🌱 Salute To The Military + Local Polynesian Community Aids Tonga

Good morning, people of Anchorage! It's me again, Dominique-Noelle Rafael, your host of the Anchorage Daily.

First, today's weather:

Cloudy, a bit of snow; colder. High: 27 Low: 25.

Here are the top 3 stories in Anchorage today:

1. The Armed Services YMCA of Alaska has announced General Michael Garrett, Commanding General of the United States Army Forces Command, will be the keynote speaker at the 45th Annual Salute to the Military. This annual event is a celebration of Alaska's Junior Enlisted Military and will be held on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, at the Egan Center in Anchorage. (Press Release Desk)
2. Over the past few weeks, the Polynesian Association of Alaska has collected thousands of pounds of clothing, food, water, and other goods to support relatives in Tonga after a volcanic eruption and tsunami in mid-January. On Friday, the Anchorage-based group and its network of volunteers from religious groups and nonprofits met at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Roger’s Park to start packing up the goods for shipment. (KTOO)
3. Is dating really so bad in Alaska? Solveig Pedersen and Marsha Schirack-Olson don’t think so. They are the founders of P.S. Consulting, an Anchorage business that offers dating and relationship coaching and courses. The dating coaches say dating isn't bad in Alaska, but you have to be open and have self-compassion. (Anchorage Daily News)

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Today in Anchorage:

• Nursing Programs Virtual Information Session, Hosted By Alaska Pacific University (10:00 AM)
• Youth Employment In Parks Information Session At Alaska Pacific University, Atwood Hall (11:30 AM)
• Virtual "Make it Monday" Forum On Cyber Security, Hosted By Doug Frey Of Northrim Bank (12:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a new home in the Anchorage area? Get a head start on your search by checking out these five houses that recently hit the market. (Anchorage Patch)
• The Alaska Zoo is holding its annual "Valentine’s for the Animals" event today, a day filled with love-themed animal enrichment! (Instagram)
• Join NASA Solar System Ambassadors in the Thomas Planetarium for an in-person program highlighting the latest in space news. Hear and see updates on current space missions and find out what’s currently visible in the night sky. (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update!

— Dominique-Noelle Rafael

About me: Dominique is a self taught UX/UI designer based in Princeton, NJ. She recently graduated from the University of Maryland last spring with a bachelor's degree in Information Science. She is excited to begin working on the Patch newsletter project this year!