Tributaries
Tidbits from the Headwaters
A Home for McCarthy EMS
As seasonal workers return to McCarthy and business starts to ramp up, the community is witnessing the construction of the new Medical Service Building. This building, owned by the volunteer EMS group in McCarthy, is a project the whole community has come together to make happen.
Veterans Celebrate Memorial Day
Honor. Patriotism. Courage. Freedom. Sacrifice. Gratitude. Remembrance. These are some of the heartfelt words I heard during speeches at four local Memorial Day Services. I met up with a group of local veterans from the VFW and the American Legion at 8:30 a.m. and went with them to the Glennallen Cemetery.
Greater Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce May Dinner Meeting
The Greater Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce held its May Dinner Meeting in McCarthy on May 26. Approximately 30 chamber members and their spouses, visitor center staff, and other participants attended the dinner meeting at the Salmon and Bear restaurant in McCarthy, and participated in familiarization tours with McCarthy area businesses and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park staff on the two-day excursion.
What Do You Stand For?
There’s something to be said about the art of acceptance and nonresistance. It’s often in the search for utopia that we become less than pleasant. I’ve not met too many happy activists. Positioning ourselves against another person or ideology can lead to bitterness, which is not a good look for anybody.
Maggie Nylund Cultivates Art, Food, Community, and Pride!
Fourteen years ago, Maggie Nylund needed a job. She had a knack for baking and decided to leave the biochemistry path she was on and create Magpie’s Bakery. As the bakery developed, she noticed the community needed a place to come together, showcase art, and express themselves, so she created a platform, a venue, for local artists.
Slana and Upstream Learning 2022 Graduations
The Copper Basin graduation week has been in full swing as the 2021-2022 school year has come to a close. Slana began the celebration week on Tuesday, May 17 with the graduation of Linnea Beauchamp.
CRNA Sled Building Class Combines Science, Art and Culture
Charlie Titus Sr.’s fascination with dog sleds began when he was a young man. Before he could even imagine teaching others how to build sleds, he had to first learn this art himself.
May in the Garden
There is so much to love about May, even in a year with a delayed spring. The grasses, dandelions, and fireweed have emerged in the garden seemingly overnight, growing even when hard frosting at night.
Golden Spring: Golden Eagles Dominate the Sky Above the Copper River Basin
On any clear spring day, the sky above the Copper River Basin is full of raptors. They’re pouring back into Alaska from the Outside, having just passed through the Wrangells. They’re headed home.
Flood Destroys GlennRich Fire Station, Damages Property
On the night of May 8, Moose Creek began overflowing its banks. Water began flooding into the GlennRich fire station. According to Glennallen Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) head Jason Severs, “at the time it was not that bad.” By the morning of May 9, the community of Glennallen started flooding.
Park Staff Seek to Lower Death Toll with Information
At a meeting a few months ago, I heard a troubling statistic: An estimated one in 20,000 visits to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (WRST) ends in a fatality. I talked with Ranger and Search and Rescue Coordinator Stephens Harper earlier this spring to learn more.
Soaring Eagle Transit Offers New Passes
Soaring Eagle Transit, a local intercity transit service, is in full operation this spring after the pandemic forced the program to close temporarily. Gulkana Village Council manages the service, which features two Toyota Sienna vans. It is now offering new daily fees and monthly pass options to better meet the community's needs.
Bill Frees Up Emergency Funds for Fire Prevention
While snow still covers parts of the Copper River Basin, the fire season has already begun in the Lower 48. Alaskan firefighters, however, will now have the option to remain at home and get paid instead of leaving the state to find work.
Copper Basin Breaks Record Snow Year
On April 1, a statewide snow survey confirmed what many area residents already know: 2022 was a record-breaking snow year in the Copper Basin.
Record Turnout at Annual Hill Climb Event
The 31st annual Hill Climb event in Thompson Pass, hosted by the Valdez Snowmachine Club, took place on April 15-17 this year. The main event is what Valdez Snowmachine Club president Ken Lares described as a “slalom uphill in reverse on a snowmachine” that takes place on Odyssey Mountain.
Public Meeting On Proposed Nuclear Project
On April 19, the Copper Valley Electric Association (CVEA) and the Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) held a public meeting in the Glennallen Elementary School gym to present information about a proposed micro modular nuclear reactor for the Copper Basin area and to take questions.
Gulkana Village To Launch Community Gardens
The Village of Gulkana has received a competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to start a community garden project.
Inviting Birds Home
Birds are already starting courtship and territorial displays on Prince William Sound, and migratory species are steadily arriving. Some are still on their way. This is a good time to think about getting some nest boxes together.
News Around the State
Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) and Southeast Conference (SEC) are partnering to conduct a low emission ferry research project. Alternative-fuel powered, low-emission, and electric ferries could be a game-changer for Alaska’s Marine Highway System, as DOT&PF starts to replace AMHS’s aging fleet in up-coming years.
April in the Garden
This April there is still snow everywhere, except under the spruce trees and along the steeper south bluffs. Breakup is delayed and after a long winter it is to the irritation of every gardener to realize all the spring chores will be compressed into a smaller window.