Whittier Weighs Future of Waterfront Leases Amid Growth
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Kelly Bender sat on a table outside her cafe, the Frisky Mermaid, on an overcast day last month and worried about the future of her business.
Finley, her German shepherd, chased a ball on the deck while patrons ducked inside the narrow shop for coffee, pastries or the cafe's signature homemade fudge. A few travelers nestled in chairs at the back of the shop gazing out at Whittier's boat harbor below.
A fixture on the community's oceanfront, the coffeehouse is in danger of losing a coveted city lease during a moment when the tiny coastal town is undergoing profound change.
A new port that opened last year at the head of Passage Canal has more than doubled the number of cruise ships and Whittier's harbor has seen a 50 percent increase in boats moored temporarily at its docks.
In March, when Bender sought to expand her business to include an Avis car rental, she learned her lease was expiring. Phillips Alaska Cruises, which leases the adjacent lot, also held an expiring lease, she said.
Read the entire story at the link below:
FVCS led the state with Alaska’s first and only snow classic
By Chase Berenson
TNews Staffwriter
One of Girdwood’s beloved winter traditions is the Mount Alyeska Snow Classic, hosted by Four Valleys Community School (FVCS). Almost everyone in Girdwood knows that the premise of a snow classic is to purchase a ticket, guess how much snow will have fallen by a certain date, and then win half the pot of money if the guess is right. But outside of Girdwood, snow classics are unknown to many Alaskans. When Alaska legalized snow classic betting in 2012, they only legalized one snow classic in the entire state. Alaska Statute (AS) 05.15.690(47) reads: “‘snow classic’ means a game of chance in which a prize of money is awarded to the closest guess of the total snow accumulation on the ground at a specific location on Mount Alyeska on a specific date and time and is limited to the Alyeska Snow Classic operated and administered by Four Valleys Community School, Inc.”
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/fvcs-led-the-state-with-alaskas-first-and-only-snow-classic
Walk and Talk Series Ends with Lichens
By Andrew Gates
TNews Contributor
In late July, Four Valleys’ “Walk and Talk” series held its final session—a lichen nature walk, headed by Howard Earl. It started at the Winner Creek Trailhead at Alyeska around eight, and there were around 20 people there.
You could immediately tell Howard was incredibly passionate about the topic, at the very start explaining how lichens were a hybrid of fungi and algae growing in a symbiotic relationship. People started walking, but a few minutes in, he stopped the group to give a lecture on the different types of lichen, giving “Fairy Barf” as an example of crustose lichen, a variety found growing on rocks, flush to the surface.
The group then stopped on a boardwalk where he took time to explain lichen age.
“There are lichens that are 50, even 100 years old,” he said, before pointing out a rock with a lichen that had been there since the 1970s, to nearly everyone’s fascination.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/walk-and-talk-series-ends-with-lichens
New Childcare Center Opens Doors to Community
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
The crowd that formed to toast, with cups of sparkling cider, Saturday's grand opening of Girdwood’s new early learning center had something more in common than many likely knew.
"If you've gone to Little Bears [Playhouse], have a child who's gone or have a grandchild who's gone please raise your hand," the center's director asked the crowd.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/new-childcare-center-opens-doors-to-community
Portage Visitor Center Closes During Mid-July Rainstorm That Raised Landslide Threat
Public Notification of Risk Limited
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
For a pair of Swiss travelers standing on a beach opposite Portage Glacier the German word for "landslide" sounds like something harsher: "erdrutsch".
Informed about the threat of "erdrutsch" and tsunami, a menace now widely reported, the couple took a last look at the glacier across the lake and quickly began their hike out.
On a Monday in late July there were dozens of hikers on an out-and-back, two-mile trail that crosses an 800-foot pass to Portage Lake. It was just over a week after a torrential rainstorm raised concerns about a looming landslide abutting the glacier.
Read the entire story and more pictures at the link below:
AWWU updates Girdwood infrastructure under residents’ feet and roads
By Chase Berenson
TNews Staffwriter
One of the most important elements of water utility infrastructure is what removes the wastewater from our homes after we have used the water in our kitchen sinks, showers, and other plumbing fixtures. Wastewater infrastructure isn’t generally thought about too much, but Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU) is investing in improvements in Girdwood’s wastewater system.
Read the entire story at the link below:
‘Photonz’ Bring It Home
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Girdwood's Cosmic Party (formerly known as The Photonz) returned to Southcentral Alaska after three years playing gigs in Eagle River, Anchorage, Hope and Girdwood. The group even played on a boat in Prince William Sound.
The band played original songs—jams and "psychedelic funk"— to an enthusiastic crowd Monday at the Raw Market in Girdwood.
Although the band began in Glacier City nearly 30 years ago, its music is still familiar to locals.
On Monday night a crowd of teens gathered near the front of the stage, some of whom are children of band members, and sang aloud to Cosmic sounds.
When a call came out for a show of hands from those who travelled from out-of-state to see the band, dozens of arms went up.
The six-member band includes singer/guitarist/drummer Ben Robinson, Peter Townsend (mandolin and electric guitar), Tony Restivo (bass), Steve Norwood (guitar, drums), Romero Begay (electric guitar) and Benjamin Trocki (percussion).
Forest-Bog Walk & Talk Daylights Wonder
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
For most people, let's admit it, a walk through our local meadow reveals beauty writ large—the way light suffuses the field, yellow-green, distant blue-gray ridgelines, or the warped netted planks replacing a muddy track.
Rarely do we crouch for a closer look, except to search for a blueberry patch.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/forest-bog-walk-amp-talk-daylights-wonder
Tiny Alaska Port Town designs Transportation Plan to handle huge crowds
By Yereth Rosen
The western Prince William Sound town of Whittier is small, with only about 250 residents packed into a narrow slice of land between the mountains and the sea. But it accommodates a huge number of travelers who move in and out by cruise ship, ferry, railroad, car, bus and truck.
In recent years, according to city officials, Whittier has gotten about 700,000 visitors annually: tourists, recreational users, seafood workers, cargo shippers and others. That number is expected to increase substantially in the coming years.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Get Ready for a Cosmic Party
Iconic Girdwood Band Returns for Summer Shows
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
I had to look no further for old friends from the Photon community than the car right in front of me on the way to the venue.
They passed the brewery. I passed the brewery. They turned. I turned.
An hour later we were all sweating with other long-lost friends on the dance floor to a "Space Tornado" of a song.
The Cosmic Party (formerly known as The Photonz) are back for local gigs with jam music of such mystical effect, it moves one, almost helplessly, to boogie.
Returning after three years, the iconic Girdwood band is playing four shows of original music that lead singer and songwriter Ben Robinson describes as "psychedelic funk" (writer Jay Stange labelled the sound, in 1998, as "jangly folk rock").
It was the Creekbend concert venue in Hope that called them back this time.
"Steve Thomas reached out to us and gave us a solid guarantee so we could make this happen," Robinson said in an email. "He believed in us and he believed in the crowd that loves and supports us."
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/get-ready-for-a-cosmic-party
UPDATE: On Your Mark, Get Set, Crow!
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Around 108 runners stampeded off a bridge Saturday's rainy morning on their way to Eagle River, 22.6 miles away.
Confronting them was a three-mile, 2,000-foot climb to the top of Crow Pass, a 10-mile descent through an overgrown trail to eventually cross thigh or waist-high Eagle River, then another nearly 10-mile slog to the Eagle River Nature Center.
Prior to the start, runners had received a warning: it's going to be a cold one. A steady drizzle made the 50-degree morning feel downright chilly.
And with a capacity for 150 racers, only 108 bibs were picked up.
This year the 41st-annual race is going to be a little "longer and slower", Race Director Matias Saari said as he packed up gear below a tent at the start.
Later he sent a text: "two come from behind wins".
Crossing the finish line three hours and 33 minutes later, Allan Spangler had a five minute lead over 18-year-old Zan Griffis. Spangler "caught and passed" Griffis with three miles to go, Saari said, and Christy Marvin "chased down" Shauna Severson to be the first woman to cross the tape. The two took 8th and 9th overall.
A new trail section adds nearly a half mile to the run. The time limit for completion was increased to seven hours.
Read the entire story at the link below;
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/one-your-mark-get-set-crow
Developer Presents Idea for New ‘Boutique’ Resort in Girdwood
Editorial Update, July 6, 2026
In correspondence sent to Turnagain News since initial publication of this story, a Monarch Hospitality Group representative indicated that the specific site of the proposed hotel and spa would be outside of the avalanche hazard zone. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Below is the article originally published.
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By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A "global hospitality group" is eyeing land in Girdwood to build an estimated $150 million luxury hotel next to Alyeska Resort, a developer announced Monday at a Land Use Committee meeting.
The group's point person, Nathan Braun, 32, told local residents the "boutique" hotel would have 80 rooms with another 60 for its workers, and that an "alpine coaster"—a type of mountain rollercoaster—could supplement the new resort.
Though he has yet to speak with Pomeroy Lodging, Alyeska's owner, Braun said, "let me make it clear this is not a competition" with the Resort.
Braun, who is from Brooklyn, said he is working with "Monarch Hospitality Group". The company's website has few details and, though Braun said he has a team of nine people, he would not disclose with whom the group is planning to partner, the names of investors or his company's net worth. He said his group has not developed any hotels and is based out of New York.
As its sole agent, Braun registered Monarch Hospitality Group with the State in late February.
The "Glacier Creek Resort" has a single-page website but is little more than an idea at this point, Braun said, and the area he is targeting, a bench just up-valley of the Alyeska Hotel, is unsurveyed. He said he's only been to Alaska once as a child.
When asked how he chose Girdwood for a hotel, Braun said he is "passionate about travel". "I'm good at geography," he said. "This is what I do."
"I don't know what grabbed me to look at it," he said. "I don't have the right answer. I just thought of it. Is that a good answer for you?
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/developer-presents-idea-for-new-boutique-resort-in-girdwood
What is a 'Corn Dolly'? An Irish Tradition Hangs as Tan Ornaments at the Fair
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Across decades and hundreds of vendors, the Forest Fair has had its share of knitted, cross-stitch, embroidered, and crocheted patterns and fabrics.
Weaving with wheat may be a first of its kind at the fair, but it certainly isn't a new craft.
Read the entire story at the link below:
Young Entrepreneurs Bring Lemonade, and Style, to Fair
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Tucked in a tent guarded by three enormous cottonwood trees, 11-year-old Hazel Kavaganis tallied her day's fortunes.
"I sold half my stock, a bunch of people signed up on my website, that I'm still working on, and, what else?" she said, clicking long, colorful fingernails.
One a table beside her lay sets of 10 hand-painted Gel X Nails. Months before the Forest Fair, Hazel began to craft a product line for a booth she calls "Talk to the Hand".
She ended up making 33 kits, some painted like bumblebees, others green and black aliens, others jade, others crimson, some pink.
The nails are hot sellers. Names and email addresses crowd a clipboard resting nearby.
"This is her deal," said her father, Bill, a masseuse at the Alyeska Nordic Spa, who sat nearby. "But she gets her entrepreneurial skills from her mom."
And each year, there's been something different for the young entrepreneur. Last year, it was embroidery and magnets.
"Everybody thought it was cross-stitching. But it was embroidery," said Hazel, who wants to go to college for cosmetology and hopes to open a salon someday.
Hazel operates one of several "Kid & Teen" booths at the Fair, a vending reservation that gives younger people the opportunity to "take on the entrepreneurial skills to vend and create unique products," according to the Fair's website. Kids 12 and under receive free booth space while teens will have to pony up $150 for a space.
There are 32 kids booths. Last year's event had "an overwhelming number of applicants", the website reported. Only hand-crafted items are allowed to be sold.
"We are so grateful to the Forest Fair for making space available for kids," Bill said, looking on.
Forest Fair, in its 51st Year, Launches This Weekend
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Tara Starlight was putting the final touches on her booth "Starlight Coffee" when a volunteer approached. "Do you want some coffee?" she asked. "This one's on the house."
She was ready to go Thursday afternoon with a beverage menu of coffee, cold brew, mocktails and a special concoction called "Raspberry Danish": cold brew with a cream cheese soft top.
Starlight is in her second year as a vendor and took an opportunity to move her stand to a new location near the ballfield fence. "I can see the main stage from here," she said, smiling. Last year she said she sold at least 1,000 cold drinks alone.
Her crew is her family. "The teenagers are sleeping in the back of the van," said Starlight, who works for the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition.
Meanwhile, across a cluttered path, the Talkeetna Spinach Bread crew was busy assembling its stand. The widely popular food booth began more than two decades ago, said owner Ross Benischek. He nodded toward his son Finn, 22. "During our first year, my wife was pregnant with him," Benischek said.
Since lines are long for the crispy, garlicky, cheese-topped bread, Forest Fair volunteers moved the youth performance stage closer to the bread stand's queue, said Terri Adkins, the event's vice president. Youth performances run 11 a.m. through 5 p.m. on Saturday.
And while a couple new food booths have cropped up—like "Papaya Tree", which sells Southeast Asian street food—a main attraction may be the Fair's revamped wine garden.
Read the entire story and more pictures of the Forest Fair at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/forest-fair-in-its-51st-year-launches-this-weekend
Local Trails Get Love by the Buckets
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A group of 30 teenagers and three adults added 20 tons of gravel to sections of the Iditarod Trail this week—all by the bucketful.
Passing orange buckets in a 600-foot bucket brigade, the city-run "Youth Employment in Parks" team had completed by Thursday much of the middle portion of the Iditarod trail that runs adjacent to Crow Creek Road.
The group added 100-feet of turnpike—gravel beds enclosed by logs—over four days, according to Kyle Kelley, Girdwood's service area manager.
See more photos at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/local-trails-get-love-by-the-buckets
Commentary: Dirt Bikes Aggravate Timberline Neighborhood
By: John Gallup
Girdwood Resident
I’d like to address a neighborhood problem that is getting worse, at least here on Timberline.
We are seeing and unfortunately hearing an increasing number of unlicensed dirt bikes traveling up and down the street. Recently a smaller kid went by with no helmet, and that kind of pushed the issue over the edge for me.
The problem is worse on the weekends, but happens throughout the week as well, especially now that school is out.
I’m conflicted on this issue because growing up in suburban LA we did this kind of thing all the time in our neighborhood, and managed to survive the encounters with curbs, cars, and each other.
Part of the problem is that there isn’t anywhere in Girdwood for off-road motorized recreation, so the roads are the only venue that’s left.
I’ve contacted WPD on this issue and they have suggested that I contact the individuals myself, but at this point I really feel that it is a public safety issue.
Another complication is the arrival of very fast electric bikes, which are quiet but equally unsafe the way some riders use them. Without enforcement the 20 mph speed limit is a joke.
I’d be happy to discuss the establishment of some kind of off-road site in Girdwood for these kids, maybe at the industrial park, but the traffic on Timberline is crazy enough already without adding dirt bikes to the mix.
Obituary: Sharon Chandler Stiassny Scudder
September 12, 1955 - June 2, 2026
Our beloved Bubbe, Sharon Scudder, died from a rare form of cancer: Cholangiocarcinoma.
She is survived by her loving husband, Jon Kenyon Scudder, beloved sons and their wives, Aaron Yoel Stiassny (Julie-Pierre Leclerc), Ari Benjamin Stiassny (Melanee Raney-Stiassny), and Elliot Noah Stiassny (Amy Kirkham), stepdaughter, Tara Scudder, and mother-in-law, Kathryn Scudder. Moreover, she leaves her beloved grandchildren, Mia, Col Dov, Taz, Pierre-Samuel (Sammy), Julien, twins Josette and Charlie, Jacob, and Dana. She also leaves her first husband, Lloyd, and his family and wonderful sisters-in-law, Vivian Stiassny and Ginny Efronson, and their families.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/wgi9ksy0q9anl722d312tgv8c3zo5v-ycm5a
Portage Lake Tsunami Could Reach Turnagain Arm and Whittier
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A hulking mountain face slowly sinking toward Portage Lake could collapse and send a massive wall of water hurtling into the Portage visitor center and down a valley six miles to Turnagain Arm, according to experts and a Forest Service emergency action plan.
Geologists fear a landslide-triggered tsunami more than 1,000 feet high could, like sloshing water in a bathtub, sweep through valleys, enter the 2.5-mile long Whittier Tunnel and even breach the 500-foot Portage pass, sending muddy water and debris into Passage Canal.
Yet, as catastrophic as it sounds—and given growing concern about landslides, sporadic news coverage and heightened awareness—few warnings have been issued about the possibility of a major disaster at a popular tourism destination that opens Friday.
"You think about some dramatic event like a tsunami on Portage Lake and it sounds pretty implausible until after it's happened. And that's kind of an instinct we, or at least a lot of people, have," said independent geologist Bretwood "Hig" Higman, who has consulted for the government on a number of landslide risk zones.
Portage's Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, a popular tourism destination that sees up to 1,000 visitors a day, sits directly in the path of a potential tsunami and 2.5 miles from the toe of Portage Glacier.
Higman estimated a catastrophic tsunami at Portage has one in 30 yearly chance of occuring and a wave that magnitude would give a person two to four minutes to evacuate. The landslide is currently moving at a rate of a meter per year.
Read the entire story at the link below:
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/wgi9ksy0q9anl722d312tgv8c3zo5v
For Local Graduates Longtime Friendships Continue
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Levi Williamson and Teagan Kuber grew up together in Girdwood. For nine years, they attended the same small local school and graduated with only 14 others.
They both went to high school in Anchorage, Kuber to South and Williamson to West.
Four years later, they would find out, in October, that they would not only be going to the same school on the other side of the planet, but they would be dorming a couple walls away from each other.
More phot coverage to come later. Read the entire story at the link below..
https://www.turnagainnews.org/articles/for-local-graduates-longtime-friendships-continuenbsp