A Wasilla man is accused of selling a teenage girl fentanyl and then abandoning her on a snowy trail in the middle of the night after she overdosed Sean Mobley, 45, was arrested Wednesday on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and first-degree misconduct involving controlled substances in the November death of 16-year-old Alena Toennis, troopers said in a statement. “A thorough investigation by the Alaska Bureau of Investigation determined that Mobley provided fentanyl to Toennis before he abandoned her on a Wasilla trail as she was experiencing an overdose,” troopers said in the statement “She ultimately died as a result of the overdose from the fentanyl that Mobley provided her.” Troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel said Friday that Mobley’s arrest followed months of effort by half a dozen AST units all of which took solving Toennis’ death seriously “Anyone that is trafficking dangerous drugs in our state one of the dozens of Alaska State Troopers that are dedicated to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking operations are going to catch up to you,” McDaniel said “And we're going to hold you accountable for the destruction that you're causing in our state.” RELATED: Fairbanks man's fatal fentanyl overdose leads to life sentence for California dealer with federal prosecutors saying fentanyl can cost $100 to $200 a pill by the time it reaches rural communities like Dillingham or Savoonga troopers said they received word shortly before 7:30 a.m 15 that Toennis’ body had been found along an ATV trail near Grumman Circle and Sierra Street not typical clothing for the weather,” prosecutors said No obvious injuries were found on Toennis’ body The state medical examiner’s office determined that she was killed by toxic effects from meth and carfentanil – a fentanyl derivative typically used as a veterinary tranquilizer – with hypothermia as a contributing condition was found in her clothes during her autopsy troopers learned that Toennis had bought meth the previous evening Mobley had allegedly sold fentanyl to a man then took a call from Toennis asking to buy some as well The two arranged to meet in the parking lot of a nearby business Just after Toennis got into Mobley’s pickup truck and the vehicle drove off an associate of Mobley’s learned that the first fentanyl buyer had overdosed The associate visited the man to administer Narcan then contacted Mobley and told him not to give any of the drug to Toennis Prosecutors said Mobley told troopers that he was with Toennis for about 30 minutes and that she didn’t use any drugs before she got out of his truck and into another man’s car But troopers said data from Mobley and Toennis’ cellphones “Mobley’s cellphone and vehicle were in the area of (Toennis’) body in her final minutes alive with indications she was alive when left on the trail in the snow which troopers estimate was between 11/14/2024 at 2355 hours and 11/15/2024 at 0013 hours ,” prosecutors wrote McDaniel declined to say Friday whether additional charges in the case were pending against Mobley or any other suspects He underscored how potent and dangerous fentanyl is “There's no such thing as a good batch of fentanyl,” he said “There's no such thing as a good batch of meth good batch of heroin or good batch of carfentanil Troopers’ first statement on Toennis’ death described it as suspicious In a series of subsequent updates over the winter they requested more information from the public Alaska’s News Source reported that Toennis’ aunt and uncle said the teenager had long struggled with drug addiction and mental health issues and they struggled to find her the adequate help she needed “I feel like the system failed her,” her aunt told the TV station “I would say there needs to be more mental health facilities for youth that are struggling Mobley was being held Friday at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility 2025Alena Toennis (Photo provided by Crystal Drake Toennis) PALMER — A Wasilla man was arrested this week on charges he abandoned a 16-year-old girl on a snowy ATV trail in November after she overdosed on a powerful opioid he gave her according to charging documents filed Thursday The body of Alena Toennis was found the next morning on the trail behind a storage company off Seldon Road near Wasilla was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree murder manslaughter and a felony drug charge for providing Toennis with the fentanyl that killed her according to Alaska State Troopers and an informational document filed with charges on Thursday The last charge also reflects Mobley “knowingly delivering” drugs to someone under 19 Someone passing by found Toennis’ body on the trail. She was dressed in pink shorts, a crop-top and a light jacket, according to a summary of a troopers report included with charges. Troopers said there was no sign of trauma on her body Mobley knew the batch of drugs he gave Toennis had just caused another person to overdose that night, according to the report summary. Toennis’ family urged the public to come forward with information in the aftermath of her death, which left them with more questions than answers. The family at the time posted a widely viewed message on social media asking for any additional information “regarding her last moments. Who she was with, what car was she in, any others involved? Was there any suspicious activity in that area?” “Please help my family get closure on this horrible situation,” her aunt, Crystal Drake Toennis, posted. Investigators learned that Alena Toennis was riding around with a friend the night of Nov. 14 looking for drugs and bought methamphetamine, according to the report summary. Then she called Mobley and met him at a gas station on Church and Seldon roads, the summary said. Mobley had already sold another person what the report described as powdered fentanyl, it said. That person overdosed to the point he received Narcan, according to the summary. A person with him messaged Mobley about the overdose and warned him “not to give any” to Toennis, it said. Mobley told investigators Toennis got into a car with somebody else and he didn’t see her use any drugs, according to the summary. But cellphone data and surveillance video showed he was in the area of her body “in her final minutes alive,” it said, “with indications she was alive when left on the trail in the snow.” Palmer Superior Court Judge Jonathan Woodman set Mobley’s bail at $750,000 cash during a hearing in Palmer on Thursday. He was being held at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility as of Thursday evening. Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com. Opens in new windowADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTMost read by subscribers1 Search Tip: Use quotes to find results containing your phrase The Soldotna baseball team defeated Homer 17-7 in five innings Monday in… Continue reading The Soldotna girls and boys track and field teams swept the 21-team… Continue reading The visiting Homer softball team split a pair of Northern Lights Conference… Continue reading The Kenai Central girls and Soldotna boys won matches against their Peninsula… Continue reading The visiting Soldotna baseball team defeated Grace Christian 16-1 in five innings… Continue reading The visiting Soldotna softball team swept Redington by scores of 14-2 and… Continue reading The visiting Kenai Central baseball team toppled Redington 15-2 in five innings… Continue reading The host Homer boys soccer team defeated Nikiski 15-0 on Friday in… Continue reading A pair of athletes from Top of the World Swimming, the area… Continue reading The Kenai boys soccer team defeated Nikiski 13-0 on Tuesday in Peninsula… The Soldotna girls and boys track and field teams swept the 21-team… The visiting Soldotna softball team swept Redington by scores of 14-2 and… The Kenai Central girls and Soldotna boys won matches against their Peninsula… The visiting Soldotna baseball team defeated Wasilla 8-5 on Thursday in nonconference… The visiting Kenai Central softball team swept a pair of Northern Lights… The host Homer boys soccer team defeated Nikiski 15-0 on Friday in… organized by the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce Colony swept the Wasilla Track and Field Invite on Friday and Saturday with the Homer girls and boys both finishing… The Ketchikan boys won the Kenai Invitational Cup and the Wasilla girls won the Homer Soccer Tourney to headline soccer… (Zaz Hollander / ADN) A group of young people at a Wasilla showing of “A Minecraft Movie” last week created such a disruption that police arrived and escorted them out Screenings of the movie, which premiered Friday, are leading to national reports of disruptive behavior attributed to a social media trend that’s prompted other police responses A brief TikTok video showing Wasilla Police Department officers at The Valley Cinema screening last Friday had 4.4 million views as of Tuesday morning The video shows two officers standing in front of the movie as the theater lights come up “The guys in the back that body-slammed an employee .. all of you guys are not welcome here any more.” The video also shows blurry images of a crowd milling around outside a theater as well as teens complaining as they walk out A Wasilla police spokeswoman this week said the incident occurred around 9 p.m Five officers responded to a call from the theater manager according to police spokeswoman Amanda Graham The manager said a large group of teenagers was being “rowdy,” Graham said Tuesday “And then they requested that we escort them out.” She said officers in a report described about 15 young people involved Asked for any specifics regarding an employee getting body-slammed Graham said no charges were filed and all of the theater employees said they were “satisfied that everything was taken care of.” as well as the owner of the chain that owns the theater couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Tuesday The movie — based on Minecraft, the best-selling video game in history — stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa. One scene in particular, involving Black and Momoa in a boxing ring with a Minecraft chicken ridden by another character, is generating wild audience reactions. The “chicken jockey” scenes shared on social media show largely young audiences erupting in screams Reports of trouble at movie screenings have surfaced around the country and in Canada. According to the Independent at least one UK cinema issued a warning that or after a screening will not be tolerated.” An Anchorage Police Department spokesman said he hadn’t heard any reports of calls to theaters in the municipality for disruptive behavior at “A Minecraft Movie” showings this week the theater manager’s call prompted a large response All officers on duty at the time came to the theater That decision was prompted by the number of teens involved as well as a fatal stabbing that occurred at the same theater nearly a year ago Police at the time said a teenager was killed during a fight at the theater involving multiple teens in April 2024 “With a group that size you want to make sure,” Graham said of the five-officer response last Friday night Another teen was arrested in relation to what police called a homicide in the days following the stabbing. That case was prosecuted within the juvenile justice system because the suspect was under 16. Graham on Tuesday said issues involving teens in the community seem to occur whenever groups of young people gather in the same place, rather than at any one place in particular like the theater. She urged parents to talk with teens about their behavior and “making good choices and being the one in the group that encourages others to make good choices as well.” A Wasilla man was shot and killed by a local police officer after he opened fire on the officer’s vehicle with an assault rifle The man – 34-year-old Brett George – died at the scene, according to a trooper report. Troopers say the incident began just after 10 p.m when they received a call about a domestic disturbance involving a weapon in Wasilla’s Settlers Bay area George allegedly threatened two of his adult relatives with a weapon the relatives were able to escape the home and leave the area Troopers say George then “put on body armor Wasilla police pulled George’s vehicle over “At the intersection of Knik Goose Bay Road and Settlers Bay Drive George exited his vehicle and fired the assault rifle at the fully marked Wasilla police car,” troopers said and his body has been sent to the state medical examiner’s office The Alaska Bureau of Investigation is examining the shooting the state Office of Special Prosecutions will review it as well Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInANCHORAGE Alaska (KTUU) - In an update on the case of a teenage girl who was found dead on a powerline trail in Wasilla on Nov Alaska State Troopers arrested a Wasilla man on murder charges Wednesday has been charged with second-degree murder and first-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance in relation to the death of 16-year-old Alena Toennis According to an AST dispatch the Alaska Bureau of Investigation determined that “Mobley provided fentanyl to Toennis before he abandoned her on a Wasilla trail as she was experiencing an overdose.” AST said she died as a result of an overdose from the fentanyl Mobley gave her He has been remanded to Mat-Su Pretrial facility Updates will be made as they become available troopers identified the teen as 16-year-old Alena Toennis of Wasilla Troopers say they were alerted to Toennis’ body around 7:20 a.m The Alaska Bureau of Investigation has assumed case responsibility and is investigating this as a suspicious death due to the evidence found at the scene posted on social media saying Alena’s body was found behind a business in the area of Seldon and Bogard Roads A spokesperson for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District confirmed that Toennis was a former student in the district before dropping out last year Her family confirmed the last school she was enrolled in was Mat-Su Central School Alaska’s News Source reached out to Alaska State Troopers but did not receive a response to a request for comment See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com Alaska State Troopers say two brothers got into a fight in Wasilla on Wednesday and tossed each other’s unusual pets into the snow: an alligator and a crocodile According to a trooper report , just after 7 p.m Wednesday troopers received a report of a disturbance from Rickey Lowe at an apartment on Caryshea Street troopers learned that the brothers had “an argument which resulted in a physical altercation.” the 33-year-old brother threw the complainant’s pet alligator outside into the snow,” troopers wrote “The complainant then proceeded to throw the 33-year-old brother’s pet crocodile outside into the snow as well before leaving the scene with his two-year-old child.” According to charging documents against the men a trooper who spoke with Tyler at the apartment found him slurring words and smelling strongly of alcohol while he looked for his $2,000 crocodile “He stated they had been arguing over an anime cartoon and they got into a shoving match,” troopers said in the charges but he was angry and threw Rickey’s pet alligator (valued at $1,500) outside Rickey proceeded to throw his crocodile outside The temperature was approximately 30 degrees and both brothers knew it was too cold for the reptiles to survive outside.” Troopers searched outside for over an hour finding the alligator behind landscaping rocks Despite the use of flashlights and thermal devices who had driven several miles from the apartment with the child after the encounter Troopers said Rickey had scratches on his head when he was found He also allegedly provided a breath sample with nearly twice Alaska’s legal limit of alcohol for driving and admitted to throwing the crocodile outdoors “He admitted to knowing it would die as a result of the cold and AST was unable to locate the crocodile meaning it has died of cold exposure,” troopers wrote in the charges Troopers said both men were arrested for cruelty to animals with Rickey also charged with DUI and endangering the welfare of a child Tyler was also charged with fourth-degree assault Both men were remanded at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility 2025PALMER — A 38-year-old man was shot and killed at a home in the Wasilla area following a string of attempted break-ins on Sunday night Emil Hampton was pronounced dead at a house in Meadow Lakes just west of Wasilla Troopers responded to the area at 10:30 p.m. Sunday for a report “of a suspicious male acting erratically,” they said in an online post the complainant reported that a shot had been fired striking the suspicious male.” Multiple callers reported Hampton “attempting to enter vehicles and buildings on their properties prior to him being shot,” troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain said in an email Tuesday Troopers responded to those calls but Hampton fled before they could contact him Asked if Hampton was shot by a homeowner during an active break-in DeSpain said the circumstances of the shooting are part of the ongoing investigation and everyone involved is cooperating Prosecutors are reviewing the evidence to make a determination as to any charges by | Apr 8, 2025 | Featured, Finance, News The Wasilla branch of Credit Union 1 opened April 4 with a champagne toast and drawing for one lucky member to win a new four-wheeler Credit Union 1 (CU1) officially opened its first Wasilla branch Friday at 290 East Railroad Avenue The building includes upstairs work pods for CU1 employees who don’t have public-facing jobs but need a local office space such as on snowy days when an Anchorage commute isn’t ideal CU1 celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2022 having been established in 1952 as Anchorage Teachers Federal Credit Union Today it serves nearly 100,000 members and has about $1.4 billion in assets It opened a new branch February 14 in Kotzebue inside that community’s new Alaska Commercial Company store CU1 plans to open another branch in Skagway later this month if state and federal industry regulators and credit union members approve the sale of Fairbanks-based MAC Federal Credit Union to CU1 the two credit unions will have more than 112,000 members nineteen locations and $1.9 billion in assets CU1 President and CEO Mark Burgess says it will take up to seven months for the regulatory approval process and member vote to happen CU1 and MAC will work out how to integrate the two credit unions a process that should be completed in 2026 Fairbanks-based MAC already has two locations in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough; it opened a branch on the east side of Wasilla CU1 broke ground on its Wasilla branch in 2023 Burgess says he believes CU1 and MAC have enough Valley members to support all three locations Credit Union 1 President Mark Burgess toasts the opening of the Wasilla Credit Union 1 branch Wasilla Credit Union 1 Branch Manager Karie Tiffany greets those in attendance at the April 4 branch grand opening Burgess thanked those who made it possible from the architects at Spark Design to the builders at Cadence General “Today’s event is special because it’s not just about opening a new branch it’s about celebrating the partnerships and community spirit that made this possible,” Burgess said at the grand opening “Wasilla is a community that embodies growth were available to those in attendance at the Wasilla Credit Union 1 grand opening Wasilla CU1 Branch Manager Karie Tiffany added “Being part of the Credit Union 1 is about more than just offering financial services supporting our neighbors and making a positive impact right here in Wasilla.” CU1 offered birch slabs piled with charcuterie and cake slices from Alaskan Events and Catering along with tiny teddy bears in Mat-Su Valley CU1 mugs A sweepstakes for credit union members to win a 2024 Can-Am Outlander XT 850 four-wheeler is ongoing through April 19 “Here’s to the future of the Wasilla branch May it be a place where connections are made and we look forward to growing together for many years to come.” May 1, 2025 | , , , Mat-Su Health Foundation awards $2.6 million in scholarships for residents pursuing health and human services training and degrees Apr 30, 2025 | , , Vitus family of fuel delivery companies secures $37 million in US Department of Agriculture loans for infrastructure expansion Apr 30, 2025 | , , Homer-based Bay Welding Services’ new 58-foot seiner marks the company’s entry into full-service custom boat building From the Digital Edition Spotlights Finally someone cracked the code on digital jigsaw puzzles Senate Minority Leader Mike Shower (R-Wasilla) explains why he is changing his vote on a compromise education bill during Wednesday’s floor session at the Alaska State Capitol This information comes from the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s 2024 schedule.… Continue reading A museum’s interactive exhibition featuring the works of a range of local… Troopers say an investigation into suspected drug trafficking at the bar involving multiple undercover agents began in August Numerous law enforcement agencies executing a search warrant at the bar on a busy Friday night Nester is accused of selling cocaine to a bar customer Last Friday, troopers said they served another warrant at a home in Meadow Lakes just west of Wasilla and arrested two other men including one who also worked as a bouncer at the bar this time for violating his probation after about an ounce of methamphetamine was found in a honey bucket in a garage where he was staying according to a criminal complaint filed in the case Troopers identified the two men arrested Friday as 40-year-old Wasilla resident Justin Jensen and 29-year-old Wasilla resident Andre Davis Davis was not a current employee at the bar but “did participate in the trafficking of illegal narcotics,” troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel said in an email Monday Jensen and Davis are facing third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance charges The three men arrested Friday were together at the house when troopers and other agencies arrived according to sworn affidavits filed with complaints Jensen sold cocaine to an undercover agent at the bar according to an affidavit filed in the case Davis “regularly purchased drugs” from Nester Two other people named in the new complaints have not been charged at this time the other as the owner of several local businesses More arrests may be made or charges filed as the investigation continues Wasilla junior Katie Jackson drives and passes around Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé seniors Cailynn Baxter and Addison Wilson (10) during the Warriors’ 65-34 win Friday over the Crimson Bears in the George Houston Gymnasium Sometime in April, a friend alerted me to some odd ball-shaped structures… Continue reading 2024A fight between two brothers in an apartment near Wasilla resulted in arrests for both on charges including animal cruelty after each threw the other’s pet reptile out into the snow An alligator was rescued but a crocodile is still missing and presumed dead from exposure, troopers said Thursday. It’s legal in Alaska to keep both alligators and crocodiles as pets though reptile experts say the animals can be difficult to keep as they grow larger Troopers said they responded to a report of a disturbance at an apartment near Wasilla just after 7 p.m drove about 5 miles to his workplace in Wasilla after getting into a shoving match with his 33-year-old brother according to a sworn affidavit filed with charges by troopers Sgt Troopers said interviews with both brothers revealed the chain of events: Tyler Lowe threw his brother’s pet alligator outside into the snow and then Rickey Lowe did the same with his brother’s pet crocodile The alligator was 18 inches long and the crocodile was 2 feet long told troopers the brothers got into a fight and then Tyler Lowe trashed the apartment Tyler Lowe was upset and looking for his crocodile when troopers arrived at the apartment “The temperature was approximately 30 degrees and both brothers knew it was too cold for the reptiles to survive outside,” Sidders wrote Troopers found the alligator behind some landscaping rocks There were several sheds and vehicles we simply weren’t able to get under to look We used flashlights and thermal devices to search the area and spoke to several neighbors Tyler Lowe is facing misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree assault and cruelty to animals Rickey Lowe is facing misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence endangering the welfare of a child and cruelty to animals Both were in custody at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility on Thursday Owning alligators and crocodiles is not as uncommon in Alaska as people might think, said Jonathan Huntington, founder of Jonathan’s Reptiles, a Wasilla-based nonprofit. “It is legal,” Huntington said Thursday. “Should it be? That’s a discussion for another time.” She said the group has been contacted about a half-dozen times over the years by troopers trying to find a home for an alligator, crocodile or caiman, though they have not been contacted about this particular incident. People often get them small, she said. “Once they hit that 3- or 4-foot mark, that’s when we start getting phone calls: They’ve been turned loose, their bathtub isn’t big enough.” Huntington noted that alligators, which have been found alive in frozen water with just their noses exposed, tend to be more cold-tolerant than crocodiles. If the crocodile involved in Wednesday night’s fight is still alive, it’s moving very slowly and will probably need veterinary care if found, Huntington said. The FBI is trying to track down a suspect seen in surveillance video last month painting swastikas on a faith-based crisis pregnancy center in Wasilla According to a Friday statement from the FBI’s Anchorage office the incident occurred just after midnight Oct 20 at the HeartReach Center on South Seward Meridian Parkway in Wasilla “(T)he individual approached the HeartReach Center and spray-painted approximately 10 swastika symbols on the building and dropped nails in the parking lot,” FBI officials said in the statement The bureau’s statement described the suspect’s apparel as a dark-colored long-sleeve shirt over a black hooded sweatshirt RELATED: Juneau police arrest suspect in swastika vandalism FBI spokeswoman Chloe Martin declined to answer detailed questions about the case Friday, citing the ongoing investigation. She said the bureau is investigating the incident as a possible violation of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act obstruction and property damage intended to interfere with reproductive health care services A U.S. Justice Department list of cases charged under the act includes a defendant who called an Anchorage clinic in 2016 to make bomb and death threats RELATED: Alaska doctor, once the focus of outrage, reflects on past as abortion provider, with questions An Alaska Public Media request for comment on the case wasn’t immediately answered The bureau asks that anyone with information about the identity of the suspect call the FBI’s Anchorage office at 907-276-4441 or submit a tip through its website. Tuesday: Alaska State Troopers said they have spoken with everyone involved in the case involving a 16-year-old Wasilla girl whose body was found near the city last week An autopsy showed no “traumatic injuries” to Alena Toennis They described her death as an “isolated incident and not random” and said in an update that investigators don’t need any assistance from the public at this time as they wait for forensic and toxicology results that will be crucial to charging determinations.” PALMER — Alaska State Troopers say they are investigating the suspicious death of a 16-year-old Wasilla girl whose body was found late last week on a powerline trail north of the city Troopers identified the girl as Alena Toennis on Monday and in an online dispatch said they were notified of the discovery of her body just before 7:30 a.m Evidence at the scene suggested Toennis’ death “may be suspicious,” they said A troopers spokesman declined to provide any additional information on Monday Toennis was found near a storage facility along Seldon Road The family posted a widely viewed message on social media asking for any additional information “regarding her last moments Was there any suspicious activity in that area?” Alena Toennis’ phone stopped pinging at 1 a.m The State Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy Anyone with information about an active troopers investigation can submit tips through the AKTips smartphone app or online 2025The Colony bench celebrates a big play during the Alaska 4A Girls State Basketball Tournament championship game at the Alaska Airlines Center on Saturday (Chris Bieri / ADN) Tonya Karpow is dedicated to practicing her free throws — whether she likes it or not That commitment paid off for the Colony girls basketball team Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center Karpow calmly sank two late free throws in the closing seconds to push Colony past Wasilla 44-41 in the championship game of the Alaska 4A Girls State Basketball Tournament “All the time,” she said about her practice regimen So I’m trying to make those free throws and practicing them a lot.” The senior’s free throws rescued the title for the Knights who nearly let a seven-point lead slip away in the final minute The game was indicative of recent matchups between the two schools Wasilla came from behind to top Colony 35-32 and the teams played three times previously this season with Colony winning two of them in close fashion “We have those battles with Wasilla every single time,“ Berg said “And so you kind of knew it was going to come down to it Colony was in control with just a couple minutes remaining But a flurry of turnovers for the Knights and key shots from the Warriors cranked up the tension in the final minute Katie Jackson made a bucket and added a free throw to cut Colony’s lead to 42-38 Wasilla’s Mylee Anderson hit a 3-pointer to make it 42-41 with 29.4 seconds remaining Another turnover gave Wasilla the ball with a chance to go ahead the Warriors secured possession after a jump ball was called Wasilla senior Layla Hays was fouled going to the basket on a shot with 17.4 seconds left but couldn’t convert either of the free throws That set up Karpow to hit the final free throws after being fouled following Colony controlling the ball it appeared as though Wasilla was going to run away for back-to-back titles They controlled much of the first quarter and led 19-7 with 5:51 remaining in the second quarter after Savannah Kroon hit a jumper But the Knights closed the half on a 16-2 run to take a 23-21 lead heading into the locker room Berg said it was defense that got his team back in the game “That was our big thing this year,” he said being scrappy and just playing for 32 minutes.” Karpow finished with a game-high 20 points including a perfect 3-for-3 from the free-throw line Karpow was the only Colony player in double figures as Gatorade Player of the Year Hallie Clark was limited to just five points. Clark said the ability of the Knights to win in that circumstance shows the team’s depth. “It’s really indescribable,” she said. “I’ve always known since we started playing in elementary school, this group is really special. It’s just not one or two people, it’s a team. And I feel that game just really demonstrated it. When we all show up, we’re really hard to stop.” Colony’s players showed great range of skill on the court with players alternating scoring, ball-handling and defense roles. “They are really skilled,” Berg said. “That was a fun part when I took over in September, we started practicing and working out and realizing they can all do a little bit of everything. It’s an unbelievable luxury in any sport.” Annelise Larsen was second on the Knights in scoring with eight points. Anderson was Wasilla’s top scorer with 16 points and Hays added 12 and 13 rebounds. Wasilla 59, Mountain City Christian 54 (OT) Mountain City Christian 57, Juneau-Douglas 37 Chris Bieri is the sports and entertainment editor at the Anchorage Daily News. Opens in new windowOpens in new windowADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTMost read by subscribers1 Troopers described Anspaugh as a three-year veteran of the law enforcement agency An Alaska State Trooper shot and injured a man in Wasilla on Thursday night while responding to a domestic violence call Troopers got a 911 call reporting a “domestic violence incident” at a home in Wasilla shortly after 11:30 p.m. Thursday, the agency said in an online statement Friday they saw a man “armed with a shotgun” inside the man pointed the gun at a woman who was also inside the home the officers gave the man commands to drop the weapon The man then “pointed” the shotgun at one of the troopers A trooper shot the man through the home’s window after which the officers entered and provided him first aid The man was taken to a Matanuska-Susitna Borough hospital with injuries that troopers said are “believed to be non-life threatening.” No one else was harmed in the incident the trooper who fired their weapon was placed on 72 hours of administrative leave and their name will be released at the conclusion of that leave The Alaska Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for both cases the shooting and the original domestic violence incident No charges have been filed yet related to domestic violence but troopers said they expect charges to be filed against the man who was shot Once the Alaska Bureau of Investigation finishes its investigation of the shooting it will be reviewed by the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions Manager Post Office Operations Billy Fetterhoff) Wasilla’s Newest Postmaster – Deren Bennett Installed in special installation Ceremony Deren Bennett was installed as Postmaster of Wasilla and team members in a special ceremony on Wednesday Manager of Post Office Operations Billy Fetterhoff administered the Oath of Office to Bennett “It is a great honor to serve Wasilla as your new Postmaster In my nearly 26 years with the United States Postal Service I have seen firsthand the role the Postal Service plays connecting neighbors and our community to the nation Our Post Office serves as a lifeline for our small businesses to reach customers no matter where they are “Under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s leadership and Delivering For America the Postal Service’s 10-year plan we are maintaining universal six-day mail delivery and spurring innovation to meet the needs of our modern customers,” said Bennett the word Postmaster was referred as the one who provided post horses.  According to the Oxford Dictionary postmaster means “master of the posts the officer who has charge or direction of the posts.” William Penn established Pennsylvania’s first post office in 1683.  However the real beginnings of a postal system in the colonies dates from 1692 when Thomas Neale received a 21-year grant from the British Crown authorizing him to set up post roads in North America.  the British Government bought the rights to the North American postal service consolidated the postal service into one establishment.  The principal offices of the new British Postal Service were in London Benjamin Franklin was appointed Postmaster at Philadelphia.  He laid out new post roads helped expand mail service from Canada to New York and instituted overnight delivery between Philadelphia and New York City Franklin was dismissed from office in 1774 because of his efforts on behalf of the patriots When the Continental Congress met in May 1775 they named Franklin as postmaster general for the 13 American colonies.  Postmasters were appointed by the postmaster general.  In 1836 postmasters were appointed by the president but this of course changed whenever a new party was elected.  It was not until August 1970 with the signing of the Postal Reorganization Act that the patronage system was finally removed from the postal service once and for all.  Postmasters began being appointed on merit alone.  The act also permitted upward mobility for line employees allowing them to be promoted to the position of Postmaster there have been several famous individuals who have served as postmasters.  In 1833 Abraham Lincoln was appointed postmaster of New Salem Other notable individuals who served as postmaster somewhere in the U.S and humorists Bill Nye and Mark Twain.  The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service Soldotna’s Lane Hillyer and Kenai Central’s Dakota Wisnewski battle for the ball Saturday at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion) 2025Dozens of volunteers gathered at the fin whale carcass on Thursday to begin removing tissue in order to recover its skeleton for eventual display in a Wasilla museum (Marc Lester / ADN) How do you take apart a whale On Thursday, dozens of volunteers gathered on the Anchorage mudflats to cut apart the 47-foot-long juvenile fin whale that first washed up near the mouth of Ship Creek four months ago quickly drawing hundreds of visitors and becoming a local phenomenon The whale froze into the mudflats near the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, attracting a stream of onlookers through the winter Now a crew of biologists, students, volunteers and onlookers is breaking down the carcass in order to send the whale’s bones to their permanent home at a Wasilla museum formerly known as the Alaska Museum of Transportation and Industry secured permission from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to use the whale’s bones for a future articulated skeleton display and to leave the remaining blubber and tissue to be taken by the tide Alaska Native cultural experts and others about the best way to break down the whale He determined he needed a lot of volunteers “We got a lot of people who wanted to help,” Grogan said Thursday on the mudflats the unmistakable scent of long-dead whale heavy in the air Dozens of students from the Kenai Peninsula College’s Semester by the Bay program in white hazmat suits and Xtratufs wielded flensing knives — used to separate whale blubber from meat — to slice chunks of glossy crimson whale flesh from the animal they tossed the suitcase-sized chunks into plastic sleds including some Wasilla High School students dragged the slabs of whale down to a strategic location near Cook Inlet where a high tide was expected to wash the chunks of whale blubber and flesh away A curious juvenile bald eagle circled the proceedings from above Once the group carves away the tons of flesh to expose the whale’s bones they will be transported — using sleds and an ATV — to waiting trucks for the trip to the museum’s 20-acre property in Wasilla the bones will be buried in horse manure for somewhere between six months and a year with natural microbes stripping away the remaining fat and flesh the skeleton will be rearticulated into a display Grogan hopes will draw new visitors to the museum offering a chance to see the bones of the second largest species of whale [Previously: The enduring draw of the whale] on Thursday told Grogan to let his volunteers know that they didn’t need to “fillet the whale.” Precisely removing the flesh off so many tons of whale would take a long time and the microbes will do the work for them a construction caution vest and lofted a pickax As a service missionary with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he had been volunteering at the museum in Wasilla ‘We’re doing something different,‘” Parsons said Because the animal had been slowly freezing into the silty mud Parsons was part of a group using shovels and pickaxes to break it out slow work with the hazard of getting splashed by whale liquids Deborah Boege-Tobin leaned down to look at chunks of glossy flesh and connective tissue that had been removed from the whale and were sitting on the ice nearby Inside were free-floating pelvic bones — an evolutionary leftover unconnected to the rest of the skeleton a Texas Tech University student participating in the Semester by the Bay program used a scalpel to delicately prod for the bones a biology professor at the Kenai Peninsula College’s Kachemak Bay campus and the coordinator of the Semester by the Bay program Students in the program regularly work on animals like harbor seals or sea otters but the chance to dissect a fin whale was a “once in a lifetime” opportunity previously mild because of the whale’s frozen state with some people reorienting so as not to stand downwind how they say Ken’s job is just ‘beach’?” said one worker in Grundéns overalls knee-deep in whale innards It is still not clear what killed the juvenile female fin whale Some causes of death — like infectious pathogens — have been ruled out, but no cause of death has been conclusively determined, said Kathy Burek, a longtime Alaska veterinary pathologist It’s rare to have a whale carcass so accessible “This is an opportunity we don’t usually have,” Burek said “Usually we have one tide cycle where we can go somewhere This is an unusual opportunity to take a look at the whole animal which includes getting down to the bones.” A veterinary pathology technician stripped away the flesh around the whale’s giant jaw bone and now were working to send its bones to their museum home “This whale has really contributed a lot to science,” Burek said [The skull cleaners: The flesh-eating beetle business is booming in Alaska] Michelle Theriault Boots is a longtime reporter for the Anchorage Daily News. She focuses on stories about the intersection of public policy and Alaskans' lives. Before joining the ADN in 2012, she worked at daily newspapers on the West Coast and earned a master's degree from the University of Oregon. Opens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowADVERTISEMENTAnchorage Daily News