Delta Community News

Deltana Community Human Services Partnership Project funding

2008-07-10T10:26:00.002-08:00

Thank you for all your support! Our first meeting is confirmed for July 21, 2008 5:00 pm in the Delta Junction City Hall (an earlier e-mail stated August 21 so please note the correction and forgive repeated information because of the date clarification).

We will be posting a toll free number for out of town telephonic participants.

The State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has granted three years of funding for our Deltana Community Human Services Partnership project. During the first year,the project hopes to provide the Deltana/Ft. Greely community with a strategic plan to be used for furthering program development with comprehensive integrated behavioral health prevention and early intervention services related to substance use or abuse, suicide, birth defects and secondary disabilities, youth development and resliency, with the hope to promote community, family and individual wellness.

Ted Sponsel, Ph. D. is our project director and brings years of professional experience to our project. He will be facilitating/attending our first official meeting.

We hope our work will create a community plan for prevention or intervention services; we strive for data and information that will be used to seek further funding for implementation of the services that we identify through this project.

During our first meeting, we will define our mission statement and develp a first step plan based on what the community says we need.

We need you and your friends to be there, so encourage others to come. If you have questions please e-mail me.

I will follow up in another e-mail with an agenda.

Again, thank you all for your letters of support and for your participation.

Deborah A. Hayes, M.Ed., Director
Northwest Resource Associates
Alaska Center for Resource Families
815 Second Avenue, Suite 101
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

Phone: (800) 478-7307
Web Page: http://www.acrf.org/
A project of Northwest Resource Associates

Photo of the day - July 9

2008-07-10T10:19:00.002-08:00

Located on the pristine Prince William Sound, in the spectacular state of Alaska, is the beautiful town of Cordova. A fishing village with a population of about 2,500. In the summer Cordova's population increases, when fishermen and tourists arrive to fish the great Copper River salmon runs. Child's Glacier is certainly Alaska's most spectacular roadside glacier--it's the only one where you can see calving. And when the calving is active in high summer, you'll see a major event every 15 minutes. Some of these collapsing icebergs are so large, they send a 10-foot wave rocketing across the river and crashing onto the opposite shore. Look for salmon splashed into the forest! If you're standing anywhere near the shore when this happens, you will get washed into the river. Taken over the 4th of July weekend. Photo by Ed Christensen

Hometown Girl Marries New York Boy on May 31

2008-07-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

Just as New Yorker William Seward fell in love with Alaska nearly 150 years ago, so Joe Grimes, from Sempronius, NY, found the love of his life in Delta Junction.

Joe married Miss Beth Abbott on May 31 at the Clearwater Baptist Church. Beth, youngest daughter of Butch & Ruth Abbott, is well known in the Delta community after working several summers at the Visitors Center, then at Mt. McKinley Bank, and of course, as a popular violin teacher.

Beth's sister, Autumn, was her maid of honor. Bridesmaids included Joanna Holbrook, and her nieces Kaillee and Lexie Thomas, former residents of Delta. Priscilla Joslin was the flower girl.

The couple is now residing and working in Fairbanks, where Joe is a nurse at Fairbanks Memorial and Beth still works for the bank.

They honeymooned in Austria and Germany following a wedding reception at the Abbotts' homestead.

Joe's family enjoyed their visit to AK and look forward to visiting Delta Junction again in the future. They appreciated the friendly welcome they received from Delta residents!

VBS Comes to Delta Christian Center

2008-07-09T08:37:00.001-08:00

Delta Christian Center's first annual Vacation Bible School will be held from July 21st - 25th.

VBS will be held at the church from 9:00am- 1:00pm.

There will be a snack provided each day.

The ages are from 4yrs-10yrs. Registration will be from 8:30am - 9:00am on the 21st – 23rd.

For more info call Bethany at 803-3827 or Juliet at 895-4431.

PCC Honors Graduate

2008-07-09T08:36:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Anne Jennings, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jennings of Delta Junction, Alaska was named to the Dean's List at Pensacola Christian College for academic achievement during the 2008 spring semester.

This was a result of earning a B average or higher.

Congratulations!

Be wary of Gas Savings Offers

2008-07-09T08:34:00.002-08:00

A new business is offering today’s price for gas at tomorrows rates

Anchorage, AK — July 8, 2008 — My Gallons first came to the BBB's attention on July 1, 2008. According to the company's website they are offering a gas card program allowing consumers to purchase a chosen number of gallons of gasoline at the current average rate in their area. The company further claims that by investing its member’s money in a hedge fund; the card will be good for future purchases at participating gas stations even if the price of gas should increase. The annual membership fee ranges from $29.95 to $39.95, depending on the program you choose.

Florida corporate records show the company is located in Miami, Fl. A call to that address was answered by CPC Computer Consultants. On July 2, 2008 the BBB was informed by MyGallons founder Steve Verona that their negotiations with US Bank’s Voyager program have broken off and they currently do not have a vendor to process transactions with the gas stations listed on their Web site. Other reports indicate that similar programs instituted in the Northeast last year for pre-paid natural gas purchases resulted in several companies leaving their customers holding worthless cards. The BBB encourages consumers to carefully read and understand all of the terms and conditions of this offer. This information can be obtained from the company Web site.

About the BBB serving Alaska, Oregon, and Western Washington
Your BBB is a not-for-profit organization funded by BBB accredited businesses. The BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. For more information about the services and products provided by your BBB, call 206-431-2222 or 253-830-2924 in Washington, 503-212-3022 in Oregon, 907-562-0704 in Alaska, or visit our Web site.

Photo of the day - July 8

2008-07-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

A baby owl had fallen from its nest, and both of the parents have been bringing it food.
Photo Courtesy Dan James

Server changeover

2008-07-08T21:23:00.002-08:00

We have moved the Delta News Web to a larger server tonight (7/8/08). Most of the components are working okay, but we have a problem with the "RSS readers" for the Community and School News blogs. We hope to have those sorted out by morning.

My apologies if our moving has caused any problems for you.

David Johnson
Delta News Web publisher

Photo of the day - July 7

2008-07-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

Ryan Schnieder is all smiles as he checks out a book from Miss Joyce at the Delta Library. Ryan and nearly 40 other readers meet on Fridays at 11:00 to "Catch The Reading Bug" - this year's Summer Reading Program. These amazing kids have read more than 120 books in just 3 weeks! Photo Courtesy Joyce McCombs

Looking for Ken Ryther

2008-07-07T09:44:00.003-08:00

Hi Ken, if you are out there, would you please contact the Delta News Web? You have a very old acquaintance that would like to get in touch with you. They have given me their email address and asked that I would pass it onto you. They went to school with you and were in Vietnam at the same time, and lost contact with you in '70.

If anyone knows how to get a hold of Ken, please send the DNW an email with his phone number or email address.

Thank you.

Mystery Photo Winner for Week June 30 - July 6

2008-07-07T09:26:00.002-08:00

The winner of last week's mystery photo is Ann Marie Mills. We had 20 correct entries last week.

Ann Marie will receive a gift certificate from the Buffalo Center Drive In, Courtesy of John and Linda Sloan.

Thank you for each one that submitted their entry, along with mailing address.

Please remember to include your mailing address with each entry. DNW will not accept entries without mailing addresses. We do not store your address from week to week.

The photo was taken at Delta Industrial (Petro) car wash, and it was correctly identified as the top of the canister on the vacuum.

Good luck as you look for next week's photo.

Photo of the day - July 5

2008-07-07T09:25:00.002-08:00

This snowshoe hare is in its summer color phase and turn pure white in the winter. Hares are different than rabbits as the young are born fully furred and hit the ground running as soon as they are born. Rabbits on the other hand are born blind and hairless and are pretty helpless for a couple of weeks. Photo by Steve Thomas

Photo of the day - July 4

2008-07-05T08:21:00.003-08:00

On the way back from softball in Fairbanks last week, Mt. Hayes in the top photo and Mt. Moffitt in the bottom photo were taken just after midnight. June 21 was our longest day and we are losing minutes each day, but it will take a little longer to notice a difference in the midnight sun. Photos Courtesy Michael Kingston/CRTC

Photo of the day - July 3

2008-07-04T10:39:00.002-08:00

Margaret Mendoza's horse camp was held at Stinkin Akers arena. She provided individual and group lessons. Margaret's love for horses began at an early age with her show career starting in 1954, that took her from the west to the east coast attending many shows over the years. With at adventurous spirit in 1963 Margaret began giving private lessons in Alaska, California, Ohio and Oregon. Click on the photo layout for a larger photo.

Left to Right is Margaret , Adriene Leaskey and Gwen Payne. Photos Courtesy Carol Watkins

Photo of the day - July 2

2008-07-03T09:41:00.002-08:00

These two pictures are of the pasque flower which many people refer to as purple crocus or Alaskan crocus. The pasque flower is one of the first wildflowers to bloom in the spring. I took these pictures on the weekend of May 17. The purple petals, enclose the yellow stamens (male part of the flower), and the white with purple tipped pistil (female part of the flower). Photo Courtesy Steve DuBois

Obituary - Bill Fowler

2008-07-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

Dearest family, friends, and colleagues,

Bill Fowler died peacefully in his Anchorage home with his wife by his side last thursday afternoon. He'd recently been diagnosed with cancer and the disease progressed more rapidly than anyone expected. It was a sudden end to a life lived with great enthusiasm, compassion, and dignity. He will be missed.

Please join us if you are able to honor his life and our memories of him. A memorial shin dig will be held Wednesday 2 July 2008 at 3 pm in the Northern Air Maintenance Services hanger at 6601 South Airpark Place, Anchorage, Alaska.

If you have any questions or concerns, or just want to share your memories of this wonderful man, please contact Kevin Fowler: email: kfowler@esterdome.com IM: kevinfowler@mac.com (AIM) • kfowler@esterdome.com (google talk). telephone: (858) 752-7764.

Yours, in the bonds of friendship,
Kurtis, Kara, Kevin, and Keir

William Dix Fowler of Anchorage, Alaska passed away after a brief illness at his home overlooking Delong Lake.

Born January 29, 1940 in Glendale, California to Harold Dix and Bertha Graveling Fowler, "Bill" as he was known to everyone, spent his formative years in San Antonio, Texas where he attended Locke Hill Elementary School, graduating in 1958 from Northside High School. Throughout adolescence Bill and brother Geoff worked to support the family. Bill matriculated to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, ultimately completing a graduate degree in accountancy.

Bill's long career began in the 1960s. While working pipeline construction in the northern U.S. and Canada, Bill met his future wife Toni, and they began their long journey together. Bill later found work in Texas as an auditor with Humble Oil, now Exxon-Mobil, before returning to building pipelines with Coates Construction. With an eye towards the future of oil and gas development in the north, Bill moved to Alberta where his unmatched hardwork led to his rapid advancement and set the stage for his ultimate goal of working in Alaska.

Moving to Valdez in 1969, Bill became project manager for the unloading and transfer of pipe arriving from Japan to various stockpiles throughout the state. The delay of pipeline construction led Bill and the family to a brief sojourn in Alberta and Missouri until returning to Delta Junction in 1974 when work on the 800-mile line finally commenced. As Assistant Project Manager for Perini Arctic, Bill helped bring Section 2 of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline to successful completion.

Following completion of the pipeline Bill helped found Frank Moolin and Associates in Anchorage, undertaking preliminary gas pipeline planning, the construction of which seemed imminent.
Bill moved to Fairbanks in 1978 where he and his family would stay for the next 8 years. In Fairbanks Bill became president of Alaska International Construction, a small firm facing severe financial difficulties. Although dissolution of the company was initially anticipated, Bill instead engineered the resurrection of AIC. By the time of his departure in 1986, AIC was the leading construction company in the state of Alaska, and was widely recognized for its innovation and ability to successfully tackle the most difficult of construction projects.

After his remarkable achievements with AIC, Bill took on a variety of challenges throughout the 1990s, including directional drilling, environmental remediation, offshore construction, and telecommunication projects. Near the turn of the century Bill turned his attention again to building pipelines joining Okemah Construction in Oklahoma.

But Bill's heart never left the land which he fell in love with many years previously, and in 2001 Bill returned to Alaska to become chief operating officer of Northern Air Cargo. During his tenure, Bill spearheaded the modernization of the NAC aircraft fleet and helped establish Northern Air Maintenance Services, which in cooperation with British Petroleum and Conoco Phillips, transports workers to the North Slope. Bill's efforts led the company back to profitability, established a vision for future operations, and assured its future success through the acquisition of NAC by Saltchuk, Inc. Bill retired as Chief Executive Officer of Northern Air Cargo in March of this year.

Throughout his career, Bill devoted time and energy to improving the lives of others. Bill served as a mentor to many young individuals he encountered throughout his long career. His generosity to friends was limitless and without hesitation. Despite his extensive professional commitments, he also found time to contribute throughout the community including working with Junior Achievement, the Atheneum School in Anchorage, and as a Fellow of the University of Alaska.

Bill loved country and western music. As a teenager he played guitar, cut tracks with childhood friends and backed touring performers of the day, including Charlie Pride, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Bill nurtured a lifelong interest in aviation, including his beloved Cessna 180. He fancied himself a sportsman, taking his riverboat up the Salcha, Gulkana, and Goodpasture rivers. And of course, Bill was forever in search of the perfect Texas barbeque.
Bill leaves behind countless friends and associates. He was a giant in the Alaska business community not only because of his accomplishments, but for the honorable and evenhanded way he achieved them.

He is survived by his loving wife of forty-four years, Toni Fowler; four children -- Kurtis of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Kara Vanhise of Casa Grande, Arizona, Kevin of San Diego, California, and Keir of Fairbanks; their respective spouses Orlando Gotay, Jeff Vanhise, Hope Johnson and Robin Fowler; four grandchildren: Tessa and Teagan Vanhise, and Sophia and Miles Fowler; his brother Geoffrey Fowler and wife Carolyn; nephew Darryl and wife Brandi Fowler of Los Angeles, California; nephew David Fowler and wife Camey of San Antonio.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Atheneum School at 1920 West Dimond, Anchorage, Alaska 99515.

A public memorial service will be held Wednesday 2 July 2008 at 3 pm in the Northern Air Maintenance Services hanger at 6601 South Airpark Place, Anchorage, Alaska. All are welcome to come and share their memories and feelings about Bill.

Photo of the day - July 1

2008-07-02T10:12:00.002-08:00

A picture of the waterfall at Falls Creek, which is just to the south of Black Rapids Compound. Most people drive right by this and not even know it's there. But as you're driving across the Falls Creek Bridge, if you look to the east you can catch a glimpse of it. However, this area is on military property and used for training and may be off limits to those not authorized. Photo Courtesy Michael Kingston/CRTC

Photo of the day - June 30

2008-07-01T04:59:00.003-08:00

Steve Thomas posted a really nice photo of the midnight sun taken from Donnelly Dome on the June 21 summer solstice. The same day, I was at Eagle Summit about 110 miles north of Fairbanks along the Steese Highway. Eagle Summit is the southern most point on the road system where you can watch the sun stay above the horizon on the summer solstice. On the solstice, the sun reaches its lowest point on the horizon at 1:48 a.m. This is a picture I took of the sun at its lowest point. The sun stayed at this height for about forty-five minutes and then started its upward arch into the sky again as seen in the second picture.
Photo Courtesy Steve DuBois

DNW Maintenance

2008-06-30T16:27:00.003-08:00

We are moving the Delta News Web to a different server this week and some components may be affected briefly. Our plan is to make the move Tuesday evening. We expect the calendar to be down at least 12 hours. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

David Johnson
Webmaster

Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration

2008-06-30T11:25:00.003-08:00

When: Friday, July 4 from 11:30 am – 4 pm
Where: Behind the Sullivan Roadhouse Museum

Come celebrate the birthday of our country’s independence:

11:30 am

Event kickoff with Ft. Greely Color Guard Flag Presentation and
patriotic song by Marion Gauntt
Contest sign up begins
Lumber Jack Challenge practice begins (Delta Friends of
Agriculture)

Noon 4th of July Crazy Hat Contest

12:30 pm - 4 pm Traditional games (open to all ages & prizes awarded):

sack race
hula hoop contest
egg race
watermelon seed spitting contest (tentative)
bubble gum blowing contest
water balloon toss
buffalo chip throwing contest (tentative)

1 pm Lumber Jack Challenge begins (open to those 18 & over)

All Day

Highways End Farmers Market, Sullivan Roadhouse open, music by DJ Jack Carlson, door prizes (must be present to win), Carol McNabb’s homemade funnel cakes & ice cream, Delta Soccer Association fundraising booth, & more!

For more information contact the Delta Chamber of Commerce at 895-5068 or e-mail deltacc@alaska.net

Dept of Motor Vehicles Closure

2008-06-30T11:24:00.002-08:00

The DMV will be closed July 5th. We will reopen on Tuesday, July 8 at 1:00.

Chinook by George Hosier II - Saving Gas

2008-06-30T11:22:00.000-08:00

For our wedding Anniversary this year I got my wife something really expensive. It was a necklace. At the end of a simple cotton cord was suspended a small glass vial in which was sealed nearly ½ cc of actual gasoline! She’s not going to wear it in public, of course. That would just be an open invitation for some lowlife to try to pilfer it. I’m not terribly concerned about it being stolen, because I had it insured with Lloyd’s of London, but I don’t want my wife to be injured in the mugging process.

I also served her an expensive meal of fried rice and Vienna sausages that I had cooked on our wood stove. We ate it by candlelight. We haven’t splurged like that for a long time. You should have seen the glow in her eye when I told her the candles were to create a romantic ambience. It was only a little white lie. Unfortunately the mood was broken when she suggested we snuggle up on the couch afterwards and watch a chick flick. It was then that I had to admit that in order to afford the gasoline necklace I hadn’t been able to pay the light bill. We played a game of tick tack toe instead.

To read the rest of the story we invite you to browse our Chinook pages.

Chinook by George Hosier II - Middle Age

2008-06-30T11:10:00.000-08:00

I underwent my forty-second birthday in June. I’m still working through the grieving process. Birthdays have turned into harrowing ordeals ever since I turned forty. I remember when they used to be festive celebrations. My mother would still be scrubbing cake frosting out of the carpet and picking up piñata fragments when I begin whining, “I can’t wait ‘til my next birthday!” Nowadays, however, my birthday parties are muted, embarrassed affairs. My wife or son will sidle up to me and awkwardly press a birthday card into my palm as if it were a breath mint that I badly needed. “Happy…you know…’B-word’.” they murmur, and then wince as if expecting me to slap their mouth.

I can’t eat birthday cakes any more. The sugar in the frosting gives me a hyperglycemic reaction, the smoke from the candles exacerbates my facial eczema, the chocolate stokes my GERD and I am lactose intolerant of the ice cream. A couple years ago, my wife thought she had found the solution. She got an idea from a baby shower she attended where somebody made the “most darling” simulated cake out of disposable diapers. So for my next birthday, as everyone shouted “Surprise!” my wife walked into the room carrying a cake she had made out of Depends. I think she frosted it with Preparation H. The guests really enjoyed themselves that year.

To read the rest of the story please visit our Chinook pages.

Mystery Photo Winner for Week June 23-29

2008-06-30T10:57:00.003-08:00

The winner of last week's mystery photo is Karen Sutherland. We had 25 correct entries last week.

Karen will receive a gift certificate from the Buffalo Center Diner, Courtesy of Ed and Ann Richards.

Thank you for each one that submitted their entry, along with mailing address.

Please remember to include your mailing address with each entry. DNW will not accept entries without mailing addresses. We do not store your address from week to week.The photo was taken at Smith Green Acres RV Park, and it was correctly identified as the motorhome on top of their RV/campground sign.

Good luck as you look for next week's photo.

Photo of the day June 28

2008-06-30T10:55:00.001-08:00

Alaska Department of Fish and Game employee Ron Riesgaard (left) takes off in a Robinson R44 helicopter with pilot Troy Cambier (right) to dart and immobilize bison for the purpose of placing radio collars on the bison. Some of the bison that were immobilized were located at the base of Black Rapids Glacier during the capture operation. Photo Courtesy Steve DuBois