Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, Dec. 25, 2014

Jenkins column erroneous

I request you report and correct the factual error printed in Sunday's edition, the Paul Jenkins column.

Jenkins wrote, "Garner was an overweight … who died of apparent heart failure at a hospital after resisting arrest. …" In fact, medical examiner spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said his death was caused by "the compression of his chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police."

This information is easily available and I find it offensive that Jenkins made up his own version, and that you apparently allowed that version to be printed.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Gail Heineman

Anchorage

Judge lieutenant governor on election clarity, turnout

One of the few explicitly stated duties of the lieutenant governor given in the Alaska Constitution is supervision of the Division of Elections. I would like to suggest that this is an especially important job at the current time given all the flux in voting-registration technologies, big money in campaigns, language and access problems, redistricting issues, fear of voter fraud. I hope the new lieutenant governor will give these problems the attention they deserve and help us to get to a place where everyone can have confidence in the process, especially when they don't like the outcome.

ADVERTISEMENT

I would like to suggest that whoever serves in the lieutenant governor's office should be judged at least in part by the quality of the electoral process on their watch, including voter participation. When people don't vote, why don't they vote? Are the obstacles, practical, psychological, or both? I think one big reason people don't vote is because they either a) don't feel knowledgeable about the candidates or the issues, or b) don't think there is any difference between the candidates. Imagine how proud we Alaskans could be if we had an 80 or 90 percent turnout. The value is not just in the numbers themselves, but high turnouts are reflective of a culture of substantive conversations and discussions.

Should any lieutenant governor decide to run for further public office, I hope at least part of the discussion of his or her record will be on what they did to increase confidence in the elections and how much they were able to increase voter turnout. Let's have the highest turnout in the nation.

Janet Rader

Anchorage

What about co-housing plans for the rest of us?

Yes, the Ravens' Roost co-housing community is a wonderful idea — only if one is upper middle class. What are needed in Anchorage are similar options for working-class people. We too want "old-fashioned neighborliness."

Homes and apartments should be affordable, in the $100,000-$150,000 range, with the strict rule that owners would have to live in the homes. This would prevent investors from scooping them up and reselling them at higher prices. Such a community, with its shared amenities, would give people the pride of ownership and be helpful in preventing crime.

Penny Burt

Anchorage

City of lights map helpful

Please continue to publish a map for the "city of lights" Christmas light displays. I have enjoyed this as a tradition in my family. After dinner the family, mainly kids, would pile into the car to drive around admiring the light displays. It is a way for family to stay connected in this age of electronics.

Thank you.

Melissa Brittain

Chugiak

The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.

ADVERTISEMENT