newsminer.com

Native Association hires Atwood

Fairbanks Native Association has hired Raymond Atwood, a Doyon shareholder, as its new executive director. The former Doyon, Limited employee, has been president of his own consulting business, Atwood Consulting, LLC based out of Seattle.

Atwood earned an associate degree in paralegal studies and a bachelor’s degree in justice at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He is currently enrolled in a master of business administration program at the University of Phoenix.

Atwood is the son of Winnie Atwood from Nenana and Gary Atwood, originally from Van Nuys, Calif. His wife, Amanda, and son will be joining him in Fairbanks.

Ice Park remains open

Colder temperatures are keeping the Ice Park open for an additional week. The ice sculptures and slides are good shape, Ice Park officials said. Park hours are noon-10 p.m. daily.

High school D.C. internships available

Applications open to graduating high school seniors and college students for summer internships in Sen. Ted Stevens’ Washington, D.C. office, are now being accepted.

The high school intern program gives graduating seniors the opportunity to participate in one of two month-long sessions — May 31-June 28 or July 5- Aug. 2.

The college intern program provides full-time employment to college students from Alaska for the entire summer according to their academic schedules. Selected interns will assist the senator and his staff with day-to-day operations from office duties to monitoring hearings.

Applications are available at http://stevens.senate.gov/intern; from any of Sen. Stevens’ Alaska offices and from high school principals or counselors.

The application deadline for both programs is April 15.

Library fundraiser to be hosted Sunday

The fourth annual John Trigg Ester Library Book Bash fundraiser will be held from 1 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 30 at The Annex gallery, 2922 Parks Highway, near Water Wagon.

Live music, a lasagne feed and silent auctions of jewelry, art, books, clothing, gift certificates and baskets of items are planned. Musical performances will be given by guitarist Chuck Brainerd, jazz pianist Desmond Cole, rock trio GRL Jam and saxophonist Nelson Felix.

Proceeds from the event will go towards a new library building. The current rented space is too small. Property for the new library/community center in Ester has been purchased, some land clearing begun, with construction to begin in summer.

For more information, contact Melinda at 455-4349/378-6744 or e-mail library@esterrepublic.com.

DNR offers land lease program

The Department of Natural Resources is offering more than 200 parcels of lands in five remote staking areas as part of the 2008 Remote Recreational Cabin Sites program.

Three of the five staking sites — Cheleca Lakes, Disappointment Creek and Sunday Lakes — are located in Southcentral Alaska, while the other two — Hunts Creek and Wien Lake, are in the northern region. Hunts Creek is located south of Chena Hot Springs Road near Valley Center and Wien Lake is located west of Nenana.

This land sale program allows Alaska residents to stake a parcel of state land in a designated remote staking area, lease the land until survey and appraisal are completed and then purchase the land at market value.

The deadline to submit a lottery application is April 11 at 5 p.m. The fee is $25. Applicants must be an Alaska resident for at least one year preceding the date of application, and applications must be received by the DNR by the deadline.

Only one application per staking area may be submitted. Lottery winners will receive a staking authorization to stake and purchase from 5 to 20 acres within a specific staking area.

The 2008 Remote Recreational Cabin Sites program brochure is available free of charge at many DNR offices throughout the state. The brochure is also available online at www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/landsale/remote_recsites.htm or can be mailed to you for $2.00 postage and handling. For assistance call the DNR Public Information Center in Fairbanks at 451-2705.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce visits Fairbanks

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez will be visiting Fairbanks on Wednesday.

Gutierrez and Sen. Ted Stevens will show a presentation to the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce at 8 a.m. The meeting will be at the Westmark Hotel, and the $15 admission includes a breakfast buffet. Only 250 people can be accommodated, so those who want to attend are encouraged to make reservations ahead of time by calling Terry Tanner at 374-6704 or e-mailing RSVP@fairbankschamber.org.

Gutierrez, who is the 35th Secretary of Commerce, and has served since 2004, is the former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the Kellogg Company.

Gutierrez and Stevens are also scheduled to speak at the Davis Concert Hall on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus from noon until 1 p.m. The event is hosted by Students Who Enjoy Economic Thinking (SWEET). The group has hosted several public officials to speak about economics in Alaska as part of an ongoing lecture series.