U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

An Oregon man accused of distributing drugs after a series of overdoses in Unalaska in 2019 has died in prison.

Federal inmate Chopper Ellingsworth was pronounced dead at the Anchorage Correctional Complex last week, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Corrections. His death is the second death to take place in DOC custody this year.

Unalaska's post office is back to full service.

This change comes almost two years after the U.S. Postal Service cut hours at the Unalaska branch due to "staffing shortages" and "reduced customer numbers."

Having hired new staff, post office officials say counter service is open for normal operations and package pickup Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for an employee lunch break from 11 a.m. to noon.

The Unalaska post office is flying a new American flag, just days after its original red, white, and blue banner was stolen.

Postmaster Jamesa Marino-Tickle said the replacement was hoisted Friday, thanks to a donation from Mayor Frank Kelty.

"We've had so much positive feedback and support from the community," she said, in response to the theft.

Unalaska's postmaster is pleading for the return of an American flag that has disappeared from its pole outside the Unalaska post office.

"On Monday night, somebody stole it," said Postmaster Jamesa Marino-Tickle. "They cut the rope and they stole the flag."

The 4-by-10-foot flag was only hoisted last month, after its broken pole stood bare for more than a decade. Marino-Tickle said the post office worked with the city to repair it in time for Memorial Day.