Games, Salmon Bake, Big Community Parade: Come Celebrate The 2015 Copper Valley 4th Of July In Glennallen

RED, WHITE & BLUE EVENT!

"Proud To Be An American"

Let's Plan Ahead

For The 4th Of July Parade!

Sponsored by the Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce

& The Copper River Community
Including Parade Participants, KCAM, the VFW, the Lion's Club & Wrangell Mt. Bible Camp

It's going to be the 4th of July, and it's time (already) 

to think about your participation in this yearly local event.

This is a local tradition that goes back to the days of the Gold Rush, in 1898. Back then, incoming gold miners marched in circles in their Copper Valley camps, beating pots and tooting horns, to celebrate the event. 

These days, all you have to do is turn out on the 4th -- with a decorated float, banners, a bicycle with ribbons on it, your pets or kids, your community firetruck, something symbolizing your business, church, or volunteer group. Or, you can just walk along the parade route.

If you're not in the parade, you're invited to be part of the crowd, lining the Glenn Highway in Glennallen that morning.

Let's Look Ahead! Please contact your neighbors,

 friends, and any local kids about this event!

SATURDAY, JULY 4TH

Location: Glenn Highway, Passing Through Glennallen

Starting Point: Near Glennallen School Parking Lot

Ending Point: Library Parking Lot Near Pinneo Park

FLOATS

There were 30 floats in last year's parade.

Floats and marchers should begin arriving at 9:30 am.

VFW BREAKFAST AT AMERICAN LEGION
7 am to 10 am JULY 4TH
On the morning of the 4th of July
at the American Legion Hall.
Biscuits and Gravy, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon,
Coffee & Juice. Come on by!

PARADE STARTS AT 10:30 am

Come early. Park your car along the parade route before

it's blocked off, and in local parking lots without obstructing the flow of traffic.

COMMUNITY GAMES & LION'S CLUB 

SALMON BAKE TO FOLLOW

Pinneo Park, behind the library, will be the 

location of the annual free-by-donation

Lion's Club Salmon Bake. Celebrating over 30 years of providing a Salmon Bake for Copper Valley residents.
Salmon Bake starts at noon. 

WANT TO HELP OR BE IN THE PARADE?

Call 822-3566.

VENDOR INFORMATION

Contact Billy Williams Jr. at 822-3828,
Jim Horrell at Tazlina River Trading Post, 822-3277
or Doug Volman at 822-5898.

WHAT TO EXPECT…

CHAMBER STORY ABOUT LAST YEAR'S 4TH OF JULY PARADE

This year’s festivities were better than ever!   Mother Nature cooperated in fine style and blessed us with an awesome day, sunny and warm.  We had nearly 30 parade participants and a substantial viewing crowd for the parade– a great turnout all around!

Our local political candidates, Eric Feige, Jim Colver and George Rauscher traveled from Palmer to participate in the parade.  Smokey the Bear greeted the children, while the fire truck sirens announced their arrivals towards the end of the parade.

Congratulations to Ahtna Heritage for their float with dancers, our first place prize winner, which won $100 from Glennallen DMV.  Red Eagle Lodge had another wonderful float this year and won second prize, a $75 gift certificate to Gakona Gallery.  The Old Paths Baptist Church took third prize, a $50 dinner for two at Gakona Lodge.  An honorable mention goes to the BLM/Parks Service float “A Loo with a View”, attended by Christy the Sasquatch.

Parade Sign Up

EMAIL THIS BACK, OR BRING TO THE PARADE…

EXTRA SIGN UP SHEETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE PARADE START

Burning, Fireworks, Open Fires Banned Due To Extreme Fire Danger All Over Alaska

Fires Officially Banned In Copper River Valley 

Fire Danger Is Extreme In The Copper Valley In June, 2015. 

Burn closure expanded to include Tanana and Copper River valleys 

JUNE 18, 2015 BY ALASKA DIVISION OF FORESTRY COMMENTS OFFON  BURN CLOSURE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE TANANA AND COPPER RIVER VALLEYS

A day after initiating a burn closure in Southcentral Alaska due to high fire danger, the Alaska Division of Forestry has done the same for the Tanana Valley north of the Alaska Range and the Copper River Valley.

All open fires, including campfires and charcoal fires, are prohibited on state lands, including state park units, and private and municipal lands within Game Management Units 11, 12, 20, 24 and 25, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 19.

The term open fires refers to “any flame source not immediately extinguishable or controllable and applies to any form of wood or charcoal-based fire, even in established fire rings.” Gas grills, backpacking or camp stoves using fuel or compressed canisters that can be regulated and shut off are still permitted for use.

Failure to obey the closure could be grounds for legal prosecution.

State Prohibition of Burning                                                 in Copper Valley

(Anchorage, AK) – Past and prevailing weather conditions have caused extremely dry conditions for the Tanana Valley north of the Alaska Range and the Copper River Valley.  The Alaska Division of Forestry and the State Forester determined that it is necessary to prohibit the use of all open fires and activities which unduly increase the fire danger.

Effective immediately and continuing until further notice all cooking, warming, signaling fires or any type of fire (specifically covered under the burning permit regulations 11 AAC 95.400 – 11 AAC 95.490 and 11 AAC 95.900) are prohibited on state lands, including state park units, and private and municipal lands within Game Management Units 11, 12, 20, 24 and 25.

The term “open fires” refers to any flame source not immediately extinguishable or controllable and applies to any form of wood or charcoal-based fire, even in established fire rings.  Gas grills, backpacking or camp stoves using fuel or compressed canisters which can be regulated and shut off are still permitted for use.

Wildland fire managers ask visitors and residents to follow the fire prohibitions and prevent additional fire starts.  We all have a hand in a safe fire season.

Failure to obey this order shall constitute grounds for prosecution pursuant to AS 41.15.140.

Map of Game Management Units can be found at:
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/hunting/maps/gmumaps/jpg/ak_simple_950.jpg

CONTACT: Tim Mowry, Information Officer, (907) 590-4038, tim.mowry@alaska.gov

Burning Prohibited Elsewhere, Too...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 17, 2015 Burn closure for Kenai Peninsula, Municipality of Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough ALL BURNING IS PROHIBITED (Anchorage, AK) – Past and prevailing weather conditions have caused extremely dry conditions for the Kenai Peninsula, Municipality of Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The Alaska Division of Forestry and the State Forester determined that it is necessary to prohibit the use of all open fires and activities which unduly increase the fire danger. Effective immediately and continuing until further notice all cooking, warming, signaling fires or any type of fire (specifically covered under the burning permit regulations 11 AAC 95.400 – 11 AAC 95.490 and 11 AAC 95.900) are prohibited on state lands, including state park units, and private and municipal lands within Game Management Units 7, 13, 14, 15 and 16. The term “open fires” refers to any flame source not immediately extinguishable or controllable and applies to any form of wood or charcoal-based fire, even in established fire rings. Gas grills, backpacking or camp stoves using fuel or compressed canisters which can be regulated and shut off are still permitted for use. Wildland fire managers ask visitors and residents to follow the fire prohibitions and prevent additional fire starts. We all have a hand in a safe fire season. Failure to obey this order shall constitute grounds for prosecution pursuant to AS 41.15.140 Map of Game Management Units can be found at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/hunting/maps/gmumaps/jpg/ak_simple_950.jpg CONTACT: Tim Mowry, Information Officer, (907) 290-4038, tim.mowry@alaska.gov ### STAY CONNECTED: Alaska Fire Information: http://akfireinfo.com 

Keep Your Eye Out For Fires. Protect Our Communities.

Click On This Icon To Learn More

Massive Forest Fires On The Alcan & Upper Richardson Highway -- And Down In The Kenai Peninsula -- Lead To Fears Of Fire Here In The Copper Valley

For those who were not in the Copper Valley during the Wilson Camp Lightning Fire of 1983, here's a word of advice: It was awful. 

If you see any sign at all of a forest fire or any other kind of possible out-of-control fire, please notify the following numbers, immediately. As we have seen in this summer's Sockeye Fire, any kind of fire can quickly grow from an acre or two to thousands of acres, in just a few hours.

Here are some sites to go to for information. Please take a moment to check these sites out:

ALASKA WILDLAND FIRE INFORMATION SITE (Click here)

ALERT: Fireworks & Open Fires Banned During Time Of Extreme Fire Danger

No Fireworks Until Things Calm Down

Note: Fire danger in all of Alaska was extreme in mid-June, as balmy, windy, warm weather swept the state. In Tok, it was listed as "extreme" -- as residents choked on fires at Dot Lake between Tok and Delta. There were widely publicized fires at Willow, on the Parks Highway, destroying homes and property, and in the Kenai Peninsula, in the small settlements of Cooper Landing & Sterling. Moisture content is exceptionally low in twigs and spruce trees, and fire danger (both human and lightening caused) is dramatically increased at this point. Here's a message from Marnie Graham, at Glennallen's BLM office, sent on June 17th:

 BLM Alaska Issues Temporary Prohibitions on Open Fires and Fireworks due to Extreme Fire Danger

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Alaska Bureau of Land Management has issued Fire Prevention Orders temporarily prohibiting fireworks and all open fires on BLM-managed public lands in Alaska, excluding the North Slope.  The recent hot, dry and windy weather in Interior Alaska has resulted in extreme fire conditions and led the National Weather Service to issue numerous Red Flag Warnings. 

The orders are effective until fire conditions improve. 

There are a few exemptions to this order.  The public may continue to use established fire rings and barbeque grills at established BLM campgrounds and waysides. The public may also build, maintain, attend or use charcoal briquette fires in a fire-proof pan or grill or use a gas barbeque, grill or campstove. 

BLM field office managers ask visitors and residents to follow the fire prohibitions and to exercise extreme caution with any kind of activity that could spark a wildfire. It is important that all public land users do their part to minimize the risks associated with wildland fire.

Information on statewide wildfires and BLM’s temporary fire restrictions may be found at http://akfireinfo.com.

For information on specific areas, please contact your local BLM office.  Office locations and numbers, along with the fire restriction orders, are available at www.blm.gov/ak.

Marnie Graham

Public Affairs Specialist

BLM Glennallen Field Office

P.O. Box 147

Glennallen, AK 99588-0147

907-822-3217 Office

907-822-7325 Direct

907-822-7335 Fax

About The 2015 Copper River Valley 4th of July Parade....In Downtown Glennallen

RED, WHITE & BLUE EVENT!

HERE COMES THE 4TH OF JULY

Sponsored by the Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce

& The Copper River Community

It's going to be the 4th of July, and it's time (already) 

to think about your participation in this yearly local event.

Let's Look Ahead! Please contact your neighbors,

 friends, and any local kids about this event!

WANT TO HELP OR BE IN THE PARADE?

Call 822-3566.

Gotta Go? Well, You're Just Gonna Have To Hold It. State Of Alaska Leaves Travelers To Fend For Themselves.

Public Roadside Bathrooms Not Open In Copper Valley 

Update On This Blog: See Story Regarding The State Changing Its Mind, & Opening The Bathrooms & Waysides By July 4th  Click This Link>UPDATE ON WAYSIDES

It's a long and lonely road up and down the Glenn and Richardson Highways. A road that local people know -- throughout the winter -- only too well as being without outdoor bathroom facilities during the colder part of the year.

But, this summer, the Copper Valley hadn't opened its toilets to tourists, either, throughout the warm, balmy month of May. The "Closed For The Season" signs hadn't been taken down. The doors remained locked. And there were no dumpsters where they usually are.

Cement barriers blockading Billy Mitchell rest area and public toilets
on the Richardson Highway to Valdez: June 18th

Mendeltna Creek Wayside Toilet, May 30th, 2015

June 16th, 2015: Public toilet at Mentasta, Alaska, with solid cement barricades and "Road Closed" sign.

In the Mat-Su Valley, down the road at Matanuska Glacier, the outdoor bathrooms were open and in use. Outdoor bathrooms on the Parks Highway remain open. But Copper Valley bathrooms -- including that one at Eureka on the Glenn Highway -- are closed.