newsminer.com

The “Desperate Househusbands” aren’t exactly TV material.

But they are happy to answer the phones at KUAC-FM first thing this morning.

The desperadoes will kick off the fundraiser for the public radio station from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.. Give them a call at 474-5822.

KUAC has set a goal of $252,000 for the nine-day event.

Other groups who have volunteered to take pledge calls today include the UAF chemistry department, Mt. McKinley Bank, the Christian Motorcycle Association, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, College Rotary and the Fairbanks Community Cooperative Market.

Among the community members you can expect to hear on the air today are Lloyd Huskey, Randi Carnahan, Mike Sfraga, Steve Smith, Aren Gunderson, Lynne Snifka, Adam Wool, Brian Rogers, Nicole Stewart, Cathie Harms, Bob Groseclose and Shelby Nelson.

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QUILT RAFFLE: Local employees of Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. and pipeline contractors have again made a quilt for local charity, assisted by members of the Forget-Me-Knot Quilters’ Guild in Delta Junction.

The volunteers made 30 blocks for the quilt, most of which are wildlife scenes.

Raffle tickets for the 100-inch by 85-inch quilt are $5 each or $20 for six.

The drawing will be at Alyeska’s Fairbanks office Nov. 12. You don’t need to be present to win.

All of the money will go to the United Way of Tanana Valley. For tickets, or to see the quilt, contact Shana Clay at Shana.Clay@Alyeska-pipeline.com, or call 450-5751.

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LITERACY: About 175 people are expected in Fairbanks Sunday for the start of the two-day conference Alaska State Literacy Association conference.

Eleven guest speakers, including authors, teachers and librarians, are to deliver presentations on the study of the written and spoken word. On Monday, the conference is to include lectures and discussions with teachers from across the school district, said Judi Ferri, the association president.

Kathryn Au, the president of the International Reading Association, is among the featured speakers.

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CAMPAIGN FUNDS: Rep. Don Young had $1.4 million in his campaign fund at this time during the last election season. Now he has $129,263, the Web site Politico.com reports.

A “combination of campaign spending and lawyers’ fees has sapped his once-prodigious war chest.”

Young has spent more than $1.2 million on legal fees in the past couple of years. He paid $49,793 to the firm Tobin, O’Connor and Ewing in the third quarter, Politico says.

“Overall, he raised $116,749 in the third quarter, leaving him with $129,263 in the bank. At this point in the 2008 election cycle, Young had $1.4 million on hand,” the report said.

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CLUNKER APPLIANCES: The state has $658,000 available in federal money for the clunker appliance changeout program.

The state plans to limit the rebate program in Alaska to the disabled, which sounds reasonable. The rebates would be available to those who buy new appliances.

The Alaska Housing Finance Corp. needs approval from the U.S. Department of Energy before it can move ahead with the plan, said Larry Persily, an aide to the House Finance Committee. The tentative starting date is December.

“AHFC and the administration decided to limit the program to disabled Alaskans to increase its effectiveness and target people most in need of assistance. Spreading out $658,000 in rebates statewide would have driven up administrative costs and diluted the individual checks so much that the program would have been less effective,” Persily said.

“The program also will provide a larger rebate for rural residents, recognizing the higher cost of appliances in rural Alaska.”

AHFC estimates there are 10,000 disabled Alaskans who could qualify for the program.

The rebates for buying new energy efficient refrigerators, freezers, washers and dryers will range from $150 to $500 per appliance.

Refrigerator and freezer rebates will be $500 each for disabled Alaskans in rural areas and $300 for urban Alaskans, according to the proposal.

For washers and dryers the rebate will be $300 for disabled Alaskans in rural areas and $150 in urban areas.

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FOR THE DOGS: The dinner and auction fundraiser for the Fairbanks Dog Park takes place at 6 p.m. today at the Fairbanks Curling Club on Second Avenue. Tickets are $20, which includes dinner and the chance to bid on a wide array of auction items.