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A segment featuring Chena Hot Springs is scheduled for the “Today” show Thursday morning between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Channel 11.

That’s the latest from the Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau, which suggested the Chena Hot Springs angle to the NBC crew headed by Lester Holt.

The unique Chena Hot Springs geothermal project has been a regular publicity gusher in recent months. Another version of the story is to be broadcast Saturday on “Today.”

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FLAT STANLEY: Dalton Baskin, a 7-year-old in Arkansas, wrote to his grandmother, Joani Moton of Fairbanks, with his rendition of “Flat Stanley,” the paper-thin character of book fame. She visited the News-Miner with Stanley and posed with him for pictures.

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SKI FUNDRAISER: The snow is fast disappearing, but the competitive skiing program for young people in the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks is still on the move.

The FXC Spring Gala and Silent Auction fundraiser is set for Saturday from 7-11 p.m. at the Birch Hill cross-country ski building. There will be music by the Skidmarks, food, a no-host bar and a wide variety of silent auction items.

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OPEN DOORS: Thirteen local bed-and-breakfast businesses are to open their doors Saturday for tours. Maps to participating establishments are available at the visitor center log cabin next to the Cushman Street Bridge, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will also be at www.explorefairbanks.com.

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CHARGED ISSUE: The electric utility in Juneau still has a note on its Web site saying it is “fortunate to have 100 percent of its base load generation hydroelectric,” which means a clean, renewable and low-cost power supply.

With the avalanche that wiped out more than a mile of the power line from the largest hydro plant, Juneau is facing a temporary rise in electricity rates from 11 cents a kilowatt hour to perhaps 50 cents.

The state is going to declare it a disaster area, which seems appropriate.

In Fairbanks, we are paying 17 cents a kilowatt hour, which is more than double what it was in 2001.

Perhaps that qualifies as a semi-disaster?

Maybe the state’s power brokers should end the endless legal smackdown over the Healy Clean Coal plant and get it into production.

The GVEA annual meeting is Tuesday at the Carlson Center.

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STOLEN: A reader called to say that someone broke a window of her car and walked away with her purse. She said the police told her there were about 10 other similar reports, so motorists beware.

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REUNIONS: The weekend of June 20-22 is a big one for high school reunions. Lathrop graduates from 1968 are planning their 40-year reunion this summer on the weekend of June 21. They are still trying to round up several lost souls. If you haven’t registered go to http://ecsalaska.com/68reunion for details.

Meanwhile, the West Valley Class of 1988 and the Lathrop Class of 1988 are holding their 20-year reunions the same weekend. Look for specifics at www.westvalley88.com.

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INSPECTION: Salcha Marine will host a free Coast Guard annual safety inspection Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s near the Salcha River Bridge. For details, call Eric Fowler at 488-1604.

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PIONEER DINNER: The Pioneer Women of Igloo No. 8 announced their annual roll call dinner. The roll will be called at the Princess Hotel on Monday, with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25 and available at the New Horizons Gallery downtown or at the Pioneer Museum.

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TEA PARTY: Have a cup of tea Sunday afternoon at Pioneer Park in the civic center to help the Presbyterian Hospitality House.

The eighth annual Mable Rasmussen Tea Party & Silent Auction from 1-3 p.m. is to benefit programs that help troubled teens and runaways. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased by calling Becky at 456-6445.

Thirty-five young people are now in residential treatment with the goal of getting them to be able to return home.

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WAR COSTS: Local members of MoveOn.org plan to rally outside the federal building at noon Thursday and release a critical report dealing with the continuing toll of the war in Iraq and the economic pressures facing Americans. They plan to present the report to the office of Sen. Ted Stevens.

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MINING: Placer miner Jeff Keener is to present a free workshop this weekend on the basics of digging gold in Alaska. The 16-hour class, packed with hard-won lessons of placer mining, is Saturday and Sunday in Room 154 of the University Park Building on University Avenue.

Preregistration is requested and class size is limited to 16 participants. For information, contact Meg Burgett at pnasb@uaa.alaska.edu or call 907-746-9472.

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BARNETTE: A correction to the item here Tuesday about the results of the state Academic Pentathlon, which is the junior high version of the Academic Decathlon.

The Barnette Magnet School teams finished second and third.

“Nicholas Woolf won the rotating Gladys Foris trophy for having the highest point finish. His name, the year and school will go on the trophy on a brass tag in company with all of the other previous (and future) recipients. Gladys Foris created the Academic Pentathlon, recognizing the need for a middle school event like the Academic Decathlon,” coach Heidi Imhof said.

Nicholas’ name will be the first on a new side of the base.

“He hopes we’ll fill that whole side with Barnette top finishers following his excellent example,” Imhof said.

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SCHOOL’S OUT: Public school students will be getting out 90 minutes early Thursday so that teachers may be schooled in matters of technology.