City in feud with 25-foot snowmanAnchorage Alaska - Revenge of Snowzilla: 25-foot snowman appears 'magically' in Powers' front yard By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK ebluemink@adn.com (12/24/08)
Snowzilla the giant snowman rose from the dead Tuesday morning after some holiday pranksters thumbed their noses at city orders and rebuilt him overnight.
When news of the controversial and world-famous Anchorage snowman's demise exploded on the Internet this week, hundreds of Alaska and Lower 48 readers had two words for the city of Anchorage and anyone else who criticized the crowd-pleasing giant: "Bah humbug."
And before dawn Tuesday, in downtown Anchorage, someone erected a small, misshapen snowman at the entrance to Anchorage City Hall: A crude mini Snowzilla brandishing a protest sign that read "Snowmen of the world unite!"
Others created a snowzilla.org Web site and began soliciting a legal defense fund for Snowzilla's creators.
The Powers family first built Snowzilla in their front yard in 2005. Their snowman became an instant celebrity, drawing local gawkers and international TV crews to their Columbine Street home.
But complaints trickled in from neighbors who didn't appreciate the increased traffic and noise at all hours.
Several weeks ago, city code enforcers -- acting when this year's giant snowman was half-complete -- declared Snowzilla a nuisance and a safety hazard. They banned homeowner Billy Powers from building an "extraordinarily large snowman." The city posted its stop-work order at the base of the snowman and on Powers' front door.
Stung by criticism of its decision to outlaw Snowzilla, the city went on the offensive against Powers on Tuesday afternoon in a press release.
Read the entire saga here: Revenge of Snowzilla
Find Elizabeth Bluemink online at adn.com/contact/ebluemink or call 257-4317.
20081224 Anchorage Daily News: Revenge of Snowzilla
Related Stories
Letters to the editor: Snowzilla raises a ruckus
City code officer slays Snowzilla
Related Links
Video: Snowzilla rises
PDF: Stop work order
PDF: Enforcement letter
Press release: City's response
Reader-Submitted: Snowzilla photos
Photos: Snowzilla
Video: Homeowner Billy Powers
Alaska Newsreader: Snowzilla fans call for lawsuit against city; more current and past Snowzilla coverage
Submit your Snowzilla photos
More on Snowzilla
See photos, watch video and learn more about Snowzilla: http://www.adn.com/snowzilla
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