Published May 25, 2023 by Staff report

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Music in the Garden concert series kicks off today at Georgeson Botanical Garden. The concert series offers 12 weeks of family-friendly performances throughout the summer.

The performances, organized by UAF Summer Sessions and Lifelong Learning, are at 7 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 10. The concerts are free, but donations to support the botanical garden are welcome.

Starting at 5:30 p.m., welcome bands will play as people settle in for the concerts. Because parking is limited, attendees are encouraged to use a free shuttle that departs from the Nenana Parking Lot, located across from the Patty Center, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Published May 25, 2023 by Staff report

Those who are looking to get or renew a food protection management certificate will have two additional opportunities in 2023.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service will offer a certified food protection manager training on Aug. 1 and Oct. 3, with proctors for testing available in 14 communities.

The food safety management training will be offered via Zoom from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The computer-based certification exam is included, with proctors in Fairbanks, Glennallen, Haines, Homer, Juneau, Klawock, Palmer, Sitka, Skagway, Soldotna, Talkeetna, Tok, Unalaska and Valdez. If requested, proctors may be available in additional communities.

A certified food protection manager is responsible for monitoring and managing all food establishment operations to ensure that the facility is operating in compliance with regulations. State regulations require that all food establishments have at least one certified food protection manager on staff.

Published May 25, 2023 by Staff report

Susan Grace, Fairbanks folk musician and songwriter, will honor Vera Alexander with songs and stories at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 26, at Raven Landing, 1222 Cowles St. This free, monthly, hour-long “Last Friday Music at Raven Landing” event is sponsored by College Rotary. The public is welcome to this family-friendly event.

Alexander was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, which she earned in 1965. She was also the first dean of the College of Ocean Sciences and Fisheries. Alexander died recently at the age of 90.

Published May 25, 2023

Fox, Alaska is a small town, but on Monday it hosted one of the Pentagon’s top officials for a once-in-a-lifetime visit.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks was there to see a 360-foot-long tunnel that military engineers dug into the frozen ground more than 50 years ago. His goal is to help scientists and Pentagon officials better understand permafrost — and his research is growing in importance as the world warms.

Climate change is rapidly altering the Arctic landscape, particularly the permafrost that serves as the foundation for buildings throughout the region. Warming temperatures are melting the frozen ground, and in doing so it threatens to disrupt structures built decades ago.

This is particularly worrisome for the US military, which maintains installations throughout the Arctic region. And that’s one of the reasons Hicks embarked on a two-day tour of the nation’s northernmost military bases.

“Building and maintaining infrastructure – like runways – on permafrost presents unique challenges for Arctic nations – growing with the effects of climate change,” Hicks wrote in a Twitter post on Monday.

Robert McCoy, director of the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, which was established by Congress in 1946 and works closely with the Department of Defense on environmental and climate issues, said Beyond melting permafrost — which may be the Pentagon’s most immediate problem — DoD assets are also being affected by coastal erosion and more frequent flooding.

Additionally, buildings, pipelines and other infrastructure built on pilings require what is called “passive refrigeration” to prevent melting permafrost from destabilizing the structures.

“The Air Force is spending a lot of money in Alaska to deal with this problem,” McCoy said. “There are two F-35s [advanced fighter] squadrons at Eielson [Air Force Base] and half a billion dollars of investment to house these squadrons,” including 36 new buildings and 54 aircraft hangars, according to the Department of Defense.

Published May 25, 2023

May 28 is the annual Safe Grad party. It will take place at the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) Recreation Center.

The drawing for the $2,023 grand prize is at 1:23, and a senior must be present to win. Doors close for entry at 11 p.m. and readmittance is not allowed.

Billings explained the goal of Safe Grad is to be drug and alcohol-free.

"The big goal is to keep our kids from partying, keep them away from drugs and alcohol. As everyone's aware, there has been some tragedies in past years after graduations," she said. "It's really something that we all as parents and a community don't want to see somebody just starting out their adulthood and ending it so tragically. I know we'll have the Taylor White Foundation car out front, just to serve as a reminder for all the students that after the party, they should go home and go to bed."

They are looking for volunteers to help with the event.

Published May 24, 2023

This Friday, the UA Board of Regents will meet in Fairbanks to hear updates on how UA empowers Alaska through workforce development and improved career pathways, and will review planning guidance for AY25 and beyond.

“Over the last academic year, UA has stabilized and seen positive progress in enrollment and student opportunity,” UA President Pat Pitney said. “Our preparation and planning for fall semester and beyond will build on that foundation, and keep UA moving forward as an engine that empowers Alaska.”

The Board will accept the recently passed FY24 Operating and Capital Budgets.

Regents will also discuss guidance for the FY25 budget focused on three key areas: increasing enrollment through retention in degree programs for Alaska’s workforce, deferred maintenance and renewal funding strategy, and maintaining responsible financial stewardship.

Regents will also review the latest reports on Workforce Development.

Published May 24, 2023 by DANELLE KELLY Daily New Staff Writer

"I really like how we get to suture and use medical stuff like scalpels; we used the needles and all that stuff for sutures, because I'm really into the medical field and I watch a lot of medical TV shows, so I'm really into medical stuff, so I really like this class," she said.

Nery said that she plans to study radiology and ultrasound technology when she begins college in the fall. She plans to start with online prerequisite courses through the University of Alaska Anchorage before enrolling in a more distant college.

She added that she was inspired to enter a medical career by her older sisters and acquaintances who have done so.

Published May 24, 2023 by alaskabusiness

The operator of the Fort Knox gold mine northeast of Fairbanks is endowing a new scholarship at UAF to diversify the resource development workforce. Kinross Alaska presented the $350,000 gift at the semester-ending Blue & Gold Celebration.