Alaska Range and Granite Mountains from north of the Tanana River Bridge.  Photo by Brian Eaton. 

An Alaska Spring Fishing Trip to 
Volkmar -- A Photo Story

Photos courtesy Mike Rawalt

A group of Delta guys took a snow machine trip to Volkmar Lake in February in search of the wily Northern Pike.  They even caught a few.  Here's a picture of most of the guys on their way. 

Famous snowmachiner Bill Todd moves to cover his face from annoying paparazzi who slipped into the fishing team. 

Cabin at Volkmar Lake where the intrepid pike predators holed up at night. 

The well equipped snowmachiner.   What's in that heavy pack, Bill?  And why isn't it on the snowmachine?

March 13, 2000

More Fireworks from the Festival of Lights

Photos by Clint Knix

March 11, 2000

Richard Mitchell clowns around with some lost and found sunglasses on the dock at Valdez.  Photo by Leo Palmer.

The warm sunny days of March invite a strong temptation to start planting seedlings for the garden and greenhouse. Dates for starting seed for growing your own transplants will vary. To determine dates for starting seeds count back the required number of weeks from the last killing frost, usually June 1st. The following list suggests the number of weeks required to grow some of the most commonly used vegetables and flowers transplants for the Interior.

VEGETABLES

10-12 Weeks Celery
7-9 Weeks Tomatoes, Brussels Sprouts
6-7 Weeks  Eggplant,  Peppers, Tomatoes (outdoor varieties)
4-6 Weeks  Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower,  Head Lettuce (early crop),  Kale (early crop)
3-4 Weeks  Summer Squash, Cucumbers,  Pumpkin, Winter Squash

6-8 Weeks  Butterfly-Flower, English Daisy,  Feverfew, Lobelia, Nemesia, Flowering Tobacco, *Petunia, *Sweet Alyssum, Verbena
4-6 Weeks  *African Daisy (Cape Marigold), *Ageratum (Floss Flower), Aster, Godetia, *Larkspur, *Nasturtium, Stocks, *Bachelor Button, *Candytuff, *Clarkia, Dahlia, *Marigold, *Phlox, Zinnia
4 Weeks in Individual Containers  Canary Bird Vine, Migonette, Nemphila, Sunflower

*Flowers marked with an asterisk (*) do well in cooler temperature of 50-55°F. The novice will do well to try flowers from this group.

Using transplants enables the gardener to enjoy many warm-season vegetables outdoors, hasten maturity of cool-season vegetables and achieve a longer season of display for many annual flowers.

Considerations should be made before one decides whether to grow their own plants or purchase the transplants closer to planting time. Raising quality transplants is not exceedingly difficult, however there are many things to keep in mind when you are making this decision.

The Alaska Cooperative Extension has in stock "Seed Starting and Transplanting" a publication that covers what to plant and when, with suggestions on planting material, seed starting and transplanting plus tips for keeping your precious plants healthy through the next several weeks. ACE has a variety of publication, some free and some with a fee, in the Delta office that gives recommendations of what to plant, and when.

Stop by the office in the Jarvis Building, Room 115 or call 895-4215 for more information about gardening in Alaska. Office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.   

March 3,2000

The annual Festival of Lights Fireworks Display. Fireworks were displayed on Saturday, Feb. 26th.
Photo by Charles (Andy) Andrews

The Granite Mountains and an unnamed lake at sunset. Autumn 1999. Photo by Paul Schenk

Judy Ferguson is a well known writer to many Interior Alaskans. She recently sent us the hyperlinks to some of her Heartland magazine articles, and we are pleased to list them here. We'll add another one each day until they are all here. These stories are all copyrighted by Judy Ferguson.  Here are Judy Ferguson's stories of Delta on the web.

Roxie Rodgers Dinstel, Home Economist with ACE will present financial information with assistance from planned guest speakers: Audrey Brown, Attorney at Law, and Chaplain Jim McNeal on Saturday, March 25 beginning at 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Jarvis Office Center, ACE Conference Room. There will be a 1 hour break for lunch, you are welcome to bring a lunch and eat in the conference room or make other arrangement.

Estate Planning and Wills: Deciding "What if.." Research and organize prior to consulting a lawyer. What do you need to know and what information is important.

There have been as many family members mad over the distribution of small personal items as over the much more expensive items. Plan how to distribute these personal items.

Do you want extraordinary measures taken to prolong your life? Difficult issues are hard to talk about. But it is necessary as we begin to plan ahead.

The registration fee is $15.00 per person or $25.00 per couple, seating is limited, register early to secure a seat please. Registration Due by March 24, 2000. Please call 895-4215 or stop by room 115 of the Jarvis Office Center to register or for questions. Thank you.    

March 1, 2000

Proposed Borough Petition Submitted

A local borough exploration committee has been working for many months to develop the foundation for a proposed Deltana borough.  Committee chair Carlene Smith recently provided the Delta News Web with the final text for their proposal.  Smith says the group submitted the petition to the state in on March 20, 2000.

Smith says what happens next is up to the Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development.  

Here is what she provided:

The process of developing a borough is complex.  The exploration committee is nearing the "end of the beginning."  

We're leaving a semi-permanent link in the "Pictures and Other Information" section, above.

David Johnson March 17, 2000 updated March 23

About those Ads Appearing on 
Delta News Web Pages

You may have wondered about the advertisements that are beginning to appear on Delta News Web pages.  

Ever since we began the Delta News Web we have been searching for ways to make it pay for itself.  It's a fun project, but many times fun doesn't pay the bills, and that has been the case here.

We are now serving both local and national content advertising to help pay for the operation of the web.  While it doesn't take a lot of time most days, it does add up over a period of time. We're hoping advertising will defray or even entirely cover the costs of operation.

So....if you like what you see in one of these ads, please "click."  It helps defray our publication expenses.

Meanwhile, if you would like to have better exposure for your business, we'd be pleased to discuss marketing possibilities.  Call David Johnson at (907) 895-4919 for more information.

David Johnson March 22, 2000

Ruby Hollembaek and Fred John, an Athabascan Indian elder, speak dramatically to Mrs. Toth's 4th grade class at Delta school about Alaska Native culture.  Photo by Ann Toth.

Local resident Bethany Williams helped to raise funds for KUAC in Fairbanks on March 11.   

Joyce McCombs our local librarian looking happy as usual working with the rest of our volunteers for KUAC.

Michael Bender and his son  Ryan celebrating his 
birthday,  volunteering for KUAC.

Steve McCombs and Big Bird answering phones for KUAC  raising funds to keep Sesame Street and Big Bird's 
buddies on the air.

Pam Ellis working for the KUAC fundraiser on March 11th.  How did that taste, Pam?

Steve Fields taking donations from Sponsors supporting KUAC.

Mrs. Toth's 4th grade class from Delta School recently learned about the Alaska Pipeline.  A portion of the class is shown here in front of an Alyeska Pipeline scraper or "pig."  The class is writing a book about what they are learning.  Photo by Ann Toth.

High speed run.  February, 2000.  Photo by Brian Eaton

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Caleb Bialik suits up in the locker room at Ft. Wainwright ice rink before a recent game.  In the helmet is Jared Creviston and behind him is Travis DuBois and Tanner Conlon.  Photo by Steve DuBois

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Delta PeeWee Huskies defenseman Travis DuBois (white) defends the blue line against two Fairbanks opponents at a recent game at Ft. Wainwright.  Dean Waldo officiates.    Photo by Steve DuBois.

Coming home from a long run.  Photo by Brian Eaton.

Delta Post office clerks work hard to deliver 
and send the mail.  Photo by David Johnson.

Recent northern lights photos in Delta. If you haven't been outside the last couple of weeks and taken in the view, you are missing some of the beauty of Alaska.  The aurora is usually most spectacular in the spring and fall near the equinoxes.  Photos by Debbie Jennings.

The last meeting of Deltana Community Corporation generated some discussion on the formation of a borough charter, the current steering committees progress, and Deltana's future role if any. Last summer this board worked with the steering committee suggesting changes to their charter that we felt would make it more acceptable to area voters. The steering committee did not follow many of the recommendations made by Deltana. This steering committee is very close to having a charter that they feel ready to submit to the State of Alaska. There was some discussion of the process of forming a borough.  Russ Bowdre does not feel that current legislation affecting unorganized boroughs will go anywhere this legislative session. He also suggested that Deltana invite Pete Apollo to a meeting as he could inform us on the progress of the current charter. Mr. Apollo could also offer information on Deltana becoming a borough steering committee. There was general agreement that Deltana should use the draft charter that we put so much work into already as base document. Russ thought we should look at the City charter with the view that there was possibly some useful information there. Todd Zachgo thought that Deltana should do what the steering committee was supposed to do: research the issue, prepare a draft charter, and put it on the shelf. Deltana recognizes that this is an explosive issue with area voters. The intent of Deltana is NOT to form a borough, but to research and put in the file a charter document that offers some possibility of acceptance by area voters should it be ever be necessary. Deltana will be working on the borough charter at most regular meetings as time allows. Any citizens that would like to take part in these discussions/work sessions are strongly encouraged to attend.

Under correspondence there was information on a land sale coming up in July and August. The State Div. Of Agriculture will dispose of 13 Delta Ag parcels. For more information contact that office in Fairbanks at (907-451-2780).

Barbara Ipsen requested to speak to the Deltana board about the condition of Clearwater Road. During the warm spells this winter about four of the driveways on the Clearwater Extension flooded. One person had their crawl space filled with water. The water has since frozen but Barbara is concerned about spring breakup. Discussion followed with most board members thinking we need more information. Paul requested that board members should drive out on their own to look at the problem. The matter will be taken under advisement until the next meeting.

Kassie Farrar presented her recommendation for a change in the Resolutions policy. She is recommending Deltana draft a Resolution of Support separate from the current Resolutions policy. The new Resolution of Support would satisfy requests for endorsement by Deltana made frequently by organizations seeking either public support or grant funding. The new Resolution of Support would require board members to poll by telephone a number of area residents before casting their vote. The incentive is three-fold. One it would insure that the board members were informing themselves and the public before endorsing any entity/position/project. Two it would satisfy the requirement for Deltana board members to be a voice for local residents. Three it protects board members from liability as it insures that the board members have executed their duty. The recommendation received mixed reviews. The on going issue of weather or not Deltana should involve itself in the formation of a borough charter is a case in point. Kassie is hesitant in entering into the formation of a borough charter without known broad public support. By creating a Resolution of Support for say, the formation of a borough charter, the Deltana board members would know they were on sound ground with area residents. Much discussion followed with the issue being tabled until the next meeting.

The next Deltana meeting is at the Clearwater Fire Station, 7:00p.m. on the 9^th of March. All Deltana meetings are open to the public. or call 895-4150   

March 6, 2000

Alaska Range from atop the hills north of the Tanana River.  Photo by Brian Eaton.