Nerland Agency Worldwide Partners took top honors at the recent Public Relations Society of America - Alaska Chapter Aurora Awards luncheon. The firm's ACS Yellow Pages Distribution and Recycling Event entry won first place in the Aurora Awards Marketing Communications category and as the Aurora Awards Best of Show. Nerland also received the Judges' Award for overall excellence of its entries in the 2008 annual awards competition. The Nerland Agency's other entries - University of Alaska Legislative Campaign titled "Career Transformers" and its DigiTel TXT Campaign - received a first place in the public affairs campaign category and a second place in the marketing communications category.

Some Alaska workers eligible for unemployment tax refunds

Alaska workers who paid more than a total of $156.50 in unemployment taxes during 2008 may be eligible for an unemployment tax refund if they worked for more than one employer during 2008. Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Click Bishop said refund request forms along with proof of earnings must be submitted by Dec. 31, 2009. Unemployment Insurance taxes paid may be listed on W-2 forms or on pay stubs. Workers can also contact their employers for information. Refund forms are online at labor.state.ak.us or can be obtained from the Juneau Tax Office at (907) 465-2757 or (888) 448-3527. Forms can be requested by mail to Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Employment Security Tax Office, P.O. Box 115509, Juneau, AK 99811-5509.

Providence goes live with off-site patient monitoring system

Providence Alaska Medical Center went live Jan. 22 with a new system that will allow physicians and nurses to monitor critically ill patients from an off-site location 24 hours a day. The new eICU doesn't replace bedside care by a personal physician, but watches patients in Providence's Adult Critical Care unit through constant monitoring of vital signs and tracking medications, blood test results, X-rays and other information over private, high-speed data lines. The eICU's computer system continuously analyzes information and alerts the eICU staff to possible problems before they occur. The system also includes special cameras that provide direct visual and verbal communication between the eICU and critical care teams. The eICU, located in Providence's Health Park, will be staffed initially by critical care nurses, adding physicians in the second quarter of 2009. The hospital's 28-bed adult critical care section is the first to be activated into the program.

DOT's central region to clear Anchorage sidewalks, pathways

State transportation officials have begun using eight recently acquired tractors for snow removal on Anchorage-area sidewalks and pathways. The $1.2 million for the new equipment came from the state's fiscal 2009 capital budget. Alaska Department of Transportation will partner with the municipality's street maintenance division to provide the added service throughout the Anchorage area.

New country music station on the air in Wasilla

Country Legends 100.9, KAYO-FM, is up and running in the Matanuska Valley, playing the country hits of the past 40 years with special attention to the 1970s and 1980s. Valley resident and program director Eddie Maxwell said research showed the Valley's preference for country music, and everything about the station will be Valley-centric, including news, weather, sports and traffic reports. Morning personality and Valley resident Kathy Mitchell joins Maxwell. The studio location is at 5431 E. Mayflower, Unit 3 in Wasilla. The 50,000-watt FM radio station is broadcasting from the foothills of Lazy Mountain, where the elevation and transmitter power gives the station the broadest reach of any commercial radio operator in the Valley. Country Legends 100.9 is owned by Morris Communications, which operates 37 radio stations nationwide, including six in Anchorage: KBRJ-FM, KMXS-FM, KEAG-FM, KWHL-FM, KFQD-FM and KHAR-FM. Morris Communications also owns the Alaska Journal of Commerce.

Residential property tax exemption certified

Alaska Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell has certified an initiative that would allow municipalities, upon voter approval, to increase residential property tax exemptions from $20,000 up to $100,000. This certification allows the initiative sponsors to proceed with gathering signatures required to place the measure on the ballot. Parnell's decision was supported by a state Department of Law opinion, which concluded that the bill and application are in the proper form, and that the application complies with the constitutional and statutory provisions governing the use of the initiative. The Alaska Division of Elections will prepare petition booklets for the sponsors of the initiative. The sponsors will need to collect at least 32,734 valid signatures from qualified voters in 30 election districts in order for the proposed bill to be placed on a ballot.

NMS provides safety training Mat-Su School custodians

NMS, a limited liability firm jointly owned by NANA Development Corp. and Sodexo, is providing an advanced safety training and skills development program for upward of 150 custodians in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. NMS spokesman Dave Anderton said the goal is to have all employees trained by March. Instruction in Wasilla, Houston and Susitna is being provided in both English and Russian - the two most commonly spoken languages among these employees. NMS provides support services to businesses and institutions.

Army authorizes emergency payments to Territorial Guard

The U.S. Army has agreed to provide temporary financial assistance to 26 members of Alaska's Territorial Guard whose retirement checks were reduced on Feb. 1 following a legal interpretation that ATG service does not count toward military retirement. The action came at the urging of Alaska's congressional delegation, which is trying to find a permanent solution on this issue. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich, with Rep. Don Young, have introduced legislation that would permanently clarify that service in the ATG is credible toward military retirement.

Social Security expands fast-track disability processes

Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue says improvements to the agency's computer modeling system have increased the number of claimants receiving expedited approvals for disability benefits. Social Security's two-track system - the Quick Disability Determination process and Compassionate Allowances - is now fast-tracking about 4 percent of all disability cases, an increase from the 2.7 percent of cases fast-tracked last year. Astrue said that in practical terms this means that this year 100,000 to 125,000 disabled Americans - those with the most severe disabilities - will be approved for benefits in about 10 days instead of waiting the three to four months it typically takes for an initial decision.

First National Bank reports net income up for fourth quarter

Officials with First National Bank Alaska say net income for the fourth quarter was $8.7 million, bringing the bank's total 2008 net income to $42.9 million. This compares to $10.2 million for the same quarter last year and $38 million total net for fiscal 2007. Outstanding loans increased $40 million during the year. Total assets of the bank increased $128 million during the year to $2.4 billion. In October the bank elected not to participate in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program and issue debt. Bank officials said the institution is participating in the portion of the program that provides that their customers' deposits are insured without limit when held in non-interest-bearing transaction accounts. That insurance will remain effective through 2009.

ACVB garners top honors

The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau has won the Best in Show Award of Excellence for the 2008 Official Anchorage Visitors Guide, along with six additional communications awards from the Public Relations Society of America Alaska Chapter. Other awards of excellence included first place for special printed promotional materials for the visitors guide, first place for ACVB's Legacy of Alaska Print Signing news conference, first place for special electronic promotional material for travel tips and postcards, second place in the brochure category for the 2008 Official Anchorage Restaurant and Entertainment Guide, and third place for news/feature story placement for Running of the Reindeer.