Monthly Archives: August 2008

Volcanic ash cloud forecasted to impact Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Southeast Alaska Markets

Ticketed passengers affected by the Volcanic ash cloud and scheduled for travel to/from Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Southeast Alaska through August 17, 2008 will be allowed the following changes to assist in their travel needs. These apply to both revenue and Mileage Award tickets.

If new/rescheduled travel is on/before August 24, 2008, change fees and applicable changes in fare and taxes will be waived. Passengers not wishing to travel or not having new travel dates can request a full refund.

To make a change to your ticketed reservation, please call Alaska Airlines Reservations at 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522).

If an Alaska Airlines Vacation package is involved, please contact the Vacations Desk at 1-800-468-2248.

If new/rescheduled travel is on/after August 25, 2008, then change fees, and applicable changes in fare and taxes apply to the new travel dates.

If you plan on traveling, please check the status of your flight before heading to the airport.

This article has been taken from the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air website.

The winner of last week’s mystery photo is Joyce Bendell. We had 10 correct entries last week.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – An old Fort Wainwright company will return when the 472nd Military Police Company is activated in a ceremony here Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. on the post’s parade field.

Originally activated in 1943 as the 472nd Military Police Escort Guard Company, the unit saw duty at Fort Custer, Mich.; Fort Benning, Ga., and in England and France during World War II. At the conclusion of service in Europe, the unit returned to the United States, where it was inactivated in 1946.

The 472nd Military Police Company was activated in July 1963 and assigned to the United States Army Alaska.

The mission of the 472nd was to provide military police support to the Yukon Command and Fort Wainwright. When the 1964 earthquake struck the Anchorage area, a platoon of the 472nd was rapidly deployed to the Valdez area and assisted the populace in the disaster recovery.

The soldiers of the 472nd Military Police Company continued to fulfill its mission of supporting the United States Army, Alaska, Yukon Command and Fort Wainwright until Nov. 17, 1993, when the unit deactivated and returned to the shelf as the 6th Infantry Division (Light) was likewise deactivated.

The company commander, 1st Lt. Mario V. Carpanzano and first sergeant, 1st Sgt. Raymond D. Lingley, will uncase the unit colors and officially return the 472nd MP Co. to duty in Alaska.

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – More than 200 soldiers from Task Force Dragon will return from their deployment to Iraq this week.

Officials expect the group to arrive at Eielson Air Force Base Friday. After inprocessing at Eielson, they will be bussed to Fort Wainwright to be reunited with their families.

The soldiers of the task force, comprised primarily of aviation assets from Task Force 49, provided tactical aviation support to Marine forces in Western Iraq. They include pilots, crew chiefs, maintenance crews and medics.

The unit left Fort Wainwright in July 2007.

Deltana Community Human Services Partnership Project

Coalition member,
Please join us for our coalition meeting on Monday, August 11, 2008 5:00- 6:30, Delta Junction City Hall conference room. I have attached the agenda and other highlights below. Your input is vital!

Sincerely,
Deborah Hayes, M.Ed.

Project Goal: To Promote a Healthy Community Utilizing Effective Practices and Partnerships

AGENDA

1. Introductions – (Name, agency if applicable, interests) – Deborah Hayes

2. Review of project background and last meeting – Deborah Hayes

3. Needs and Resource Assessment Workgroup to work with the consultant to develop a needs and resources assessment model and begin the process. Ted Sponsel will serve ex-officio.

4. Guidance for the Needs and Resource Assessment Workgroup. Areas to be addressed, places to look for statistics, key people to contact.

5. Identify Community Planning Team members. A member from each multi-modal area? Member at large? Ted Sponsel and Deborah Hayes will serve ex-officio.

• Physical health
• Mental health
• Adequate living situation
• Social skills and community participation
• Education and training
• Employment

6. Complete mission statement – Ted Sponsel
Draft mission statement taken from last meetings criteria: To develop and implement a 10 year plan that will address a broad scope of behavioral health needs using a multi-modal approach,h in order to insure individual, family and community health for all ages in the Deltana region.

7. Schedule and plan next meeting: What do we need to accomplish at the next meeting?

8. Adjournment at 6:30 sharp.

A project of Northwest Resource Associates815 Second Avenue, Auite 101Fairbanks, Alaska 997011800 478-7307

This project is funded by a grant from the State of Alaska Department of Behavioral Health.

Ted Sponsel, Project Consultant ConsultantTSponsel@nwresource.org
Deborah Hayes, Project Director DirectorDhayes@nwresource.org
Katie Charlie, Community Liaison LiaisonDeltana@nwresource.org

1 800 478-7307

The Lewis Family of Palmer has been selected the 2008 Farm Family of the Year by the Alaska State Fair and the Alaska agriculture community. The Palmer family will be honored at the Fair Board of Director’s reception on opening day of the Fair, Thursday August 21st, 2008.

The Brad Lewis family has been involved in Alaska agriculture for many years – Brad being the 3rd generation on their Palmer farm. Max Sherrod, Brad’s grandfather, originally came to Palmer as a nurse with the Colonists, but soon purchased acreage of his own and began farming. Brad’s father, Wendell successfully produced 40-50 acres of potatoes and over 20 acres of vegetables.

After graduating from University of Alaska Fairbanks with both a business management and a teaching degree, Brad tried his hand at teaching at Palmer High School. Upon receiving tenure, the call of the farm was too strong, and brought him back to the fields where he had worked since he was a boy. Although in the past the farm has produced lettuce, radishes and a variety of other vegetables, for the past 16 years Brad has been perfecting his 30 acre patch of premium potatoes. For the past two summer’s son Wendel has tried his hand at agriculture by running a successful greenhouse operation, selling corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and flower baskets.

Brad’s wife of 31 years, Pam, keeps the books in order, and when she has her summer break from work at Palmer Middle School jumps in and helps out wherever else she is needed.
Soft-spoken and reserved, Brad is well known for his willingness to immediately come to the aid of other farmers in the community. His generosity extends beyond Alaska; each year Brad & Pam vacation in the Bahamas where Brad has fixed a number of generators, vehicles and other mechanical failures for those in need.

The long-term future of the farm is uncertain, as both sons Wendel & Ryan are pursuing careers in Civil Engineering – Wendel having already graduated from University of Wyoming and Ryan having just finished his junior year at University of Idaho. Proud of their accomplishments, Brad points out that if nothing else, the farm gave them the work ethic that has lead to their success today.

The Farm Family of the Year award, sponsored by the Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union, was established by the Fair in 2000 to honor an Alaska farming family and show appreciation for all the hard working Alaskan’s committed to agriculture in the State. Fair Manager Ray Ritari states: “The Alaska State Fair is pleased to honor a family that exhibits the best of Alaska Agriculture with this award. We think Brad, Pamela and family exemplify the values and have demonstrated their commitment to agriculture on par with previous award winners.”

Nominations are accepted annually, and a committee chaired by the Division of Agriculture selects the winning family based on production of quality Alaska Grown products, community and agricultural organization involvement, and overall image. “This family represents multiple generations of dedication to agriculture in Alaska. Brad’s grandparents, parents, and his own family have played and continue to play a vital role in Alaska’s endeavor to become more self sustainable” says Franci Havemeister, Director of the Division of Agriculture.

Previous Farm Family winners include the Huppert Family (2000), the VanderWeele Family (2001), Havemeister Farms (2002), Rempel Family Farm (2003), P & M Gardens (2004), Calypso Farm & Ecology Center (2005), Wrigley Farms (2006), and Insanity Acres (2007).
For more information please visit www.alaskastatefair.org or contact the Fair media center at 907-746-7181 or mediacenter@alaskastatefair.org.

Were you one of the lucky folks who saw our own Catherine Hadley and her beautiful border collie Aurora working sheep in the corral at the Deltana Fair? Training and instinct come together in this age old herding tradition that Catherine and her husband Mike Paschall are persuing on their 60 acre ranch. Read more here

August 1, 2008 – August 9, 2008

Location: Fairgrounds

Interior Alaska’s largest event

See and touch Alaska’s best produce, agricultural products, and competitive exhibits. Shop at commercial and craft enterprises. Experience the rides and games on the Midway. Hear entertainers from across the country and from your own backyard!

Tanana Valley State Fair Website

Phone: (907) 452-3750
Contact Email: info@tananavalleyfair.org

One last fun day with your family before school begins on August 18. Take your family out to Fort Greely on August 16 from 11am to 4pm for Team Greely Day.

Open to the Public. To drive on to Fort Greely for this event you will need the following information: current drivers license, registration, and proof of insurance. Adult passengers will also need to show current identification.

Many events to take place

• 5k/1 mile
• Kids movie in the Pool
• Teen’s X-box Tournament
• Golf: Closest to the Pin
• BBQ
• Basketball Skills Tournament
• Volleyball
• Horseshoes
• Kids Games and Pinatas
• Awards for Coloring Contest and Fun Run
• Teen/Adult Movie in the Pool
• Horse Rides (weather permitting)

Also available: Climbing Wall, Inflatable Jump Houses, and Ball Bit.

For more information call 87304336 or 873-5662.

Click on the poster for a poster enlargement.

The winner of last week’s mystery photo is Tina Congiolosi. We had 9 correct entries last week.

Tina will receive a gift certificate from the Buffalo Center Drive In, Courtesy of John and Linda Sloan.

Thank you for each one that submitted their entry, along with your mailing address.

Please remember to include your mailing address with each entry. DNW will not accept entries without mailing addresses. We do not store your address from week to week.

The photo was taken from the sign for the Pioneers of Alaska at the Pioneer Park in downtown Delta.

Good luck as you look for next week’s photo.

Starting Monday, August 4, the Richardson Highway will be closed from 10pm to 8am, Monday thru Thrusday for culvert installation.

Traffic will be stopped at the BLM Paxson Lake Campground and at the Paxson Lodge – mile posts 174 -185. The road will be open to traffic during the day. There will be lane restriction and pilot cars throughout the area. Expect delays of approximately 30 minutes.

For more information please contact Wilder Construction at 952-1080.

Richardson Highway Closures
354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – On Aug. 4 the Richardson Highway alongside Eielson Air Force Base will be closed from 3:35 to 4:35 p.m. and again from 5:55 to 6:20 p.m. for security purposes during President Bush’s visit to the Interior of Alaska.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE BY PHONE AT (907) 377-2116 OR BY E-MAIL AT: 354fw.pa@eielson.af.mil.

An account has been opened in Joanne Heitman’s name at Mt. McKinley Bank to assist her with her injury.

Joanne is a lifetime resident of Delta Junction. At one time, her and her former husband Neil owned and operated Deihl’s. She is now the owner of Deihl’s Delights.

Her friends are also planning a fundraiser in August to be held at Clearwater Lodge. To donate items for the fundraiser, drop them at M&W Ceramics or call Lynn Robertson at 632-1152 or 895-4801 or Jackie Richert at 895-4471

In late June, our school was burglarized and more than $100,000 worth of electronics were taken from the Delta High School. The items stolen were 52 laptops, multiple computers and monitors and the school’s surveillance system. Several thousand dollars worth of windows were also vandalized.

The troopers have arrested a local teen in Delta, but troopers are waiting for charges to be filed before releasing any information about the suspect.

To read the entire story click here.

Sponsored by: the Fairbanks North Star Borough Fetal Alcohol Community Evaluation Services (FACES) team and The Alaska Center for Children and Adults and the Alaska Center for Resource Families (ACRF)

Presented by: Shireen Deitrick, coordinator of the FACES team and Linden Staciokas, Family Support Specialist with ACRF

When: Monday, August 11, from 1 to 4 pm

Where: the Delta City Council chambers

Topics to be covered: Basic facts about what the diagnosis means, in plain English, as well as strategies for coping with youngsters and adults who have the disorder

For more information: Call Linden at 1-800-478-7307 or email lstaciokas@nwresource.org

This course is worth 4 hours CEU’s credit for social workers and educators

My wife caught me rummaging around in my fishing gear the other day. It was a tense moment. She accused me of planning a fishing trip before the garage was cleaned. I protested as convincingly as possible. I even allowed my voice to slide up an octave to simulate the heartbroken lilt of a child who has been falsely accused of eating chocolate before dinner, based on the flimsy circumstantial evidence of a ring of chocolate smeared around his mouth. I even opened my eyes as wide as possible and let my lower lip quiver, figuring that would generate a fetching look of innocence that my wife would not be able to resist.

Sadly it had the opposite effect. She demanded in the name of all that was odorless and scale free that I stop whining. She also stated that she was disappointed to inform me that I was clearly so obsessed with fishing that I was even starting to act like a fish; bugging out my eyes, and wiggling my lip like a bottom feeder probing for scum. At least that’s what I’m sure her burst of laughter would have meant if she had put it into words.

To read the entire story we invite you to browse our Chinook pages.

Anchorage, AK—July 31, 2008 Your BBB warns consumers that two entities, Certified Lending Group and Wesley Financial Group are targeting persons with poor credit scores. BBB reports indicate consumers have lost thousands to the pair, which claim to have offices in Baltimore and Annapolis, on the promise of a guaranteed loan.

As consumers struggle to stay afloat in a tide of rising costs and a shrinking economy, many are in search of a quick fix. Advance fee loan scams prey on vulnerable populations in their time of greatest need. Debt-laden consumers faithfully entrust whatever financial reserves they can muster to cover what they are told to be insurance and collateral fees. Once wired, their money is gone.

BBB warns consumers to beware and reminds those seeking a loan or other means of financial assistance never to wire money to someone they do not know or is out of the country. Scam artists often find their prey by obtaining lists of consumers who have recently searched loan companies on the Internet. Be sure you are only providing personal identification information to a secured or encrypted Web site response. Look for the BBBOnLine Reliability Seal for an added measure of confidence that the merchant you are dealing with has ascribed to uphold BBB standards.

“Legitimate lenders never guarantee a customer a loan before receipt of a loan application, especially if the customer does not have a spotless record of credit,” notes BBB President & CEO, Robert Andrew. “If the lender seems unconcerned with your financial standing, you should think twice.”

An investigation by BBB revealed the address consumers believed to be occupied by Wesley Financial at 300 E. Pratt Street was in fact a construction site for a future hotel. Hyatt Commercial, a local property management firm, confirmed to BBB the building Certified Lending Group claims to occupy at 133 Defense Highway in Annapolis does not and has not leased to them as a tenant.

If a company advertises a Maryland address, consumers should check with the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation’s Division of Financial Regulation by calling 410-230-6097 or visiting their Web site to verify the business is licensed with the state. You can also obtain a free company report and review objective information about a company’s record of performance at www.bbb.org.

About the BBB serving Alaska, Oregon, and Western Washington
Your BBB is a not-for-profit organization funded by BBB accredited businesses. The BBB’s mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. For more information about the services and products provided by your BBB, call 206-431-2222 or 253-830-2924 in Washington, 503-212-3022 in Oregon, 907-562-0704 in Alaska, or visit our Web site at www.bbb.org.

(July 31, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska) – Yesterday’s U.S. District Court order in the Nick case requires the State to take certain actions to ensure Yup’ik speakers have more effective access to the ballot. Specifically, the court required the Division of Elections to provide its poll workers with a sample ballot in Yup’ik. This does not mean the ballot must be printed in Yup’ik, but rather that a Division of Elections poll worker must have a sample ballot in Yup’ik to render effective oral assistance. Additionally, the court requires progress reports on the division’s implementation of its language assistance efforts.

Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell noted that the Division of Elections has made significant efforts in the last year to improve its language assistance program, including hiring a full-time fluent Yup’ik speaking language assistance coordinator, working to provide several Alaska Native languages in audio format at the polls, and better poll worker training. “I’m proud of the work the Division is doing. They are being proactive at providing appropriate assistance under the Voting Rights Act,” the Lt. Governor said.

For more detailed information related to the court’s order, please contact Sarah Felix, Assistant Attorney General, at 465-3600.