Sidewalks could be safer
Raena Schraer wrote Dec. 4 about how the sidewalks of Anchorage in the winter are not user-friendly. I agree that there are a lot of people who walk or still bike in the winter but she forgot some people -- our children who ride the school buses! The kids are out in the early mornings when it is dark and there is really no place for them to safely stand, and adults are quite often in a rush to work.
Is it going to take a child being hit before city officials do something about this? Look at how many adults have been hit in this town and they are supposed to know how to cross a street and where to stand.
So until something is done for these children's safety, I ask that anyone driving the streets to PLEASE pay attention to what you are doing. Both for kids and adults.
-- Jamie Dodd
Anchorage
Let's put aside our differences
In response to Jeanie Greene's letter saying the trooper reality series harms Alaska Natives, I have to disagree. There are good and bad people in every single kind of culture. These men and women in blue go out there every day risking their lives for their communities. They don't do it for glory, they do it because they take their jobs seriously.
Why does everything that happens become a race issue? There are people in every culture who abuse drugs and alcohol, etc. Why can't for once we all just respect each other and respect our differences instead of attacking it all the time? The world would be a better place if people would put aside their prejudices and work together.
-- Rhonda Hartzell
Angoon
Governor should focus on lack of services for addicts
Alaska has the highest rate of addiction, suicide and fetal drug and alcohol related births. Gov. Parnell proudly announces harsher sentences for those who commit crimes on people who are "passed out"?!
With all due respect, Governor, the $80+ million you have so ceremoniously announced will be wasted and lives lost until Alaska addresses its addiction "epidemic"! Alaska should be ashamed at the lack of services for those with addiction and co-occurring disorders.
We read on a daily basis about lives lost, homelessness, families destroyed and crimes committed that have a direct correlation to an addiction.
Please let us be proud to declare "Alaska has turned into the last state in which you want to go on trial for an alcohol or drug-related offense." Until that is said, Alaska's roads will continue to be unsafe. Our crime rate, suicide, rape, violence, and lives wasted due to addiction will continue to be the highest in the nation.
Gov. Parnell, please address the root of the issue and take "aim at addiction!"
-- Kathleen Stevens, R.N.
Chugiak
No more condos, strip malls
The city of Anchorage should take the 29 acres that it owns off Muldoon, where the Alaska Greenhouse used to be located, and preserve it for parkland. Myself and many others are also opposed to taking this pristine area with the creek and relocating it and punching through DeBarr Road for development.
Currently, the platting board is being advised by Real Estate Services to subdivide a large chunk of this land, possibly for commercial purposes. I'm so sick of ugly site condos and strip malls on Muldoon Road There is a beautiful creek that city officials want to relocate. It will impact the fishing in the creek and it will impact the wild animals like the beavers and the ducks that make their home in the creek.
What are future generations to do in Anchorage when all the natural wonders of the wooded forest have been plowed down for more unsightly site condos?
-- Elaine Bales
Anchorage
War is needed
It is understandable that many are frustrated with the progress in Afghanistan, but winning there is essential to our efforts to deny al-Qaida a sanctuary from which it can launch attacks against the U.S. Also, military strategists Kim and Fred Kagan have both argued that success against al-Qaida in Pakistan is dependent on success in Afghanistan.
Despite the strong reasons why our national security requires victory in Afghanistan, there will always be some who oppose operations there. Soon, there will be more than 100,000 American troops there fighting with honor. Even if some of our elected officials oppose the war, they should fully fund our troops in combat.
-- Bradford Lakey
Anchorage
Oil development in Bristol Bay not worth risking fisheries
The Fisheries Board is going to write the Legislature about protecting fisheries from Pebble Mine. That's great, but Bristol Bay is threatened from oil leases as well.
The unfortunate truth about the oil industry is that it remains a dirty business. Even if the technology is advanced and can develop oil fields in a responsible manner, the human element remains the weak link.
BP just experienced a major spill from an onshore pipeline, with easy access and a huge infrastructure onsite to monitor and guard against this. An offshore platform in Australia blew out this fall. The oil industry says that couldn't happen here, as they require blowout preventers. But in the Ekofisk spill in the North Sea the blowout preventer was installed upside down. One of the worst spills on record ensued.
We can't risk our productive fisheries on an industry that time and again has promised perfection and delivered disaster. Oil development in Bristol Bay could devastate our crab, halibut, pollock and salmon fisheries. It's not worth the risk.
-- Dan Strickland
Palmer
Give pedestrians right of way
I'm disillusioned with the disrespect Anchorage drivers show for pedestrians -- where is common courtesy and simple respect among our community members? Time and again pedestrians are practically mowed down by impatient drivers. Several nights ago a young mother with two little children sprinted across a marked crosswalk, turned and waved to a driver while mouthing a thank you for waiting for them to cross. Waiting for them to cross? According to AMCode 9.14.050, if a walk signal is showing, our pedestrians have the right-of-way, entitling them to cross -- at their own pace -- in a vehicle-free crosswalk. Our pedestrians should not have to dodge, avoid, evade, or gauge when vehicles might turn quickly in front of or after them. Especially now with cold winter temperatures, let's pause a second longer in our warm cars and allow our pedestrians a safe and anxiety-free crossing.
-- Sherry Billings
Anchorage
Unborn infant human
I'm writing to give my answer to Rick Wicks' question about why I think abortion should be illegal. It has nothing to do with punishing unprotected sex. For me, killing an infant inside the womb is no different than killing an infant who is one day old. They are both human beings. They both need and deserve protection.
Just in case you are already labeling me a hard-core right wing conservative, I voted for Obama. Yes, we do exist.
-- Patricia A. Haugom
Palmer
Palin defaced Army captain's uniform by autographing it
In the photograph accompanying the story, Sarah Palin defaced and disrespected the Army uniform when she autographed the one Capt. Christina Valentine wore during Palin's book signing at Fort Hood. (ADN, 12/05/2009, "Cheers greet Palin at Fort Hood")
Members of the uniformed services, active and retired, and others who honorably served should be outraged at what Palin did. Even the civilian man looking on in the photo's background has an astonished look that says, "She can't do that."
As ignorant as usual of the consequences of some of her words and actions, Palin caused the captain to violate the Army's regulation, which may be a punishable offense. Autographing the uniform changed the basic design and altered the appearance of the uniform, which Army Regulation 670-1 expressly prohibits. That regulation lists authorized uniform insignia and accouterments, everything on or attached to the uniform. Autographs are not on the list, even if they are written by a quitter-governor-turned-celebrity. She has taken rogue too far.
-- Thetus Smith
Anchorage
Maybe belugas migrated out
Regarding the Cook Inlet beluga whale, a question to federal and state biologists: Has anyone in your field and department ever thought of tagging the Cook Inlet belugas to see the possibility of some of the pod migrating out of the area to other areas of Alaska's coast? It is possible that some could migrate out of the Cook Inlet area to escape annoying activities.
-- Joseph Ayagarak, Jr.
Bethel