Briefcase

Post Offices are closed until Tuesday

Post Offices are closed until Tuesday for the Fourth of July holiday.

Fair recycling needs volunteers

The Alaska State Fair needs volunteers for its recycling program. Volunteers who donate at least four hours of their time to the program receive free entrance to the fair that day and help make a positive impact on their community and state.

For more information on the program or to volunteer, contact Linda Skalsky at 357-9387 or 355-0061.

Mat-Su Health Foundation elects new board members

Mat-Su Health Foundation elected new officers at its annual board meeting June 20.

Newly elected members of the 14-person board are Nathan Dahl, Bill Hogan and Jody Simpson. They replaced seats held previously by Stacie Stigar, Mary Olson, Bill Allen and Jamie Wise, who had completed two, three-year terms of service. Linda Conover was reelected to a second, three-year term.

When the board selected its officers, Teri Namtvedt was re-elected chairman; Linda Conover, vice-chairman; and Andy Reimer was reelected secretary-treasurer.

The Mat-Su Health Foundation is the official business name of Valley Hospital Association Inc., which shares ownership in Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

Local Frito-Lay associate named best in world

Gabriel Eastman of Palmer was honored as one of PepsiCo’s top sales performers worldwide with induction into the PepsiCo President’s Ring of Honor.

He is one of only 224 associates, from the more than 85,000-member global PepsiCo sales force team, who won the honor this year. The winners represented 51 countries and 29 different languages. PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi hosted the annual President’s Ring of Honor induction ceremony on June 9, at PepsiCo headquarters in Purchase, N.Y.

Frito-Lay North America is committed to recognizing and championing the achievements of its greatest asset — its employees. Frito-Lay is committed to recognizing and championing the achievements of its greatest asset — its employees. Talent sustainability is a key focus in the company’s vision of Performance with Purpose.

Licensing streamlined for military personnel, spouses

Two new programs will make it easier for Alaska’s military families to coordinate employment with deployment. The Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing unveiled two programs this week that will expedite the licensing process for spouses of active-duty military personnel and ease the licensing requirements for military personnel returning from service in a combat zone.

The new website — commerce.alaska.gov/occ/pmil.html — is part of House Bill 28, which Gov. Sean Parnell signed Monday. The law allows a military spouse to obtain a temporary courtesy license more quickly in their field of practice as long as they meet the professional standards that are already required by law or regulation in one of the 37 professions regulated by the DCBPL. The temporary license will be valid for six months, at which time the military spouse has the option of obtaining an Alaska license or asking for a renewal of the temporary license.

The new law also exempts a service member who is already licensed in the state from having to maintain their license while they are deployed in a combat zone.

Toastmasters groups meet Tuesdays in Wasilla, Palmer

There are weekly Toastmasters meetings in the Valley, one in Palmer in the evening and one in the morning in Wasilla. Mat-Su Toastmasters meets Tuesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Wasilla Area Senior Center. And the Palmer Toastmasters meet Tuesdays from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. downstairs at the MTA Building in Palmer. Toastmasters groups offer an educational and supportive learning environment to improve and hone communication skills. Learn to prepare and deliver a speech, provide effective evaluations, and think on your feet with impromptu speeches. For more information, contact Melissa Vega at 841-0077 or email melissa@greatlander.com.

QuickBooks class offered

The Alaska Small Business Development Center and Alaska Vocational Technical are offering an eight-session, 20-hour online class on QuickBooks Pro 2010 taught by a local Intuit ProAdvisor. The class is from 6:30 to 9 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 19 to Aug. 11. Pre-registration is required and the deadline to register is July 12. To view workshop details and requirements, or to register, visit aksbdc.org, or call Alaska’s Institute of Technology at (907) 224-6161.

Adult spelling bee is July 21

Wasilla Meta-Rose Public will hold a spelling bee for adults as a part of the summer reading program. The event is in the Old Wasilla Townsite Schoolhouse behind the library (391 N Main St) on July 21 at 6:30 pm. Space is limited to 20 participants and registration is required.

For more information, or to register, call Jean Powell at 864-9177.