The Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA) opposes an Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions (AMATS) proposal to delay the Knik Arm Crossing. AMATS proposed to move the bridge construction to 2018 or beyond in its Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The board voted on the issue Oct. 8. The governor appoints KABATA board members. The AMATS policy committee proposed an amendment Sept. 24 to its transportation plan to move the Knik Arm Crossing from the short-term to the long-term portion of the plan. A previous effort by the group to push the Knik Arm bridge to 2018 was halted in a court action brought by two municipalities in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Federal regulations require that amendments made by AMATS provides the affected agencies and communities a reasonable opportunity to be heard and demonstrates sufficient revenue sources to pay for the plan. The Knik Arm Crossing is a state transportation project with regional and national significance with 91 percent of its proposed alignment is outside of AMATS jurisdiction. The AMATS process fails to provide an opportunity to consider their comments and consult with the communities impacted by the proposed amendment, the KABATA board sad in a statement.

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich has opened two new offices in Alaska. Begich's Kenai office opened Oct. 13. An office in Ketchikan opened at the end of last month. Begich hired Kim Howard to run the Kenai office, which is at 805 Frontage Road, Suite 101. Howard moved to the Kenai Peninsula from Anchorage in 1977 and has experience in local government. She worked for the city of Kenai as assistant to the city manager, providing support to various city administrators on a wide range of management-related issues. Begich's Ketchikan office opened at the end of September. The office is staffed by former Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein. The office is in the White Cliff Building at 1900 First Ave., Suite 230.

The Alaska Energy Authority is soliciting competitive grant applications for renewable energy projects to be funded by the state. In 2008, the Alaska Legislature established the renewable energy fund and authorized AEA to administer the procedures for awarding the grants and distributing grant funds. AEA received more than 230 applications the first year. In 2009, lawmakers approved 107 renewable energy projects totaling $125 million. AEA is seeking applications that demonstrate a public benefit from the proposed project. Applications are due Nov. 10. For information, go to www.akenergyauthority.org.

Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson Army Post will become a single installation next year as the military strives to become more efficient. The action is not expected to affect military or civilian employment on the bases. The move is a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process. The vice chiefs of the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army signed an agreement recently finalizing the long-planned move. The transition to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is due to begin Jan. 31. The bases will be united by October 2010. The commander charged with leading the joined base has not yet been announced, the commander of U.S. Army Garrison Fort Richardson, Col. Timothy Prior, will assume the role as the deputy commander of the joint base. Air Force Col. Jeffery Vinger is the provisional joint base commander. Job cuts are net expected, Vinger said. Elmendorf and Fort Richardson are among 26 other installations across the country being combined into 12 joint bases. The bases were singled out for consolidation in 2005 during the military's Base Realignment and Closure process. In Hawaii, Naval Station Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base announced their joint base merger in August. In Washington, Fort Lewis and McCord Air Force Base will also join forces.

Aurora Marketing has opened an Alaska Native-owned public relations and Web broadcasting company based in Anchorage. Gary Chythlook, a Yup'ik Eskimo, has years of experience in the Web design and public relations profession. He and his team specialize in print design, Web development, graphic design, media production, technical writing and Web-based broadcasting of live events and audio media. Chythlook, president and CEO of Aurora Marketing, is from the Bristol Bay region. The knowledge and perspectives gained from growing up in rural Alaska will be used to increase communication to and from rural Alaska. Go to www.auroramarketing.com.

Women who own small businesses may use a new online U.S. Small Business Administration training course to learn how to identify and take advantage of federal contracting opportunities. The course, Winning Federal Contracts: A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs, is part of an ongoing government-wide initiative to promote opportunities for women-owned businesses in the area of government contracting. The free online tutorial is designed to help women entrepreneurs learn about the federal procurement process and to prepare them to compete for contracting opportunities. The self-paced guide uses audio and script to provide information about contract rules, how to sell to the government and where to find contracts. It is available on SBA's Web site at www.sba.gov.

HoTH Inc. announced an agreement to acquire all common stock of Arctic Circle Air Service Inc. Arctic Circle's cargo operation will join the in-state air group doing business as Frontier Alaska effective Dec. 1.HoTH is the parent holding company of Frontier Flying Service, Hageland Aviation Services, and Era Aviation Inc. Arctic Air's two cargo aircraft will add to the existing Frontier Alaska operations and improve the ability to move greater volume and oversized cargo within Alaska. The aircraft can accommodate payloads up to 5,000 pounds, and can haul small vehicles. Frontier Alaska carriers serve more than 100 communities statewide and are mileage plan partners in select markets with Alaska Airlines.

Rasmuson Foundation announced that in the third quarter of 2009 it made 33 awards of $25,000 or less, 11 awards through arts and culture initiative programs, and one foundation-initiated award. The total amount awarded in this period was more than $1 million. Several recipients will work on projects that document or preserve Alaska history and culture. The University of Alaska Anchorage Institute of Social and Economic Research will publish a memoir/biography of Vic Fischer, the Alaska Native Sisterhood Association of Wrangell will commission an engineering assessment for the restoration of Shakes Island tribal house, the Valdez Museum and Historical Society will upgrade the Exxon/Valdez Oil Spill exhibit, the Hope and Sunrise Historical Society will create interpretive exhibits about the 1904 Hope schoolhouse, and the University of Alaska Southeast will advance the construction of the Eagle totem at the Juneau campus. Also among the awards announced are capital improvements for two rural health clinics: the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe and Igiugig Village. Other awards include support for Southwest Region School District and Alaska Lighthouse Association. The foundation also awarded $500,000 to United Way of Anchorage, which worked with its peer United Ways around the state to distribute among safety net organizations that serve Alaskans most in need of food and shelter. A complete list can be found at www.rasmuson.org.