshka’s enclosure.
“The introduction was absolutely perfect,” Cotter said.
“They both were very excited
to see each other. Tails were
wagging. Brie has really nice
wolf behavior. She rolled
into play mode and run after
each other.
“They chase each other
a lot,” Cotter said. “They’ll
take turns doing what we
might describe as ‘playing
tag’ where one will nose the
other one and take off running so that the other one
will chase. They go back and
forth doing that. It’s really
fun to watch. They do a lot
of wrestling in the grass and
pulling on each other’s fur in
a play type manner. Deshka
is just enamored with Brie’s
tail. She thinks the tail is
quite the fun new toy.”
The wolves are receiving
training from Cotter and Sarah Howard, the center’s Animal Curator. They use operant conditioning to train, so
the animals act based on past
decisions they’ve made. The
trainers are not forcing or
dominating the wolves into
compliance, and they are not
withholding food or impos-
The wolves have been
taught a number of behaviors that they benefit from,
make them easier to manage,
and improve their quality of
life. Besides being taught to
sit on command, they have
learned a behavior known
as recall, which could prove
useful should a difficult situation arise.
“One thing that’s important that we do with them is
behavior called a recall,” Cotter said. “We blow a whistle,
and wherever they are in the
enclosure, they come over to
us. It’s a really good safety behavior, so if something were
going on, it means dropping
everything and get to me as
fast as you can.”
As a result of the training,
Cotter and Howard can go
in and out of the wolf enclosure without the Brie and
Deshka trying to escape, and
they can go back and forth
between trainers. There are
also tactile activities such
as touching them for acclimation to human contact
and getting them ready for
injections for vaccinations.
Brie is learning to walk on
a leash and wear a collar for
the future wolf education
program, which includes a
new building designed to
help educate the public.
Cotter says the wolves
are incredible smart, so she
has to be ready with next
task right away because they
are always anticipating one
step ahead. If Cotter takes
too long to deploy the next
task, Deshka and Brie give
behaviors they haven’t been
asked for because they anticipate something else is
coming. Another challenge
is managing their exuberant
energy levels and unbridled
enthusiasm.
“Sometimes they get really, really, really excited, and
they’re big, powerful animals. When they’re excited,
they might push you or
something, not on purpose.
It’s getting them to calm
down and focus. They’re
also not domestic animals
Doug Lindstrand / Special to the Glacier City Gazette
Sarah Howard trains Brie and Deshka.
at all. They are still wild.
They’re not tame. They’re
just well trained. Sometimes
in new situations, it might
take them a little bit longer
to be comfortable.”
Cotter said she has developed an amazing relationship with Deshka, who
is not above using a bit of
wolf-like persuasion to try
to convince the trainer to
stay longer.
“When she sees me start
getting ready to leave the
enclosure,” Cotter said, “often times she’ll go stand in
front of the door and sort
of push me with her nose
back toward the middle of
the enclosure because she’s
not ready for me to leave
yet. She knows right when I
head in that direction.”
In captivity, wolves can
live 15-20 years. Training
them allows for better care as
their medical needs increase
with age and allows for a
better life. If they were not
trained, the facility might
not be able to administer
as much preventative and
regular medical care. A balanced, varied diet helps keep
Brie and Deshka healthy as
well. They are fed raw meat
and whole prey such as rabbits. They also get a little bit
of kibble mixed in to help
clean their teeth, and once
in a while they are given donated moose bones to chew.
Cotter was hopeful about
the education goals of the
Doug Lindstrand / Special to the Glacier City Gazette
Chandelle Cotter bonds with Deshka as part
of her training.
wolf program at the wildlife center. She hopes people learn about some of the
lingering inaccuracies and
myths about wolf and pack
behavior.
“It’s important people
learn more about wolves,”
Cotter said. “They’re a keystone species, meaning that
their presence affects every
other animal in that ecosystem. There are a lot of studies coming out saying that
our traditional beliefs of
what a wolf pack looks like
or interacts is not necessarily going on.”
Cotter referred to some
of the misperceptions such
as the behavior of alpha
animals and how they hold
their dominance by regularly fighting for leadership. While wolves in the
wild are the leading cause of
death to other wolves and
will vigorously defend their
territory from other packs,
behavior within the packs is
a different matter. Much of
the pack’s interactions are
designed to reduce conflict
and acknowledge the established hierarchy of their
family units.
“They aren’t these vicious, ferocious animals that
are trying to kill each other
all the time. Yes, they are
apex predators. They’re incredibly powerful animals,
but as we work with them,
we’re understanding more
about how incredibly loyal
they are to each other, how
incredible their family unit
is to each other,” Cotter said.
By working with these
animals the way that we
do, we’re able to be part of
that social structure in a safe
way without having to use
things like dominance and
punishment. It’s positive for
the animal.”
Volume 1, Issue 12 | August 10, 2016
Glacier City Gazette
Page 5
FROZEN IN TIME: A look back at the week that was…
By P.M. Fadden / Associate Editor
Monday, August 8 – A cold day in the kitchen when in 1899, the
first household refrigerating machine is patented.
Tuesday, August 9 – A busy date across the ages. In 480 B.C., King
Leonidas of Sparta is at long last overcome at Thermopylae by the
millions strong slave army of Persia. Pope Sixtus IV celebrated a 1483
inaugural Vatican mass in the Chapel which would later bear the
name Sistine in his honor. Fictional character Smokey the Bear is created in 1944 through joint efforts of the U.S. Forest Service and the
Ad Council. And, in 1945, the U.S. B-29 bomber Bock’s Car is given
clearance to drop the second atomic device upon Nagasaki, Japan.
Wednesday, August 10 – William Driver of Salem, Massachusetts
coins the term “Old Glory” in reference to an American flag flying
from ship, USS Charles Dagget, 1831.
Courtesy photo
Known simultaneously as the Great Bambino, Bronx Bomber, and
Sultan of Swat, there was only one George Herman ‘Babe’ Ruth. Here,
American baseball’s famous ‘called shot’ leaves the bat of the Babe.
Thursday, August 11 – Famous New York Yankee Babe Ruth, a.k.a
the Sultan of Swat, hits his 500th MLB home run, 1929.
Friday, August 12 – Bleep-Bloop-Bleep; computer giant IBM unveils its first personal
computer, 1981.
Saturday, August 13 – Under cover of darkness, world leaders order construction to
begin on the Berlin Wall, 1961.
I
Sunday, August 14 – Alaskan Proud: First official election
was held to name a 1906 Alaskan Congressional Delegate –
actually, two Delegates were elected: Frank Waskey for short
term and Thomas Cale for full.
These dates in history are happily brought to you by the Glacier City Gazette in the hopes that
the current week is just as noteworthy. Cheers.
Start off the new
school year with
clear vision.
FZFFYBNTŗHMBTTFT
DPOUBDUMFOTFT
TQPSUTGSBNFTŗWJTJPOUIFSBQZ
HEADLINE READS
3 top stories from home and away
By P.M. Fadden / Associate Editor
WORLD VIEW - Competitor Decries Olympic Rules ‘Dangerous’
Several high-profile injuries during the Rio Olympics prompt doubts over
games’ scoring system, said top German gymnast Fabian Hambuechen.
Criticism came on the heels of French gymnast Samir Ait’s gruesome leg
break during a Saturday vault attempt reports NBC World News.
NATIONWIDE - Mayor Resigns Under ‘Meth-for-Sex’ Shadow
Fairfax, Virginia, mayor Richard Silverthorne resigned following his arrest
last week for allegedly trying to exchange methamphetamine to undercover detectives in exchange for sex. Sting operations had been in place
since July, city officials said Monday.
FRONTIER FOCUS - Capped Gas Rupture at Dimond Mall
The South Anchorage mall was evacuated and all roof air intakes shut
down in response to ventilation system funneled gas entering the mall’s
atmosphere, said Anchorage Fire Chief Dennis Leblanc. Enstar Natural
Gas Co. has since capped the broken line and shoppers are again admitted entry to the building. There are no reported injuries.
Convenient Midtown Location
Saturdays & Evening Hours
Call 770-6652
Walk-ins welcome
makareyecare.com
Glacier City Gazette
Page 6
A berry, merry festival
By P.M. Fadden
Associate Editor
Turnagain Arm berry
yields hang harvest ready
upon the branch as residents set for 2016’s Alyeska
Resort Blueberry Festival.
Spanning the August
20–21 weekend, this annual
homage to all things blueberry features free live performances, berry inspired
treats, beverages, activities
roster, massages, contests,
a fun run and an enthralling, hands-free pie eating
contest.
“The Blueberry Festival
is a celebration of the final days of summer as well
as Alaska’s lush blueberry
season,” said Alyeska Resort Mountain Marketing
Manager Ben Napolitano.
“The festival combines live
music, local arts and craft
vendors, blueberry themed
events as well as a beer and
wine garden.”
Entering its 9th annual
celebration, Blueberry Fest
combines already popular
valley attractions with the
geography’s naturally bountiful berry harvest. Festival
goers are invited to ride Mt.
Alyeska’s Chair 7 for easy
uphill access to prime berry
picking locales. Outdoor adventure and guiding service,
Ascending Path announced
intentions to organize expert lead Blueberry Strolls
to educate with regard to
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location as well as harvest
while on the trail.
Hand-in-hand with any
Alaskan wilderness exposure goes necessity for
awareness and safety education. Representatives of
the Forest Service Ranger
District plan instruction on
festival blueberry picking
as well as Bear Aware information.
For the shopping enthusiast, retail outlets, Alyeska
Mountain Sports and Glacier Gift & Gallery unveil
their annual Blueberry Sidewalk Sale within Hotel Alyeska hallways.
Sunday’s six kilometer
Blueberry Stomp Fun Run
kicks-off the festival’s final
day. Runners assemble at
Arlberg Road’s ‘T’ intersection for 9 a.m. sign up before commencing 10 a.m.
race action along Girdwood
Nordic Loop. The fun run is
expected to attract as many
as fifty participants, dependent upon weather.
“Alyeska organizes the
event internally each year
with members of Food
& Beverage, Marketing,
Events, Mountain, Banquets
and Hotel staff all contributing in their own way to pull
it off,” Napolitano said. “It’s
very much an all-hands-ondeck weekend with festival,
hotel, Sitzmark, music, food
and beverage, mountain
Alyeska Marketing photo
The August Blueberry Festival is renowned for
tastings of specially prepared treats featuring
the prominent valley berry.
as well as tram operations,
and retail [representatives]
all needing to be part of the
weekend as a whole to make
it successful.”
Resort figures estimate
between forty to fifty staff
directly facilitate the blueberry-based extravaganza,
which draws visitor crowds
ranging from 2,000 to 4,000
visitors.
“The entirety of the event
is held in the hotel court
yard,” Napolitano said. “The
hotel definitely sees a bump
in business for the weekend.
Hotel occupancy, tram ridership, F&B and Sitzmark after
party all see more people.”
Napolitano expects to see
visitor arrivals from around
the state of Alaska as well as
hotel guest participation.
“The event has certainly
grown over the years by
increased vendor participation, larger-named musical
acts, events like the Blueberry Stomp 6K Fun Run
and of course the pie eating
contest,” Napolitano said.
“Blueberries grow more
than any other berry on the
mountain, plus it’s a popular local Alaskan food that
can be used for many different things,” he said. “I think
people come to the festival
to pick berries and also be
inspired to get creative with
their own blueberry themed
creations.”
For more information on
enjoyment or involvement in
Alyeska Resort Blueberry Festival contact (907) 754-2111
or visit alyeskaresort.com.
701 West 36th Avenue
(Olympic Center)
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 562-6911, Ext 2
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Volume 1, Issue 12 | August 10, 2016
Glacier City Gazette
Page 7
Spencer Glacier Tour
All photos by Marlene Buccione, Chief Photographer
Glacier City Gazette / alaskabymarlene
The Glacier City Gazette’s Chief
Photographer Marlene Buccione
recently went on the Spencer
Iceberg and Placer River Float
with Chugach Adventures.
The tour begins by taking the
Alaska Railroad to the whistle
stop at Spencer Lake, paddling
to Spencer Glacier and Iceberg,
followed 7 miles of rafting down
the Placer River to get the
return train.
Glacier City Gazette
Page 8
August 10, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 12
PUBLIC NOTICE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION
Kenai Hydro, LLC
Project No. P-13212 -005
NOTICE OF SCOPING MEETINGS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SITE REVIEW AND SOLICITING SCOPING COMMENTS
(July 22, 2016)
Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with Commission and is available for public inspection:
a. Type of Application: Application for Original License for Major Project — Unconstructed
b. Project No.: 13212-005
c. Date filed: April 18, 2016
d. Applicant: Kenai Hydro, LLC
e. Name of Project: Grant Lake Hydroelectric Project
f. Location: On Grant Creek, near the Town of Moose Pass, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. The proposed project would occupy 1,741.3 acres of federal land within the Chugach
National Forest managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 791(a) - 825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Mike Salzetti, Manager of Fuel Supply & Renewable Energy Development, 280 Airport Way, Kenai, AK 99611. (907) 283-2375.
i. FERC Contact: Kenneth Hogan, kenneth.hogan@ferc.gov, 202-502-8434.
j. Deadline for filing scoping comments: October 10, 2016.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file scoping comments using the Commission’s eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You must include
your name and contact information at the end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 208-3676 (toll free),
or (202) 502-8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20426.
The first page of any filing should include docket number P-13212-005.
The Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure require all interveners filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an intervener files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular
resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency.
k. This application is not ready for environmental analysis at this time.
l. The proposed Grant Lake Hydroelectric Project would consist of: (1) an intake structure within Grant Lake; (2) a 3,300-foot-long tunnel; (3) a 72-inch-diameter, 150-foot-long, steel
penstock; (4) a power house containing two 2.5-megawatt Francis turbine/generator units; (5) a 95-foot-long open channel tailrace; (6) a 3.6-acre tailrace detention pond; (6) a 1.1-milelong, 115-kilovolt transmission line; (7) two miles of project access road; and (8) appurtenant facilities.
m. A copy of the application is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission’s website at http://www.ferc.gov using the
“eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. Copies are
also available for inspection and reproduction at the Kenai Community Library at 163 Main St Loop, Kenai, AK 99611 and at the Homer Electric Office at 280 Airport Way, Kenai AK
99611.
You may also register online at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.
n. Scoping Process
The Commission intends to prepare an Environmental assessment (EA) on the project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA will consider both site-specific and cumulative environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.
Scoping Meetings
FERC staff will conduct one agency scoping meeting and one public meeting. The agency scoping meeting will be held during business hours and will focus on resource agency and
non-governmental organization (NGO) concerns, while the public scoping meeting is primarily for public input and will be held in the evening. All interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are invited to attend one or both of the meetings, and to assist the staff in identifying the scope of the environmental issues that should be analyzed in the EA. The
times and locations of these meetings are as follows:
Evening Scoping Meeting
Date and Time:
Location:
Wednesday, September 7, at 7:00 p.m. (Local Time)
Moose Pass Community Hall
Mile 29.5 Seward Highway
Moose Pass, AK 99631
Daytime Scoping Meeting
Date and Time:
Location:
Thursday, September 8, at 10:00 a.m. (Local Time)
Moose Pass Community Hall
Mile 29.5 Seward Highway
Moose Pass, AK 99631
Copies of the Scoping Document (SD3) outlining the subject areas to be addressed in the EA were distributed to the parties on the Commission’s mailing list and to Kenai Hydro’s
distribution list. Copies of the SD3 will be available at the scoping meetings and may be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov using the “eLibrary” link (see item m above).
Environmental Site Review
The Applicant and FERC staff will conduct a project Environmental Site Review beginning at 8:00 a.m. on September 7, 2016. All participants interested in the environmental site
review and hiking into the location of the proposed powerhouse should meet at the Moose Pass Community Hall on the Seward Highway at mile 29.5 by 8 a.m. on September 7, 2016.
Participants should be in good health and prepared/able to hike without assistance for 5 miles in unimproved trail conditions with a 200 yard section of off trail hiking in a heavily
forested area. The elevation gain for the hike is approximately 200 feet. Participants should also pack their own lunch, snacks and water, wear rugged footwear, and be prepared for
inclement and potentially cold weather conditions. Anyone with questions about the site visit should contact Mike Salzetti at (907) 283-2375 or msalzetti@homerelectric.com. Those
individuals planning to participate in the site visit should notify Mr. Salzetti of their intent, no later than August 26, 2016.
Objectives
At the scoping meetings, the staff will: (1) summarize the environmental issues tentatively identified for analysis in the EA; (2) solicit from the meeting participants all available information, especially quantifiable data, on the resources at issue; (3) encourage statements from experts and the public on issues that should be analyzed in the EA, including viewpoints in
opposition to, or in support of, the staff’s preliminary views; (4) determine the resource issues to be addressed in the EA; and (5) identify those issues that require a detailed analysis, as
well as those issues that do not require a detailed analysis.
Procedures
The meetings are recorded by a stenographer and become part of the formal record of the Commission proceeding on the project.
Individuals, organizations, and agencies with environmental expertise and concerns are encouraged to attend the meeting and to assist the staff in defining and clarifying the issues to be
addressed in the EA.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary
Glacier City Gazette
Volume 1, Issue 12 | August 10, 2016
Page 9
Four Valleys Community School
By Briana Sullivan
Special to the Glacier City Gazette
All those sunny days full of fun activities,
topped with smiles, great company, and
the refreshing cool breeze to cool us off are
mere memories. FVCS captured images of
many bright days, including the final Summer Intensive, Girdwood Olympic Games.
The Games was the official end to the inaugural Intensives, coming in with a solid
finish for the summer in numbers, according to program director Erin Leighton.
Participating in the Olympics, were
10 4-7th graders and 12 K-3rd graders.
Crafts focused on Olympic history. Each
child was able to choose a country and
decorate a t-shirt with their country’s flag
across the front. Youth kept score on a dryerase board, tallying times and lengths on
a chart, where they likely learned to spell
more countries. Kids put forth best efforts
from Olympic Ring Hoopla, relay races,
balloon volleyball and headstands, to long
jump and sprinting.
Medals were created and sculpted from
toothsome ingredients adorned with chocolate chips and polished with a familiar
golden outside, baked to perfection. These
cookies tied with string were awarded to
countries across the playing field. Shining
smiles lined up for a brief photo shoot during their medal ceremony.
Art Camp is happening now as well as
SMASH Tennis Camp with Aaron Haines.
Check Facebook for photos or ask a local
young Girdwoodian how their summer
with FVCS is going! Only days remain before school begins, FVCS moves back into
our office at the Girdwood K-8 school and
our next session begins.
Board Member Position
Open
Have you considered being more involved in your community? Would you
like to be an instructor or volunteer with
FVCS? Perhaps a board member position
is of interest. All are a great place to begin and continue making a difference. Our
next meeting is Thursday, September 8,
at 7 p.m. in the Girdwood K-8 School Library. Anyone interested in learning more
about the board is welcome to attend.
Save the date
A.N.O. (aka Adults’ Night Out) is Saturday, October 15 at Challenge Alaska. This
annual fall fundraiser is an excellent way
to reconnect with all your neighbors and
friends after an Alaska summer and fall of
play. FVCS looks forward to seeing you
on this fun occasion of local people, hors
d’oeuvres, beer and wine.
FVCS is part of your life: Make it a part
of your legacy. Have you ever thought
about giving through your will? A gift to
FVCS will not impact your current in-
Brianna Sullivan / Special to the Glacier City Gazette
A t-shirt created for the Girdwood Olympics Games.
Brianna Sullivan / Special to the Glacier City Gazette
The dry-erase score board youth
tallied for each event during the
final Summer Intensive, Girdwood Olympic Games.
come. It will, however, impact future generations from Girdwood, Bird, Indian and
Portage who experience the community
of Four Valleys. The educational, cultural,
and recreational activities provided to this
valley exist because of dedicated staff and
volunteers, generous financial support and
the quality of people who make FVCS. You
can choose to donate with a specific place
in mind, whether it is funding our annual
Brianna Sullivan / Special to the Glacier City Gazette
Indigo Hobson paints her country’s t-shirt to wear during the final Summer Intensive, Girdwood
Olympic Games, held July 25-28.
operations or growing our endowment.
Learn more at fourvalleys.org/donate/ or
contact us (907) 742-5317.
907-783-1910
SALES
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
RENTAL PROPERTIES
www.GlacierCityRealty.com
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Glacier City Gazette
Page 10
August 10, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 12
Alyeska at a glance
By Shannon Markley
Special to the
Glacier City Gazette
Sitzmark
Music Just
Keeps Getting
Better
Remember that band
you saw at Salmonfest and
thought, “Who ARE these
guys?!” Well, at the Sitz, we
are giving you another amazing performance from them
for free. That’s right FREE.
From North Lake Tahoe,
California the Dead Winter
Carpenters will be taking the
Sitzmark stage on Saturday,
August 13th.
These guys unquestionably pour their heart and
soul into each performance,
and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Their progressive nature
comes through loud and
clear – from instruments
plugged and unplugged – in
the band’s coming release,
Washoe (February 26). The
band’s fourth studio project, the 12-song collection
of originals was recorded
in Reno’s Sierra Sonics Studio (think Ozzy Ozbourne,
Eminem, Dr. Dre, Collective Soul) and co-produced
by Dead Winter Carpenters
and Zachary Girdis. Anyway
you want to put it it, these
guys are incredible and are
sure to put on a fantastic
show.
These guys aren’t coming
on their own either, as they
have brought along Arthur
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Lee Land, lead guitarist from
Great American Taxi who
has broken out to produce
some amazing solo work
as well. This Lyons, Col.
based singer and songwriter released his 4th Album,
Cracked Open, in May of
2013. His groundbreaking,
loop-artist style is unforgettable. “Rarely have I listened
to a CD by an unknown artist
that instantly grabbed hold
of my senses and transported
me into a special place. This
is one of the best albums I
have ever heard,” says Bob
Leggett of the Los Angeles
Examiner. Arthur Lee Land
will be joining us on the Sitzmark stage for Après Biking,
from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday,
August 13th.
Blueberry
Festival is Back
at Alyeska
In celebration of this
wonderful little fruit, Alyeska is holding the 9th annual Blueberry Festival at
The Hotel Alyeska on August 20th and 21st. This
family-oriented outdoors
Photo courtesy of Alyeska Resort
The 9th Annual Blueberry Festival takes place on August 20-21.
event features FREE live
music including headliners
Grant Farm, berry picking,
local arts and crafts booths,
tasty blueberry treats, beer
and wine garden, hiking
and biking, chair massages,
pie eating contest, blueberry creations contest and
more! Whether you’re in
the mood for funnel cake
or fine art, our local vendors will have what you’re
looking for. Events begin
at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday
and Sunday and run to
around 6:00 p.m. For a list
of featured events, their
times and locations please
visit our website at www.
AlyeskaResort.com. There
will also be an Information
Booth by the base of the
Tram as well for balloons,
berry picking buckets and
Photo courtesy of Alyeska Resort
The 9th Annual Blueberry Festival takes place
on August 20-21.
all information in regard to a growing fan base on the
the event line-up.
nation’s festival scene since
Once the festivities end its founding in 2009. Like
at the Hotel Courtyard, be a traveling Gypsy family,
sure to make your way to Grant Farm enjoys their life
the Sitzmark for more free of touring, writing and admusic. Boulder, Colorado- venturing together as they
based Americana band, share their music up and
Grant Farm, has entertained down North America.
SUMMER CONCERTS
ALL SHOWS START AT 10PM | FREE
SATURDAY, AUG. 13
OPENER: Arthur Lee Land of Great American Taxi
Dead Winter Carpenters
PROGRESSIVE AMERICANA
SATURDAY, AUG. 20
Grant Farm
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SATURDAY, AUG. 27
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Glacier City Gazette
Volume 1, Issue 12 | August 10, 2016
Page 11
The Phoenix in Bird Creek
Continued from front page
plied to accentuate features
as well as reflect the bird’s
fiery birth. It’s a combination
of tension and beauty, as well
as destruction and rebirth.
The plumage is multi-faceted between three distinct
sections: tail feathers, torso
and wings. The long, thin
tail feathers curve and drape
from the body as it lifts into
the air. Anderson said the tail
section on the bottom was
the trickiest part of the process. The fused wood feathers were turned up to give
the carving its apex pose.
The smaller body feathers are accentuated by a few
standing out on the torso and
back of the head. The wings
have five layers of feathers on
their underside, the outermost stretching as they yearn
for the sky. Taken separately
and together, these three sec-
liked and what he could do.
Even though the bird is a
creature of the imagination,
he wanted to include realism
so it connected with people.
“It was the thinking process of ‘Where am I going
to go next with this?’ I had
to figure out how long to
do the wings. The wings
are over accentuated. They
really don’t need to be that
long, but it’s what adds to the
drama of the piece,” Anderson said.
Completing The Phoenix
feels like it is an accomplishment to Anderson, but he
really enjoyed the creativity and exploration of the
process that allowed him to
grow as an artist.
“I’ve done a lot of eagle
carvings,” Anderson said,
“but this was definitely more
of a freedom for me because
I could over-exaggerate the
lines of realism and make it
a lot of carvers fudge it with
the fur and do a little bit of
repetitive cutting,” Anderson
said. “I learned from a carver
from Wisconsin, Jeff Moore.
He started doing some pretty
realistic ones, and I thought I
should go back to the drawing
board with the bears because
he had so much depth. That’s
what I’m trying to accomplish with my bear carvings
and fur creatures. The depth
of the lines and the skin rolls
and the musculature, they really accentuate the dramatic
pose. It adds richness to the
sculpture if you can add the
depth and flow.”
The qualities of depth and
drama are fully on display
in the multi-piece sculpture
titled Determined but Unaware. The sculpture resides
outside near the gallery’s entrance by the Seward Highway and portrays an Alaska
Native man hunting for seals
“I’ve done a lot of eagle carvings,” Anderson said,
“but this was definitely more of a freedom for me
because I could over-exaggerate the lines of realism
and make it mythical. That was a lot of fun. It’s a new
design, and everybody loved it.”
tions of feathers achieve the
illusion of reality at the moment of separating from fire
and gravity.
The origins of The Phoenix, which currently resides
at Turnagain Gallery in Bird
Creek, are rather practical.
Anderson was responding
to the request of some customers who appreciated his
carvings and wished to commission one. Their initiative
began a discussion that led to
an original piece of art.
“They were interested
in getting a Phoenix-type
sculpture because they were
building a new house,” Anderson said. “They wanted to
come in and let me loose on
my artistic ability and conjure up something new. It
was my own design. I looked
up some designs of porcelain
sculptures. I decided I wanted it to look a little bit prehistoric, so it was a legendary
type of face like a dinosaur,
like a raptor.”
It took Anderson about
four weeks to complete The
Phoenix. It was the thinking
and planning that took up the
bulk of the time rather than
the carving. He studied depictions of a Phoenix in different
art forms such as porcelain
and drawings to see what he
mythical. That was a lot of
fun. It’s a new design, and
everybody loved it.”
Besides large animal carvings, Anderson enjoys the
challenges and variety smaller carvings offer. He showed
a piece he is currently working on and even gave a short
demonstration with it. The
customer wanted a carving
of rockfish he could hang on
his wall.
“He wanted a little sea life
sculpture of some kind,” Anderson said, “but he didn’t
really know what he wanted.
I started showing him some
of the rockfish that I’ve done,
and he thought it would be
cool to have a carving with
some rockfish. I decided I
wanted to use a stylized realism and incorporate an octopus and a shrimp at the base.”
As Anderson develops his
craft as a carver, he notices
subtle changes in his techniques and the results in a
finished sculpture. When
he goes to competitions, he
closely studies what other
carvers are doing and learns
from them to add to his repertoire. Such knowledge has
influenced the way he carves
bears today.
“The challenge behind doing a realistic bear carving is
over an ice hole with his
ready to pounce dog. The
focused hunter is poised to
strike with his spear the moment a seal head appears, but
he doesn’t realize a seal has
quietly popped up in a hole
behind him.
“That one is called Determined but Unaware because
he’s determined to get the
seal but then it’s popped up
from behind him, mocking
him because he didn’t pop up
in the hole. It was a fun idea,”
Anderson said.
There is tension in the frozen poses of the ready to act
man and dog. The man’s face
is etched with resolve. The
seal adds a touch of humor to
the otherwise serious scenario. For Anderson, it’s another
way of having the carving
make connections with the
viewer, which he consciously
incorporates into his art.
“Some type of connection
makes a really good sculpture,” Anderson said. “That’s
a key in everything I do. If I
can make a connection, like
if it’s a fish, what’s it doing?
Is it attacking something? Is
it swimming away? Or is it
sitting there just a fish?”
Anderson travels to competitions at least three times
a year, which allows him
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
Carver Jordan Anderson stands beside his multi-piece sculpture
titled Determined but Unaware.
travel to interesting locations, carve and see what
other carvers are doing. He
was recently was in Mulda,
Germany for the Husky Cup,
the World Championships
for Europe and U.S. He went
to Chetwynd, British Columbia for the North American World Championship,
and it was his second year
there. Then he was at Powell
River Logger Sports in B.C.
for carving championship.
Soon he will be leaving for
an art show in Switzerland.
“The one in Switzerland is
not a competition. It’s called
Gempenfest. That’s an art
show, and we’re going to
have five other carvers there
from Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the
UK. Basically, we’re going
to have fun, carve and drink
beer. We’ll make money
there too.”
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
Jordan Anderson carves a sculpture of rockfish swimming by an octopus and a shrimp.
TURNAGAIN GALLERY
Mile 100 Seward Highway, Bird Creek
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
(907) 653-8000
This article was sponsored in part by Kenai
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Glacier City Gazette
Page 12
August 10, 2016 | Volume 1, Issue 12
Rebuilding Girdwood’s fire hall
Continued from front page
ment poured. Workers using heavy
machinery excavated dirt near the
perimeter of the chain link fence.
Noise from the Egloff Road project
contributed to the cacophony of
construction sounds.
The first target for the project to
meet is getting the building up before winter sets in so construction
can continue inside.
“We’re going to have both buildings framed and heated by November 1st, so that we have a place to
park the fire trucks filled with water,” Day said. “They’re working on
getting the framing and everything
done so the fire trucks can stay
warm and they can do the interior
work. They’re right on schedule for
that to happen.”
The building’s wood section
will have a new classroom, which
means GVF&R won’t have to rely
on Community Center for large
meetings. There will be bigger offices, a weight room and part of
the kitchen is being expanded. The
building’s steel section will be used
to house rescue vehicles and equipment while offering more enclosed
storage. Due to a lack of space, some
rescue equipment was previously
parked at the back of the hall. Day
was enthusiastic about one of the
new features to improve the hall.
“The new addition is going to
feature seven bunk rooms,” Day
said, “which is a major improvement because in our old station.
We had one room that was the
room that everybody slept in. You’d
have six, seven people sleeping in
one room at night on cots and on
beds we built. Now we’ll have proper bunk rooms for everybody.”
Another new highlight is a 35foot tall hose tower with a small
antenna for radio communications.
The tower will allow GVF&R to
conduct training that used to require travel to Anchorage to complete, giving the department new
opportunities by training on site.
“One of the new features that
were really excited about is a new
hose tower,” Day said. “With the
architects, we were able to incorporate some things that will allow us
to do a bunch of training in there,
specifically high rise training to
practice situations should there be
a fire at the resort.”
Each occasion hoses are used
during a response, they require
cleaning. The tower will facilitate
faster dried hoses after cleanings.
A pulley system hoists hoses up,
and there are racks to hold them. A
ventilation system speeds the drying process.
“Dirt gets into them,” Day said.
“Soot from fires gets into them. It
will eventually eat away at it and get
holes in it. It’s preventative to get
longer life out of the hose.”
With Egloff Road construction
taking place nearby the station, a
number of challenges have been
necessarily navigated. The department has to be flexible, plan and
communicate with the construction company to make sure operations and response times are not
compromised.
When the sewer lines were dug,
there was a trench right in front of
fire hall every day. Trucks and vehicles had to be moved from the
station and parked in front of Little
Bears and KEUL in case a response
was required. At end of day when
the trench was refilled, all of the
vehicles had to be returned back to
the hall. The situation lasted for a
few days.
“The biggest challenge between
the Egloff project and our project
is just making sure the building is
operational, has heat and electricity, and we’re operational,” Day
Marc Donadieu / Glacier City Gazette
Heavy machinery is parked just outside where the new
rescue vehicle storage area is being constructed.
said. “We’re still meeting our goal
of being out the door within a minute and a half after a 911 call comes
in. It has been interesting working
with everybody and the challenges
of communication to make sure
we’re not affected operationally.”
GVF&R currently rosters 45
members and looks to recruit
more participants this winter. If
you are interested in joining, visit
their website at http://www.girdwoodfire.com/ for more information. You will need to fill out an
application to sign up and have a
background check conducted.
“Some time this winter, we’re
looking to bring on more members,” Day said. “If anybody in the
community is interested, keep an
eye on our Facebook page and
our website, and we’ll get that information up as soon as we get it
scheduled.”
GVF&R will train and teach
everything in-house, so there is
no experience needed to join. The
Probationary Academy lasts three
weeks to a month, followed by a
three-month probationary period
before recruits become regular
members.
As the tour and interview concluded, Day wished to express
his appreciation to everybody involved in the project.
“I want to thank the membership specifically for being flexible
and working around all of this
construction to make sure we remain operational as well as the
construction companies,” he said.
“They’ve been good about communicating if there is even a remote
possibility their rigs would affect
us getting out the door. And thank
you to the community for understanding and being so supportive
in tolerating us while we have all
of this construction going on.”
Tasting series a unique treat
Continued from front page
indicate a single night service
record of more than 250-diners, alongside a 1,200-diner
swell during 2016 Forest Fair
dates.
“It’s a popular gathering
place,” Blackledge laughed.
“We’ve even been known to
attract the odd bear.”
With an estimated 37 micro-breweries currently operating in the state of Alaska, Summer Tasting Series
events provide appreciated
exposure to dedicated members of a small, but growing
brewing industry sub-set.
Craft brewers view Tasting
Series’ outdoor informality,
high visitor numbers and
Alaska emphasized menu as
optimal setting to showcase
the fruits of their fermenting
labors.
In-state craft breweries to
recently enliven Jack Sprat
Tuesdays by their presence include: Midnight Sun
Brewing, 49th State Brewing, Denali Brewing Company, Kenai River Brewery,
Arkose Brewery and Broken
Tooth Brewing.
Most recently on tap were
special guest Bearpaw River
Brewing Company. The
family business is the combined efforts of four brotherbrewers; James, Jack, Jed and
Jake Wade. The six-month
old, Wasilla-based Bearpaw
utilizes a ten-barrel brewing
system expecting to produce
approximately 500 barrels
by year’s end. The brewery
intends to double its current
production levels by year
two, brewing an approximate 1,000 barrel volume.
Enjoying their inaugural appearance among the Summer Tasting Series roster,
Bearpaw has conducted six
previous tastings on top of a
busy festival season.
At Tuesday’s tasting, Bearpaw unveiled four brews for
guest consideration.
Frontiersman IPA, Bearpaw’s biggest seller, lists
fruit-forward, tropical flavor profile and 7% ABV.
The sweetly sultry Mat Maid
Milk Stout darkens the color-wheel and registers 5.8%
ABV while the 5.9% ABV
Silo Wheat and 5.4% Sweet
Amarillo Pale crisply, colorfully rounded out the evening’s flight offerings.
“Craft beer is undeniably
popular in Alaska,” said Jed
Wade. “[Bearpaw] is already
seeing a positive public response, and it’s great to introduce the brewery to Girdwood.”
“We’re producing at a
greater quantity rate now
than when we began,” Wade
said. “Even though we are
new, we are also definitely
growing. Good summers
of events such as [Tasting
Series] certainly help with
that.”
Positioned beside Bearpaw’s pint and flight dispensary, Jack Sprat chefs grill
delectable dishes selected
to suite outdoor music and
beer.
“The public loves grilled
food enjoyed outdoors,” said
sous-chef Rob Glover. “Focus is placed upon a varied
menu for differing tastes
but, of course, burgers are
perfect grilling and beer
food.”
“Never a bad day when we’re out
and pouring beer.”
– BEARPAW RIVER BROTHER-BREWER,
JAMES WADE
“We try for Alaskanbased ingredients whenever and however we can,”
Glover said. “The bottom
line is: keep it simple and
tasty. I would think that the
chefs enjoy Summer Tasting
Series for the same reason as
our guests: the beer. A cold
craft beer at the end of an
evening is never bad for a
cook’s morale,” Glover said.
P.M. Fadden / Glacier City Gazette
Family fermentation; Jack, Jed and James
Wade (L to R) are beer-loving brothers behind
Bearpaw River Brewing Company.