Jake Dye

@jakecdye.bsky.social

504 Followers 480 Following

Freelance News Reporter in Kenai, Alaska. Previously at the Peninsula Clarion, and published by KDLL 91.9, Homer News, Juneau Empire, Chilkat Valley News, Wrangell Sentinel, Homer Independent Press and Juneau Independent. jakecdye@gmail.com | he/him

Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey
Dozens (!) of people gather in a classroom Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Kenai Peninsula College’s Kachemak Bay Campus in Homer, Alaska, to chat nonprofit news.
The top story of the Juneau Empire today is “2.1% pay raise for Central Okanagan school trustees adopted”
Gavel Alaska is on TV, though at ease (surprise) and Jake is booting up Pokemon Pokopia on his Nintendo Switch 2
KDLL board member Mitch Michaud awaits your call with a table full of snacks.
Bafflingly, there is snowfall photographed near Soldotna in May 2026
In a screenshot from KDLL’s newsletter, Jake is announced as doing part-time reporting for KDLL 91.9 FM this summer
More than 50 people work together to perform a traditional blanket toss during the Kahtnuht’ana Hey Chi’ula Native Youth Olympics Invitational at Skyview Middle School near Soldotna, Alaska, on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake holds his five (!) Alaska Press Club awards at 49th State Brewing in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
Artemis II parachutes down towards the Pacific Ocean in a livestream by NASA.
The Alaska House of Representatives meets on Friday evening, as seen on a broadcast by Gavel Alaska
A computer screen shows livestreams of both NASA’s Artemis II and a House Floor Session of the Alaska Legislature.
The Huntr/x Meal™️ from McDonalds rests on the carpet of the Kenai Cinema
Ponies on parade
Hockey players play hockey
Chairs are filled and questions are asked in a presentation on Alaska newspapers by Larry Persily on Feb. 24, 2026.
Larry Persily, owner of the Wrangell Sentinel and President of the Alaska News Coalition, indicates the outlook for print journalism in Alaska and beyond with a thumbs-down.
Former Clarion Sports Editor Jeff Helminiak’s office features chunks of ceiling tile on the floor, buckets and mops ready to catch leaking water
Wikipedia’s new year in review feature says he spent 14,000 minutes reading 3,100 articles in 2025.
Breakfast at the Sandpiper Cafe
Juneau streets
Whale statue under cloudy skies
Jake’s Apple Replay has mxmtoon, Taylor Swift and Carly Rae Jepsen in the top artist slots; Look Up from the Superman score, rain by mxmtoon and What it Sounds Like from Kpop Demon Hunters in the top song slots; and Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion, the Kpop Demon Hunters album and the TRON: Ares score in the top albums slots.
Jake’s view on an early morning Grant Aviation flight includes the pilot and some control panels as well as the open sky
A Facebook post from KDLL 91.9 FM reads “It’s early o’ clock on a Saturday morning but it’s still a beautiful day to support your local non-profit public radio station! It’s day 3 of our fall membership drive and we’re still working to make up as much as we can of the loss of $140,000 in federal funding this year. You can donate by calling 907-513-1996 or visiting kdll.org to help us keep local programming and local news on the air! Right now, your donation can go even farther, because we’re looking for 8 public radio heroes to take advantage of a donation challenger from our favorite donor, A. Nonymous, who wants to match the first 8 people who donate $500 with another $500. Double your money by calling 907-513-1996!” There’s also a fun photo of KDLL board president Shaylon Cochran with a cup of coffee and a microphone.
Abby the Dog snoozes on the KDLL Studio Couch.
Fuller Lake is full on a clear day near Cooper Landing, Alaska, on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025.
Sound Publishing says that they accept Jake’s resignation effective on Oct. 13
Jake attempts to log into his work email but an error message reads “Your password was changed less than an hour ago”
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."
Rep. Sarah Vance writes on Facebook: “A RESPECTFUL THANK YOU Thank you to the owners of Homer News and Carpenter Media for their thoughtful and professional response to my concerns about biased reporting. (We have had a respectful email exchange) Revising and republishing the article in a more balanced and objective manner shows a real commitment to journalistic integrity. I deeply appreciate their willingness to listen and improve, which reflects respect for the community and dedication to fair, unbiased reporting. 👏🏼Please join me in thanking Homer News for these positive changes and supporting their ongoing efforts. Let’s encourage them to make unbiased journalism a lasting standard for our local paper. #homernews #TruthMatters #TPUSA #charliekirk”
A copy of “How Media Ownership Matters” by Rodney Benson, Mattias Hessérus, Timothy Neff and Julie Sedel, published by Oxford University Press in April 2025, rests on a desk near Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
"Homer holds vigil for Charlie Kirk; highlights opening of local Turning Point Education private school" by Chloe Pleznac. The full body of the text is too large for alt text, but the paragraphs that seem to be targeted by Vance are "Kirk was a far-right political activist and Christian-Nationalist icon. He regularly toured college campuses across the country, engaging college students in debates where he defended his often racist and controversial views, including criticism of the Civil Rights Act and the work of Martin Luther King Jr., opposition to gun control and affirmative action, and his perpetuation of conspiracy theories, including COVID-19 and climate misinformation, as well as replacement theory. Kirk became civically engaged while still in high school, making his first appearance on Fox News at the age of 17 and co-founding Turning Point USA at 18, after dropping out of college. Turning Point produces resources for conservative students, including Professor Watchlist, a website created to “expose and document college professors who discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom,” and Turning Point Education, which supports a network of schools across the country that promote conservative, Christian values."
Dear Mr. Carr, I am writing to express my outrage over the article “Homer holds vigil for Charlie Kirk” published in the Homer News on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. This piece is not journalism, but rather it is hate-baiting at its worst. Instead of honoring a community grieving the violent murder of a national figure, the article weaponized inflammatory labels and partisan rhetoric, turning a solemn vigil into an excuse for ideological attacks. From the opening paragraphs, reporter Chloe Pleznac branded Charlie Kirk with prejudicial labels such as “far-right” and “Christian-Nationalist icon,” while smearing his views as “racist,” “controversial,” and “conspiracy theories.” These are not facts, they are editorial judgments and political talking points. If the intent was to write an opinion piece, it should have been clearly marked as such. What is most disturbing is how this writing buried the true story: that hundreds of Alaskans gathered to mourn a man who inspired tens of thousands of students nationwide and whose life has been formally recognized by the U.S. Senate with a National Day of Remembrance. That meaningful context was deliberately sidelined in favor of character assassination. And let me be clear, this is not an isolated lapse. The historic bias of the Homer News is widely recognized in the community, and this article represents the peak of a long-standing pattern of left-wing slant. This is not simply one story or one reporter that is to blame, rather it reflects a deeper editorial culture that has eroded public trust in your publication for years. Because of this ongoing bias, I am fully aware of a growing movement to boycott Homer News advertising. Local businesses are openly discussing pulling their dollars, and many readers are ready to walk away altogether. If the paper continues to treat community events as opportunities for partisan spin, the consequence will be financial as well as reputational.
Diamond Dance Project perform “Soda Pop” at the Harvest Moon Local Food Festival at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.
Norman the orange cat/menace to civil society takes a Friday afternoon nap on Sept. 19, 2025, near Soldotna, Alaska.
A presumably delicious six inch tuna sandwich from Subway sits tuna-side down on the floor of Jake’s Indomitable Toyota 4Runner near Kenai, Alaska, on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025.
Jake’s weekly On the Screen film column features “KPop Demon Hunters” in the Aug. 22 print edition of the Peninsula Clarion
KDLL forums Aug. 21 — Assembly, Kalifornsky seat, at the Soldotna Public Library Aug. 28 — Assembly, Sterling/Funny River seat, at the Soldotna Public Library Sept. 4 — Kenai City Council, at the Kenai Community Library Sept. 10 — Assembly, Soldotna, at the Soldotna Public Library Sept. 17 — School board, Kalifornsky seat, at the Soldotna Public Library Sept. 25 — Assembly, Central and Nikiski seats, at the Soldotna Public Library KBBI forums Sept. 11 — Seward mayoral candidates, at the Seward Community Library Sept. 18 — School board, south and east pen seats, at the Homer Public Library Sept. 24 — Homer City Council, at the Homer Public Library Sept. 29 — Seward City Council, at the Seward Community Library Note: The Sept. 29 forum will be held from 5-6 p.m., while all other forums are 6-7 p.m.
Children and families tour the Soldotna Field House during its grand opening in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Protesters in support of Ukraine line the Sterling Highway in Soldotna, Alaska, on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A letter from Jake’s editor, dated Aug. 6, 2025, says that he is employed by the Peninsula Clarion.
Gary Hollier and other east side setnetters offload sockeye salmon on a beach in Kalifornsky, Alaska, on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake stands with what is embarrassingly the first salmon he’s ever caught in 28 years of living on the Kenai Peninsula, on the bank of the Kenai River near Soldotna, Alaska, on July 26, 2025.
Children take candy from a resident of Heritage Place during the 68th Annual Soldotna Progress Days Parade in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, July 26, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A large truck is filled with armor rock from Sand Point on a barge floating in the Kenai River.
A handful of fishers stand with dipnets in the water during the first high tide of the 2025 Kasilof River personal use dipnet sockeye salmon fishery.
A sunset can be seen over Kachemak Bay from the Homer Spit
In a screenshot from the French neo-noir film “Alphaville,” Secret Agent Lenny Caution is accosted by a scientist after taking a picture. Caution says ‘Ever noticed that “journalist” starts with a “J,” like “justice”?’ Moments before pulling a gun.
An 18-year-old Jake takes a selfie with the Kenai Central High School class of 2015. The whole photo is hella washed out.
Jake’s Letterboxd diary, showing Thursday through Sunday, May 1-4, includes Thunderbolts*, Yojimbo, Sinners, Tron, A Fistful of Dollars, The Killing and Tron: Legacy in that order.
Awards earned by Peninsula Clarion and Homer News writers Delcenia Cosman, Jake Dye, Jeff Helminiak and Nick Varney are displayed on a couch near Soldotna, Alaska, on Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Conference essentials, like coffee and a name tag, are seen on a table at the University of Alaska Anchorage on Friday, April 11, 2025.
Despite springtime vibes only 48 hours prior, a winter wonderland is photographed near Soldotna on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Protesters stand along the Sterling Highway in Soldotna, Alaska, participating in the "Remove, Reverse, Reclaim" protest organized by Many Voices and Kenai Peninsula Protests as part of the nationwide 50501 effort on Saturday, April 5, 2025.
People carrying signs march along the side of the Sterling Highway in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, April 5, 2025.
The homepage of The Northern Light’s website features six different stories about the diversity and inclusivity change at University of Alaska Anchorage on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Board of Education meets at Homer High School in Homer, Alaska, on Monday, March 3, 2025.
Jake stands with his fiancée (!) on a boardwalk outside of Anchorage, Alaska, on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
A corgi lays on her back and looks at the camera like a goofball