The Copper River School District (CRSD) School Board held their first meeting of the current school year August 26. Much of the meeting business was routine, authorizing documents that must be updated or submitted annually. The board also discussed staffing issues. Administrative reports detailed both new programs and programs that will come to an end. 

Copper River Native Association (CRNA) is a Tribal Health Organization that supports Ahtna Tribes and the wider community in reaching their health and wellness goals. Within CRNA, the Tribal Community Services department runs the YETI program—short for Youth Employment and Training Initiative.

Driving south down the Richardson Highway one can observe a grain elevator standing on the left hand side of the road just outside the city of Valdez. One may have pondered while passing this grain elevator why Valdez ever built one in the first place? The answer to this question lies in an agricultural project funded by an oil boom.

On Saturday, August 16, hundreds of attendees came to the Kenny Lake Fair held outdoors at mile 7.5 of the Edgerton Highway. This year’s theme was a Renaissance fair, with many guests in costumes dressed up as knights, princesses, tavern workers, and even hobbits.

Copper River Native Association (CRNA), Tribal Community Services, the National Park Service (NPS), and Native Village of Tazlina worked to get a group of young adults, teenagers, and a few chaperones to go camping at the Kendesnii campground together.

The Copper River Resource Council (CRRC) Food Bank is receiving more than just energy savings this summer—it's receiving a powerful reminder of community support, thanks to the generosity of Long Spring Solar and the leadership of Colleen Merrick.

On Friday, July 25, the Copper River Native Association’s Tribal Community Services Department—Youth Employment Training Initiative (YETI)—took a trip up to Fairbanks, Alaska, to visit the Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility. Along with the Tazlina Youth Program, they toured the tunnel, hosted by the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL).

On Thursday, August 7, the Peaceful Forest ensemble gave a Taiko drum performance at Prince William Sound College’s campus in Glennallen. The group consists of Takumi Kato and his three sons: Yamato (age 8), Ryoma (age 11), and Sogen (age 13). Desiree Ramirez, who learned of the group from friends in the lower 48, hosted the event in cooperation with the college. 

When people think of rafting on the Copper River, they get scared. They imagine a rough and wild ride where injuries are almost certain. And to be honest, I was one of those people. I had only ever heard bad stories about the Copper. So, when I was presented with the opportunity to raft it at the start of the summer, I was nervous— to say the least.

The Glennallen Schools will no longer offer a breakfast program, and will require applications for free or reduced price lunch in the coming school year. Families above the income threshold for free or reduced cost lunch, or who do not apply, will have to pay.

After repatriating 462 acres of ancestral land, the Native Village of Tazlina (NVT) is steadily advancing plans for how the land will serve current and future generations. What began as a campaign to protect traditional fishing rights and preserve cultural heritage has evolved into a long-term vision grounded in self-determination, food security, and community sustainability.

The Glennallen State Trooper Post has undergone a complete staffing turnover since spring 2024.

Mile 113 of the Richardson Highway, otherwise known as “Simpson Hill,” is set to be realigned by the Alaska Department of Transportation (DOT). The highway will be moved away from the bluff that descends steeply to the Copper River, and has eroded dramatically.

Since 2020, we’ve been studying the spring migration of golden eagles along the southern slopes of the Mentasta Mountains. One of the goals of our studies is to get a better idea of how many older golden eagles (those age four and older) are migrating through this area as they head back to their nesting territories.

Summer’s here, so it’s time to manage invasive plants! As the air and soil warm up during longer days, stubborn invasive plants go to seed and spread further into the environment. Many infested sites are highly recreated parts of the watershed, along major highways, and nearby disturbed areas such as construction sites and where land is developed — even in your yard!