For the Interior homeowners who want to switch to solar energy, a local initiative is looking for solutions to cut costs when making the switch.
AÂ community-led program, Solarize Fairbanks, makes solar more affordable by stacking up group discounts, purchasing solar systems in bulk and looking for federal and local financial incentives.
When Bob and Sharon Baker approached Solarize Fairbanks, they had been âwanting to learn about solar power for quite a long time.â
âWith the incentives from the group discount and the federal tax credit still available, it was now or never, so we took the plunge,â Bob said.
Gnomes are popping up on trails and roads in the McKinley Village area south of Denali National Park. Turns out, they are part of Gnome for the Holidays, an outdoor event designed to bring families together and inspire togetherness, during this time of COVID-19. Outdoor enthusiasts are invited to take selfies with the gnomes and post them on the Facebook page Gnome for the Holidays. The gnomes will be in place until Jan. 2, 2021. Then, they will find new homes in exchange for a $20 donation to the McKinley Park Community Club. Kris Capps/News-Miner
This December marks the 60th year of the Arctic Audubon Societyâs Fairbanks Christmas Bird Count. Like many traditions, organizers have made adjustments to the event this year to account for pandemic safety.
The Christmas Bird Count is an annual tradition for thousands of volunteers working with local Audubon societies all over the Northern-hemisphere. On count day, field observers cover an assigned area to record bird species, numbers and observation efforts, while feeder watchers count the largest number of each species of birds observed at any one time on count day.Â
The Fairbanks count will take place Dec. 19. Count week, where additional species sightings in the count area can be recorded and added to the list of species observed, runs from Dec. 16-22. In a change for this year, count compilation will take place in a Zoom meeting on Dec. 20.