Editing Tazlina, Alaska

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Tazlina
|native_name              = Tezdlen Na’
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place|CDP]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
||pushpin_map            = Alaska
|pushpin_label_position = left <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location within the state of Alaska
|pushpin_mapsize        = 
|image_map                =  
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = 
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|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alaska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska|Census Area]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Copper River Census Area, Alaska|Copper River]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Alaska Senate|State senator]]
|leader_name              = [[Click Bishop]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
|leader_title1            = [[Alaska House of Representatives|State rep.]]
|leader_name1             = [[Mike Cronk]] (R)
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_02.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 23.50
|area_land_km2            = 21.29
|area_water_km2           = 2.21
|area_total_sq_mi         = 9.07
|area_land_sq_mi          = 8.22
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.85

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 244
|population_density_km2   = 11.46
|population_density_sq_mi = 29.68

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Alaska Time Zone|Alaska (AKST)]]
|utc_offset               = -9
|timezone_DST             = AKDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -8
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 737
|elevation_ft             = 2418
|coordinates              = {{coord|62|2|57|N|145|24|55|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 99588
|area_code                = [[Area code 907|907]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 02-75480
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1410694
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
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|unit_pref = Imperial
}}
'''Tazlina''' {{IPAc-en|t|æ|z|ˈ|l|iː|n|ə}} (''Tezdlen Na’''<ref>[http://www.uaf.edu/anla/collections/map/names/ UAF: Alaska Native Place Names]</ref> in [[Ahtna language|Ahtna Athabascan]]) is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in the [[Copper River Census Area, Alaska]], United States. At the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] the population was 244, down from 297 in [[2010 United States Census|2010]].<ref name="2020 Census Data">{{cite web | url = https://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/cen/2020-census-data.html | title = 2020 Census Data - Cities and Census Designated Places | format = Web | publisher = State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development | access-date = December 5, 2021}}</ref>

==Geography==
Tazlina is located at {{coord|62|2|57|N|145|24|55|W|type:city}} (62.049082, -145.415224).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|9.07|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|8.22|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.85|sqmi|km2}} of it (9.37%) is water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020" />

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1980= 31
|1990= 247
|2000= 149
|2010= 297
|2020= 244
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref>
}}
Tazlina first appeared on the 1980 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP). In 1990, it lost that designation and was reclassified as an unincorporated Alaskan Native Village Statistical Area (ANVSA). In 2000, it regained its status as a census-designated place (CDP). The former CDP of '''Copperville''' was consolidated into Tazlina effective as of the 2010 census.

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 149 people, 59 households, and 37 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|22.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 87 housing units at an average density of {{convert|13.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 69.13% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 24.83% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], and 6.04% from two or more races. 2.68% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 59 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 30.2% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 122.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 136.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $56,000, and the median income for a family was $57,917. Males had a median income of $42,500 versus $25,625 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $23,992. There were 7.3% of families and 8.1% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including 14.9% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

==History==
{{Undue weight section|date=April 2023}}

===[[Mandy Lemaire|Murder of Mandy Lemaire]]===
On August 22, 1991, 11-year-old Tazlina resident [[Mandy Lemaire]] was reported missing by her parents, triggering a massive search by law enforcement and townspeople.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pmjfR1J6R4IC&q=charles+smithart&pg=PA174|title=Cold Crime: How Police Detectives Solved Alaska's Most Shocking Cases|last=Brennan|first=Tom|date=2005|publisher=Epicenter Press|isbn=9780974501444|language=en}}</ref> Ten days later, a volunteer searcher found Lemaire's body in a wooded area.<ref name=":0" /> Authorities suspected 61-year-old retiree Charles Smithart of the murder when another local man, Dave DeForest, told police he had observed Smithart driving near Mandy's house on the day she went missing.<ref name=":0" /> Police and forensic investigators found considerable [[trace evidence]] in Smithart's truck that suggested Mandy's presence in the vehicle,<ref name=":0" /> and learned from Smithart's eldest daughter that he had raped her and her sisters when they were Lemaire's age.<ref name=":0" />

In 1993, Smithart was tried for and convicted of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sexual battery on a minor, and first-degree murder. He was sentenced to serve 114 years in prison.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://peninsulaclarion.com/stories/122000/ala_122000ala0130001.shtml#.WnzPmalMFxA|title=Charges to be dismissed after death of defendant in murder case {{!}} Peninsula Clarion|website=peninsulaclarion.com|access-date=February 8, 2018}}</ref> In 1999, the [[Alaska Supreme Court]] overturned Smithart's conviction,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-krZZF9dl-sC&q=smithart+v+state+of+alaska&pg=PA691|title=Myers on Evidence in Child, Domestic, and Elder Abuse|year=2005|publisher=Aspen Publishers Online|isbn=9780735556683|language=en}}</ref> ruling that the lower court improperly denied his defense counsel the right to assert that prosecution witness Dave DeForest had committed the crime.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://juneauempire.com/local/2016-01-11/smithart-conflict-nets-murder-defendant-new-attorney|title='Smithart' conflict nets murder defendant a new attorney|access-date=February 8, 2018|language=en}}</ref> All charges were automatically dismissed in 2000, after Smithart died of [[lung cancer]] in prison, awaiting a [[New trial|retrial]].<ref name=":1" />

Tazlina and the Lemaire murder were featured on the [[True crime|true-crime]] television series ''[[Forensic Files]]'', in the season 8 episode "Sphere of Influence".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/forensic-files/sphere-of-influence-276634/|title=Forensic Files: Sphere of Influence|last=TV.com|website=TV.com|access-date=February 8, 2018}}</ref> The television network ''[[Investigation Discovery]]'' aired two shows about the murder; the series ''Ice Cold Killers'', episode titled "Fear Thy Neighbor" aired in 2014;<ref>{{cite web |title=Ice Cold Killers {{!}} TV Guide |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/ice-cold-killers/episode-2-season-3/fear-thy-neighbor/339650/ |website=TVGuide.com |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc. |access-date=February 1, 2019 |language=en |date=January 14, 2014}}</ref> and the special "Vanished in Alaska" in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Investigation Discovery Documentaries - Vanished in Alaska @ TheTVDB |url=https://www.thetvdb.com/series/investigation-discovery-documentaries/episodes/6528343 |website=www.thetvdb.com |publisher=TVDB.com, LLC |access-date=January 31, 2019 |date=February 6, 2018 |quote=Originally Aired Friday, February 9, 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Copper River Census Area, Alaska}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ahtna]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Copper River Census Area, Alaska]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Unorganized Borough, Alaska]]