Cooper Landing trap issue
Is it right that trapping is allowed to suck the joy out of the lives of Alaskans? I have been feeling put upon by trapping interests who claim it is their "right" to ride roughshod over our neighborhoods. I feel I'm being held hostage in my own community. My husband came in for dinner tonight in a grumpy mood after seeing signs of probable trapping — tracks in the less-than-1-inch dusting of snow that showed a truck unloading a snowmachine at the Catholic Church grounds in not enough snow for recreational use. The tracks took off up the hill right through the graves. We walk our two dogs on leashes except when we let one at a time run free in "safe" places. The church grounds is one area we considered safe, but there is no guarantee now that anywhere is trap-free in Cooper Landing. It seems that there is an active movement to do more trapping in our community because of efforts we have made to create a safe zone for pet owners and hikers. I am not anti-trapping but I feel that those of us who don't trap have as much right to access the woodlands as those who do trap. I want to reach some compromise with the Board of Game and ATA that is fair. The Alaska Trappers Association, after publicly declaring its intention to "work with these people," walked out of any discussion that included the word "regulation," and this March 2015 the Board of Game unanimously backed the ATA up and voted against all proposals for regulations. Collusion like that makes compromise and determining reasonable rules impossible. The BOG is in bed with the ATA in an incestuous relationship and gaily encourages this conduct. It is time for such overbearing, contemptuous and arrogant behavior to be done away with. We kick the bullies out of our schools; now it's time to kick the bullies out of our towns.
— Kay Thomas
Cooper Landing
Pay up or hang up
Yesterday (Dec. 2) I tried calling an MOA department (Planning, I believe) and got a message: 'The number you are calling is busy. For 95 cents ACS will try to connect you with it for 30 minutes, otherwise — hang up!
How great is that. After the thousands of dollars we pay in property taxes we can try to call the Municipality of Anchorage for only 95 cents per half hour (a rate of only $1.90 per hour). And if ACS can't get through in 30 minutes you go to the rear of the queue for another 95 cents, and if ACS still can't get through you can try for another 95 cents …
At least I know what to do in municipal elections from now on: When incumbents ask for my vote I will not pay 95 cents — I will just hang up.
— Jim Magowan
Anchorage
Outcome isn't promising
So 130 world leaders are solving the global warming problem in France, mere mortals? Duh, while they're at it they should announce the name of the new world currency, the Booble.
— Will Hayes
Palmer
Obama way off target
President Obama's attempts to make it more difficult for Americans to obtain guns seems to have been remarkably successful. In almost every case of a mass shooting, the only people present who are armed are the killers.
— Don Neal
Anchorage
Too rushed to be mannerly?
A good friend recently commented on some holiday activity. He observed a "gentleman" at the Eagle River post office barging through the front door, leaving a young lady carrying a small child and a large package to her own devices in making her own way through the door. On the way out the same trip, he observed another "gentleman" pushing ahead of an elderly woman and ignoring the door closing behind him in her face. I too have seen the likes of this at other places.
It seems we are all just moving too fast these days to get where we are going. Are we really going anywhere? What ever became of a bit of common courtesy and holiday spirit?
— Dennis Lattery
Chugiak
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