Used Outdoor Gear Sale benefits Sellers, Buyers, Kids and Local Nonprofits

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Take a couple of local nonprofits, stir in 150 volunteers, sprinkle liberally with school students, and add a dash of eager, gear-hungry skiers, riders, and Nordic enthusiasts. 

Set this concoction on an early November day when the winter’s first crust of snow hugs the edges of parking lots like frosting on a cake.

The result? The annual Girdwood Ski and Sports Swap—a beloved community event hosted by Four Valleys Community School.

"This is such a community event," said longtime volunteer Jacky Graham. "I love to see people come together to support Four Valleys. Girdwood is the best community in all of Anchorage."

As gear-hunters milled around Alyeska's expansive Daylodge hall, Four Valleys Executive Director Beks Rumley described some impressions of this year's Swap.

"This year we've had less skis and way more clothing," Rumley said, "and I've seen a lot of families shop together."

Nordic gear is always a favorite and the Swap is excellent place to shop for mid-layers, she said. 

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/annual-sports-swap-a-community-affair

Residents appeal State’s approval of controversial project

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

The Girdwood Board of Supervisors recently declined to support an appeal against a contentious gas line proposal, despite previously voting to oppose the pipeline project. This decision comes after the Girdwood Land Use Committee had voted to support the appeal.

Enstar Natural Gas Company proposed a 20-foot-wide, mile-long pipeline through an old-growth rainforest in the valley over a year ago. 

The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) later approved the plan, citing a 52-year-old section line easement. 

Although Enstar boasts a "system-wide 99.99 percent reliability rate," a company official stated last year that a new pipeline is needed to serve as a backup for the existing line. The proposed route involves tunneling beneath Glacier Creek from Ruane Road and then clear-cutting a swath to Virgin Creek Road.

 In its approval letter, the DNR repeatedly noted that certain concerns were "beyond the scope of the decision." However, the department's approval did not sit well with local residents, some of whom drafted a letter appealing the state's decision. 

This letter was presented to Girdwood's Land Use Committee, suggesting an alternative route with a lower environmental impact that aligns more closely with Girdwood's comprehensive plan.

"We were never able to talk with Enstar about alternatives," said Jennifer Wingard, a GBOS member, during the land use meeting. "That conversation never happened."

Jay Rokos, a land manager, stated that the DNR does not propose alternative routes, stating that it is Enstar's responsibility. Enstar has claimed that factors such as cost, safety, and engineering were considered in its routing decision, but it did not clarify whether community concerns and environmental impacts were also taken into account.

Read the entire story at the link below:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-board-reverses-stance-on-gas-line