Anchorage lineman becomes latest Alaskan to make it to the Super Bowl

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - With Sunday’s 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams, the Seattle Seahawks clinched a trip to Super Bowl LX, and — for the first time in over a decade — gave a chance for an Alaskan to play in the biggest sporting event of the year.

Seattle defensive lineman Brandon Pili, who starred for Dimond High School and signed with the Seahawks before the season, will become what is believed to be the fifth player born in Alaska to make it to a Super Bowl, ending the longest ever drought between Alaskan appearances since the first in 1992. The previous four that had made it appeared in a combined six, going 4-2 overall.

The last Alaskan to play in the big game was fellow Dimond graduate Chris Kuper, a backup offensive lineman on the Denver Broncos that, coincidentally, were the victim of Seattle’s lone Super Bowl win in February 2014.

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Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, 2 Anchorage chefs named James Beard Award semifinalists

image from: adn.com

Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, Anchorage chefs Nathan Bentley of Altura Bistro and Mike Dodge of Whisky & Ramen, and the Tutka Bay Lodge near Kachemak Bay have been named semifinalists for prestigious James Beard Awards.

The James Beard Foundation, which announced its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists Wednesday, is among the biggest names in the culinary and hospitality industry. The awards were established in 1990 to recognize outstanding talent and achievement in the food world, from culinary arts and hospitality to media.

Fire Island was honored in the Outstanding Bakery category alongside establishments across America from New York City to New Orleans.

General manager Harrison Scheib wasn’t sure whether he was supposed to reveal the nomination but couldn’t help himself when he arrived at the bakery’s Airport Heights location Wednesday morning.

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