Jake Dye
@jakecdye.bsky.social
Freelance News Reporter in Kenai, Alaska.
Previously senior news reporter at the Peninsula Clarion, with work published in the Homer News, Juneau Empire, Chilkat Valley News, Wrangell Sentinel and Juneau Independent.
[email protected]
Previously senior news reporter at the Peninsula Clarion, with work published in the Homer News, Juneau Empire, Chilkat Valley News, Wrangell Sentinel and Juneau Independent.
[email protected]
Dreaming of a better future for Alaska journalism; haunted by visions of the newsroom I gave years of my life to in ruins
January 13, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Dreaming of a better future for Alaska journalism; haunted by visions of the newsroom I gave years of my life to in ruins
Finally a wrapped I can be proud of.
December 8, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Finally a wrapped I can be proud of.
Major caveat that I’ve only seen downtown and have neither time or money to see anything else but I’m a sicko for a walkable space.
December 5, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Major caveat that I’ve only seen downtown and have neither time or money to see anything else but I’m a sicko for a walkable space.
Main takeaway from one week in Juneau is that Juneau is pretty cool
December 5, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Main takeaway from one week in Juneau is that Juneau is pretty cool
Didn’t listen to a ton of new music this year and I should fix that in 2026! It’s fitting, though, that mxmtoon is my top artist of the year since I got to see her live in March and she was incredible.
December 3, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Didn’t listen to a ton of new music this year and I should fix that in 2026! It’s fitting, though, that mxmtoon is my top artist of the year since I got to see her live in March and she was incredible.
En route to Juneau (my first time!) for training in my new day job as a field information officer at the Kenai Legislative Information Office.
I have a list of coffee shops and book stores to check out while I’m in town but I’m soooo open to recs!
I have a list of coffee shops and book stores to check out while I’m in town but I’m soooo open to recs!
December 1, 2025 at 4:35 PM
En route to Juneau (my first time!) for training in my new day job as a field information officer at the Kenai Legislative Information Office.
I have a list of coffee shops and book stores to check out while I’m in town but I’m soooo open to recs!
I have a list of coffee shops and book stores to check out while I’m in town but I’m soooo open to recs!
I’m working the phones for KDLL’s fall membership drive this morning! Call 907-513-1996 and support local news on the Kenai Peninsula!
October 11, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I’m working the phones for KDLL’s fall membership drive this morning! Call 907-513-1996 and support local news on the Kenai Peninsula!
Also the phones clearly aren’t ringing here at the KDLL studio often enough cause my best friend Abby is asleep. WAKE HER UP by calling 907-513-1996 and making a contribution now.
October 10, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Also the phones clearly aren’t ringing here at the KDLL studio often enough cause my best friend Abby is asleep. WAKE HER UP by calling 907-513-1996 and making a contribution now.
Is this what people without jobs do? Because otherwise it’s just been lots of Star Trek.
October 3, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Is this what people without jobs do? Because otherwise it’s just been lots of Star Trek.
Not quite, they’re sticking to our planned last day:
October 2, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Not quite, they’re sticking to our planned last day:
So much for working a final two weeks in good faith, we’ve all already been locked out of our email accounts.
September 30, 2025 at 2:50 AM
So much for working a final two weeks in good faith, we’ve all already been locked out of our email accounts.
Editors and reporters of the Homer News and Peninsula Clarion submitted their notices of resignation today, after management from Carpenter Media Group made changes to a published story last week in response to intimidation from a state lawmaker and without input from our newsrooms.
#aknews
#aknews
![The first page of a resignation letter by Regional Editor Erin Thompson, Sports Editor Jeff Helminiak and reporters Chloe Pleznac and Jake Dye.
[Excerpt because the letter is too long to include in full]
"Vance also said in the letter that she was “fully aware” of an effort to boycott Homer News advertising — stating that the paper would experience financial and reputational harm if it did not change its approach to covering community events. Rep. Vance never contacted the Homer News editorial team to discuss her concerns.
Without consulting the editor of the Homer News or the reporter who wrote the story, Carpenter Media removed the original article from the Homer News website, only to republish a modified version several hours later that reflected the changes demanded by Rep. Vance.
In the modified version republished by Carpenter management, there was no note to indicate the article had been changed.
We want to be clear: We have no problem with Rep. Vance expressing her opinion of our coverage. We cover difficult and sometimes controversial topics. Respectful dialogue about that coverage is welcome. As a community newspaper, we regularly provide Rep. Vance with a forum to discuss her views.
What we do have a problem with is Carpenter Media management changing a story at the behest of an elected official. We believe this destroys the credibility the public has placed in us as reporters and editors.
This willingness to acquiesce to a public official’s editorial demands and have conversations with her about the direction of our coverage is a betrayal not just of the journalists who work for Carpenter Media, but of the company’s integrity as a purveyor of news."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:xgdov2xhtzjkjzi7niusqdmv/bafkreiemz3ncgw7xq3277rps363kwbxhcfyknnnay2gycel3nekacpf5sm@jpeg)
![The second page of a resignation letter by Regional Editor Erin Thompson, Sports Editor Jeff Helminiak and reporters Chloe Pleznac and Jake Dye.
[Excerpt because the letter is too long to include in full]
These actions were taken despite there being no immediate urgency to remove the content — Rep. Vance's criticisms were raised regarding what she perceived as political bias, not factual inaccuracy.
Despite requests, we have not been informed of the content of dialogue between Rep. Vance and Carpenter Media management. In discussion with management our editor was told that the article did not meet their editorial standards and that the editing and reporting was “juvenile.”
We cannot live up to the core responsibility of a community newspaper in such an environment. We, employees of both the Homer News and Peninsula Clarion, are resigning our positions, effective Oct. 13, 2025.
Leaving these newspapers, at which we have spent a combined four decades, is not a decision we make lightly. We are proud of the work that we do covering local government as well as the arts, food, history, outdoors and sports. Though this decision is extremely painful for all of us, it is not difficult. We cannot do our jobs knowing that pressure from an elected official can mean our stories are edited without prior consultation with us.
Because we care deeply about the work we do and what it means to the community, we are all giving the standard two weeks’ notice instead of resigning outright. We hope Carpenter Media takes the opportunity to get personnel in place to continue the legacies of the Peninsula Clarion and Homer News. We hope this incident provides incentive for Carpenter Media to handle threats from officials in a way that safeguards the valued trust that readers have in newspapers.
The community deserves it."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:xgdov2xhtzjkjzi7niusqdmv/bafkreiaejzvjz2aomn6hwgikpev4qrxfldq6bfnbk3qclyzqminsrli7da@jpeg)
September 30, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Editors and reporters of the Homer News and Peninsula Clarion submitted their notices of resignation today, after management from Carpenter Media Group made changes to a published story last week in response to intimidation from a state lawmaker and without input from our newsrooms.
#aknews
#aknews
Rep. Sarah Vance this morning taking a victory lap for her successful intimidation of the free press.
September 26, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Rep. Sarah Vance this morning taking a victory lap for her successful intimidation of the free press.
Moving this up in my tbr this week just for no specific reason at all.
September 26, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Moving this up in my tbr this week just for no specific reason at all.
And here's a screenshot of the story as it appears in today's edition of the Homer News (though the story is too long to include fully as alt text)
September 25, 2025 at 8:26 PM
And here's a screenshot of the story as it appears in today's edition of the Homer News (though the story is too long to include fully as alt text)
Here's her letter in its entirety (with alt text)
September 25, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Here's her letter in its entirety (with alt text)
If you saw me running across Soldotna Creek Park to catch the very cool Diamond Dance Project perform “Soda Pop” from “KPop Demon Hunters” at the Harvest Moon Local Food Festival no you didn’t.
September 21, 2025 at 12:20 AM
If you saw me running across Soldotna Creek Park to catch the very cool Diamond Dance Project perform “Soda Pop” from “KPop Demon Hunters” at the Harvest Moon Local Food Festival no you didn’t.
Who could go outside to cover a food bank fundraiser when this sweet summer child is right here?
September 19, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Who could go outside to cover a food bank fundraiser when this sweet summer child is right here?
Crashed out about my declining employment prospects today and I’m not saying it’s because I dropped my sandwich but that didn’t help.
September 19, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Crashed out about my declining employment prospects today and I’m not saying it’s because I dropped my sandwich but that didn’t help.
KPop Demon Hunters in my hometown newspaper? It’s more likely than you think.
August 22, 2025 at 9:18 PM
KPop Demon Hunters in my hometown newspaper? It’s more likely than you think.
Beyond thrilled to be teaming with @a-ohara.bsky.social, as well as KDLL, KBBI and The Seward Folly for another year of live, in-person forums with candidates for local office! Join us at the library; tune in live on the radio; or check out a livestream on the Clarion’s Facebook page!
#aknews
#aknews
August 21, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Beyond thrilled to be teaming with @a-ohara.bsky.social, as well as KDLL, KBBI and The Seward Folly for another year of live, in-person forums with candidates for local office! Join us at the library; tune in live on the radio; or check out a livestream on the Clarion’s Facebook page!
#aknews
#aknews
They can fit a whole lotta sports in the Soldotna Field House.
August 16, 2025 at 11:11 PM
They can fit a whole lotta sports in the Soldotna Field House.
More than 100 protesters in Soldotna tonight in support of Ukraine, including one man who told me Trump and Putin's meeting had been a "nothing burger."
August 16, 2025 at 3:05 AM
More than 100 protesters in Soldotna tonight in support of Ukraine, including one man who told me Trump and Putin's meeting had been a "nothing burger."
I’ve never interacted with anyone at the federal level before, not even Alaska’s federal lawmakers, but I thought it was strange that RFK’s security team said they were “requiring” us to bring “letters of introduction” to the press conference in Kenai today. They didn’t even look at them.
August 7, 2025 at 9:47 PM
I’ve never interacted with anyone at the federal level before, not even Alaska’s federal lawmakers, but I thought it was strange that RFK’s security team said they were “requiring” us to bring “letters of introduction” to the press conference in Kenai today. They didn’t even look at them.