Anchorage Daily News

More communities get wireless service

TelAlaska Cellular has added wireless telephone service to Cold Bay, Fort Yukon and King Cove for the first time, the company said. TelAlaska is scheduled to launch service in Iliamna on Sept. 10 and in Galena later this month. Service should begin in Port Lions, Sand Point, Teller and Unalaska by year's end.

The company is owned by TelAlaska Inc., which provides telecommunications service in 25 rural communities. TelAlaska intends to provide wireless service in all of the communities within five years, the company said. It is using GSM wireless technology.

Darae's Salon Spa shifts to winter hours

Darae's Salon Spa, at 34th Avenue and Minnesota Drive, has new winter hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday; 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Confucius Institute to boost Chinese culture

The UAA Confucius Institute has opened with the mission of promoting Chinese language and culture in Alaska, an element of that being to help Alaska businesses via courses, conferences and cultural events. Along with the Office of Chinese Language International Council, the institute is co-sponsoring, Chinese Culture Week Sept. 10-13 on the University of Alaska campus. The free events include:

• "A Celebration of Chinese Performing Arts," 7 p.m. Sept. 10 in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium, featuring a magician, martial arts performance, a baritone singer and a flutist.

• "Overcoming the Global Economic Crisis: The Chinese Gamble," a presentation by Barry Naughton, a professor at the University of California San Diego, 7 p.m. Sept. 11 in the Fine Arts Building Room 150.

• "Chinese Adventure: A carnival of activities, games, performances and prizes," noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 in the UAA Student Union, first floor: traditional dance and martial arts performances, calligraphy, paper cutting and folding, and Chinese games.

• "The King of Masks," a 1999 film about a traditional opera master and his quest to find a protege, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 in the Fine Arts Building Room 150.

Parker Drilling wins Liberty field contract

Oil-service company Parker Drilling said it has won an initial two-year operations and maintenance contract for a rig drilling wells at BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc.'s new Liberty oil field, which is under development on the North Slope. The rig arrived at Liberty in July. It is designed to drill out to the Liberty reservoir offshore -- extending nearly two miles deep and as far as eight miles out, Parker said. Parker has done earlier work on Liberty for BP, the company said. Parker is a Houston, Texas-based global oil-services contractor that last year posted $25.6 million in profits on $830 million in revenue, according to its financial statements.

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