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Three Dozen Alaska Post Offices Targeted For Potential ClosureRural Alaskans say losing post office would threaten their very survivalRelated Content
ANCHORAGE—In Washington, D.C. on Tuesday morning came the announcement many rural Alaskans have been dreading. “The Postal Service will be releasing a list of approximately 3,700 retail offices that will be studied for potential discontinuance or conversion,” said Dean Granholm, vice president of delivery and post office operations of U.S Postal Service. On that list are 36 Alaska post offices, many of them in villages, including the only one in Aleknagik. “It’s a vital part of our community,” said Jane Gottschalk, one of the village’s 200-plus residents. The post office, Gottschalk said, is not a luxury but a necessity. It's used for residents' banking and health care needs; prescription drugs are often mailed to patients through USPS. In a village where a loaf of bread costs more than seven dollars, many residents mail basic items, like bread, from Anchorage, in order to save a couple of bucks. “I think this is one of the most expensive cost-of-living areas,” Gottschalk said. But USPS is also looking to save some money. “It's no secret that the postal service is looking to change the way we do a lot of things,” Postmaster General Patrick Donahue said in Tuesday’s news conference. “And it's driven by a large part on what makes sense financially and what makes sense for our customers and the communities we support. I think it's important to remind everybody that we take no taxpayer money.” If USPS were to close the branch in Aleknagik, residents will have to travel more than 25 miles to the Dillingham post office. They’d have to make the trip by boat in the summer or snow machine in the winter across Lake Aleknagik, where more than 20 people have drowned in recent years, said Gottschalk, adding that her village had been promised a bridge for years. “It's going to create a lot of hardship for our elders and our people because we don't really have a good economic base here and a lot of people don't have vehicles,” Gottschalk said. The USPS announcement “should be cause for alarm” in rural Alaska, said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. But USPS officials said they are trying to save money. “We do feel that we are still very relevant to the American public and the American economy but we also have to make some pretty tough choices as we work through some of the financial issues that we face,” Donahue said in Tuesday’s news conference. Senator Mark Begich joined senators of other states asking Donahue for detailed information on what the reviews entail. Governor Sean Parnell said his administration is studying the proposal and will work with affected towns and villages to reduce the potential negative effects. Murkowski said she asked USPS for answers. “What we need to assure people is that there is a human analysis that will go forward from here,” Murkowski said in a phone interview with CBS 11. “It's our understanding that each post office will be looked at on a case-by-case analysis. We're told by the U.S. Postal Service that no post office is going to be closed if it's the only post office within the community.” The reviews will be completed by February 2012. A public hearing is expected to be held at some point during the process. |
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adqkid said on Tuesday, Jul 26 at 9:13 PM
Yeah, lets bend to the native ways no matter how much it cost. If they don't like the life in their villages, then they should move.
71345549Andrew said on Tuesday, Jul 26 at 9:20 PM
Yeah they dont need tax money so why shut them down?
71345664Cesar C said on Tuesday, Jul 26 at 9:59 PM
It seems that all the cutbacks always starts from the bottom what about the yearly bonus that upper management receives is that included in the so call cutback......
71346532randy zimin said on Tuesday, Jul 26 at 10:20 PM
Baggage you need to quit studying and start doing. Your the worst senator alaska has ever had without a doubt.
71346973randy zimin said on Tuesday, Jul 26 at 10:21 PM
yea all of us natives should move t anchorage and fairbanks and take the jobs away from the white folks hahaha
71346984Anonymous said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 6:20 AM
hhhhh
71362021Paul said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 6:23 AM
You can come take my job, its not that great of a job. Seriously stop whining about a stupid post office,
71362202Reeve said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 7:14 AM
No money for Post Offices. Government money from our taxes is for bombing 3rd world countries, and they give the rest to the international banks. Stupid peasants. You want something for your tax dollars. We'll put you in jail. That's what you'll get for your money.
71365684Wild Bill said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 7:24 AM
If its the only Post Office, DO NOT shut it down. If there is more than one, OK. We can live with walking a little more to get to the Post Office. We can cinch up our belts if we need to, but we can't do without all together.
71366298vickie said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 9:00 AM
post offices in many villages is the only way to get packages, mail and place to gather and find out about meetings and such that could possibly impact these villages in the cities you have coffee shops, in the village we gather at the post office
71372858Ed- formerly of Delta Junction, Ak said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 10:11 AM
AK is not like the lower 48. Most portions of it are isolated/remote. There was only one PO in Delta Junction and it did serve a vital community need. FedEX couldn't find its way into interior AK for deliveries if you lit a signal fire! UPS did well - but went the extra mile to do so AND got great cooperation from the one local PO to help get packages delivered. So there is a genuine need. But this should not get in the way of the USPS being required to operate without tax $$. Folk living in the lower 48 should not have to subsidize US mail for those who want to live in the remote areas of AK. So let the State of AK take some of those 1000's of $$ sent to EVERY AK resident EVERY year (those that live there know the fund I mean) and let them pay a subsidy to the USPS to provide mail services in the isolated areas. This way the residents of AK can determine for themselves if they want to pay for supporting unprofitable USPS PO facilities- not the rest of us! That's the American way!
71377279AKman said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 12:03 PM
Perhaps if the union were taken out of the question you could afford your employees
71384617Anonymous said on Wednesday, Jul 27 at 3:11 PM
Here is a thought. The post office in our town was on this list the last time they threatened to do this. What would happen to the 3000 residents of this town or any town alaska or anywhere if that happened? It would be a 250 mile r/t to the nearest mail.
71394362Kevin S said on Thursday, Jul 28 at 7:34 PM
You folks are harsh. Taking the only Post Office from a town isn't right. The USPS needs to get with the times and shed the union. That's where all the profit has gone.
71470582Kevin S said on Thursday, Jul 28 at 7:36 PM
Take the one on Raspberry instead!
71470669who cares said on Thursday, Jul 28 at 10:23 PM
how did these people in remote areas survive before there were post offices, quit your belly aching and pony up all of you. All subsidies should stop for everyone for all things. Pay your own way. I shouldn't have to pay for someone who wants to murder their own unborn child but its called a choice, this country has lost its mind and now the country itself is soon going to collapse like a lumbering giant. This is nothing more than another Sodom and Gomorrah, to hell with you all sinners. Go live with the one you serve, but really leave the damn post offices in these remote areas alone. Get rid of national healthcare its stupid were not a commie country or are we? Shut up all of you, you will soon be living in what is going to be called the United States of China.
71474847Alaskimo said on Friday, Jul 29 at 4:45 PM
"America" is NOT like what it used to be and it is true to the fact when someone said: "The GOVERNMENT is the problem, not a solution".
71521954Kelsey said on Saturday, Jul 30 at 1:23 AM
Why not make all those rich native corporations that are run by mostly white people pay to have the post offices in the villages. They've been ripping off the government for years anyway so it's time they pay up.
71534356Laura said on Thursday, Aug 4 at 9:20 PM
Leave the post offices alone! Have these government officials ever been to our Alaska Villages? The post office literally provides a lifeline for the residents there! Things went South when Ted Stevens passed away!
71844779Barbara said on Wednesday, Sep 7 at 2:48 AM
Why in the World is the Post Office in Sutton left open when its just a few Miles from Palmer?
73477318James said on Friday, Feb 24 at 12:34 AM
Help our oqn pwoplw instead of those who hate Americans and yet receives billions of dollars with no question. Yes, the government is not a solution to our problems but for those countries abroad.
82102973Jcharlie said on Sunday, Aug 5 at 6:31 PM
This one department that does not expend tax dollars and this one department that needs to be supported instead of sending our tax dollars to countries, that even hated Americans,
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