Girdwood Trails Marathon Continues to Grow
By Deb Essex
Girdwood Trails Marathon Race Director
The Girdwood Nordic Ski Club held the 10th annual Girdwood Trails Marathon on Sat, Oct. 4, from the Alyeska Resort Daylodge. This event has grown considerably as we added Half Marathon and 5K Race options for participants. The sold out event showcased the varied trails throughout the Girdwood Valley including the popular Winner Creek and Iditarod Trails. This year, 331 runners from all around Alaska, seven U.S. states, and Canada, braved the 39 degree temps and rain to run the connected trails in Girdwood. This event was created by Girdwood trail enthusiast, Brian Burnett, who is constantly cruising along trails for a fun day outside and who currently serves as the Chief of Stoke for all things trail related in Girdwood.
The marathon and half marathon race switch direction every year, and this year ran in a counter-clockwise loop. The participants start at the Alyeska Resort Daylodge and follow pink flags along the trail route set by one the 60 volunteers of this event. The trails were in excellent condition, and Glacier Creek had a low flowrate so the marathon runners could cross without incident. This trail race would simply not be possible without the funding dedication of the Anchorage Parks and Recreation - Girdwood Staff, Kyle Kelley and Margaret Tyler, who annually apply for grant funding and hire trail crews to repair and maintain the valley’s trails. They also coordinate with the Friends of Girdwood Trails to host trail work parties for smaller maintenance tasks. Moreover, the USFS perennially sends a crew up Winner Creek Trail with the enormous task of hardening the trail surface. The combination of these trail maintenance efforts mean that Girdwood trails can handle year-round visitors and participants of this race.
Read the story, pictures and results at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/girdwood-trails-marathon-continues-to-grow
Mass resignations at two Alaska newspapers after out-of-state owners bow to political pressure
By James Brooks
Reporters and editors at the Homer News and Peninsula Clarion announced their resignations on Monday, citing a decision by the papers’ corporate owners to bow to political pressure to amend an article about a vigil for the slain far-right activist Charlie Kirk.
The resignations, which include two editors and two reporters based in Homer and Kenai, were scheduled to take effect in two weeks, but managers at Carpenter Media Group fired all four immediately.
Carpenter Media Group, an international chain, owns the News, Clarion and the Juneau Empire, as well as the Yukon News and hundreds of other newspapers in the Lower 48 and Canada.
The resignations follow a similar mass resignation at the Juneau Empire earlier this summer.
When combined, both actions leave Carpenter Media Group with a single in-state Alaska reporter among its three newspapers.
Mary Kemmis, senior vice president of Carpenter’s publications in Alaska and Canada, did not return phone calls seeking comment on Tuesday, nor did Chloe Pleznac, the reporter who authored the original article.
Jake Dye, a former reporter for the Peninsula Clarion and one of the people who resigned this week, said by phone that Carpenter’s handling of the story was “problematic in a lot of ways.”
Read the entire story at the link below:
‘Holtan Hills’ Developer Gets an Earful During Required Public Meeting
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Girdwood residents had a flurry of questions—and remarks—for the developers of the planned "Holtan Hills" subdivision during an emotionally-charged public meeting Tuesday night.
Some questions weren't answered, some received the promise of a later reply, and some questions were fielded by a team that wants to develop the old-growth forest behind Girdwood's school into a 66-acre subdivision for luxury and single-family homes.
Instead, it was mostly Girdwood locals who had information for the group, none of whom live in the community and who appeared to be ignorant of concerns raised about a $2.5 million paved road and sewer line project underway.
Developers said they hadn't been aware of a dump in the vicinity, that construction has split two connecting trails and that traffic safety has been compromised during development of an access road.
Remarks to a panel that included property developer Connie Yoshimura of CY Investments, were particularly poignant when it came to the safety of children crossing a slippery, hazardous and sometimes obstructed pathway to school.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Alaskans face massive health insurance cost increases unless Congress acts before year end
By James Brooks
More than 25,000 Alaskans who buy health insurance through the federal marketplace will face massive and possibly unaffordable cost increases if federal subsidies expire at the end of the year.
“I do think it’s important to recognize that we should be seeing thousands of people likely lose coverage from this,” said Jared Kosin, president and CEO of the Alaska Hospital and Healthcare Association.
In a panel discussion last month, local experts in Juneau laid out the stark reality for Alaska, which has the highest health care costs in the nation.
Speaking to a room at Juneau’s convention center, they said if federal subsidies end, the cost of health insurance would rise so much that many Alaskans will go uninsured, discouraging them from getting checkups that could prevent serious illnesses. Hospitals would see a larger number of emergencies from uninsured people, straining them. It might even lead to an exodus from the state, as people seek alternative options and cheaper places to live.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Tuesday "Holtan Hills" Meeting Comes on Heels of Construction Complications
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
When city planners and the developer of a contentious "Holtan Hills" subdivision come to town Tuesday they will likely face questions on a construction project plagued with mishaps.
From the beginning, construction of an access road off Hightower and near the school saw issues. A worker on site said a water main, installed decades ago, was not identified. Then, the construction company, GMC, ran into refuse from a forgotten dump.
The finding, testing and disposal of decades-old garbage set the project behind by at least a week.
And, recently, local police have been called to monitor the road after close calls and fears of pedestrian accidents by construction vehicles.
Girdwood Fire Chief Michelle Weston wrote on Facebook that she raised concerns at a Girdwood Board of Supervisors meeting about "commercial vehicles traveling down the center line and swinging into opposing lanes of traffic." She and others said they personally witnessed dangerous situations near the school involving children and construction vehicles.
There have been no flaggers and few safety precautions sought by municipal officials, nor GMC despite calls by local officials.
A spokesperson for the Municipality said in late July a traffic study was determined by the planning department to be unnecessary and that a traffic control plan would be "submitted and available for public review prior to disturbance and reconstruction of (affected) portions of Hightower Rd." So far, no such plan has emerged.
And even though contractors have worked extensively near the road and bike path to patch in gas, sewer and electric utilities, the municipality has not followed through on its commitment for safety measures on the bike path, a section of which was partially torn up and diverted.
"A traffic control plan will be further developed once the construction schedule gets closer to (the) bike path and road demolition so utilities may be connected to mains along Hightower Rd. Temporary chain-link fencing is currently onsite to delineate the active construction zone," the Muni's spokesperson wrote in July.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Public Participates in Parks Planning Process
By Chase Berenson
TNews Staffwriter
Girdwood Parks and Recreation hosted the first public workshop for the Girdwood Parks Plan on Tuesday, Sept. 16th. The Girdwood Parks Plan project is a year-long project to generate a Parks Master Plan that can provide guidance on improvements to Girdwood’s existing park spaces and the potential creation of new parks in the future. The project is spearheaded by Kyle Kelly, Girdwood Service Area Manager, and Bri Keifer, landscape architect with Huddle AK, a consulting firm brought on to help the project.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/public-participates-in-parks-planning-process
"Holtan Hills" Developer to Face Community in Sept. 23 Meeting
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A quietly advertised community meeting on plans to convert a mile long strip of old growth rainforest into a 60 acre subdivision will be held at the Meadow Community Center at Our Lady of the Snows on Sept. 23.
The meeting announcement, sent only to certain homeowners, is sparse on details but describes "phase one" development as consisting of 50 lots and three tracts: "a large wetland tract along Glacier Creek," an "access tract for larger lots", and another tract that "will be subdivided at a later date".
It includes a map showing a rough, station-wagon-shaped patch illustrating the proposed development along with a plume of "offsite improvements".
In a letter to Anchorage's planning department, Mike Edgington, co-chair of the Girdwood Board of Supervisors, called the notice "a surprise".
“The community meeting scheduled by the petitioner requires in-person attendance only and clashes with both a pre-noticed GBOS work session and with the September 23 Anchorage Assembly meeting," Edgington wrote.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/holtan-hills-developer-to-face-community-in-sept-23-meeting
Alyeska Climbathon Rises to the Top
By Chase Berenson
TNews Staffwriter
Once each summer for the last 18 years the North Face Trail up Mount Alyeska has converted from a peaceful but strenuous hiking trail to a scene of athletic endurance for Alyeska Climbathon, which took place on Saturday, September 6th. The premise of Climbathon is simple: from 9AM-7PM, competitors have ten hours to complete as many laps as possible hiking up the North Face and taking the Alyeska Tram back down to the base of the mountain. Of course, this isn’t just an easy hike; the 2.2-mile hike includes over 2,000 feet of elevation!
More important than just being a long, fun day on the mountain, Climbathon is a fundraiser for the Girdwood Health Clinic (in the process of rebranding to Turnagain Community Health) and Let Every Woman Know, an Alaskan non-profit organization that is dedicated preventing, facing, and ending gynecological cancers.
337 racers of all different skill levels and abilities joined together to race up Mount Alyeska. The group included some of Alaska’s most elite mountain runners as well as cancer survivors and supporters of cancer survivors for whom this was the first time they had completed this type of hike. According to Tessa Ely, the Executive Director of Let Every Woman Know, her favorite thing about the day was, “The range of people on the mountain all sharing the trail.” She continued, “Climbathon is an event that really brings people together.”
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/alyeska-climbathon-rises-to-the-top
South Anchorage Wolverines top Lathrop Malemutes August 30
By Mandy Hawes
TNews Contributor
South Anchorage Wolverines players above, left to right, are Kyler Porter, 22; Arne Nedwick, 13; Henry Lantz, 6; and Carson Hawes, 18. The Wolverines topped the Lathrop Malemutes in a home game by a score of 31-7 on Aug. 30. For the Wolverines, the group of the above Girdwood Seniors put up some great stats with incredible clutch plays, For example, Hawes had two interceptions and a recovery. The Wolverines are now 2-1 overall. Come out and cheer your Girdwood gridiron players throughout the season!
Local Ski Patroller Finds Fear, Loathing, and Adventure in War Zones
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Local ski patroller Kyle Beckler rides shotgun in a van as it rattles along a dusty strip near the Ukrainian frontline in its war against Russia.
A bridge comes into view, pieces missing, one span tilted into a river.
The white van, a rented jalopy with a window missing from a shrapnel blast, carries cans of meat and packages. Its glove compartment is duct-taped shut.
The van passes buildings with skeletal roofs and crumbled walls. It passes a rusted, wheel-less transport truck slumped on the side of a road with a door hanging open.
What looks like a school has blackened, pocketed walls and its windows are punched out.
Read the entire story at the below link:
Dump Found Shows Little Trace of Oil
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A dump uncovered during construction of a road to "Holtan Hills" was determined to have a low amount of toxic pollutants, according to an official with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.
Six soil samples taken from material dumped decades ago near Girdwood's school revealed petroleum and other chemicals well below a threshold mandating an extensive clean up, said Jade Gamble, who works in the DEC's "Rapid Response" division.
DEC received a report August 6 and the agency closed the case six days later after testing samples from the site.
A consultant screening for "volatile organic compounds" found that "nothing was deemed a threat to groundwater or surface water or to the general public," Gamble said. "And now they're just running into garbage." She said that "several hundred cubic yards" of trash-strewn dirt have been removed.
In early August workers excavating an access road and sewer line for the controversial "Holtan Hills" project turned up refuse—from oil drums to trash-filled plastic bags to car axles—of a dump closed in 1979. A portion of the garbage was removed in 2002 after children at the school complained of bad smells and orange sludge coming from the playground. The remediated playground area was unlisted as a contaminated site, according to the DEC.
But while garbage uncovered this month is part of the same dump and also had an odor, soil samples from recent excavations had "diesel-range organics" in the 30s parts-per-million and the threshold triggering more stringent regulations is 230 ppm, Gamble said. Tests for heavier oils, like engine oils, showed no amounts of the hazardous waste, she said.
Read the entire story st the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/dump-found-shows-little-trace-of-oil
Assembly Member Zac Johnson addresses Holtan Hills, Girdwood and future
"I never liked this deal and I don't think I ever will."
—Assembly member Zac Johnson
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
This is an interview Turnagain News had with Municipality of Anchorage Assembly Member Zac Johnson. Four days after he challenged his colleagues in the Anchorage Assembly on the merits of a controversial housing development in Girdwood. Turnagain News interviewed Zac Johnson, who represents the community and South Anchorage. The article contains excerpts from our August 16 interview with Johnson.
TNews: Do you have a hard time getting information about the project as an assembly person?
Zac Johnson: No, I'll say the administration and the folks at (the Heritage Land Bank) have been more than willing to sit down and talk through my questions with me. I think that's an advantage of the position I'm in.
Leading up to action last Tuesday, I had several sit downs with HLB and the administration, raising my questions. And for the most part, getting answers to them. So I don't think there's any effort to stonewall there.
I think HLB and the administration are kind of the same. This is the hand they were dealt, right? So it's their job to implement the development agreement and the ordinance that was provided by the assembly. That's just them doing their jobs, essentially.
I guess I would just say in their defense that, one, HLB is a very small department... There's really just three of them there doing all that work.
Read the entire interview at the link below:
Holtan Hills Could be a Money Loser for Muni, Assembly Member Warns
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Given the structure of a deal between a developer and the Municipality of Anchorage on a planned subdivision called "Holtan Hills", the city will likely gain little, break even, or it will stand to lose money, an Assembly member said last week.
The city stands to gain about $1.5 million from the first phase of the project before subtracting expenses, according to data provided publicly for the first time. While the municipality splits proceeds from lot sales, it must subtract costs. For developer Connie Yoshimura revenue from selling lots is profit.
"I don't think this is the way we should be playing with public money because that's what we're doing here," Zac Johnson, who represents Girdwood and South Anchorage said during the meeting. "The risks are real. The costs are real. And, the upside—the benefits—is entirely hypothetical at this point."
Yoshimura, Assembly members and a city spokesperson fired back at Johnson, saying the deal brings new homes, roads and an upgraded sewer system to a valley desperate for housing and infrastructure.
"I am well aware that what Girdwood needs is homes for teachers, for engineers. The calls I get for Girdwood lots... are from people who want to live in Girdwood. They have children that are in the ski program that this project is named after, 'Holtan Hills', Howard Holtan," Yoshimura told the assembly.
In the past four years, 80 percent of the new housing units sold in Girdwood have become unoccupied year round, or "dark homes", and of 25 new condos only one is occupied, Mike Edgington, chair of Girdwood's Board of Supervisors, said in public testimony.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Girdwood Volunteer Fire and Rescue holds Recruiting Open House
By Chief Michelle Weston
Girdwood Volunteer Fire and Rescue
Girdwood Fire is recruiting for new members this fall! Upcoming Recruitment Open House is Aug. 27th at 7 p.m. at the fire hall.
More information at girdwoodfire.comgirdwoodfire.com
Holtan Hills Construction Unearths Decades-Old Landfill
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Workers constructing a municipal access road for a planned subdivision encountered tons of garbage from a landfill that was only partially excavated decades ago.
Crews piled old car parts, crushed propane tanks and other debris into a 20-foot high mound and covered it with a white tarp. The clean up has caused construction delays for road and sewer line access for the 60-acre "Holtan Hills" development, according to a municipal official.
Refuse was uncovered at least two weeks ago. Questions sent to a municipal point-person were answered in a brief response Friday that verified the finding.
"Material needed to be excavated, sorted and tested prior to disposal which has caused a short delay in construction," wrote public involvement coordinator Kenny Friendly. "However, the project is still scheduled to be completed by September 30."
As of Saturday, the material remained on site. Calls and emails sent to a state agency that oversees contaminated sites did not respond to questions as of Friday, so whether the rubbish containes dangerous and toxic contaminates is still unknown.
Though Friendly's email suggested landfill material has been excavated, he wrote in another part of the message that "additional garbage/debris needs to be removed" before paving a road and bike path.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/holtan-hills-construction-unearths-decades-old-landfill
Pickleball tournament is a smash hit!
By Chase Berenson
TNews Contributor
For five hours on Sat, Aug. 16, Girdwood’s pickleball courts were a competitive site as they hosted the Girdwood Pickleball Club Summer Tournament. The Girdwood Pickleball Club is typically a casual group of players with a primary focus of fun, but the tournament gave everyone an opportunity to put their pickleball skills to the test.
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the US, and is booming here in Girdwood. It is a fast-paced paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, played on a court smaller than tennis with a net that’s lower than tennis. Players use solid paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball, aiming to score points by making it difficult for opponents to return the shot.
Fourteen players were in for the tournament, making seven teams of two players each. The day was divided into three segments: warm-up play, followed by seeding play, followed by the ranked tournament. The warm-up period had classic fun games.
The seeding play consisted of four ten-minute games with different teams and players in each one, where players were ranked on their win/loss ratio as well as the ratio of points earned to points lost to the opponent; this allowed every player to be ranked individually.
Once this was completed the player rankings were announced, and teams were decided for the tournament based on rankings. Then the serious fun started! The seven teams played a double-elimination tournament
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/pickleball-tournament-is-a-smash-hit
Public Survey for Girdwood Parks Master Plan Extended to August 24
By Kyle Kelley
Girdwood Valley Service Area Manager
Girdwood Parks and Recreation has extended the public survey deadline for the Girdwood Parks Master Plan by one week, giving residents and park users more time to share their ideas and shape the future of Girdwood’s parks. The survey will now close on Sunday night, August 24, 2025.
The Parks Master Plan will guide the community’s vision for future parkland and will focus on five existing parks: Girdwood Park, Moose Meadows, Lions Club Park, Town Square Park, and the Park Reserve Greenbelts. As well, help identify future parkland in the Girdwood Valley. Feedback from the public will help identify priorities, improvements, and opportunities for recreation and community gathering spaces.
“This is your chance to help shape the parks that make Girdwood special,” said Kyle Kelley, Girdwood Valley Service Area Manager. “Whether you’re a lifelong resident, a seasonal visitor, or just someone who loves the outdoors, your voice matters in this planning process.”
The survey takes just a few minutes to complete and can be accessed online at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GirdwoodParksPlan
For more information about the Girdwood Parks Master Plan or to learn how you can get involved, contact the Project contacts:
Kyle Kelley, Girdwood Valley Service Area Manager: Kyle.Kelley@anchorageak.gov
Bri Keifer, Landscape Architect, Huddle AK: Bri@huddleak.com
US housing secretary visits Alaska to gather insights into urban and rural challenges
By Yereth Rosen
The secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, visiting Alaska this week, said he hopes to learn about challenges facing both the state’s urban centers and remote rural communities.
“I came here to be a great listener, to understand the needs of the people of Alaska, to understand the challenges of the people of Alaska and particularly when it comes to homelessness and affordable housing,” Scott Turner, the Trump administration’s HUD secretary, said at a news conference Tuesday in Anchorage.
Turner is among several Trump administration cabinet members touring Alaska this summer.
He spent part of Tuesday meeting with Anchorage municipal officials who discussed the challenges of homelessness in the state’s largest city.
It is a national issue, Turner said.
That 770,000 people identified as homeless in the nation “is unacceptable to me, it’s unacceptable to my colleagues and I know it’s unacceptable to you,” he said.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Trump remains vague on details of upcoming Ukraine peace talks in Alaska, anticipated Friday
By James Brooks
Four days before a scheduled meeting with the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, over the possibility of a ceasefire that could pause the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Donald Trump has yet to announce a firm location or timing.
Trump said last week on social media that he would meet Putin in Alaska on Friday.
Speaking to reporters Monday at the White House, Trump said he would seek to temporarily end the fighting that has resulted since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
He said he isn’t certain what a long-term peace deal would involve, but it likely would entail “some swapping … some changes in land,” he said.
“We’re going to change the lines, the battle lines. Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They’ve occupied some very prime territory. We’re going to try and get some of that territory back for Ukraine. But they’ve taken some very prime territory,” Trump said.
Read the entire story here:
‘The Girdwood Health Clinic Saved My Life’
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