An example for all

Sometimes it takes an extraordinary event to appreciate an extraordinary individual. One such event for the Valley came Aug. 1, when a C-123 cargo plane crashed in Denali National Park. Among the three who died in that crash were two Wasilla men, Paul Quartly, 66, and John Eshleman, 52.

One of the key figures in building the Wolf Lake Airport and the surrounding community, Eshleman was well known as a local aviator. As owner of Steppers Construction, his crews were visible working all over the Valley and Southcentral. What many outside his close inner circle didn’t know was his fierce loyalty and dedication to those who died in service to their communities.

When Alaska State Trooper Bruce Heck was killed in a 1997 altercation on the Glenn Highway, it was Eshleman who stepped up to donate the material, labor and equipment to build a memorial to the fallen trooper. Today, Steppers crews continue work to move the Alaska Firefighters Memorial to a more visible and permanent location in downtown Anchorage. It’s a considerable effort that would have cost the Alaska State Firefighter’s Association upwards of $100,000 to complete.

Not on Eshleman’s watch. When he learned the memorial move was hitting some snags, he said he’d do the whole thing.

“’I’ll do it,’” friend and memorial coordinator Mark Barker recalled Eshleman saying. “’I want to build that memorial.’”

In the end, Eshleman, Quartly and the plane’s owner and pilot, “Wild” Bill Michel, died in another effort to help others. The village of Unalakleet’s generator had gone out. That Aug. 1 flight was a mission to deliver a new generator to that community.

Now there’s an effort underway to build another memorial. This one will be an Aviators’ Memorial located at Wolf Lake Airport, dedicated to Eshleman and others like him. It’s a fitting tribute to a man who meant so much to the aviation community there. Look for information on the memorial in the Frontiersman as details are firmed up. Eshleman may have flown under the public radar with his contributions to memorialize Heck and Alaska firefighters, but he represents many others in our Valley community who do the same. They help to help, not for a pat on the back or a mention in the local newspaper.

We salute Eshleman and those other unsung volunteers who step up every day.

Political races liven up

In a recent editorial, we used our soapbox to decry the lack of candidates in this year’s political races and to encourage those weighing a run to get up and get their papers filed.

And then, much to our delight, the Valley stepped up.

As far as we can tell, only two local seats are unopposed in this election; one school board slot and one on Houston City Council.

Every other seat drew at least two candidates, and one open seat on Wasilla City Council drew five candidates.

Considering there were 14 slots open this go-round between the three cities and the Mat-Su Borough we’re encouraged there are only two uncontested races. It’s a better ratio than on the state level, where two of the six Valley delegates up for election will skate through unopposed.

We’re not so arrogant as to suggest one tiny editorial prompted a flood of last-minute candidacies. Each year there’s a pileup at the clerk’s office on filing day. But we do want to acknowledge that insofar as the editorial was, in a sense, our prediction there would be few races worth watching this season, the Valley proved us wrong.

It’s an error we are glad to admit and happy to correct. Here’s to lively campaign season!