IJR News — today's news from every sideRachel Meyers Losing track of thousands of people in custody points to basic failures in record keeping during these enforcement actions. Alaska plane crash kills four, ex-mayor among victims — Aug 27, 2026A Piper PA-24 crashed in shallow water near Seldovia, Alaska, killing four men: pilot Eric Middlebrook, 68, of Anchorage, and Californians Ronald Schmidt, 65; Lance Schmidt, 20; and Daniel Simons, 82. Investigators from the NTSB and FAA are examining weather, flight data, and wreckage while responders recovered the bodies after the tide allowed access, and Middlebrook is noted as a longtime Alaska pilot who previously served as Bethel’s mayor.
