Readers write: Letters to the editor, September 12, 2016

CES staff is totally gutted

"Cooperative Extension offices in Anchorage, Sitka to remain open despite plans to close" read the headline on Aug. 31, misleading the casual reader to believe that the Anchorage office will survive intact.

Buried deeper in the article lies the disclosure that none of the five Anchorage Extension agents will continue on staff in Anchorage. The agents are the blood and guts of the office, offering so many programs and services. When the Cooperative Extension Service has its Anchorage staff gutted, it's more than a little disingenuous to claim the service is remaining open. With none of the Anchorage Extension agents retained, it's a peephole rather than a door that is being kept open.

— Anne Nevaldine
Anchorage

Women haven’t been safe on city trails for half a century

In the 1940s and '50s, most anyone could go anywhere, anytime safely in Anchorage. By the 1970s, the trail systems were being established and it was already apparent single females weren't safe using them.

Well, use the trails with someone. Find someone going at the same time, same place, same distance, same speed; making same stops, for same length of time; willing to go out in the same type of trail conditions, same temperatures (15 below to 70 above), rain, ice or snow; steep slopes; rocks, sand, mud; willing to move single file because going side-by-side to gab takes up the entire trail and blocks others from passing. etc. No, it isn't easy to find adult walking/bicycling/skiing baby-sitters.

Suddenly in August 2016, two men are killed on a bike trail and the neighborhood is outraged that the trails aren't safe. Welcome to the real world, folks.

Females in Anchorage have been dealing with rapes and assaults on the trails for over half a century. Well, you shouldn't have been born female, should you? You'll know better next time. You don't think it's the duty of the municipality to protect you just because you're female, do you?

Now that some males feel threatened, perhaps something can be done…

— Loretta Andress
Anchorage

Do election over in November

Thank you for reporting on the conduct of, and potential problems resulting from, the recent primary. Dermot Cole also wrote an opinion piece on the subject. He left out half the story.

There are always some problems, but rarely is an election result left in impossible to determine.

While Cole focused on the serious misconduct in one precinct, Shungnak, he failed to take notice of the misconduct in several additional precincts in District 40. Registered Republicans in precincts 40-010, 40-016, 40-020 and 40-026 were apparently told they could not cast the Democrat/Alaskan Independence/ Libertarian primary ballot.

Those instructions were both against the law and caused improper voter suppression prohibiting qualified voters from voting and, unfortunately, are impossible to quantify:

1. Some Republicans walked away in frustration;

2. Some followed the illegal instructions and voted the Republican ballot; and

3. Some insisted they be allowed to vote and were forced to fill out a questioned ballot — even though they were registered to vote in that precinct!

One cannot simply ignore those facts along with the illegal double balloting in Shungnak (and possibly Koyuk precinct also). Together, these facts simply make it impossible for the Division of Elections to honestly determine who actually won the House primary in District 40.

It is not the fault of the voters, and the division owes it to the voters in District 40 (Democrats, Republicans and everyone else) to hold an honest election. That can easily be done be holding a special election on Nov. 8 as part of the general election.

— Tuckerman Babcock, chairman
Alaska Republican Party
Soldotna

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 under 200 words 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.