The Ice Cream Shop Celebrates 25 Years
By Jasper Fleming
TNews Contributor
This week's “scoop” of Girdwood was the local Ice Cream Shop's 25th Anniversary. There was a celebration on the weekend of April 18th-19th. The community gathered at the shop in old Girdwood for a free raffle, live music and, don’t forget, ice cream!
We came out to interview owner and longtime Girdwoodian, Carol Makar on her local shop.
“How did the idea of opening an ice cream shop materialize?”
“I used to work at a Dairy Queen, ” Carol said. Back when she was younger, Carol had a job working at a Dairy Queen. She would make different kinds of ice cream concoctions for the people that would come by. “Then I went into education and kept that in the back of my mind,” she says.
After she retired, Carol built a home with her husband but there were two things in life he didn't like: cottonwood trees and dogs. One day the spot where the ice cream shop is today became available and Carol noticed it was up for rent. After a day of running with a neighbor's dog, she came home to her husband and said, “You know Bud (her husband), I’m going to give you an ultimatum. Either we start an ice cream shop, or I get a dog.
”A couple days later her husband went to the place open for rent and not a week later Carol was signing a lease agreement.
“What efforts were put forth to make the ice cream shop part of the community?”
“We have partnered with Little Bears, Challenge Alaska, FVCS, Girdwood School, Alyeska Ski Club, Forest Fair, and probably a bunch more that I have forgotten” Carol says. “We hire as many local people as possible.
Read the entire story below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/ice-cream-shop-celebrates-25-years
Girdwood P&R Publishes Draft Parks Master Plan
By Allison Sayer
TNews Staffwriter
Girdwood Parks and Recreation has published a draft Parks Master Plan. According to Girdwood Service Area Manager for the Municipality of Anchorage Kyle Kelley, “This plan is to capture the improvements that the community wants to see in its future parks. The plan will guide Girdwood Parks and Rec in future planning, fundingand prioritizing of improvement projects for each park parcel. This plan will build on the park facilities and infrastructure we have now in our current parks.” The plan is meant to provide guidance for decisions over the next ten to fifteen years.
The only currently funded project is a new picnic pavilion in Lions Club Park, secured by grant and fundraising efforts by Girdwood Lions Club. According to Kelley, construction on this will begin in 2026.
A wide range of desired facilities is listed throughout the Girdwood area. Numerous strategies have been proposed for making these a reality, including partnerships with commercial, public, and non-profit entities.
According to the plan document, “[Survey] respondents expressed the highest levels of support for volunteering, community-led fundraising, and municipal bonds dedicated to Girdwood parks. A majority of respondents also indicated support for a visitor-paid tax, such as a bed tax or recreation tax, while increased facility rental fees received lower overall support. Overall, the survey indicates a preference for public investment and community participation over reliance on user fees.”
The document, available at https://girdwoodparksplan.com/, describes desired enhancements for Girdwood Park (a.k.a. Forest Fair Park), Moose Meadows Park, Lions Club Park, Town Square Park, and a proposed “Glacier Creek Park,” in addition to identifying areas for future parks.
The highest community priority identified for the Girdwood Park and California Creek Park area is improved year-round restroom facilities. Reconfiguration to avoid user conflicts, addressing flooding and drainage concerns,upgrading existing playground equipment, and adding covered features to the skate park are also proposed.
A small, elevated plaza is proposed between the skate park and the playground. Sloped grading could provide amphitheater-style seating for summer performances and a small sled hill in the winter.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-pampr-publishes-draft-parks-master-plan
Girdwood celebrates First Friday at local businesses
By Allison Sayer
TNews Staffwriter
Several Girdwood businesses celebrated First Friday on February 6, hosting guest artists, musicians and makers. Visual artists Justin DeWolf and Kelsey Kroon exhibited their work at Coast Pizza and Girdwood Center for Visual Art, respectively, and were on hand to meet and greet with patrons.
Kroon’s work reflects both her upbringing in an Alaska maritime family and her current work crewing films and TV, often on the open ocean or Alaska’s shores. Recent work for a TV show brought her to Unalaska. She found buoys that escaped from trawls on the beaches there, brought them back, and painted them with animals to represent bycatch from the trawl industry.
Other pieces in the show were painted on pieces of marine trashher brother Branden cleaned from a beach in Akun, Alaska, while working for a tug and barge company. Kroon said she often collects beach trash in her travels. Sometimes it finds its way into her artwork, and sometimes she just disposes of it.
“Everything feels negative and downtrodden,” reflected Kroon, “at least I can try. Maybe it can help others to try, too.”
Kroon’s next big project is to help with the Alaska Wildlife Alliance fundraiser at the Bear Tooth Theatrepub on March 30.She plans to help with publicity, donate art for the silent auction, and gather art from other donors. A short film Kroon directed about salmon, Silver Rush, will be screened at the event.
Justin DeWolf has had several shows in Alaska. The work displayed at Coast Pizza was a mix of new pieces and work dating back to 2016.
DeWolf shared that, while he is currently well, he had recently been through “a health scare.” This brought about a period of introspection and inspiration for him. The three new paintings exhibited all depict roads in some way, a reflecting a “mood of where I’ve been and where I’m going.”
The roads in DeWolf’s paintings are also scenes “normal Alaskans have seen.” One painting shows a blur of headlights and taillights on the Seward Highway in the foreground, with a subtle yet intricately painted background of the mountains at night. “Tourists may not be on the Seward Highway at 1:00a.m,” said DeWolf.
In the future, DeWolf, a graphic designer by trade, hopes to be part of expanding local art events and gallery shows. He stated that even a few years after COVID, he doesn’t feel the same level of energy behind live events as in pre-COVID years. He hopes to be part of making arts events in the Anchorage area bigger and more vibrant.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-celebrates-first-friday-at-local-businesses
Turnagain Community Health: Don’t Give Up On Accessing Health Care
By Allison Sayer
TNews Staffwriter
The deadline to enroll in Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance (also widely called “Obamacare”) is just days away- Thursday, January 15. I spoke to Turnagain Community Health Patient Assistance Program Coordinator Linda Mankoff on January 9 to learn more about options for health insurance in 2026.
Free appointments for help understanding your options are available at Turnagain Community Health. Call 783-1355, choose option 1, and ask to be scheduled with a Community Health Worker. The best times to call are Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You do not have to be a patient to receive help.
Congressional wrangling over extending pandemic-era insurance subsidies has been all over national news. Mankoff feels there has been confusion about what Congress is actually fighting about. In 2021, extra subsidies were added to the already existing ACA program. In particular, substantial subsidies were extended to people making over $75,000 per year. Those extra subsidies expired December 31. Extending them was what Congress is fighting about.
“We could not get people in here on the first of November [when the enrollment period started]. The way it came out in the media, it sounded like Obamacare was gone.” She felt people who were making $30,000 or $40,000 per year didn’t understand they could still be eligible for premium tax credits and lower premiums.
What if you earn more than $75,000? Mankoff said she has worked with Girdwood small business owners who initially thought, “I’m never going to be able to afford the marketplace.” However, she continued, “The Marketplace counts net profits for small business owners.” “I tell owners, if you made a big profit, but then you reinvested in the business, what did you actually see at the end of the day? You could be eligible.”
There are people who will see a huge jump in premiums if the extra subsidies end. “If you are in a certain category, you may have paid $400 last year for insurance but it could be as much as $1500-1800 per month this year,” said Mankoff.
Read the entire story at the link below:
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:
Commentary: Girdwood Giants Majors Baseball have Strong Start to the Season at 5-1!
By Kyle Kelley
Coach, Girdwood Giants
The Girdwood Giants Majors Little League baseball team has kicked off the 2025 season with a bang, boasting an impressive 5-1 record! They won the home opener last Friday with a 17-10 victory over the Angels. The Girdwood Giants play against teams from Anchorage. As the team takes to the diamond at Sladen Mohl Memorial Field, their hard work and dedication are evident, and fans are eager to rally behind their local heroes.
Exciting Enhancements at Sladen Mohl Field
This year, the excitement extends beyond the impressive performance of the players. Thanks to the generous support and fundraising efforts of the Sladen Mohl Memorial Field Fund, combined with the skilled craftsmanship of Schubert Construction, Sladen Mohl Field has undergone significant upgrades. The newly constructed dugouts provide the athletes with a sheltered area to prepare for their games, allowing them to stay focused and regroup between innings. These improvements create a more professional and enjoyable experience for the players, visiting teams, and the community.
Moreover, the newly replaced snack shack is a favorite spot for fans and families. With a variety of delicious snacks and beverages available, it’s the perfect place to grab a bite while enjoying the game. The snack shack not only helps fuel our enthusiastic supporters but also fosters a sense of community as families come together to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere at the field. All proceeds from the snack shack support Girdwood Giants baseball now and in the future.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Assembly Changes Girdwood Plan to Allow Housing in Upper Meadows
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
For the Anchorage Assembly, a plan that could shape Girdwood's destiny faced two competing visions.
One, shaped by years of community consensus, favors keeping the valley's beloved rainforest, trails and areas like Stumpy's Trail protected as open space.
The other vision, promoted by the owners of Alyeska Resort, is to acquire more land for housing developments, to meet, as one Assembly member put it, the town's "dire need for housing."
(Photo: Equipment clears land for a new parking lot near Alyeska Hotel last fall. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)
Read the entire story at the link below:
Former Resort Owner gives $1 Million to Childcare Center
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
In an emotional speech during a fundraising gala Friday night, former Alyeska Resort owner John Byrne III announced he is donating $1 million to the Girdwood Workforce Childcare Project for the new childcare center building for Little Bears Playhouse.
In the tearful address, Byrne suggested the new child care center—to be built on Alyeska-owned land near its hotel—be named after legendary volunteer and Girdwood, Inc. founder Diana Stone Livingston who sat before him in the hushed crowd.
The Little Bears Playhouse daycare center is currently housed in a six-decade-old building near the fire station and has capacity for 27 children.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/former-resort-owner-gives-1-million-to-childcare-center
Community comes out to support Challenge at Annual Gala
By Allison Sayer
TNews Staffwriter
On February 1, Challenge Alaska welcomed about 680 guests and 40 volunteers to their annual fundraising gala at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage. The theme was “Wild West,” and attendees dressed in their best cowboy attire.
Challenge is well known in Girdwood for its adaptive ski and snowboard program. They also offer opportunities for intellectually or physically disabled Alaskans to master archery, cross country skiing, water sports, hockey, tennis, mountain biking, and many other sports.
Ski racer Anna Boltz, who has spina bifida, captivated the crowd with her keynote address. She described her journey from being strapped into a tiny sit-ski at the age of two to racing at the national level now at age 18.
Through her experiences at Challenge, Anna has found community, independence, and focus. “This is what I want to do with my life,” she said, “I want to train. I want to race. And I want to be around these people.”
“I don’t feel like I have a disability when I ski,” she said, “I feel free… I can be a teenager and go out and ski with my friends… I can go wherever I want on the mountain.”
Anna has formed lifelong relationships with her fellow racers and coaches. She credited Performance Director Jeremy “Jaha” Anderson with helping her push the limits of her comfort zone, even recounting a crash right underneath the chairlift that resulted in a bloody nose but no other injuries.
Executive Director J. Nathan “Nate” Boltz, who is Anna’s father, described Challenge’s vision during his words: “When the mission is complete, Alaskans of all abilities will have equal access to sports, recreation, and community.”
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/community-comes-out-to-support-challenge-at-annual-gala
A Heating Planet and La Niña add to Colder Spring with Less Precipitation in Southcentral, Scientists Say
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A series of warm winter storms that have walloped Girdwood and Southcentral Alaska in recent weeks has caused power outages, difficult travel, downed trees, avalanches and mudslides.
Climate change—driven largely by ever-increasing amounts of oil pollution—has increased the severity and unpredictability of weather events, scientists say, so that new monikers have spread, such as the "climate emergency", "climate chaos", and "global heating".
Last year was, globally, the warmest year on record. Alaska has warmed by more than 3 degrees in 50 years with the biggest changes taking place in the winter, according to climate scientists, and, they say, "the frequency of avalanches, landslides, floods and coastal storms is increasing in Alaska."
Are recent storms and warmer temperatures in Southcentral Alaska this winter unusual? Unprecedented?
Record-breaking heat waves, widespread warming and above average precipitation plagued the Arctic last year, according to an "Arctic Report Card" issued in December by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
"The rapid pace and complexity of Arctic change demand new and strengthened Arctic adaptation and global reductions of fossil fuel pollution," the report summarized.
And, despite above-average snowfall in the Arctic, snow melt is occurring 1-2 weeks earlier in the spring, the report said.
Researchers found December to be a warmer than average month at all its data stations and that it was a "relatively dry month" in most of the state, according to the UAF's Alaska Climate Research Center.
Read the entire story and graphics at the link below:
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
First ever Pickleball Tourney held
By Seth Beaubien
TN News Contributor
Girdwood’s first pickleball tournament was a smashing success as the Girdwood School gymnasium echoed Friday night to the sound of cracking drives, deft dinks and admiring applause.
Four Valleys Community School Executive Director Beks Rumley and Jarrad Griffith aced the planning, and created a competitive round robin and double elimination bracket set that ensured court time and fun was had by all.
“It was incredibly fun all around, and really encouraging to see so many of the Girdwood Pickleball Club members on the courts tonight," Rumley said.
"We had a handful of pals drive in from Fairbanks, Anchorage, and even Homer--a true commitment to the sport, and a great example of its accessibility. We are stoked to have our first ever pickleball tournament completed, and with so much success. We cannot wait to plan for the next one in the Spring!”
(Pictured are Amy (left) and Gus who received award for the Most Improved Players. (Photos by Seth Beaubien)
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/first-ever-pickleball-tourney-held
Girdwood Board reverses stance on Gas Line
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
Glacier City Radio: Pirates and Politicians — the flight through Turnagain Arm’s ‘Hall of Mirrors’
By Hannah Dillon
TNews Associate Editor
Lewis Leonard is the passionate founder of Girdwood’s community radio station Glacier City Radio, KEUL 88.9. Leonard spoke with Turnagain News to elaborate on how his exciting life led to the creation of Glacier City Radio.
Thousands of CDs line the walls behind Lewis Leonard as he sits in the Glacier City Radio studio. Amps quietly play 88.9 behind the table where Leonard shares life experiences that led to the creation of Glacier City Radio. Later, Leonard gave this reporter a tour of his home and the original five-story 88.9 radio tower.
Leonard developed an interest in audio and electronics in junior high and, by high school, his hobbies led him to a job as a sports photographer with Anchorage Times. Leonard expounded on his experience traveling and working with other studios until KEUL’s formation.
Read the entire story here:
Girdwood Fire Department hosts online Silent Auction for water and mud rescue
By Hannah Dillon
TNews Associate Editor
A jet ski ride, artwork and a five-course dinner for six at Birch and Alder were among items in a recent Girdwood Fire Department silent auction.
The online silent auction was held on June 19 through June 26.
According to the silent auction website, bidders were also able to bid on Kenai River scenic rafting, a ride on a fire command vehicle that will lead the Forest Fair parade and a first-hand experience with Kobuk the black bear.
Girdwood Fire Department’s Chief Michelle Weston said the Girdwood Fire Department received around $8,000 worth of donations from over 30 different local businesses.
All donations go towards fire and mud rescue conducted along the Turnagain Arm. Weston said some donations have contributed to the fundraising for a rescue boat as the department does not receive any funding for rescue efforts.
Weston said she has had to fundraise for all of the highway extraction, water and mud rescue equipment over the last five years.
Dry suits and rope bag equipment used for saving those who become trapped in the mudflats have all been replaced using donated money from the community.
Weston said the lack of federal assistance stems from the available range of services the Girdwood Fire Department covers in a vast area. The department’s EMS service area extends further than their fire services, causing issues with the ability to financially support the department.
“We initially had a commitment from the municipality approved by the assembly to donate $20,000 to us but then there came problems in the transferring of the money. So that's why we're now fundraising extra,” said Weston.
Read the entire story here:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-fire-department-hosts-online-silent-auction-for-water-and-mud-rescue
Girdwood 2023 Budget Shows Surplus
By: Brooks Chandler
TN Contributor
Girdwood's local government had a surplus of nearly $400,000 in its 2023 budget, savings that are a result of lower than expected costs for road maintenance, lower expenses for parks and the fire department's decision to hold off on buying a new fire truck.
Actual expenses for the Girdwood Valley Service Area in 2023 were $388,288 under budget.
Read the entire story at:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-2023-budget-shows-surplus
Getting ‘In The Loop’ for Girdwood’s First Friday Art Walk
By Chase Berenson
TNews Contributor
On the first Friday of every month, six businesses on Girdwood’s Olympic Mountain Loop welcome the new month by opening their doors from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday evening for an art walk titled Girdwood’s First Friday in the Loop.
Typical participants are Alpenglow Coffee House, Girdwood Center for the Visual Arts (GCVA), Jack Sprat, La Bodega, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, and Powder House Ski and Bike Shop. The businesses are going to try to maintain these events on first Fridays through the summer, and we checked out the event on Friday, April 5, to see what the experience is like.
There is no wrong way to approach the Loop on a first Friday, but we planned on starting at GCVA since it is arguably the most arts-focused of the participants and it’s conveniently located on the top of the Olympic Mountain Loop. We were surprised to see that GCVA was closed and wasn’t participating in this month’s event, and that feeling was shared by many people we ran into throughout the evening.
Read the entire story at:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/getting-in-the-loop-for-girdwoods-first-friday-art-walk
POACHER’S LAST RUN
By Jim Sweeney
TNews Contributor
The helicopter hovers eighty to hundred feet above the valley floor creating a tornado of snow. Each time it tries to land, it is engulfed in white, so that the pilot has to pull back to see.
The helicopter is small, with a blue bottom, a white top and an Alaska State Trooper badge on its side.
The helicopter flies off, circles once and comes back for another try. No cigar this time, either. The obnoxious bird takes off on another loop and this time slows down as it flies over. The garble from the helicopter’s loudspeaker is swallowed by rotor wash but Mark Norquist and Matt Howard get the message. It’s too dark and there is too much snow flying around for the helicopter to land.
Dave "The Poacher" Pettry will spend the night of March 14 next to Tincan Creek.
Read the entire story at:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/poachers-last-run
Girdwood Trails Plan Gets Assembly nod
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
The Anchorage Assembly adopted a trails plan for Girdwood last week that maps out a network of interconnecting trails in the valley.
The decision follows four years of wrangling a continually morphing plan through dozens of public meetings, competing demands of different user groups and a sometimes bitter public process that resulted in ethics questions and charges of harassment.
In the end, the plan comes closer to a future when residents can "leave our cars in our garage," Girdwood Nordic Ski Club President Deb Essex told the Assembly.
Read the entire story at:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-trails-plan-gets-assembly-nod
Girdwood Homeless Population Doubles
By Brooks Chandler
TNews Contributor
There are more than 47 persons living in tents, trees, cars, trucks, trailers and campers on the street or in the woods of Girdwood, according to a local survey.
A year earlier the number was 22.
The 2024 “count” was conducted January 29 through in person interviews, Girdwood resident Linda Mankoff told the Girdwood Board of Supervisors at Monday's meeting.
Only persons who volunteered their names were included.
Mankoff, who is a patient assistance program coordinator at the Girdwood Health Clinic, coordinated local participation in conjunction with a nationwide homeless survey.
She estimated another 20-25 unhoused residents declined to be counted.
The official count will be reported to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development by the Clinic. Based on the data, homeless Girdwoodians may qualify for federal assistance later in 2024.
Who are these people? Ms. Mankoff said many are employed in the Valley—in the service industry and as young professionals. She said some of the working homeless told her market rate rents would consume 50 percent of their income.
Mankoff told GBOS many live with some fear of being forced to leave their “spot”.