Chambers set schedules

■ The Soldotna and Kenai Chambers of Commerce will host a joint luncheon at noon today at the Kenai Visitors Center. A panel-based discussion on Merit-Based Judicial Selection & Retention in Alaska with Senior Judge Elaine Andrews, Susanne DiPietro, Executive Director of the Alaska Judicial Council, and Don McClintock with Justice Not Politics Alaska will discuss key features of Alaska’s Judiciary Article of the Constitution, how the Judicial Council operates and the importance of fair and impartial courts. RSVP to 283-1991 or 262-9814.

■ The Soldotna and Kenai Chambers of Commerce will host a joint luncheon at noon Wednesday at the Kenai Visitors Center. A presentation on Economic Impact Report Findings by Dennis McMillian of The Foraker Group is planned. RSVP to 283-1991 or 262-9814.

Heritage Place meets higher rating standards

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that the Star rating system for nursing homes is being changed, to raise the standards required to achieve a Star rating from one to five stars. Twenty-eight percent of the nursing homes in the nation previously rated at Five Stars were expected to lose one or two stars under the new rating system.

The Star rating of nursing homes is based on three components: results of the annual state survey, staffing levels and performance on 11 quality measures. Heritage Place achieved a Five Star rating in April 2012 and has maintained that rating since then. The impact of the new rating system on Heritage Place was unknown at the time CMS made the initial announcement.

On February 20, the revised rating results were released. Four of the 17 nursing homes in Alaska previously had Five Star overall ratings (Heritage Place, Denali Center, South Peninsula Hospital and Valdez) and they remain at the Five Star level under the new rating system.

However, Heritage Place not only maintained an overall Five Star rating, but increased from a four to a five Star rating on quality measures. Heritage Place is the only nursing home in Alaska to achieve Five Stars in all three components of the overall rating (Surveys, Staffing and Quality Measures).

Nomination deadline approaching for HEA Board of Directors seats

Homer Electric Association is accepting nominations from members interested in running for a seat on the cooperative’s Board of Directors. The cooperative’s Board is made up of nine directors, three from each of the three districts that make up the service area.

This year, the District 1 (Kenai-Nikiski-parts of Soldotna) seat held by Kenai resident David Thomas will be on the ballot. In District 2 (Soldotna-Sterling-Kasilof area) the seat currently held by Soldotna resident Dave Carey will be up for election. In District 3 (Kasilof-Homer-Seldovia area), HEA members will vote for the seat currently held by Jim Levine of Homer.

HEA directors are elected by district, with members voting only for the director in their respective district.

Members interested in being on the ballot must fill out a Candidacy Packet that requires the candidate to gather at least 15 signatures from current HEA members that live in the district where the candidate resides. The Candidacy Packet is available at HEA offices in Kenai and Homer and online at www.homerelectric.com

The deadline to submit the Candidacy Packet is 5 p.m. on March 6. Completed packets can be dropped off at either the Kenai or Homer HEA office.

Ballots will be mailed out to HEA members on April 3, and the results will be tabulated and announced at the Annual Meeting on May 7 at Homer High School. For additional information contact Joe Gallagher at 907-283-2324

Junior Achievement Raffle tickets available

The Kenai Junior Achievement Committee has put together a raffle fundraiser for the 2014-2015 school year. Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices.

Tickets are $10 each and all proceeds benefit Junior Achievement programs on the Kenai Peninsula. Winning tickets will be drawn on March, 21, 2015 at the Kenai River Brown Bears hockey game. You need not be present to win. First place is $1,000, Second place is $600 and third place is $400.

To purchase tickets, please contact Janet Johnson at johnsoja@denalifcu.com or 907-257-1669 or Renee Rybak at r.rybak@alaskausa.org or 907-395-4505.

Small business series offered

Small business workshops will be offered in Fairbanks and by webinar around the state.

The series is hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service, UAF Community and Technical College and the Alaska Small Business Development Center. Extension economic development specialist Kathryn Dodge said the workshops will provide guidance to small business owners interested in starting or expanding their businesses. Participants may attend one or all of the workshops. Topics include:

— Creating a one-page business model canvas, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 12

Anyone who wishes to connect by desktop may contact Dodge at 907-474-6497 or kdodge@alaska.edu.

Each class costs $25. Register online at http://bit.ly/ces-workshops. See details about the classes at www.uaf.edu/ces.

What’s new in your business?

Have you opened a new business, moved to a new location, hired a new person or promoted an employee?

Send us your information at news@peninsulaclarion.com, fax it to 907-283-3299, or drop it by the Clarion at 150 Trading Bay in Kenai.

Questions? Call 907-335-1251.

Business announcements may be submitted to news@peninsulaclarion.com. Items should be submitted by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication.