Iris Samuels has provided Alaska with an example what great local journalism is all about. Until I read this article, I was unaware of her contributions to the Kodiak Daily Mirror. Kodiak is a microcosm of what Alaska in general is about. She has contributed greatly to this small town on a big island in an area governed by the weather.

Iris has since moved on to the Anchorage Daily News, where she continues to provide Alaskans with informative and powerful journalism. She has become a leading reporter on state government and special projects of interest in our far north state. She continues to make a positive impact with her writing, now in Alaska’s largest city. We hope she will stay and not move on to more prestigious venues.

Barry Santana
Wasilla, Alaska