Local News

On July 9, Alaska celebrated its state Flag Day. In 1959, Alaska was the second-to-last state to join the Union, and while the territory of Alaska didn't become a state until almost 1960, the flag itself has been around for nearly 100 years.

Benny Benson, an Alaska Native designed the flag in 1927. He was born in Chignik and lived at the Jesse Lee Home—a former Methodist orphanage and boarding school—in Unalaska, until he moved, along with the home, to Seward in 1925, according to historian Ray Hudson. 

Since mid-March, Unalaskans have been hunkering down and socially isolating due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time—and even now as the State of Alaska reopens—many people have been avoiding crowds and public spaces such as bars, restaurants, and supermarkets—and spending more time in their own kitchens.

Over the past couple months, I have been putting together an Unalaska quarantine kitchen cookbook—sitting down with a few locals to hear about what kind of experiments, recipes, and memories they've been cooking up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As many Alaska cities cancelled official Fourth of July events to minimize the spread of COVID-19, Unalaska was one of few communities who gathered for a city-sponsored event this year. 

And while some of the usual events, such as the hot dog eating contest had been cancelled, hundreds of Unalaskans—wearing face masks—lined the streets downtown on Saturday.