FAIRBANKS — Visitors are at the door of Linda Cook’s two-story home north of Fairbanks, which means a riot has suddenly erupted inside.

A dozen or more small dogs appear, greeting newcomers as a whirling, yelping mass of fur, tongues and tails. Sahara, a brawny mastiff the size of a small steer, lopes behind them with a laid-back amble. Still more dogs sit in kennels on the perimeter of the room, while other canines quietly watch the spectacle while lounging on dog beds or mattresses.

FAIRBANKS — An administrative law judge is backing a move to stop automatic distribution of residential phone books to Alaska households, generally agreeing with the argument that the directories have become less necessary in a new era of phone service.

FAIRBANKS — The Denali Fault earthquake only rumbled for about 3 minutes when it shook Interior Alaska a decade ago, but some of the reverberations of that powerful seismic event are still being felt today.

The 7.9 magnitude quake, which rattled the area Nov. 3, 2002, has been the subject of research and fascination since. Scientific studies of the quake, whose epicenter was about 90 miles south of Fairbanks, spawned new national standards for building bridges and are providing a deeper understanding of how earthquakes affect frozen ground.

FAIRBANKS — Stacey Garbett’s experience in interior design is pretty modest — a new shower curtain here, a throw pillow there. But her efforts have made a big difference for a handful of Fort Wainwright soldiers.

The 18-year-old University of Alaska Fairbanks freshman helped turn a pair of suites on post this summer into more comfortable accommodations for wounded soldiers returning home. The effort, which started as a Girl Scout project, has won praise from soldiers and earned her a scholarship from a statewide program that recognizes outstanding youths.