By: Brooks Chandler

Turnagain News Contributor

Suzanne LaFrance was the clear favorite among Girdwood voters in the April 2 mayoral election. LaFrance received 64 percent of the votes cast for mayor according to results certified by the Anchorage Assembly on April 23.

This compares to 36 percent of votes for LaFrance city-wide. Mayor Dave Bronson finished a distant second in Girdwood with 15 percent of votes cast.

Citywide Bronson received only 473 votes less than LaFrance, a difference of less than 1 percent. In Girdwood LaFrance received 387 votes more than Bronson.

LaFrance was also favored by 46 percent of Indian/Bird Creek voters receiving 59 votes compared to 39 votes, or 30 percent, for Mayor Bronson, LaFrance's closest competitor.

The results in other South Anchorage precincts, many of which LaFrance represented as an Assembly member, were more mixed. The certified results show Bronson outpolling LaFrance in the majority of South Anchorage and Hillside precincts.

According to the Municipal Clerk’s office, 808 of Girdwood’s 1,949 registered voters participated in the April 2 election. That equals a 41 percent turnout. Indian/Bird Creek did even better turning out 43 percent of 302 registered voters. City wide turnout was 30.4 percent.

Mayoral preference was not the only result where Girdwood votes varied widely from Anchorage votes. Proposition 7, the Cemetery Bond, was favored by 455 of 792 Girdwood voters (57.4 percent). Area wide only 43.5 percent of voters favored Proposition 7.

Proposition 7 included bonding to create a cemetery in both Eagle River and Girdwood plus make improvements to the existing cemetery in downtown Anchorage. Because cemetery service is an “area-wide” service all property owners in Anchorage would have repaid the proposed bonds through property taxes.

No Eagle River precinct supported Proposition 7. All 7 downtown Anchorage precincts plus Government Hill joined Girdwood in voting yes on Proposition 7.

The official certified results by precinct can be found at www.muni.org/Departments/Assembly/Clerk/Elections/Election%20Results/2024-0423%20StatementOfVotesCastRPT.pdf

By Jeff Samuels

TNews Contributor

The Girdwood Nordic Ski Club (GNSC) and Kenai Mountains- Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area (KMTA) teamed up again this year to host the 3rd annual Corduroy Crush Nordic Skiing event on Sunday, April 7th at Girdwood’s 5K Nordic Loop.

About 85 athletes of all ages participated in three events: a 2K snowball biathlon, a 5K timed race, and a team relay. 

KMTA’s Executive Director, Rachel Blakeslee, and GNSC’s board member, Briana Sullivan, coordinated logistics and volunteers to manage the event. Participants were greeted by a bluebird spring day and warm temperatures, with a deep winter base of snow still covering the skiing trails. Families basked in the sunshine as the races took place.

Skiers were fueled by hot drinks and sweet rolls from the Alpenglow Coffee House and The Bake Shop.  

“Every year we host this race I’m astounded by the selflessness of those who come out to support with their time, energy, and resources,” said Rachel. “This year, we had 33 volunteers from Girdwood, Anchorage, Seward, Moose Pass and more show up on the most beautiful, sunny Sunday to help out… We talk a lot about preserving and celebrating our living heritage in the KMTA. This is what it’s all about.”

As a fundraiser, about $2,000 was generated from registration fees to support KMTA’s youth outdoor school programming. 

In addition to Alpenglow Coffee House and The Bake Shop, other sponsors included Powderhound Ski Shop, Birch & Alder, The Ice Cream Shop, Mooses Tooth, Girdwood Brewing, and Alyeska Resort.

For more information on The Girdwood Nordic Ski Club, visit their website at:  https://skigirdwood.org/. For more information on the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area, visit their site at: https://kmtacorridor.org/.

KMTA hosts additional race events each summer at the Spencer Whistlestop and on Hope's Palmer Creek Road. Find more information on upcoming events on their website.

(Click on the story title to see more pictures)

Girdwood Area Plan Funded From Multiple Sources

By Brooks Chandler

TNews Contributor

Comprehensive planning costs money, and more than expected.

The total cost of the draft Girdwood Area Plan now out for public comment through March 31 will exceed $200,000, according to Imagine!Girdwood Treasurer Amanda Sassi.

The final funding originated from a source no one would have envisioned in 2017 when the update effort began. Regardless of the price, readers can now review and comment on the draft at imaginegirdwood.org.

Read more at:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/persistence-plus-pandemic-produces-plan

Story by Jon Scudder, TNews Publisher

Photos by Soren Wuerth, TNews Editor

On the first Friday of each month, the streets of Olympic Mountain Loop transformed the March 1 evening into a vibrant community of artistic expression, as local artists, musicians, and businesses unite to celebrate creativity in the heart of Turnagain Arm.

Since ‘In The Loop’ debuted last year, the event has quickly become a cornerstone of Girdwood’s cultural scene, drawing customers, locals and visitors, to explore the diverse array of businesses in this monthly celebration.

Participating Friday, 5 to 7 pm, were businesses such as Alpenglow Coffee House; Girdwood Center for Visual Art; Jack Sprat Restaurant; La Bodega; Mother Hubbards Cupboard; and Powder Hound Ski and Bike Shop.

Read the entire story:

https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwoods-in-the-loop-first-friday-unveils-a-mountain-community-of-artistic-ex

By Brooks Chandler

TNews Contributor

Many people equate “health clinic” with seeing a medical provider.

The Girdwood Health Clinic takes a broader view of its role as an advocate for community health.

There are “social determinants” that impact health, says Patient Assistance Program Coordinator Linda Mankoff.

These include housing. An insecure housing situation, or just how living in the cold, can make someone sick and cause mental stress.

Not having enough food to eat is also a health concern that has the attention of the clinic.

A lack of transportation reduces access to specialty medical services not available at the clinic, says Mankoff.

Mankoff's Patient Assistance Program is designed to improve these social determinants of health.

The clinic educates community members about available public assistance programs.

For example, Mankoff says folks may be directed to Cook Inlet Housing by the clinic if they need housing and are willing to live in Anchorage.

They can also learn about possible help through Catholic Social Services.

And domestic violence victims can be referred to agencies providing temporary safe places to live.

Meanwhile, Girdwood senior citizens get help accessing the Senior Citizens Food Program.

Education may simply be letting people know that on-site mental health services are regularly available at the clinic.

When a community member wants to apply for a program such as food stamps or Medicaid, Mankoff says the clinic helps them fill out the inevitable mounds of paperwork. Before the clinic existed this type of help required a trip to town.

As a certified community health worker and application counselor Mankoff says the clinic can provide help on site. These efforts are part of creating and maintaining a “full circle of health” for Girdwood, she says.

All of these services are provided for free and regardless of whether the community member being assisted is a medical patient and confidentiality protocol prevents the clinic from identifying specific health benefits from these efforts, according to Mankoff.

Each day, a stack of food boxes for seniors awaits delivery free those who need it, a manifestation of the social service Girdwood's clinic provides.

(Photo courtesy of Girdwood Health Clinic)