Tributaries
Tidbits from the Headwaters
Just When the Weather is Turning Good
On Saturday, February 25th, Glennallen’s junior high Nordic skiers Simon McMahan and Hunter Carlton participated in time trials with the Valdez junior high ski team.
Proposed Nuclear Project Update
On Feb. 15, Copper Valley Electric Association (CVEA) held their second round of public meetings in Valdez and Glennallen regarding the possibility of constructing a micro nuclear reactor (MMR) in the Copper River Basin or Valdez area.
Glennallen’s Brooklyn Allain Plays in Arctic Winter Games
Brooklyn Allain, a fifteen-year-old sophomore, was selected to play on the Women’s Hockey Team for Team Alaska in the 2023 Arctic Winter Games, hosted by Wood Buffalo, Alberta, Canada, January 29 – February 4, 2023.
Local Skiers Grow at Nordic Ski Regionals
The Glennallen Nordic ski team made a strong showing at the 2023 Region VI Championships held at Birch Hill Recreation Area in Fairbanks.
Valdez Elks Tournament
Valdez High School hosted their 45th Annual Elks Basketball Tournament this past weekend, February 9-11. Sixteen teams played eight games daily, culminating in the championship girls and boys games Saturday evening.
Valdez Eighth Graders Blast Off
During February 6-8, the 8th grade Gilson Middle School (GMS) students in Valdez finished their science unit on forces and gravity, culminating in each student building and launching a model rocket.
February 8 Valdez City Council Business
The Valdez City Council held a regular meeting on Wednesday, February 8. Mayor Scheidt and council member Wegner were absent.
Tolsona Lake Lodge Quilters Retreat
Michelle Heaton shed her role as hostess and owner of the Tolsona Lake Lodge to join her friends at her sewing machine for what has become an annual event. The fourth Tolsona Lake Lodge Quilters Retreat was held February 8 – 12.
Al Laudert Corners the Shrimp Art Niche
Al Laudert pulls shrimp pots from underwater and heaves them onto the deck of his boat, bobbing near the mouth of the Valdez Harbor. Most shrimpers dump their catch into buckets, then begin processing the shrimp for eating. But Laudert has a different routine with a particular goal in mind: he is auditioning shrimp to play the main characters in his live art photographs. Al Laudert is known as the “Shrimp Whisperer.”
The Open Air Outhouse
My husband has built and sold many outhouses to others in the past and builds them when he needs them for work, but for our own use, that is an entirely different story. For our outhouse, he put the hole in with a culvert and placed a seat on top. That was it.
Brine Leak at Pump Station 11
The typically quiet Glennallen Response Base at Alyeska Pipeline Pump Station 11 is currently busy with additional equipment and personnel. The “brine” leak was automatically detected in late December, which triggered a shutdown of the affected unit.
On the Trail with Ron Stiffler in the CB300
On Saturday morning, January 14, Ron Stiffler ran his sled dog team through a tunnel of cheering people lining the streets of Glennallen at the start of the Copper Basin 300 (CB300) sled dog race.
New Friends, Chili Champ, and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
The Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce held its annual chili cookoff and membership meeting on January 26 at the American Legion. The well-attended event fed attendees well, and provided a forum for many businesses and local agencies to make community updates.
McCarthy Snow and Ice Sculptor Paul Hanis: Best In Snow
Within two weeks of first touching a snow carving tool to frozen water, Paul Hanis was carving at the World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks. Fast-forward to this winter: Hanis won 1st Place at the 2022 Fur Rondy Alaska State Snow Sculpting Championships and was selected as a Pro Carver for the Disney+ TV show, Best In Snow.
New Oyster Farms and Fireworks Before Bedtime
The Valdez City Council convened on January 17 for a regular meeting with all members in attendance.
Arab American Doctor on the Alaskan Frontier
Last fall, Marvin Wingfield presented a talk via Zoom at the Valdez Museum titled “David Hasan Sleem: Arab American Doctor on the Alaskan Frontier.” Wingfield is the former Education and Outreach Director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
Valdez City Council January 3 Meeting
The Valdez City Council convened on Jan. 3 at 7 pm. All council members were present. For the consent agenda, there was a unanimous acceptance of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mike Britt’s resignation. Sarah Jorgenson-Owen was unanimously appointed to the commission.