Local Committees Forward Remarks on ‘Holtan Hills’ Permit to GBOS
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Local committees are recommending the city complete a land use plan before approving a conditional use permit for the first phase of the "Holtan Hills" subdivision.
The motion, passed unanimously on Dec. 1 by Girdwood's Housing and Economic Committee, is one of six measures supported Monday by the Land Use Committee.
Other items passed by GHEC include:
• a requirement for two lots to be deeded to a local non-profit to build community housing,
• that at least three of the lots contain duplexes, that some lots require the owner to live and work in Girdwood,
• and that the road to a cul de sac is a public, rather than private, road.
The LUC also agreed to recommendations by the Trails Committe to require developers pay the cost of moving the historic Iditarod Trail and that the trail is surveyed and recorded on the plat along with 25-foot easements on either side of it.
All these requirements will be taken up by Girdwood's Board of Supervisors Monday.
The GBOS plans to hear other comments, then send a resolution an Anchorage platting board with recommended changes to the conditional use permit for "Holtan Hills".
A land use plan is required by the municipality for large developments. Municipal planners are relying on a nearly 20-year old "Crow Creek Neighborhood Plan" that has been disregarded, or even dismissed, in development plans for "Holtan Hills", the GHEC argues. The plan needs to be updated, the committee agreed.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Local Nordic Racer Adds Cross-Country Skiing to Girdwood Sports Fame
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
In a small town with rainy winters, with only five kilometers of groomed trail and with few, if any, local races, how unlikely is it that Girdwood is home to a rising national Nordic skiing talent?
Despite the odds, Mia Stiassny, 17, is crushing the field in cross-country skiing—in Anchorage, in Alaska, in the United States, and, recently, even in Europe.
And that her success began in Girdwood—with Mt. Alyeska looming above and the town's share of medal-winning skiers and snowboarders—is merely a situational happenstance, says Stiassny, who wore a black puffy plastered with sponsors during an interview at a local coffee house.
Making her achievements even more notable is that Stiassny has had to do so much of her training—whether hurtling around the 5K loop, bagging local mountains or clocking miles on "roller skis"—alone.
"There are only like eight other girls in my class all through [school], so, in a way [we're] all really close, but if you want to do something different, like Nordic ski, you're the only one," she says.
To reach her goals, she's had to make the long commute to Anchorage, endure an unrelenting 13-hour school-sports schedule, and learn technique through practice.
Read the entire story at the link below:
YES GIRDWOOD, THERE IS A CHRISTMAS TREE
By Brooks Chandler,
TNews Board of Directors
Clark Griswold himself would have smiled as the Girdwood/Turnagain Arm Lions Club flipped the switch at 6 p.m. Friday signaling the advent of the 2025 holiday season.
Lights artfully arrayed amongst the branches of a stately spruce gleamed through a light fog in downtown Girdwood.
The lighting ceremony followed a robust round of Christmas carols accompanied by pounds of cookies and hot chocolate. The sugar consumption season has also begun!
Lions Club president Heather Durtschi said the tree lighting was coordinated by a club committee including, Seth and Wendy Beaubien, Heather. Durtschi and Kathy Trautner.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/yes-girdwood-there-is-a-christmas-tree
Application to Develop Phase One of "Holtan Hills" Out for Comment
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A platting meeting on a contentious "Holtan Hills" subdivision has been set for Jan. 5, a little more than a month away.
The application which describes, for the first time, details surrounding the development plan was sent to Girdwood Board of Supervisors "a half-hour to an hour" before its Nov. 17 meeting, according to GBOS co-chair Mike Edgington.
"I definitely have not had a chance to look at it," Edgington said.
A 30-document has information and detailed maps for a 16-acre cul-de-sac with 39 housing lots. The tract is the first of three phases in a more than 60-acre development planned in hilly old-growth rainforest behind Girdwood's school.
It includes photos of enormous, mostly Anchorage, homes in barren, treeless landscapes to show "style examples" for the area.
A separate application includes a request for a variance to change the allowable length of a cul-de-sac by 70 feet for what the project engineers—The Boutet Company—are calling "Holtan Hills Circle".
The road would be 670 feet and is necessary because "the topography in the upper area of this development is very steep" and contractors couldn't build as many lots as they want, according to Boutet's application.
The variance requests quotes the Girdwood Comprehensive Plan to justify a longer road, stating development should be "compatible with the natural environment" and saying, without the extended road, the developer would have to build a second road.
A road that meets the municipal standard of no longer than 600 feet would "create undue hardship" on the developer.
Read the entire story at the link below:
College Cross Country Teams hold Time Trials
By Briana Sullivan
Girdwood Nordic Ski Club
By Briana Sullivan
Girdwood Norcic Ski Club
The 5K Nordic Loop will be the location for a time trial on Sat. Nov. 15 for UAA, APU and UAF ski teams, with about 50-60 skiers expected before leaving AK for races very soon.
They will arrive about 8:30 a.m. and race at 10 a.m.
This will be the place to see fast skiers classic skiing! If people want to spectate (if you post this ahead of tomorrow) please WEAR SKIS. The 5K is ski only and GNSC is in winter grooming mode!
More Than Just Skis. Swap Brings the Community Out
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
The Flexible Flyer, a retro runner-sled and called the "Chevy" of steerable runners, has a sticker for $30. Tempting.
Then there is the blue foam roller near the register. Taken.
The light-blue Norwegian Lobben boots? A tad too tight.
Saturday's Ski and Sport Swap had much more than skis (though there were plenty). Patrons roamed through rows of outdoor clothing, tried on boots, and picked through hats at the annual local exchange, a fundraiser for Four Valleys Community Schools.
There was a flashy rainbow-dayglow vest, kids bikes with training wheels, headlamps, Thermarests and neon pink pants.
"Someone was selling mini Power Wheels," said Four Valleys Director Julie Johnson, referring to packages of Matchbox. "That (name) might be from the 80s but that's what I call them."
Johnson said a new digital system of registration and payment eased the process of selling and buying gear.
Johnson said all the hallmarks were in place for a successful event. "There were lots of people, lots of stuff and all the technology worked," she said.
As she roamed the Daylodge in an orange volunteer vest, Johnson said she noticed how some items, like children nordic ski boots, were essentially passing from family to family in the fashion of a true community exchange.
She said people sell things on Facebook, but "it's fun when it goes through the swap because Community Schools benefits." Proceeds, including those from vendors such as the local Powder Hound Ski Shop, help the organization "hit our mission of serving the community," Johnson said.
Read the entire story and more photos at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/more-than-just-skis-swap-brings-the-community-out
SKI SWAP SATURDAY
Besides Loads of Volunteers, Ski Swap Gets Digital Help
Saturday's Swap at Alyeska Daylodge Runs From Noon to 3 p.m.
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
This year's Ski Swap could run smoother with an on-line tool that allows sellers to pre-register gear so volunteers can send it directly to the floor.
In the past, a paper control slip was used.
The switch to digital promises a more efficient process, says Julie Johnson, the new director of Four Valleys Community School.
."If you log into myskiswap.com and register all your items, you can print out your barcodes, and tape them on your item. We'll scan it and put it on the floor," she says
The annual event started in Girdwood around 40 years ago as a local answer to a larger Anchorage ski swap which meant a long car ride and long lines for gear, Johnson says.
The event is a key fundraiser for Four Valleys which takes in 30 percent of the proceeds.
"It goes right back into the community," Johnson says. "We're going to use that (funding) to make more programming, get more enrichment, and support organizations."
Read the entire story here:
NewsMatch enters 10th cycle at critical moment for community support of nonprofit news
INN’s NewsMatch program enters its tenth cycle tomorrow, Nov. 1, continuing to strengthen the sustainability of nonprofit news by helping outlets grow and diversify their sources of support.
Through NewsMatch, newsrooms leverage support from a network of local and national funders to spark community giving, building a base of donors who sustain fact-based reporting. Over the years, NewsMatch has leveraged $38 million in matching gifts to help drive $362 million in community support.
This year, 20 national and regional funders have pledged over $7.7 million to match donations for a record number of 422 participating organizations. This includes three new funders to date: the Golden Globe Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Press Forward.
And NewsMatch is more than just a match: Participants gain access to essential training and tools to boost their fundraising capacity long-term. Support includes on-demand fundraising training, free wealth screenings, customizable design assets, templated email pitches, and on-air promotional copy in English and Spanish to reach more audiences.
Read the entire story at the link below:
‘Our Kids and Our Kops’ community policing event held
From Tommy O’Malley
TNews Contributor
The Girdwood Board of Supervisors Public Safety Advisory Committee sponsored a community policing event on October 25th at the Ice Cream Shop.
“Our Kids and Our Kops” was an opportunity for families with children to get to know the officers of our police department. Children who brought their parents were treated to a free ice cream cone. Eighty Moms, Dads, Grandparents and children attended the event.
“Our Kids and Our Kops” was part of Community Helpers Month at Girdwood School. Ms. Brennan’s second graders school work was on display.
Some of the artwork emphasized by the children “Our Police make Girdwood safe: …byfinding people that are lost and helping people”; “by helping people in hard situations”; by giving speeding people tickets and I don’t mean movie tickets”.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/our-kids-and-kops-holds-community-policing-event
GBOS Co-Chair Attacked for His Position as Head of Anchorage Council
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A co-chair of Girdwood's Board of Supervisors has come under fire in social media posts and in local meetings for a position he accepted as chair of Anchorage's Federation of Community Council.
Mike Edgington, who was elected as chair of the FCC a year ago, was not chosen by Girdwood residents to lead the group on the community's behalf, critics charge. Others are critical of bylaw changes the council is seeking under Edgington's helm.
The FCC is a non-profit that administers Anchorage's 37 community councils, including GBOS. A temporary officer was elected to run a Board of Delegates special meeting Wednesday night.
In an interview last week, Mike Edgington denied accusations against him as baseless, saying his position as chair of the FCC is to help manage the nonprofit and that the board doesn't make policy decisions.
"I think some of it is originally a misunderstanding, but it's been explained to these people and they don't care. They're going with conspiracy theories and lies," Edgington said. "And you know, with most things, what you do is, first of all, you try and attack the people, then you attack the process, then you actually look at the substance."
Edgington said he fell into the position of treasurer for the nonprofit as he had experience with organizing spreadsheets, and, when the position of chair opened after a resignation, he "was asked to do it" when no one else volunteered.
He called the position a "time sink" which hasn't benefited him personally.
Complaints about Edgington's position at a Land Use meeting led the committee to vote for Brice Wilbanks, vice-chair of the Land Use Committee, to serve as Girdwood's delegate to the FCC.
Read the entire story at the link below:
TURNAGAIN NEWS AGAIN QUALIFIES FOR NEWSMATCH GRANT PROGRAM
By Brooks Chandler
TNews Board of Directors
TNews was approved on Oct. 14 to participate in the 2025 NewsMatch challenge program.
TNews qualified as a NewsMatch “rural partner”. The first three thousand dollars ofIndividual donations made to TNews this November and December will be matched two for one. When total donations exceed $3,000 the NewsMatch “match” will be one for one until the total of individual donations reaches $12,000. .
The NewsMatch challenge program is funded by a coalition of national philanthropists in support of local nonprofit news.
This support has been critical in enabling TNews to build the initial capacity to deliver information to Turnagain Arm communities.
In hopes of expanding this capacity to include paid freelance reporters to supplement volunteer contributors, the TNews board has set a fundraising goal of $15,000 for 2025.
The campaign to meet the NewsMatch challenge will begin Nov. 1.
To contribute, go to https://square.link/u/4aQ9heEj which is our Square account. You may get a message after the donation as your receipt goes to your email address instead to ensure donation receipts are received.
Questions Remain After Girdwood Residents Grapple With ‘Holtan Hills’ Development Team
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
During a two-and-a-half hour long meeting Tuesday night, Girdwoodians pressed a developer on her vision for a so-called "Holtan Hills" subdivision, a sixty-plus acre housing tract planned to be carved from old-growth rainforest behind the community's school.
The meeting, which followed another a month ago, left the community with little doubt that the vision for the forested hills behind the school rests with Anchorage developer Connie Yoshimura.
And, yet, with a current land plan, or "pro forma", still undisclosed, many questions remain.
Still unsettled, for example, is how people who would live in the subdivision would get out should the main entrance, off Hightower Road, be blocked.
Yoshimura said she has $125,000 to pay for an "internal" exit onto Crow Creek Road, but she bears no cost beyond her development.
Crow Creek Road is unmaintained, suffers drainage problems, and has an eroding road bed. Planners estimated it would cost $6 million to upgrade the lower portion of Crow Creek Road to municipal standards.
Read the entire story at the link below:
South Anchorage wins State championship
By Jon Scudder
TNews Publisher
South Anchorage won the 2025 Alaska Division I state football championship, defeating Bartlett High School with a final score of 37-3on Friday, Oct. 24.
Girdwood Wolverines players above, are Kyler Porter, 22; ; Henry Lantz, 6; Arne Nedwick, 13; and Carson Hawes, 18.
This was the first state title for the South Wolverines since 2019. Anchorage pulled away in the second half after a close first half, securing a dominant victory over Bartlett.
This win marks a return to the top for the South Wolverines, who claimed their first state title in six years.
‘Holtan Hills’ Developer Returns to Girdwood for Joint GBOS/LUC Meeting
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
An official hearing on "Holtan Hills", schedule for Tuesday night at 7 p.m., will again pit developer Connie Yoshimura against residents, who lately, in comments on social media, say they are frustrated and angry by an enormous city-financed access road that is a month delayed and that now faces uncertain cost overruns.
The wide, paved road is clearly out-of-character with the mountain community. With three stop signs, a paved bike path, boxes for street lights and a flashy green "Holtan Hills Dr." street sign, the road design is more Anchorage suburb than Girdwood.
"NOW would be a good time to roll out the traffic plan for future use of that paved road," wrote Linda Bennett on Girdwood's Facebook page.
The second meeting, to be held during a special meeting of local governance, comes after an earlier meeting was called into questions for failing to meet public process code requirements.
"This whole thing is so broken," said Mike Edgington, co-chair of the Girdwood Board of Supervisors.
Edgington said he suspects the private-public project will come at a loss to municipal taxpayers and Girdwood's hyper-inflated housing market will mean any homes built in the area will most likely be expensive and unoccupied by year-round residents.
"There's no other community in this city in a similar situation," he said.
Read the entire story at the link below:
‘No Kings’ Day Saturday in Girdwood
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
About 70 locals showed up for Girdwood's "No Kings" Saturday to demonstrate against the policies of the current administration.
Girdwoodians, peaceably assembled on the corner of Hightower and Alyeska, raised posters, peace signs and fists joining in demonstrations held across the planet to protest authoritatian rule.
See pictures from the event at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/no-kings-day-saturday-in-girdwood
Committee Agrees to Plat Land in Lower Girdwood Considered for Housing Development
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
An Anchorage land bank has set its sights on more forested wetlands for subdivision development in Girdwood, this time along a bluff it calls "Orca Mountain View".
The city's Heritage Land Bank, which owns most of the valley's undeveloped land, wants to plat three tracts totalling nearly 70 acres along Alyeska Highway north of Ruane Road. The majority of that land, between Alyeska Highway and Glacier Creek, would be set aside as open space leaving 13.5 acres "suitable for residential development", according to HLB.
Local officials, meanwhile, hope they can work in a "public/nonprofit partnership" with HLB to build affordable housing on the nearly half-mile long strip of forest.
A proposal to approve HLB's platting of the area passed a sparsely-attended Land Use Committee Monday night in a 7-5 vote.
That land "could house many, many folks there", said Ryan Yelle, of HLB. He added, however, "in terms of exactly who's going to be developing it, under what terms, those decisions are far from it, this is going to be a multi-year process to develop this tract. I'm hesitant to speculate on specifics about it because we just don't know at this point."
Critics of HLB's platting proposal said development of the forest would mean more drainage into a flood-prone watershed below. A pond and California Creek drain through plastic culverts below Ruane Road.
The floodplain can be temperamental. Four years ago, storm water overwhelmed the culverts causing Ruane Road to collapse and stranding water utility operators. Kyle Kelly, Girdwood's service manager, said the culverts will likely be replaced in 2027.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Seniors and teens becoming more important in Alaska’s workforce, statistics show
By Yereth Rosen
As Alaska’s population of working-age adults shrinks, according to economists, other demographic groups have become bigger segments of the labor force: seniors and teenagers.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Girdwood Grizzlies Boys Basketball Finish Undefeated Season
By Coach Kyle Kelley
Girdwood Grizzlies Boys Basketball Team
The Girdwood Middle School boys basketball team capped off an incredible season with a perfect 6-0 record, marking an unforgettable year for the Grizzlies. The team’s success came from a combination of determination, teamwork, and resilience — from a nail-biting overtime win to strong defensive performances that defined their undefeated run.
This season was significant as it marked the final year for four outstanding 8th graders: Julien Stiassny, Waylon Straley, Ezra Ranke, and Finn Pelkola. Each player made a lasting impact on the program and helped lead their team to perfection.
· Julien Stiassny (Point Guard/Forward) brought energy, hustle, and reliable scoring that kept the Grizzlies competitive in every game.
· Waylon Straley (Post Player) anchored the paint with strong defense and rebounding, giving the team a formidable inside presence.
· Ezra Ranke (Power Forward/Post) provided strength, grit, and leadership, often stepping up in key moments to swing the momentum.
· Finn Pelkola (Point Guard/Forward) led the team with poise and vision, running the offense and setting the pace for the Grizzlies’ success.
Together, this group of 8th graders, along with their 6th- and 7th-grade teammates, showed what it means to be a Grizzly — playing with heart, teamwork, and pride while setting an example for the younger players who will carry the program forward.
Coaches and parents praised the players’ dedication, noting that the team’s chemistry, defensive effort, and never-give-up attitude were what made this season truly special. Whether battling through overtime thrillers or closing out tough opponents with solid defense, every Grizzly contributed to the undefeated run.
Congratulations to the Girdwood Middle School boys basketball team on a perfect 6-0 season — a true testament to teamwork, perseverance, and Grizzly pride!
Girdwood Mushroom Expert Co-Authors Alaska Guide Book
‘Mushrooms of Alaska’ To Be Published This Month
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
The humble mushroom crouches on a tuft of neon green lichen, its purple cap resplendent in a shard of light cutting through the forest.
Along comes a stampede of teenagers, rushing, pushing and jostling. Then, one sees it.
"Look!" says a girl with a top hat over black bangs. She squats to meet the humble mushroom eye level.
"Don't touch it," her friend warns. "It might be poisonous."
A quick text and photo to an amateur mycologist reveals its title: Russula emitica, "The Sickener". And another fact: "No mushrooms are poisonous to the touch."
The girl opens a journal to sketch the Russula.
"Is it edible?" a friend asks.
"Well. It is called 'The Sickener'."
A few days later, she's on the trail with a mushroom book.
The young naturalist's fascination reflects what conservationist Rachel Carson wrote 70 years ago—a "sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years."
When a sense of wonder took hold of local fungi expert and author Kate Mohatt 30 years ago, as she collected mushrooms near her home in rural Wyoming, it didn't let up.
Mohatt began collecting mushrooms when she was 15. She didn't care to eat them. In fact, she thought they tasted "disgusting".
Mushrooms were mysterious because she couldn't identify them. Then again, she would soon learn no one else could identify them. Her field guide didn't cover her Wyoming countryside. A sense of wonder was activated.
"It was just, what are all these things and why doesn't anybody know anything about them? I just kind of got obsessed," Mohatt said. "I think that's a common story. I mean, when mushrooms are fruiting, when you see a bunch of them out, it's really eye-catching and you want to know what the hell they are."
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-mushroom-expert-co-authors-alaska-guide-book
‘Rain, Wind, Cold Hands, and Blue Lips’
Seven Locals Finish 10th Girdwood Marathon
By Brian Pautzke
TNews Contributor
Cheers to the “Magnificent Seven” on the 10-year anniversary of the Girdwood Trail Marathon.
Hip, hip… hooray! Hip, hip… hooray!
Hip, hip, ah, mine are too sore to cheer.
Congratulations to the seven Girdwoodian distance runners holding court on our own backyard race. While we have a couple of special distance runners that didn’t run, the seven who did represented the town well. All Girdwood runners finished under 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/rain-wind-cold-hands-and-blue-lips