The Mat-Su Sentinel bought the Frontiersman. The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman has been reporting news and sports in the Valley since 1947. Arizona-based Wick Communications bought it in 1996.
Wick Chief Executive Officer Josh O’Connor says, “We could not have found a better successor. The Mat-Su Sentinel is truly the perfect local owner.”
Thousands of newspapers in the United States have closed over the last two decades. Survivors tend to be digital and located in urban centers. Amy Bushatz has watched this trend unfold over her 25-year journalism career.
She moved to the Valley in 2016. She was astonished to see local newspapers still operating in Alaska. The Frontiersman, the Peninsula Clarion, the Cordova Times, and the Nome Nugget were still in print.
“I saw the writing on the wall, how that was going to end,” says Bushatz, “and I wanted to make sure that I had an organization where we were providing trusted local news.”
Bushatz launched the Mat-Su Sentinel in 2024. It’s a digital-only, non-profit news source. It was meant to complement, not compete, with the Frontiersman. After all, there are a lot of communities in the Mat-Su with stories to tell!
The timing was remarkable. About six months after the Sentinel started, the Frontiersman was put up for sale.
The Sentinel purchased the Frontiersman last month. People can read the Frontiersman digital archives for free now. Bushatz removed the paywall. She hopes to keep the archive accessible. No news is being added to it at this time.
Bushatz also received decades of print newspapers. These provide a record of Mat-Su history.
Some coverage formerly reported in the Frontiersman, such as sports and the “Best of the Valley” celebration, will be covered in the Sentinel in the future.
The Sentinel reports on events, public meetings, and public notices. It provides a calendar of events and a community bulletin board where readers can post announcements. Stories are organized by region. There are still gaps in coverage, especially for towns in the Matanuska Valley.
“It’s a big valley,” says Bushatz. “So, we need more of all the things we’re already doing.”
Bushatz also promotes civic engagement. The Sentinel held a “Flip the Script” election event in 2025. Voters used live polling to express their views on topics. Candidates listened from their seats among the audience. Another Flip the Script is scheduled for this fall. The Sentinel will also host an interactive voter guide based on topics submitted by readers.
Bushatz believes local news coverage strengthens communities and fosters connections. She is betting that still matters even in a changing media environment.
If you have a news tip, you can reach Bushatz in her office across from the Valley Hotel in Palmer or through matsusentinel.com.
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This Page Two article was summarized by Kendra Zamzow from the Valley Edition interview with Amy Bushatz last week. The full interview is on bigcabbageradio.org in Valley Edition under podcasts.
Yours truly, Lee Henrikson produced this article. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Wednesday June 10, 2026.