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MERRY CHRISTMAS
HAPPY NEW YEAR
T U R N A G A I N
VOL. 15, NO. 24
TIMES
Serving Indian, Bird, Girdwood, Portage, Whittier, Hope, Cooper Landing & Moose Pass
December 20, 2012
Girdwood Health Clinic
hopes New Year starts
with new building lease
By Ken Smith
Turnagain Times
As the New Year approaches, the Girdwood Health
Clinic is hoping it has a signed
agreement for a long-term
lease of the building it occupies. The clinic is operating
as a non-profit under the guidance of the board of directors
of Girdwood Health Clinic,
Inc. (GHCI). The building’s
landlord is the non-profit
group, Turnagain Arm Health
Center, Inc. (TAHCI).
The Turnagain Times reported in the Aug. 16 issue
that the two non-profits were
close to finalizing a building
lease. At the time, the board
of directors at TAHCI had requested a new, more in-depth
business plan from GHCI
before finalizing a new building lease agreement. GHCI
received a $15,000 grant from
the Denali Commission to hire
the Foraker Group in Anchorage to draft a business plan.
After the plan was completed,
the board of GHCI submitted it to TAHCI and its board
voted to accept the plan.
However, over three months
later, the two sides are still
working on a lease agreement.
“The hold up is price,” said
GHCI board member and vice
president Terry Sherwood.
“We’re under lease negotiations right now. We’re currently paying on a month to
month basis until we get it
settled.”
The clinic’s lease expired
in August, and Sherwood said
that the negotiations have
dragged on because of delays
caused by the TAHCI’s cancellations of two meetings.
The TAHCI board meets
quarterly,
said
Michael
Kessler, the board president, and he said the board
only cancelled one meeting.
They gathered for their most
recent meeting last Thursday
to discuss the lease. In that
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meeting, they reviewed some
of the details that the GHCI
board proposed in a rewritten
lease.
Kessler said the board is
considering accepting some
of the GHCI’s requests, but
questioned the GHCI board’s
decision to hire a lawyer and
rewrite the lease.
“Why would we want to
accept a rewritten lease,” he
said, adding that it’s the responsibility of the landlord to
write a lease, not the tenant.
He said at TAHCI’s meeting
last week the board rewrote
the lease, making some
changes that were requested
by the GHCI board.
“There
are
numerous
details we’re working on, and
we expect a lease to be signed
in a couple of weeks,” Kessler
said.
One of the sticking points
in the lease is a request by
the GHCI board to TAHCI to
apply for non-profit property
tax exemption, and pass the
savings on to the clinic by reducing the rent. With the exemption in place, the GHCI
board is seeking a $500 or
$600 reduction on its monthly
rent of $2,300.
“We qualify as a non-profit,” Sherwood said, “and they
[TAHCI] can get a tax break
of about $50,000. They get a
significant tax reduction that
they pay on the property, and
we’re working on that. But
they have to apply for it, and
they must be willing to reduce
the monthly rent until they do,
but it’s up to them to follow
through on the application, and
they are not very good at following through because they
don’t meet on a regular basis.”
When asked about the
TAHCI board’s desire to
apply for the property tax exemption, Kessler said they
are pursuing it, but, he added,
See Page11,
Girdwood Clinic Lease
Inside this Issue
Whittier Report .........................2
Moose Passings........................4
Hope Happenings .....................6
Out of the Town .........................7
Mountain News ........................8
Bird Street Addresses ...............9
Trooper Report ........................10
Trail Watch ..............................11
Photo courtesy of Heather Thamm
A snowboarder rides above the clouds at Alyeska Resort.
Troopers and DA close in on suspects
of Turnagain Arm burglaries
String of burglaries from Talkeetna to Hope
are believed to be connected
By Ken Smith
Turnagain Times
A rash of burglaries and thefts in Turnagain
Arm communities is part of what investigators
believe is a burglary ring that stretches from Talkeetna to Hope. Four home break-ins that have
been investigated occurred in Indian, Bird, Girdwood, and Hope from October to mid-November, said Sgt. Michael Zweifel, the lead investigator in the Girdwood area. And he believes
they’re all connected to the same suspects.
In another case of thefts in Hope and Tur-
nagain Pass, Hope resident James Lee III was
arrested Nov. 20 for three outstanding warrants, including one for escaping from a halfway house. He was also facing two warrants
for a no-bail and failure to appear in court
for six felony charges of theft, burglary, and
vehicle theft.
In his connection with the Hope and Turnagain Pass thefts and stolen vehicle, Lee is
facing additional charges.
“The cases have been turned over to the disSee Page11, Turnagain Arm Burglaries
Remembering
Rob Hammel
A Modern Rennaisance
Man and Champion of
the Alaska Dream
By Loverne Bercee
and the Hammel Family
Rob Hammel was doing what he always
did on a Saturday afternoon on Nov. 24,
lending a helping hand at an accident scene
at mile 88 south of Girdwood when his life
was taken by an out-of-control vehicle. He
was 60 years old. Rob was born in Madison,
See Back Page,
Remembering Rob Hammel
Photo courtesy of Raina Hammel
Rob Hammel
Page 2
Turnagain Times
December 20, 2012
Around the Arm
By Paddy Notar
Turnagain Times Correspondent
It’s that time of year again
when the snow is finally beginning to pile up and the skiing
is getting to the conditions that
everyone can at least live with.
Speaking of living, make sure
your kids are wearing reflective gear when they’re waiting
for the school bus. The plow
drivers in Girdwood have been
doing an excellent job, but they
also do it very early and many
times kids wait in the road for
the bus and plow drivers can’t
see them. A child wearing a
blue outfit can’t be seen until
155 feet away and a plow truck
takes 260 feet to stop. Reflective gear lets a car or plow see
your child from 550 feet away.
I don’t care how much kids
complain about how dumb
they may look. It saves lives.
So put some reflective tape on
your child’s hat and coat so we
don’t have any holiday regrets.
If you’re in town, be sure
to head to the 5th Avenue Mall
where Alyeska Resort has a
booth set up. They have gift
cards and logo items on sale
there until Dec. 24. Get your
significant other something everyone wants – money to do
whatever they want to do at the
resort. Not a bad gift to have.
If you like music as much as
you like gift cards, head to the
Sitzmark on Dec. 14 and Dec.
15 to see 907 Band. They play
from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. The
cover is $5 and 21 and over
please. They’re self-described
as the “melody of mentality.”
Okay. I think they have folksy,
blues Americana sound that
comes across as progressive.
You’ll like them.
The Girdwood Nordic Ski
Trail System has its grand
opening Friday, Dec. 21 from
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Meet at the
trailhead Kiosk, one kilometer in from the end of Arlberg
Road, near the hotel. Just
follow all the people with
cross-country skis.
Holiday night skiing begins
on Friday, Dec. 21, from
4 p.m. to 9 p.m. It goes on
throughout the holidays excluding Christmas and New
Year’s Eve. Brooke Faulk,
the country girl, will be at the
Sitzmark on Dec. 21 and Dec.
22 to play for everyone. The
show starts at 10 p.m. It’s a $5
cover and 21 and over please.
On Saturday, Dec. 22, the
Christmas ski camp session
A begins at the resort’s Daylodge. It goes from 10 a.m.
to 3:30 p.m. and kids ages
5-13 are encouraged to attend.
Check online for more details.
Oh my gosh, what’s that in
the sky? It’s a bird, it’s a plane,
it’s Santa! And he’s making a
quick stop over to the resort on
Friday, Dec. 21, be at the Columbian Ballroom by 6 p.m.
as he is showing up at 7 p.m.
sharp. Don’t keep him waiting.
Santa is a busy guy this time of
year and there’s still plenty of
coal to go around.
On Sunday, Dec. 23, the
aprés ski brings in the sugar-laced voice of Johnny
Dykstra to mellow your afternoon and lullaby you into
the evening. He plays from 5
p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Sitzmark
and there is no cover.
The Pond Café is having
their Christmas Buffet on Dec.
25. Seating’s are at 1, 3, 5, and
7 p.m. accordingly. The price
is $38 for adults, kids 6–12
pay $16 and children under
5 eat for free. Make reservations early and go relax. It’s
nice not to have to cook on the
Holidays. Let the resort do it
for you.
Check out Jack Sprat’s
gluten free crepes that are part
of an entire gluten free menu
Sprat currently has. Over 30
percent of the U.S. population has a problem with gluten
and Jack Sprat is one of the
only restaurants I know of
that takes that into consideration for its patrons. They’ll be
happy to provide you the full
Whittier Report
By Stephanie Carlson
Turnagain Times
Whittier Correspondent
After 22 years the Anchor Inn bar is going smoke free,
well, sort of. Owner, Joe Shen, did install a smoke eater
and said that during times of high winds and frigid weather
that he would allow patrons to smoke in a restricted section
of the bar. He also confirmed that when summer came that
smokers would be enjoying there nicotine fix outside. As
an occasional frequenter of the Anchor and as a non-smoker, I am thrilled at Joe’s progressive thinking. I can only
hope that the community will continue to support a man
that has given Whittier so much, which now includes a
cleaner place to breathe.
In other news, the Alaska reality show frenzy has hit
Whittier. There were two production companies filming the
daily lives and activities in Whittier all last week. I would
say it’s a mixed bag of emotions for most Whittier residents. While at the Discovery studio’s casting call, many in
attendance asked the same question, “What story are you
trying to tell?” There was a general consensus that although
excited at the prospects of being a TV star, no one wants to
look stupid. Some residents even went as far as refusing to
be filmed. Both companies are still in the early stages of
development and have to pitch there show idea to major
networks, but I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Whittier gets its 15 minutes of fame.
The City of Whittier held its annual Christmas party;
those in attendance were city employees and volunteers to
the city and invited guests. It was a joyous crowd of Whittier residents dressed in their social finest. The evening
started with a hearty spread catered by the Anchor Inn, followed by staff and community certificates of appreciation.
The evening closed with a white elephant gift exchange
that brought many waves of laughter when the competitive swap of prized gifts ensued. No one in attendance left
empty handed, there were plenty of gift baskets and great
memories to go around.
The Turnagain Times is
published the first and third
week of each month by
Midnight Sun Communications,
LLC, Girdwood, Alaska.
By Mail:
P.O. Box 1044
Girdwood, Alaska
99587-1044
menu upon request. If you get
a chance also try their vegetable curry or braised short ribs.
Sprat has stepped it up and the
quality shows. By the way,
they’re open for Christmas.
That’s it. Don’t forget to
grab $10 bag of groceries at
Carr’s Safeway and donate it
to the Food Bank of Alaska.
The bags are already prepared.
Just bring it to the counter
and they’ll do the rest. Enjoy
the sledding, stocking stuffing, opening presents, eating,
talking to friends, and having
fun through the holidays.
The New Year’s celebration at the resort will feature
the annual fireworks and
torch light parade on Monday,
Dec. 31, starting at 8 p.m. Afterwards, Nervis Rex plays
the Sitz beginning at 10 p.m.
Cover charge is $10. As we
enter the New Year, take time
to remember those who are
no longer with us. Have a
Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year!
Publisher & Editor
Ken Smith
Production Artist
Matthew Bailey
Serving Indian, Bird, Girdwood, Portage, Whittier, Hope, Cooper Landing & Moose Pass
By Phone:
(907) 783-1135
By Fax:
(907) 783-1136
By Email:
info@turnagaintimes.com
© 2012 Midnight Sun
Communications, LLC
December 20, 2012
Turnagain Times
Opinion
PADDY WAGGIN’
The tragedy that took place
Friday, Dec. 14, at Sandy
Hook Elementary School
in Newtown, Conn. when
a 20-year-old man shot and
killed 20 children and seven
adults was yet another sad
point in America’s newfound
culture of having access to
any gun you want and becoming desensitized before you
commit an atrocious act of
murder.
And it makes me question
the violent games that these
20-something young men
have played throughout their
teenage years and into adulthood. Video games that celebrate the mastery of gaming
where you can shoot prostitutes and minorities with a .50
caliber machine gun. We want
video games to be more than
the old day of Atari Pong. We
want blood, execution style,
and bodies that we can throw
through car windows with the
simple move of a joystick.
And then, when we’re
ready to take to real humans,
we go get any weapon we
want. You name it, you can
have a gun that can shoot 300
rounds a minute, or maybe
something a little smaller that
holds 15 or 17 rounds and can
Letter to
the Editor
Thanks to the Girdwood DOT Crew for
keeping highway safe
To the Editor:
I travel the Seward
Highway to work five days per
week. I have lots of company
of
other
Girdwoodians
making that turn to the north
in the morning. On almost any
day that the weather is hammering the road with snow or
icy rain, I know that the Girdwood Maintenance crew is out
in front of me and has done
their best to make the road as
passable as they can. We get
a daily reminder of how good
their work is when we get to
the north end of Indian valley,
and we hit the rest of the
commute on the section of the
Seward maintained by the Anchorage crew. The difference
is like night and day. Usually,
there has not been any work
on the north section. We all
get to fend for ourselves. It
has been that way for years.
So thanks, guys, for the
work you do. I appreciate it,
and I am sure there are many
other commuters who have
observed the same.
Larry Daniels
Girdwood
PADDY
NOTAR
be held in your hand.
When are we finally going
to decide that encouraging
parents to do their job of better
raising their kids isn’t enough?
When are we going to finally
step in and say, “You’re child
is a major problem and looks
to be heading in the wrong direction. We’re stepping in. By
the way, they don’t get to play
those violent video games
anymore. Sorry, we have no
choice but to intervene. We
refuse to wait until something
tragic happens. Do you have
guns in your house? We’re
taking those too.”
It stinks that we have to
come to this point in a country
that prides itself on so many
freedoms, but how many
coffins filled with a parent’s
child have to be lowered into
the ground before society steps
in and starts to take control?
Maybe it isn’t just the
video games of murder that
the youth of America play
that is a possible cause to
these mass murders, but those
games don’t have any real
value do they? At least Monopoly teaches you math.
What does a game about murdering people on the street
teach you, or, more importantly, teach your children? I can’t
imagine it being a very good
educational tool.
There are 20 parents who
have Christmas gifts wrapped
with notes saying, “From
Santa” or “Love Mom and
Dad” and they’ll never be
opened. I have a six-yearold daughter, and I physically got sick when I saw the
news about the carnage in
Connecticut. Imagine being
a parent of a five or sevenyear-old child and hearing
that someone just massacred
a bunch of children at their
school. Then imagine that
your child was one of the 20
that was executed. I still don’t
know whether I’d jump off a
cliff or hold my daughters favorite teddy bear until I had a
heart attack. It would be that
awful, and I’m pretty sure I
would lose all will to live.
This time of year is supposed to be one of families
smiling with each other at the
dinner table, eating more than
we should, and being thankful that we have each other as
a new year approaches. It’s a
time when we put our differences aside and try and help
one another.
A tragedy like the Newtown
murders only strengthens our
resolve to make sure that we
do just that. I, for one, will
not be dwelling on it any
longer after this writing. We
should not allow one person
to feel that they have that
much power. That’s what a
bully with a gun wants. He
had his moment of evil, and
he’s spending eternity in hell
with people like Hitler and
Hussein.
If you do me one favor this
holiday season, go tell your
family and friends how much
they mean to you. Call people
you haven’t spoken to in a
while and invite them over to
catch up on life. All too often
we take each day for granted
instead of celebrating our
place on this earth. So take
your high-tech gadgets and
crazy games, put them aside
and appreciate the company
with those you can’t download to a computer screen.
Page 3
It’s time for this country to
start slowing down, to pause
and reflect on getting back
to the core values that have
all too quickly disappeared
from much of our society, like
a Christmas tree after New
Year’s Day.
Most importantly, it’s
time to have an open discussion about how we can
better control the evils that
are slowly pulling us over the
societal cliff. Only then can
we understand the mayhem
of violence that is occurring
around us and take the proper
action to control it.
Enjoy the holidays with
your loved ones and remember the little ones and tall ones
that have fallen. And please,
have a Merry Christmas.
www.turnagaintimes.com
Double Musky Inn
Cajun Cuisine
Girdwood, Alaska
Since 1962
“Laissez les bon temps rouler!”
Closed Mondays
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday .................. 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday ........................ 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Page 4
Turnagain Times
December 20, 2012
Moose Passings
By Willow Hetrick
Turnagain Times
Moose Pass Correspondent
Seward Ranger District
Winter Trail Updates
By Irene Lindquist
The Seward Ranger District’s Kenai Lake Work Center
Trail technicians continually
provide winter trail updates
that will be in winter issues of
the Turnagain Times, so read
bi-weekly for the latest updates
on the Chugach trails.
Motorized use on Seward
Ranger District trails are
opening tomorrow. For areas
on Glacier Ranger District
that will be opening please
check the CNF Avalanche Information Center main page
and scroll to the bottom of
the advisory, this should be
updated soon. The winter trail
to the Barber Cabin has been
packed and is in very good
condition, this trail skirts the
main avalanche path on the
summer trail. In addition to the
groomed trails (keep checking
those websites I mentioned)
the classic skiing on winter
used trails is very good. Rock
skis are no longer needed,
snow is packing well and rocks
are covered, with the exception
of a few areas closer to Seward
(first quarter-mile mile of Lost
Lake trail, Iditarod near Bear
Lake).
For those of you looking
at venturing on the mountains
please continue to check the
Chugach NF Avalanche Information Center at: cnfaci.org.
Sorry my hotspot link is not
working on my new computer.
After considering ice travel
precautions here are a few
lakes on Seward Ranger District that currently have fabulous ice for skating: Grant
Lake, Crescent Lake, Cooper
Lake, and Bear Lake. Though
use caution as there are local
hazards (in addition to general
ice travel) to consider for safe
ice travel: Bear Lake has areas
of warm springs, there was
open water a few days ago in
the middle of the first quarter;
Cooper Lake intake for power
plant, stay clear of area in front;
Grant Lake near the islands
keep any eye out for thinner
ice; Crescent Lake around the
islands and the inlet in front
of the Saddle Cabin that has
swallowed quite a few snow
machines and at least one skier
(and these are only the ones
we have heard of). Though
you can travel right now on all
our trails without skis or snowshoes, it’s time to have these
items with if you’re traveling
overnight. Many trails have
areas of glaciation.
If you’re doing the summer/
winter loop at Lost Lake consider going up the summer
route to be sure you can get
around the large glaciated area,
this is one-third-mile beyond
the winter jct. There is no safe
way to get around it if you
can’t cross, there is steep rock
above and below with nothing
to hold onto. Motorized use on
Seward District (and Forest
wide for that matter) are still
closed due to lack of snow
to prevent resource damage.
We will monitor this closely
as snow begins to fall this
weekend.
For more information on
backcountry travel, avalanches, cabins, please call
the following: Avalanche:
Alex McLain-288-7710, cabins and backcountry travel:
Mike Fitzpatrick-288-7714,
Pat O’Leary-288-7702
(give Pat a call this month;
he’s retiring Dec. 31), Irene
Lindquist-288-7748, John
Eavis-288-7701.
Moose Pass
Holiday Bazaar
The verdict is in – the
Moose Pass School Holiday
Bazaar was a huge success!
We are truly blown away by
the support from the local
communities for this enjoyable
event. Thank you to all of the
vendors, musicians and community members who took
time out of their evenings to
participate. Also, thank you
to anyone who donated to the
bake sale or silent auction. Due
to the overwhelming support,
we plan on doing this again
next year. Once again, thank
you from the bottom of our
hearts, and Happy Holidays!
Want to Reserve
the Moose Pass
Community Hall?
Call Bobbie Jo at 362-1527
or email her at bobbiejokolo@
gmail.com to reserve. Bobbie
Jo will be on vacation until
Jan. 11, so please use email
so she can get your request. If
you need immediate use of the
NOTICE OF INTENT TO BEGIN ENGINEERING
AND
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
CR School Zone Upgrades Phase II
Project No. 55500
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), in cooperation with
the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is soliciting comments and information on a
proposal to upgrade school zones in the Mat-Su, Kenai Peninsula, and Kodiak Island Boroughs
in Alaska. The schools zones include those for the following schools: Chickaloon School,
Glacier View, Trapper Creek Elementary, Willow Elementary, and Houston Middle School in the
Mat-Su Valley; Ninilchik Elementary/High School, Chapman School (Anchor Point), and Moose
Pass Elementary in the Kenai Peninsula; and Kodiak Middle/High School. The purpose of the
proposed project is to increase safety for pedestrians and drivers within these school zones.
The proposed work varies by school and would include:
• Installing crosswalks
• Installing/replacing school zone signs
• Installing/replacing signal poles
• Installing flashing beacons on school zone signs and signal poles
• Installing load centers to power the flashing beacons
This proposed project will comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act;
Executive Orders: 11990 (Wetlands Protection), 11988 (Floodplain Protection), 12898
(Environmental Justice), the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act,
and U.S. DOT Act Section 4(f).
Construction for the proposed project is anticipated to begin in spring 2013. To ensure that all
possible factors are considered, please provide written comments to the following address by
January 11, 2013.
Brian Elliott, Regional Environmental Manager
DOT&PF Preliminary Design & Environmental
P.O. Box 196900
Anchorage, Alaska 99519-6900
If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Carla Smith, P.E.,
Project Manager, at 269-0544 or TaraLyn Stone, Environmental Impact Analyst, at 269-0534.
Persons with a hearing impairment can contact DOT&PF at our Telephone Device for the Deaf
(TDD) at 269-0674. We can offer reasonable accommodations for special needs related to other
disabilities.
hall, please contact Ben Ikerd
at 288-3639.
Become a Member of
the Sportmen’s Club
The Moose Pass Sportsmen’s Club is the governing
body of Moose Pass and provides educational scholarships
to local young people, helps
pay for Holiday celebration
events, assists other services
in the community as needed,
organizes the Annual Solstice
Festival, and more! Becoming
a member is a great way to get
involved and allows you to
use the hall for free (for birthdays, family reunions, meetings, etc.). January kicks off
our annual membership drive.
Membership is $10 a person.
Please contact Ben Ikerd,
MPSC treasurer, Ikerdhome@
gmail.com, 288-3639, or send
money/check made out to the
MPSC to Po Box 72, Moose
Pass, AK 99631. Be sure to
include your name, address,
and phone number.
Kenai Borough Assembly Meeting Report
By Sue McClure
During the committee
meeting time prior to our
regular meeting, we heard a
report from KPB Land Management concerning the municipal entitlement process.
They have put together a plan
for requesting the remaining
State lands that are due the
borough.
Expect a series of public
input meetings soon, as many
acres are in our District 6.
Meetings are being scheduled
for Hope, Moose Pass and
Cooper Landing APC’s as well
as other local entities. Stay
tuned for announcements.
We also received the draft
version of the State funding
priorities for 2013. This includes Capital Project requests from communities and
service areas, as well as the
cities, including Seward, and
the Capital Project priorities
for the KPB. Of note is KPB
Tier 1 #1 priority: an asking for
$5,000,000 for Seward Bear
Creek flood mitigation, which
would establish a capital fund
devoted to ongoing flood mitigation, including a 0.25 mill
tax rate increase in the service
area to generate local matching
funds.
At the regular meeting we
heard the quarterly report
from the KPB School District,
indicating a projected small
enrollment increase, and our
ranking as top performing
large district in Alaska on
standards based assessments.
The district has not requested an amount for local funding
as yet, but will once they know
the impact of the new negotiated agreements. There will be a
budget presentation in Seward
at the SHS library on February
19, 5:30 PM.
We also heard a positive quarterly report from
South Peninsula Hospital. We
passed a number of resolutions on the consent agenda,
including Resolution 2012091, which provides for the issuance and sale of general obligation bonds not to exceed
$1.4 million to pay the Bear
Creek Service Area’s new
fire station. The service area
voters had approved this in
2007.
We also passed resolutions
approving the 2013 labor negotiation procedures, and supporting the naming of the KPB
as a Purple Heart Borough. We
moved three ordinances on for
public hearing at the January 8
meeting. One of those, Ordinance 2012-19-41, authorizes
the acquisition of properties
by Central Peninsula Hospital, using $3,591,500 from
their plant replacement fund.
Another, Ordinance 201239, would require notice by
mail to owners of property in
or near zoning districts proposed to be created, amended,
or abolished.
We passed four ordinances
by unanimous consent with
no public input received. Of
these, one of local interest,
Ordinance 2012-19-38, appropriates $400,000 from
the general fund to deal with
gravel deposited in the Old
Mill Subdivision as a result
of the emergency removal
during the fall flood. Our next
meeting will be January 8, as
we have only one meeting in
December. Remember, the
meetings are broadcast in the
Seward area on FM 88.1.
The borough’s website
has all sorts of information:
www.borough.kenai.ak.us.
My phone number is 2246784, and email is smcclure@
borough.kenai.ak.us. Also, the
Seward Annex Office in Sea
View Plaza, and the Seward
Bear Creek Flood Service
Area Office next door are
great sources of information.
December 20, 2012
Turnagain Times
Page 5
Cooper Landing News
By Susanna LaRock
Turnagain Times
Cooper Landing Correspondent
The Ice is Nice
It is officially winter. The
lake is frozen, the ice is thick,
and there is a blanket of snow
on the ground. Ice fishing tents
have been spotted on the lake.
Folks are getting out with their
augers and trying their luck at
trout fishing on Kenai Lake.
It is a majestic setting for the
sport and the fishing has been
fair. With temperatures staying
in the single digits with the exception of a couple of snow
days in early December, folks
around here need a reason to
get outdoors for activity, and
ice fishing is a great way to
spend some time outdoors
during the cold winter days.
HIIT Class is On
Even though the school
will be closed for Christmas
break Dec. 21 through Jan.
eberle
5, HIIT Class will still be on
Mondays Wednesdays and
Fridays. HIIT or High Impact
Interval Training is a thirtyminute, intense workout class
taught by Melissa Jean Shirley.
It is open to everyone for one
dollar per class and is held in
the Cooper Landing School
gym every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3:30 to 4
p.m. If you feel like you’ve put
on some extra holiday pounds
and you need to work it off this
is the perfect opportunity.
Sackett’s is Open
for the Winter
Sackett’s is now open for
the winter months. Operating
hours are Monday through
Friday, noon to 9 p.m., and
they will be closed TuesdayThursday. The ever-popular
Taco Tuesdays have been
moved to Monday nights.
Tacos will be two dollars each
for dine-in customers from 4
to 9 p.m. every Monday night.
Susanna LaRock/Turnagain Times
A few people set up tents to ice fish on Kenai Lake.
EYECARE
South Anchorage
Providing Family Eyecare for Turnagain Arm
and South Anchorage
Bryan Epley
Broker and Partner
CDPE, CLHMS, CRS, Cyberstar, e-PRO
Sharnee Epley
Associate Broker and Partner
Comprehensive eye exams, contacts, glasses
and vision therapy in a state of the art facility
www.GirdwoodHomes.com
Located on the corner of Old Seward and O’Malley across from Lowe’s
907/783-2010
Now accepting new patients
“Life is worth seeing”
Tel. 344-3700
10 99 8 O’Ma lley Cent r e Dr i ve, Anchor age A K 9 9 5 1 5
Page 6
Turnagain Times
December 20, 2012
Hope Happenings
Shyla Malone
Turnagain Times
Hope Correspondent
Christmas is in the air.
Pretty little lights adorn our
cabins. Fragrant wreaths hang
from our doors. Friends and
family are coming for visits,
while the smell of cookies
wafts through the air. Beautiful trees trimmed with care
and love can be seen through
our windows.
Hope’s annual Christmas
potluck is Saturday, Dec. 22,
at 6 p.m. and will be held
downtown at the Hope Social
Hall. Santa and Mrs. Claus
will make an appearance.
Please come down and join
us for this festive community
event. Hoping everyone has a
safe and happy Holiday and a
very happy New Year.
Roaming Aggressive
Dogs On Notice
There are numerous loose
and aggressive roaming dogs,
aggressive toward walkers
and bike riders, aggressive to
young children, aggressive to
adults and guests who visit
businesses/private property
and homeowners not able to
allow their dogs out, coming
on private property digging
holes, and making themselves
a nuisance chasing moose.
ON THE HIGH GROUND
State troopers have been
notified for removal of all
loose dogs in Hope and
owners will be charged for the
removal of dogs.
School News
The elementary kids are
practicing for their winter
play, which will be held on
Dec. 20. at 7 p.m. in the Hope
School gym. Shirley Wisdorf
is directing the play, while
Richard and Dovie Hogan are
helping with the music.
School will be letting out
for winter vacation on Friday,
Dec. 20.
Archery is going spectacularly under the instruction of Andrew Schell. The
kids are learning the 11 steps
of archery success by using
the National Archery in the
school’s program.
Parent, teacher, student
and Community Association meetings are held on
the second Tuesday of each
month. Everyone is invited to
attend this meeting.
Ameri-corps
Senior exercise class is
held every Saturday at 10 a.m.
at the school. The class is run
by Lisa Simono, and is in its
second year. Five to 15 people
usually attend this excellent
program.
Jim Magowan/Turnagain Times
A Dall sheep ram peers over a cliff at Windy Corner on Turnagain Arm.
Church News
Church is every Sunday
at 3 p.m. The food bank is
on Thursdays from noon to
1 p.m., and Bible study is at
3 p.m. on Thursdays. The
church will be serving a home
group on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
at Tom and Joyce Burgins.
Call the Sheritts 782-3436 or
Burgins 782-1002 for information.
In Memory
Long-time Hope resident
Mary AnnaBelle, Davis, 56,
passed away December 5,
2012.
AnnaBelle
was
born
October 30, 1956. She was
the daughter of Geri Meeks
and James Spiers. She moved
to Hope with her husband and
children in 1988.
Her
interests
included family, gardening, and
reading. She was a wonderful
mother and grandmother. She
will be remembered as a very
generous, loving individual
with a great sense of humor
and will be missed by all that
knew her.
She is survived by her life
partner of 12 years, Bill Trimmingham; former husband
Steve Davis; son and daughterin-law Matt and Diana Noyes;
daughter and son-in-law Michelle and James Unrein; son
Jesse Davis; grandchildren
Hayley, Emily, James, Dyllon,
Alyssa, and Jasmyn; mother
Geri Meeks; sisters Amy and
Vonnie Cox; brothers Daniel
and Joe Spiers; and many
nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death
by her father James Spiers,
brother Mark Spiers, and
sister Dee Hartman.
Funeral services were held
Saturday, December 15 at 1
p.m. at the Hope Christian
Church.
Poem Of the Month
Winter
Frosty hues of blue and
white, glitter in the sun
casting prismatic rainbows of
light.
Crisp cold air tickles our nose
and turns our cheeks rosy.
Sparkling days filled with joy,
lead into nights with crystal
clear skies that reflect the
stars in our eyes, while jewels
of the aurora dance in our
hearts.
– SK Malone
Visit Hope
Historical Mountain Hideaway
by the Sea
Hope Chamber of Commerce
www.hopealaska.info
December 20, 2012
Turnagain Times
Page 7
Out of the Town: Anchorage Bowl Arts & Entertainment
Robin Rosemond/Turnagain Times
Serving the Girdwood Dental Clinic
Happy Skiing this Winter Season!
The appetizer platter at Rice Bowl includes pot
stickers, beef skewers, egg rolls, barbecue pork and
chicken wings.
By Robin Rosemond
Turnagain Times Correspondent
Holiday greetings from my
office in beautiful Spenard,
Alaska. As I write this, I
gaze out the picture window
at icicles hanging from the
rafters and pine trees covered
perfectly in thick snow.
Ravens fly overhead croaking
a message, and I am content. I
leave soon for a journey south,
but I’ll be reporting from other
locals. Today I enjoy being in
Alaska, and I’m always a bit
torn about leaving, but I shall
return soon.
Stomp is coming back to
town Dec. 26 to Dec. 29 at
the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. Stomp is a great
show that the whole family
can enjoy. The energetic
music, percussive mastery,
played entirely on unusual
instruments like garbage can
lids, buckets, brooms and
sticks. It is movement made
original through the use of
everyday objects in nontraditional ways. The dancing is
also quite good. For more information call: (907) 263-278.
For a different type of
holiday experience try the
New Year’s Eve Masquerade
Ball at Dena’ina Center Dec.
31, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. The New
Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball
at Dena’ina Center is “Alaska’s largest and classiest New
Year’s Eve Party.” Full beer
and liquor service. 21-over.
Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, 600 W Seventh
Ave.
Another great New Year’s
Eve choice is at The Bear
Tooth Theatrepub Ring in the
New Year with DeVotchKa,
the four-piece multi-instrumental and vocal ensemble.
DeVotchKa has been rocking
it for over 10 years. They take
the best from all genres and
turn it in to their own original blend of rock ‘n’ roll. The
Bear Tooth Theatrepub, 1230
W 27th. For more information
call: (907) 276-4200.
Thursday Night Fights is
a fun choice for an evening
out. I raved about it last year
and I am giving Jim Patton
and Jerry Miller another plug.
Try it! January 3, doors open
6:30 p.m. and fights begin 7
p.m. William A. Egan Civic
& Convention Center $16 admission is $35 ringside, $2 off
for military and senior citizens. William A. Egan Civic
& Convention Center, 555
W Fifth Ave. For tickets call
Ticket Master.
My restaurant pick this
week is Rice Bowl. This place
is an Anchorage Chinese/
American
classic.
The
Chinese part is okay, but the
steaks are all the rage. I tried
the 14-ounce tenderloin and it
was fantastic. I also enjoyed
the appetizer platter that included pot stickers, beef
skewers, egg rolls, barbecue
pork and chicken wings. The
egg drop soup was delicious,
but I hear the hot and sour
soup only made to order is
also very tasty. I like sitting
in the bar, which is cozy and
has a beautiful large peacock
mural done in gold and jewel
tones.
The Rice Bowl is not
cheap, but it’s conveniently
located downtown and has a
big parking lot. Although the
service can be absent minded,
I still think it’s a great choice
for a good steak and some
pork fried rice. Rice Bowl, 810
E. 6th Avenue. For more information call: (907) 279-6833.
Write to me: rosebud61155@
mac.com or check out my
blog: www.rosemondpost.com.
We would love to see you before
the end of the year!
Total Patient Care ~ IV Sedation • Implants • Invisalign • Teeth Whitening
Smile Design • Same Day Crowns • Same Day Wisdom Teeth
"T" is here and
continues to enjoy
seeing our Girdwood
patients!
4050 Lake Otis Parkway
Suite 210
Anchorage, AK 99508
www. Family FirstDentistry.com
907.562.2820
Read the Turnagain Times online
www.turnagaintimes.com
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Page 8
Turnagain Times
December 20, 2012
Mountain News
By Amy Quesenberry
Special to the Turnagain Times
Santa Visit
The North Pole has sent
word that Santa will arrive
at Alyeska Resort on Friday,
Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. Santa will
be taking photos with the kids
and enjoying holiday cookies,
beverages and the holiday
spirit. Parents can drop off
wrapped presents at the front
desk of The Hotel Alyeska
until 4 p.m. on Dec. 21. Please
call 907-754-1111 to make arrangements.
Celebrate on
the Slopes
Alyeska Resort is the
perfect place to enjoy the
season with friends and
family. The holiday nightskiing schedule begins Dec.
21 to Jan. 5, operating daily
excluding Dec. 24 and 31,
when the resort closes at 5:30
p.m. Night-skiing includes
the Tram, Ted’s Express and
Bear Cub Quad from 4 to 9
p.m.
Alyeska is offering free
skiing on Dec. 24 for all
guests who wear a complete
Santa suit (hat, beard, pants
and jacket). To redeem your
free lift ticket, go to any
Alyeska Ticket Office.
The Mountain Learning
Center is offering ski and
snowboard camps during the
holiday break to get your kids
having fun outside and on
the snow this season. Check
online or call 754-2280 for
details.
Holiday Dining
Seven Glaciers is serving
a five-course Chef’s Tasting
Menu on December 25 and
Dec. 31. Reservations can
be made by calling 907-7542237. The Pond Café is offering traditional Christmas and
New Year’s holiday buffets
on December 25 and 31. A
New Year’s Day buffet will be
served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
on January 1, 2013. Reservations are highly recommended
and can be made by calling
907-754-2237.
Torchlight Parade &
Fireworks
The annual torchlight
parade and fireworks show
will illuminate the slopes of
Alyeska this New Year’s Eve
beginning at 8 p.m. This event
is free and open to the public.
The best viewing is at the
Daylodge. For information on
participating in the Torchlight
Parade, call 754-2545.
Live at the Sitzmark
The good times and great
music continue at the Sitz.
Next up, Brook Faulk and
her band perform on Dec.
21 and 22. Described as
“smoky, sassy, with a country
swagger”, Faulk invokes
comparisons with Loretta
Lynn and Rosanne Cash.
Tickets $5 advance, $7 day of
show. Alyeska favorite Rebel
Blues Band returns to the
Sitzmark stage on Dec. 28 and
29 with their unique brand of
Blues-Rock-Funk-CountryHip Hop, a new style they
Photo courtesy of Michelle Smith
Holiday night skiing begins Dec. 21 every night through Jan. 5 from 4 to 9 p.m.
Regular season night skiing continues Thursday to Sunday through March 23.
have dubbed “Block Funktry
Hop.” Tickets $5. Ring in
2013 on Monday, Dec. 31
with ska band Nervis Rex.
Tickets $10. Stay connected
with upcoming events and
concerts, menus and weekly
specials at the Sitzmark’s
newly launched website:
www.thesitzmark.com.
Sakura Asian Bistro
Sakura offers fresh sushi,
amazing
Asian-inspired
entrees, and a wide selection
of beer, wine and sake. On
Monday nights, get a Sapporo
draft beer and a roll for only
$10. Sakura is located on
the third floor of The Hotel
Alyeska and is open for
dinner at 5 p.m. from Friday
to Monday.
Sitzmark Snow Film
Series
The popular Snow Film
Series continues on Wednesday nights. The next movie
will be a double header featuring Two Plank Production’s Because and Salomon’s Tempting Fear on Jan.
9. The free show starts at 7
p.m. Telluride Mountainfilm
on Tour returns to Alyeska
on Jan. 23, showcasing short
films that focus on adventure,
mountaineering, and environmental and social messag-
es. Tickets cost $10 and can
be purchased online, at the
Ticket Office or by calling
754-2275. Showtime for the
Snow Film Series is 7 p.m.
Alyeska Town League
2013 Town League race
series “Registration Rally”
takes place at the Sitzmark on
Jan. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. The
gate racing league is open
to alpine, snowboard and
telemark, so pull a team of
seven together and add some
excitement to your Thursday nights. The first race is
scheduled for Thursday, Jan.
17. Call 754-2545 for more
information.
Read the Turnagain Times online
www.turnagaintimes.com
Faulkner Real Estate has a new
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Serving Girdwood’s Real Estate needs since 1997
December 20, 2012
Turnagain Times
Page 9
Bird residents get new street addresses
By Ken Smith
Turnagain Times
Residents of Bird are the
recipients of new addresses.
The Municipality of Anchorage sent out letters last month
confirming the proposed new
official street names. Up until
now, homeowners had lot
numbers and in some cases
different street names.
“You may, or may not,
know that most of the streets
platted within subdivisions
in Bird were originally given
different names,” it was
stated in a letter written by
Karleen Wilson, Municipal
Addressing Official, on Nov.
7. “So there are no problems
or confusion in the future, we
need to document these as
official street name changes.
Although, the streets are considered private, if at any day
in the future they are built
to municipal standards, they
will become public because
they have been platted this
way. Therefore we need to
maintain a public record
on the name history of the
streets.”
Public comments on the
proposed street name changes
were taken until Nov. 28.
Bird now joins other Turnagain Arm communities
that all had new addresses
assigned as part of the Turnagain Arm addressing project.
The project was implemented
to improve the 9-1-1 emergency response system. Girdwood was the first community to be assigned addresses in
2006; Portage had addresses
assigned in 2008, and Indian
in 2009.
The new addresses now
allow for easier express mail
deliveries like UPS or FedEx.
With the old lot numbers,
these companies sometimes
had difficulty finding homes.
Cell phone companies like
AT&T also had difficulty assigning an account to a Bird
resident without a street
number address.
And with the new addresses, the U.S. Postal Service
will be discontinuing the
Highway Contract mail delivery addresses in favor of
these new street addresses
for mail delivery. Mail sent to
Highway Contract addresses
will be forwarded for one full
year to the new addresses.
Bird residents were also
advised to contact utility companies and telephone service
providers to notify them of
the new service address,
which is especially important
to be included in the 9-1-1
system so dispatchers can
locate a resident’s home for
emergency responders.
www.turnagaintimes.com
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Take Huffman Exit
Page 10
Turnagain Times
December 20, 2012
TROOPER REPORT
The Alaska State Troopers
reported the following incidents. Any charges reported
are merely accusations and
the defendants are presumed
innocent unless and until
proven guilty.
Motor Vehicle Collision
– Fatality
MILE
88
SEWARD
HWY—November 24 at 1:26
p.m., troopers received a 911
call reporting a vehicle wreck
with damage only at mile 88
of the Seward Highway. An
investigation revealed that a
red 1998 Ford Explorer lost
control and struck a guardrail.
A trooper responded to the
scene and remained on scene
while a tow truck was dispatched for the vehicle. At 2
p.m., troopers received a call
of a separate, single motor
vehicle collision at approximately mile 98 of the Seward
Highway.
The trooper broke from
the wreck at mile 88 and responded to the incident at mile
98. At 2:13 p.m., shortly after
the trooper arrived on scene
of the second wreck, a 911
call was made reporting that
a pedestrian and the red Ford
Explorer had been struck by
a vehicle at the scene of the
original wreck at mile 88 of
the Seward Highway.
The trooper returned back to
mile 88 along with Girdwood
medics. An initial investigation revealed that a gold 2007
Dodge Caravan driven by
John Sadusky, 86 of Seward,
lost control and struck a State
of Alaska DOT worker and his
vehicle. The DOT worker had
stopped to assist the damaged
Ford Explorer. The Caravan
also struck the Ford Explorer. The caller on scene reported that the pedestrian was
deceased and resuscitation
efforts would be futile. The
man was identified as Robert
Hammel, 60 of Girdwood.
Next of Kin has been notified
as well as the State Medical
Examiner’s Office. The driver
of the Dodge Caravan, John
Sadusky and his passenger, Nancy Sadusky, 83 of
Seward, were transported by
Girdwood Fire Department to
Providence Hospital for nonlife threatening injuries. No
one in the Ford Explorer suffered any injuries. Units from
the Bureau of Highway Patrol
out of Palmer responded to
conduct Total Station. The investigation is ongoing.
HWY—December 2 at around
9:34 p.m., troopers responded
to a single motor vehicle collision near mile 106.5 of the
Seward Highway. The driver
was identified as Efery G.
Reutov, age 49 of Willow. An
investigation revealed Reutov
was driving while impaired by
alcohol and lost control of his
vehicle rounding a corner and
struck the guardrail. Reutov
was remanded to the Anchorage jail. Bail was set at $1,000.
The vehicle was towed from
the scene.
Motor Vehicle Collision
Motor Vehicle Collision
– 2 Fatalities
MILE 105.5 SEWARD
HWY—November 30 at
about 8:10 p.m., troopers responded to mile 105.5 Seward
Highway for a single vehicle
rollover. An investigation revealed Ryan Telgenhoff, age
26 of Anchorage, was driving
a 2006 PT Cruiser northbound
when he lost control of the
vehicle on ice while rounding
a curve. The car slid off the
roadway and rolled over onto
its to p in the ditch. Telgenhoff was wearing a seatbelt
and was not injured. The car
was totaled.
Motor Vehicle Collision
MILE
88
SEWARD
HWY—December 2 at approximately 4:05 p.m., troopers responded to a single
vehicle collision near mile
88 of the Seward Highway.
An investigation revealed
James Sanders Wadell, age
67 of Anchorage, was driving
a 2004 Honda CRV northbound when his vehicle slid
on ice and struck the guardrail
several times. Wadell reported
no in juries and was wearing
his seat belt. The vehicle sustained approximately $6,000
worth of damages.
DUI and Motor Vehicle
Collision
MILE
106.5
SEWARD
MILE
49
SEWARD
HWY—December 7 at 4:40
p.m., troopers received a 911
call reporting a three vehicle
collision near mile 49 of the
Seward Highway.
An investigation revealed
that a Black Chevy Blazer and
a Toyota Pick-up hit head on.
A GMC Yukon following the
truck was unable to stop and
rear-ended the truck. Both the
driver of the Toyota, James
Campbell, 62, and passenger
Margaret Campbell, 65, both
of Anchor Point, were not
wearing seat belts and ejected
from the vehicle. They died
on scene of the result of their
injuries from the collision.
Additionally, the Chevy
Blazer was reported to have
gone approximately 20 feet
off of the roadway and into
the northbound ditch. The
driver, Richard Patterson, 47,
of Sterling, was entrapped
in the Blazer with injuries.
Cooper Landing and Moose
Pass EMS extricated Patterson with the assistance of
Girdwood EMS, who transported Patterson to Providence. Sara Lindemann, 35,
of Anchorage, was the driver
of the GMC Yukon. She and
her two passengers were uninjured in the collision. Impairment is not suspected to be a
Classified Advertising
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P.O. Box 1044, Girdwood, AK 99587
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or charging it to a VISA or MasterCard. Please mail, email or fax your order with payment.
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Read the Turnagain Times online
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factor in the collision. The investigation into the cause and
circumstances of the collision
are ongoing.
Motor Vehicle Collision
– Multiple Injuries
MILE
91
SEWARD
HWY—December 9 at 4:20
p.m., Soldotna Public Safety
Communication Center received a report of a head on
collision with injuries at mile
91 of the Seward Highway.
Troopers responded to the
scene along with Girdwood
and Anchorage EMS.
An initial investigation
has revealed that Christopher
Keffalos, age 42 of Anchorage, was northbound when
he lost control of his Ford
SUV and slid into the southbound lane, striking a Suzuki
SUV operated by Ronald
Myers, age 56 of Anchorage.
A total of 11 people were
transported by Girdwood and
Anchorage EMS to local area
hospitals. The operator of the
Suzuki, Ronald Myers and a
six-year-old child both were
transported to Providence
Hospital with life threatening
injuries.
A few days after the collision, troopers were informed
that both were out of danger.
In the wreck, three children
that were in the back of the
Expedition were ejected from
the vehicle. The-six-year-old
was one of them. The driver of
that vehicle told troopers that
everyone had been in seatbelts
when they left Girdwood and,
to his knowledge, were still
buckled when the crash occurred.
It appears that the expedition was traveling at highway
speeds (other vehicles were
around traveling the same
speed) when the vehicle lost
its grip on the road. Initially,
getting information from on
scene was difficult because
of the high number of victims
involved. Originally troopers
believed that 12 people were
involved and sent to the hospital, but after getting to the hospital, the trooper confirmed
that only 11 were involved.
The investigation in ongoing.
Motor Vehicle Collision
GIRDWOOD—December 11 at around 8:49 p.m.,
troopers responded to a
two vehicle head on collision at the intersection of the
Seward Highway and Alyeska
Highway in Girdwood. An investigation revealed a 2002
Chevy pickup driven northbound by Christopher Shilling, age 36 of Seward, was
hit head on by a Dodge pickup
traveling southbound by
Ralph Edward Adams, age 60
of Anchor Point. Both vehicles
were totaled. Adams and two
Passengers were transported
by Girdwood fire department
to Providence hospital for
treatment. Adams was determined to be intoxicated at the
time of the collision. Charges
of DUI will be forwarded to
the district attorney’s office
due to Adams not being released from the hospital. The
investigation continues.
Driving While License
Suspended
MILE 108.5 SEWARD
HWY—December 16 at approximately 4:53 p.m., troopers with the Girdwood Bureau
of Highway Patrol conducted
a traffic stop on a yellow 1994
Chrysler coupe for a moving
violation near mile 108.5 of
the Seward Highway. The
driver was identified as Eric R.
Bruns, age 31 of Houston. An
investigation revealed Bruns
was driving with a suspended
driver’s license. Bruns was
issued a misdemeanor citation
for Driving While License
Suspended and released. The
vehicle was released to a licensed driver from Wasilla.
Assault
GIRDWOOD—December 17 at approximately 9:44
a.m., troopers responded to
the report of a disturbance. An
investigation revealed Nicolai
Hansen, age 29 of Girdwood,
assaulted a female at the residence. Hansen was arrested
and remanded to the Anchorage Jail. Bail was set at $200.
December 20, 2012
Turnagain Times
Girdwood Clinic Lease
Turnagain Arm Burglaries
Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1
they can not apply for it until there is a signed lease.
Although Kessler did not want to provide any further details
about the lease agreement while they were in negotiations,
GHCI board president, Mary Jo Thill, was willing to share
some of the board members’ requests.
In addition to a rent reduction, she said the board is seeking
a change in the late fee, which currently is a 5 percent charge of
the unpaid monthly rent. The GHCI wants it to be a set dollar
amount.
“We have never been late and don’t intend to be,” she said.
Another change GHCI is requesting, concerns a detail in the
lease that would allow for the rent to increase to 125 percent,
adding $500 to $600 per month if the lease expires or is not extended. “We’d like it to be something like 105 percent,” Thill
said. “Not something exorbitant because we’re a non-profit.”
And finally, she said, they are asking that the rent be paid on
the tenth of the month instead of the fifth.
Thill hopes these and other details in the lease can be agreed
upon by both boards soon, so the clinic can move forward and
fulfill the wishes of the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.
“Senator Stevens made sure that the money given for that
building was for a non-profit health center,” she said. “That’s
why that appropriation of money was made by the Denali Commission.”
trict attorney’s office which is reviewing the
cases and plan on filing additional charges
against Mr. Lee,” said Zweifel.
Lee, 36, was captured after evading troopers and escaping into the woods on Nov. 19
near mile 77 of the Seward Highway. He
emerged from the woods the following day
and was picked up by a passerby and brought
to Girdwood and dropped off at the Tesoro
station to meet medics for treatment of hypothermia, said Zweifel. “He was treated by the
Girdwood medics and transported to Providence and was arrested once he was released
from the hospital.”
Zweifel said some Hope residents have
told him that they believe Lee was involved
in past thefts in the community. However,
Zweifel would not comment on whether Lee
was a suspect in any of the burglaries that the
Page 11
troopers are investigating for the recent home
break-ins over the past two months. State
prosecutors at the district attorney’s office
are investigating Lee for possible thefts in the
area, but no charges have been filed yet, said
Regan Williams, a prosecutor in the case.
Zweifel said investigations into the burglaries and thefts across the state are farreaching and troopers are working closely
with the district attorney’s office of special
prosecution “to make a nice, solid case.”
“The investigation is wrapped up on our
end,” he said, “but other law enforcement entities are still working on things in their areas, but
in the Girdwood area, we’ve wrapped it up.”
Zweifel said he’s investigated home-breakins from Indian to Girdwood and that there
are five to eight suspects. Six search warrants
were served in Hope and Anchorage. No
arrests have been made but he expects action
to be taken soon.
Trail Watch
Winter is here, and
whether the temperatures
are moderate or cold, Girdwood trails are heavily
used during this season.
Girdwood Parks and Recreation volunteers devote
many hours to grooming trails and intentionally
leave other trails for more
primitive use. How can
we all safely travel on the
same trails? By thinking of
others while having fun.
The following list is a
reminder for self-propelled
winter trail users:
Pick up your trash and
bag your dog’s poop.
There are “poop bags”
at the Moose Meadows
parking lot or bring your
own. The trashcans at the
Moose Meadows parking
lot are emptied weekly in
the winter, so please don’t
leave the bagged poop
along the trails.
The quality of the
groomed trails varies depending on use; the bestgroomed trails can quickly
be destroyed by heavy
traffic. Hiking, snowshoeing, running, and biking
should be on the opposite
edge of the trail from the set
tracks. Skate skiers should
stay in the center of the
trail. Using invisible lanes
for foot traffic, skate skiing,
and classic skiing will help
our groomed trails last, and
there is plenty of room to
share. As always, all of our
winter trails are for nonmotorized vehicles.
Fill in any sitzmarks that
you make for the safety of
others, and try to alert skiers
before you pass them.
Skiers tend to travel in a
counter clockwise direction
in Moose Meadows. Skiing
in one direction adds trail
safety.
If the snow isn’t firm
enough to support your
weight, foot traffic should
keep to the bike path.
The dog sled trail is
the outer loop in Moose
Meadow. You are welcome
to use this loop; however,
keep and eye out for a dog
team traveling in either direction. They have the right
of way and move faster
than you think. If you see
a team approaching, move
at least 5 feet off the trail.
Dogs can act unpredictably
around a fast moving dog
team. Best to have your
furry friend on a leash or
not on this trail at all.
If you find lost clothing, place it on top of the
Moose Meadows sign in
the parking area or on an
easily seen branch.
The Girdwood Nordic
Trail is now open for a full
5K loop. Please remember
this is a “ski only” trail in
winter. No dogs, bikes, or
walkers.
Have fun this winter! If
you have trail questions or
concerns, you can email the
Girdwood Trails Committee at girdwoodtrails@
gmail.com or call Girdwood Parks and Recreation
at 343-8373.
See you on the trails!
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Call Today: 783-1135
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Page 12
Turnagain Times
December 20, 2012
Remembering Rob Hammel
Continued from page 1
Wisconsin, on June 30, 1952,
to Dr. Robert Warren Hammel,
Sr. and Barbara, “Bobbie”
Bowen Hammel, where he
grew up with his siblings Mary
Jo and Dave. After graduating from Madison West High
School in 1970, Rob matriculated at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, where he
met the love of his life, Rorie,
at the orientation dance on the
first day of school.
In college, Rob discovered the the joy of skiing at
nearby Rib Mountain, where
he joined the National Ski
Patrol and began the trajectory that would inform the remainder of his life. Rob was
a brilliant man with a free
spirit. He attended law school
at Marquette University, and
then obtained his teaching
certificate. In 1975, Rob realized his dream of moving
north to Alaska. He packed
up “Harvey,” his three-onthe-tree Rambler, and with an
“Alaska or Bust” sign mounted
on his trailer, set out for the
Last Frontier. Rob arrived in
Girdwood in 1975 (joined by
Rorie in 1976) where he fortuitously found employment at
Alyeska Resort in the winters
and at Denali National Park in
the summers.
Rob and Rorie knew right
away that they wanted to raise
their family in Girdwood.
From 1976 to 2000, Rob and
Rorie (joined by their children, Raina, in 1985, and
Ryan, in 1987) lived in a single-room cabin in the heart
of Denali, at Wonder Lake,
where Rob was responsible
for smoothing the final third
on the 90-mile dirt road into
the park with his road grader.
In Girdwood, Rob and Rorie
built their home with the help
of friends, starting with a tworoom dry cabin and making
additions as their family grew.
Rob took unparalleled pride
in all of his work, menial and
monumental, from the chairs
he bumped and the corduroy he groomed in the early
Girdwood days and the precision and agility required to
grade the Denali Park Road,
to the precautions he took
on the snow safety teams at
Alyeska and the DOT. Rob remained a proud member of the
Alyeska Ski Patrol for nearly
40 years, attending refresher
training only days before his
death. Rob’s significant skill
with avalanche forecasting
and safety, prophylactic deployment, and intuitive understanding of historic slide
paths earned him great respect
among snow safety professionals throughout the world.
This provided him with the
experience necessary for his
work with the State of Alaska
Department of Transportation,
which he began full-time after
leaving Denali in 2000.
Rob never numbed to his
surroundings in Alaska, and
had a special knack for noticing and appreciating the
extraordinary beauty of an
ordinary day. Rob received
great joy spending time in
the outdoors hiking, canoeing, fishing, and camping with
his family. He leaves them
with tens of thousands of his
original photographs of the
Alaskan scenery.
Rob was an avid reader,
especially of national and
local news publications including the Turnagain Times,
from which he sent countless
newspaper clippings, photos,
and sentimental hand-written
notes to his friends and acquaintances from all places
and times in his life. Rob had
savant-like recall of innumerable facts, stories, and historic events and spent a great
amount of time reflecting on
the way the world worked
and the way that it should
be. This included a commitment to justice, humanity,
and taking the time to offer
his gorgeous smile, a hearty
hello, and his enormous,
weathered, yet gentle helping
hands to a friend, neighbor, or
a stranger in need. Rob was
a compassionate, thoughtful,
and decent man, who will be
forever missed and timelessly
admired by all who knew him.
Above all, Rob was a family
man, whose greatest joy was
spending time with his beautiful wife, Rorie, and guiding
his kids Raina, Ryan, and his
son-in-law Rich (Segal) as
they grew into strong, smart,
and empathetic adults. Raina
and Rob spent countless hours
on the phone together – frequently several call each day
– trying to shorten the the distance between Girdwood and
Boston; Ryan spent most of
his weekends in Girdwood
with Rob and Rorie. Rob and
Rorie joyfully celebrated their
thirtieth wedding anniversary
on October 23, 2012, flowers
from which Rorie recently
dried. They were looking
forward to a warm vacation in
the coming weeks.
An incredible outpouring of
love and respect for Rob was
expressed by several hundred
people who attended his memorial service on December
1, 2012 at the United Methodist Church in Girdwood,
which Rob helped to build.
The service was officiated by
Pastor Jim Doepken, Rob’s
personal friend, who shared
tributes of their time rocking
out to Neil Young over the
church’s new speaker system
as well as offering spiritual
inspiration. Susan Opalka,
Rob’s and Rorie’s longtime
friend and Raina’s and Ryan’s
first-grade teacher at Girdwood School, graciously provided her pianist skills. Also
included in the service was the
poem “Our National Parks,”
by John Muir, read by Rob’s
son Ryan, a special Hammel
family prayer by Robert Louis
Stevenson, read by Dave
Hammel (Rob’s brother),
as well as personal tributes
from Mary Jo (Hammel)
Tierney (Rob’s sister), Brad
Ebel (Rob’s longtime friend
and co-worker), and Richard
Segal (Rob’s son-in-law).
A magnificent celebration of Rob’s life followed at
Challenge Alaska, complete
with a torchlight parade performed by the Alyeska Ski
Patrol and a gigantic bonfire.
The Hammel family has been
comforted by overwhelming
support from the community, including condolences as
well as inspiring and hilarious
memories.
Rorie, Raina, Ryan, and
Rich wish to offer their sincere
gratitude to those who have
offered their support since
Rob’s death. They ask that
Rob be remembered by acts
of small kindnesses to others
that may initially seem negligible, but as the Hammels
have learned have lasting and
heartfelt effects on those who
received these same small offerings of humanity from Rob..
New Year’s Eve
Torchlight Parade & Fireworks begin at 8 pm
Best place for viewing at the Daylodge!
Holiday Eats at Alyeska
The Pond Café
Seatings:
1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm & 7 pm
Seven Glaciers
Restaurant
Sakura
Asian Bistro
Special Christmas Day &
New Year Eve Chef ’s Tasting Menus
Serving dinner from 5 pm
Friday to Monday
New Year’s Eve Buffet
Seatings: 5 pm & 7 pm
Open daily for lunch and dinner
Dec. 23 to 31
Adults $38 | Kids (6 - 12) $16
5 & under eat FREE
Reservations Recommended:
754-2237
Christmas Day Buffet
Holiday
Night Skiing
Night Skiing open daily
from 4 to 9 pm
Dec. 21 to Jan. 5
(except Dec. 24 & 31)
Special
Monday Nights
$10 Beer & Roll!
907754 1111
AlyeskaResort.com
live nye - nervis rex
dec 21 & 22 brook faulk $5 adv/$7day of | dec 28 & 29 rebel blues $5
beers on tap
21 & OVER
Food ‘til Midnight
full schedule & advance tix online @ thesitzmark.com
907-754-2275
$10
10pm