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10 YEARS AGO

Aug. 29, 1998 — A tentative contract agreement will give Fairbanks teachers a 2.5 percent raise during the next two years, along with step increases and special pay bonuses.

The school board and the Fairbanks Education Association reached the agreement at about 2 a.m. Friday during a federally mediated bargaining session.

It will be formally presented to teachers Monday, with a union vote on ratification of the contract set for Wednesday.

25 YEARS AGO

Aug. 29, 1983 — As Fairbanks teachers go to the polls tonight to vote on a new one-year contract, there seems to be general satisfaction with the 3.7 percent average raise it provides, but widespread doubt about an “agency shop” clause requiring new hires to pay union dues whether they join the Fairbanks Education Association or not.

“I’m leaning against it,” said North Pole Elementary teacher Pat Banks. “I really don’t like that provision. If they’re willing to redline the current non-members, I don’t see any reason to collect dues from the new hires.”

The agency shop rule requires teachers hired after Aug. 24 to pay dues, which are $460 per year, to the education association, regardless of membership, but exempts non-members who worked for the school district on or before Aug. 24.

50 YEARS AGO

Aug. 29, 1958 — One of the greatest flights of search planes in Alaska’s history will take off again from Fairbanks, Ladd, Fort Yukon and Bettles today to hunt for Clarence Rhode, a missing Fish and Wildlife Service official; his son, Jack, 21; and Stan Fredericksen, an FWS game management agent from Fairbanks.

The three men disappeared into the vastness of Alaska’s Brooks Range on Thursday in a Grumman “Goose” while on a trip to restock FWS gas supplies at mountain lakes and to count Dall sheep. They have not been seen since the morning they took off from Peters Lake in the northeast corner of Alaska.

75 YEARS AGO

Aug. 29, 1933 — The ninth Tanana Valley Fair opens at Moose Hall in Fairbanks at 8 o’clock tomorrow. This is the ninth time that the Fair Association, with the assistance of various residents, has arranged and directed the fair, and the board stated that the exhibit will be bigger and better than ever before.

The program tomorrow evening starts off with speeches by prominent residents. The addresses will be followed by an entertainment by amateurs.

Friday night’s entertainment will be musical directed by V F. Jacobs, a local bandmaster.