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Calista Corp. sells five ANI publications

August 5th 7:07 pm | Alaska Newspapers Staff Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

Calista Corp. announced Aug. 5 the sale of three weekly newspapers and two specialty shoppers, effective in late August, to Jason Evans and Kiana Peacock.

The sale includes The Arctic Sounder, The Dutch Harbor Fisherman and The Bristol Bay Times, plus The Equipment Shopper and The Bush Shopper.

Evans, an Inupiat born and raised in Nome, is vice president of consulting for Alaska Growth Co., and owner of Financial Alaska. A graduate of Alaska Pacific University, he is a board member of Alaska Community Foundation, chairman of Sitnasuak Native Corp., a board member of Bering Straits Native Corp., a community advisory member of KNBA Radio, and a former board member for Ryan Air, the Salvation Army and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska.

Peacock, his spouse, born and raised in Kotzebue, works for Alaska Airlines and holds a bachelor's degree from Notre Dame University. She is the president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 601, and also serves as chief shop steward for employees of Alaska Airlines.

Margaret Nelson, senior vice president of Calista Corp., said that the Native regional firm "has been honored for the past 19 years to have provided a voice to communities across Alaska, many of which are hundreds or thousands of miles off the road system.

"We look forward to Evans and Peacock continuing that tradition," she said.

"I am very proud to be an owner of my local hometown paper and excited to be a part of its new life," Peacock said.

"It is important to ensure the stories and experiences of our communities are shared," Evans said. "The next few weeks will be spent evaluating the publications. We hope to announce soon afterward the expected publication dates."

Nelson said management and employees of ANI had made great strides to make the subsidiary profitable over the past few years, but that increasing costs of fuel, paper and print technology prevented the subsidiary from contributing to Calista's long-term financial interests and service to shareholders.

The Calista board of directors voted at its quarterly meeting on July 22 to shut down and liquidate ANI at the end of August.

 

Alaska Newspapers Staff can be reached at editor@alaskanewspapers.com, or by phone at 907-348-2449

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