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At least five UPS cargo jets and two Southern Air 747 cargo flights diverted to Fairbanks International Airport today, bypassing the volcanic ash from Mount Redoubt.

Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines has canceled all flights in and out of Anchorage at least until daylight Friday.

Alaska Airlines said:

If your flight is canceled due to the Mt. Redoubt volcano eruption, and you're ticketed for travel March 26, 2009 through March 27, 2009, you're allowed the following changes to assist in your travel needs:

If an Alaska Airlines Vacation package is involved, please contact the Vacations Desk at 1-800-468-2248.

•The U.S. Department of Energy confirms in writing that a building energy code is not required for the state to accept $18 million in weatherization funds.The Palin administration said last week the state didn't want the weatherization funds because a building energy code was required.

Gilbert Sperling, manager of weatherization for the Department of Energy, wrote to state officials:

You have requested guidance concerning the applicability of Section 410 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Section 410 requires the Governor of the state to notify the Secretary of Energy that the Governor has received necessary assurances from the appropriate state authorities regarding certain utility regulatory policies, adoption of current building codes and the prioritization of funds.

This provision applies only to funds available to the State under the State Energy Program. Similar assurances are not required for ARRA funds available to the State under the Weatherization Assistance Program or Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.

In other words, the building energy code is an issue regarding the $28 million allocation for a "state energy program." It is not required for the $18 million in weatherization funds or for the $9.6 million in energy efficiency and conservation block grants.

•Leaders of the Fairbanks school district testified today that the state should accept the education money in the federal stimulus law. "I can guarantee that we will be good stewards of these resources," Superintendent of Schools Nancy Wagner said by teleconference to the House Finance Committee.

"Two years of funding for teacher training and materials will provide long-term benefits for teachers and students with no expectations for sustaining that funding in the future.

"Two years of funding for tutoring and instructional coaching in core academic areas will provide benefits for hundreds and thousands of students," she said.

"We are in a crisis as far as dropout prevention and graduation success and we need to do everything we can to support those two areas," she said.

"How can we in good conscience turn away funding that will support enhancement of skills of our teachers and support increased acheivement and growth for our students?"

"I can guarantee that we will be good stewards of these resources," Wagner said. "I encourage you to accept these funds on behalf of the children of Alaska."