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TURNAGAIN NEWS

Alyeska’s Blueberry Festival

Sam and Alia from Eagle River show off pails of blueberries picked just above Alyeska's Blueberry Festival. The event, with live music, food booths and crafts vendors, continues Sunday with a fun run at 10:30 and a pie eating contest at 1:30. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

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‘The Girdwood Health Clinic Saved My Life’
‘The Girdwood Health Clinic Saved My Life’

10 Years of Community Health Care Celebrated

By Brooks Chandler

TNews Board of Directors

This patient testimonial was read by Community Health Worker Linda Mankoff just outside the clinic entrance on August 7.   Similar sentiments were expressed by patient and current clinic board member Jeff D’Agostino.  He recounted how Ms. Mankoff helped him obtain health insurance.  Insurance that was needed when he came to the clinic with a life-threatening condition three years ago.  “Every day I wake up I am still glad I’m here” Mr. D’Agostino said.

The occasion for these expressions of gratitude was a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the  opening of the non-profit Girdwood Health Clinic.  Clinic Executive Director Deb Erickson said at the birthday party they exemplified “why we do what we do”.  

The anniversary was attended by upwards of 100 people and included in person congratulations from United States Senator Dan Sullivan.  Sen. Sullivan professed the ”deepest respect for medical professionals” and said he was a “huge fan” of Federally Qualified Health Clinics.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/the-girdwood-health-clinic-saved-my-life

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GHEC schedules discussion on Housing Plan for September Meeting

By Brooks Chandler

TNews Board of Directors

At its Aug. 4 meeting the Girdwood Housing and Economic Committee reviewed a draft Housing Implementation Plan. 

The plan was introduced at earlier GHEC meetings and is intended to be a strategy to address the shortage of affordable housing in Glacier Valley.  An analysis of the projected need for housing over the next 10 years is included in the 2025 Girdwood Area Plan. 

GHEC co-chair Brett Wilbanks said the Housing Action Plan sets out a 10 step approach to addressing the lack of affordable housing based on a plan adopted by the resort town of Whitefish,  Montana. 

The draft plans can be found at https://www.muni.org/Departments/operations/streets/Service/Pages/gbos-ghec.aspx and then clicking on GHEC July 7 Meeting Packet.    

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to close its doors after loss of funding

By Shauneen Miranda

Alaska Beacon, D.C. Bureau

WASHINGTON — The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced Friday that it will be shutting down.

The announcement came just one day after a major Senate appropriations bill omitted funding for the nonprofit that funds public media and a week after President Donald Trump signed a bill into law that yanked $1.1 billion in previously approved spending for CPB. 

CPB, which Congress authorized in 1967, provides funds for National Public Radio, the Public Broadcasting Service and hundreds of local stations across the United States. President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans have criticized NPR and PBS of left-leaning bias, an accusation the public media organizations have rejected.

“Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB, said in a statement Friday.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://alaskabeacon.com/2025/08/01/repub/corporation-for-public-broadcasting-to-close-its-doors-after-loss-of-funding/

40th Anniversary Fine Arts Camp Art Show is at Challenge Alaska

By Tim Lydon

TNews Board of Directors

One of Girdwood’s hottest and longest running arts events happened Friday, Aug. 1, when participants in the Girdwood Fine Arts Camp put on their annual art show. The potluck gathering was free and open to the public.

“The show is a celebration of what the kids havedone,” says Tommy O’Malley, who helps organize and teach the camp. “It’s important for them to have everyone come in.”

O’Malley started the camp with Annie Olson in 1986, making this its 40th year. They first operated out of a log cabin in Old Girdwood, then graduated to a formerlaundromat space at the Girdwood trailer court before landing at Challenge over ten years ago.

“We’re not trying to teach mastery here,” says O’Malley of the two-week camp. “We’re just exposing them to different mediums and teaching them how to use new tools.”

At this year’s camp, says O’Malley, students soldered, chiseled, carved, painted, cut glass, worked with digital mediums, and fired silver jewelry, among many other activities. It’s an ambitious spread of mediums that O’Malley says is only possible because of the artists and volunteers that come to teach.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/40th-anniversary-fine-arts-camp-art-show-is-at-challenge-alaska

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Land Use Committee and Housing Committee Recommend Seeking Ruane-Alyeska Highway Land for Housing Project
Land Use Committee and Housing Committee Recommend Seeking Ruane-Alyeska Highway Land for Housing Project

By Brooks Chandler

​TNews Board of Directors

 Girdwood’s Land Use Committee and Housing and Economic Committee have approved asking the Heritage Land Bank to survey and subdivide HLB property at the intersection of Ruane and Alyeska Highway.  Subdivision would be an initial step in potential development of  half of the property for work force housing.  

The concept originated with the Girdwood Community Land Trust.  A public-private partnership for development between HLB and a Girdwood non-profit (not necessarily GCLT) is envisioned.  

The concept presented to the LUC and GHEC identifies an initial phase consisting of 28-32 apartments, 10 townhouses and 16 “tiny” (750 sq. ft) bungalows.  Half of these units would be developed as “market rate” housing by a private developer.  

Half of the units would be managed by the Girdwood non-profit for workforce housing.  Profits from selling market rate units would be shared equally between the Girdwood non-profit, the Girdwood Valley Service Area, the Anchorage General Fund and HLB.

According to GCLT Board member Krystal Hoke, GCLT sought LUC and GHEC approval as a show of community support for the concept.   The Land Use Committee approved recommending the Girdwood Board of Supervisors ask HLB to subdivide the parcel by a vote of 8-0 with 4 abstentions on July 14.  GHEC also unanimously approved the concept at its Aug. 4 meeting.

A draft resolution of support will be considered bythe Girdwood Board of Supervisors at its Aug. 18 meeting.

Read the entire at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/land-use-committee-and-housing-committee-recommend-seeking-ruane-alyeska-highway-land-for-housing-project

Summer Trail Maintenance Includes Path Through Contested ‘Holtan Hills’ Development
Summer Trail Maintenance Includes Path Through Contested ‘Holtan Hills’ Development

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Enabled by a young, sturdy trail crew, local volunteers and a $110,000 grant Girdwood's network of trails became more deliberate this summer—with particular focus on a trail that crosses through an impending subdivision development.

Three new bridges, gravel, brushing and drainage have altered slightly the character of local trails, especially the middle portion of the Iditarod Trail from Girdwood School to the out-of-service hand tram.

"Trails play an important aspect in community. They should be available and, historically, they've been there," said Kyle Kelly, Girdwood's service area manager. 

Facing continual pressure from development of local lands, Girdwood's trails committee worked to get a trails plan adopted by the Anchorage Assembly in March. 

"It was a tough process, but we got through it and now we can refer to it all the time," Kelly said. 

The addition of a bridge and gravel to a 2-mile section of the Middle Iditarod Trail, between the school and Crow Creek Rd., adds permanence to a path whose fate has been called to question due to a competing plan for a "Holtan Hills" subdivision. 

With looming development, trail crews have put a "focus" on the trail, which runs along a bluff overlooking Glacier Creek, Kelly said. 

"Nobody has officially told me it's going to change, so I'm going to keep working on it and making it better. What I'm trying to show also is that the community is investing in this and they have been for a long time. If it's a broken down trail that doesn't look very useable, then it's like, 'you guys don't really care about this trail'. But we're showing that we care. Showing that investment puts us in a stronger position," he said.

Read the entire story here:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/summer-trail-maintenance-includes-path-through-contested-holtan-hills-development

MOA responds to TNews Inquiry on current ‘Holtan Hills’ construction
MOA responds to TNews Inquiry on current ‘Holtan Hills’ construction

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

The Municipality of Anchorage responded late Friday to a slew of questions by Turnagain News regarding the so-called "Holtan Hills" subdivision development currently underway off Hightower Rd. near the school.

The project is a joint effort by Anchorage developer Connie Yoshimura and the city's Heritage Land Bank, which manages most of the land in Girdwood's valley. "Holtan Hills", so named by a small group acting without community consent, has little local support. It was nevertheless approved by the Anchorage Assembly in January, 2024.

The HLB recently signed an agreement for $2 million with Anchorage-based GMC Contracting for "off-site" development of a road and sewer connection, impacting approximately 2.5 acres, according to the city and Yoshimura. The project is expected to last into August when children return to school.

GMC began tearing a swath to the toe of the 60-plus acre housing development on July 7.

Responses, provided through an email from the muni's public affairs office, are in italics.

Has a traffic study been conducted to determine existing traffic patterns, densities, and vehicle traffic amount on Hightower Road?

During the early planning stages of this project, both the [Municipality of Anchorage] Planning Department and Traffic Engineering Department reviewed the potential density within the development and concurred that the road improvements would be built to local residential street standards which would not require a (traffic study) traffic impact analysis prior to construction.

Where can we view the traffic plan?

See previous response regarding the traffic study.  A traffic control plan will be submitted and available for public review prior to disturbance and reconstruction of affectioned portions of Hightower Rd.

Read the entire response from the Municipality of Anchorage at the link:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/moa-responds-to-tnews-inquiry-on-current-holtan-hills-construction

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UPCOMING EVENTS

STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

ARTICLES
Trump wants Congress to slash $9.4B in spending now, defund NPR and PBS
Trump wants Congress to slash $9.4B in spending now, defund NPR and PBS

By Jennifer Shutt

States Newsroom

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration sent its first spending cuts request to Congress on Tuesday, asking lawmakers to swiftly eliminate $9.4 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and various foreign aid programs.

The request for what are called rescissions allows the White House budget office to legally freeze spending on those accounts for 45 days while the Republican-controlled Congress debates whether to approve the recommendation in full or in part, or to ignore it.

The proposal calls on lawmakers to eliminate $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service. That means NPR and PBS would lose their already approved federal allocations, if the request is approved by Congress.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order in May seeking to block the Corporation for Public Broadcasting from providing funding for NPR and PBS, leading to twoseparate lawsuits citing First Amendment concerns.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/trump-wants-congress-to-slash-94b-in-spending-now-defund-npr-and-pbs

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Mount Spurr: Preparation Can Ease the Pain
Mount Spurr: Preparation Can Ease the Pain

By Allison Sayer

TNews Staffwriter

On March 12, The Alaska Volcano Observatory announced “an eruption [of Mount Spurr] is likely, but not certain, to occur within the next few weeks or months. The most likely outcome of the current unrest is an explosive eruption (or eruptions) like those that occurred in 1953 and 1992. Those eruptions each lasted a few hours and produced ash clouds that were carried downwind for hundreds of miles and minor ashfall (up to about ¼ inch) on southcentral Alaska communities.”

 Many simple, low cost preparedness tips are available from the Municipality of Anchorage Emergency Operations Center  and ready.alaska.gov. The common advice from these and other sources is to have a mask handy, stock up on relevant air filters, and put some forethought into what would happen if you must shelter in place somewhere.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/mount-spurr-preparation-can-ease-the-pain

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Cross Country: Native Alaskan Ava Earl stars as squad climbs to new heights
Cross Country: Native Alaskan Ava Earl stars as squad climbs to new heights

By Henry Frieman, Sports Editor

The Daily Northwestern

Girdwood, Alaska, population estimated at 2,500, sits in a valley at the base of Mount Alyeska, a ski resort in the winter and a hiking destination in the summer. The mountain town has one main road, a two-lane highway surrounded by hemlock and conifer. 

There is one elementary school, but the nearest high school is 30 miles away in Anchorage. There is a fire department, but no police station. Further away from the resort, the paved roads turn to gravel. 

It was on the gravel paths and dirt trails of the Alaskan woodlands where Northwestern cross country runner Ava Earl, now a senior, fell in love with running.

Read the entire story here:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/ava-earl-carries-alaskan-roots-to-nu-cross-country-stardom

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Raw Market: ‘Together, We Thrive’
Raw Market: ‘Together, We Thrive’

By Hannah Dillon

Assistant Editor

A red ribbon hung on the entrance to the Raw Market—just off Holmgren Ave. next to The Laundromall—as community members gathered around the store at 5 p.m. July 2. When the ribbon was cut, a new local market officially opened in Girdwood.

People quickly entered the intimately-sized store once the doors were open. Aesthetic lighting and plants hovered overhead as customers sorted through bell peppers, chocolate milk glasses, candles, locally made pottery, dried herbs, cherries and aloe vera plants.

Behind the register, employees created delicious acai bowls and smoothies for everyone in need of a cool treat on a warm sunny day.

Michelle Young, who, along with her husband James Glover, owns the Raw Market sat down with Turnagain News to discuss opening day and a little history of the store.

Young said the inspiration to establish a store like Raw Market stems from a visit to Maui, where nearly every small town had a juice bar that sold acai bowls, smoothies and juice. “We really loved the abundance of fresh food,” said Young.

Young’s experience with the fresh food available on the streets of Maui inspired Young and Glover to bring that experience to Girdwood.

Read the entire story here:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/raw-market-together-we-thrive

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Girdwood Board reverses community decision on Alyeska Development
Girdwood Board reverses community decision on Alyeska Development

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

The Girdwood Board of Supervisors, in a 3-2 decision Monday, rescinded an earlier community vote that rejected a subdivision proposed in a popular recreational area.

The board's move tells municipal planners it has no objection to plans by Alyeska Resort to build an assortment of housing, roads, parking lots, a tram and in the Glacier Creek watershed north of the town's airport.

The GBOS has since voted to reconsider its Monday vote and will discuss the reconsideration at a meeting Thursday at 1 p.m.

"I suspect [the vote] will be changed," said Supervisor Mike Edgington on Wednesday. "We're basically going back for a re-do."

He said he feels Pomeroy's goals for development are sound, but the location the company has chosen for development isn't.

In both meetings, community members expressed criticism, skepticism and dismay about Pomeroy Lodging's plan to acquire nearly 100 acres of municipal land in the upper valley for housing.

Read the entire story at:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-board-reverses-community-decision-on-alyeska-development

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