Happy New Year Everyone!

Our first star has been a loyal, hardworking employee of DPA's for nearly 25 years. Deemed "The Duke of Earl" he is described as a lean, mean bean-counting machine. One of those quiet but efficient behind the scenes DPA workers, this multi-skilled, multi-tasker puts his 110% into the job. Whether that job be processing heating, child care or fee agent payments, reconciling the EBT system with the State accounting system, the FS account with the Federal Reserves Bank, answering phones, doing the mail run or building strong, solid relationships with Alaskan vendors and utility companies. Give him the work and he gets it done promptly and well.

Happy New Year Everyone. You all know that we have set improving work quality as a high priority for the Division of Public Assistance. Our Better than Average! campaign has set a goal of 93 percent Food Stamp Program payment accuracy by October 2004. We aim to finish the year below the National average error rate. We are starting to see improvement from your hard work and the quality initiatives that offices have put in place.

The Internal Revenue Service and AARP are seeking volunteers to provide free tax assistance in Anchorage and Mat-Su during the tax-filing season. The volunteers prepare federal and state returns for the elderly, disabled, non-English speaking and those with limited incomes.

"No tax or accounting experience is needed, only a desire to help others," said Judy Monahan, IRS spokeswoman. Besides people to prepare returns, they need site assistants, who greet taxpayers and make sure their paperwork is complete, among other tasks.

Princess Tours has begun taking applications for seasonal jobs this summer. Princess offers many different positions in a variety of areas, including their lodges, cruises, train, and bus/coach transportation. Their seasonal recruiting season generally runs from December through April.

5th Annual Holiday-Break Visitor Industry Job Fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2, Gottschalks Courtyard, Northway Mall, 3101 Penland Parkway in Anchorage. This is an opportunity to secure clients a job six months in advance, especially geared toward teachers and college students home for the holidays.

The fifth annual fair will feature more than 30 businesses, including Royal Celebrity Tours, Rust's Flying Service, Premier Alaska Tours, Gray Line of Alaska, Princess Tours, Cruise West, CIRI Alaska Tourism and Alaska SeaLife Center.