Twenty-five of the 36 rural Alaska post offices that have been under consideration for closure are no longer under consideration for closure.
Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, had that good news Monday in a meeting with officials for the U.S. Postal Service, rural health care providers and other community groups.
Last month postal authorities announced that 36 post offices in Alaska were among the nearly 3,700 post offices nationwide targeted for possible closure as a way to reduce costs and expenses.
Begin and three other senators wrote to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe requesting more information on the issues related to the closures. Begich also spoke with Donahoe to express his concern about the impact of closing post offices in rural areas.
The names of the 25 post offices taken off the list were not immediately available.
USPS District Manager for Alaska Diane Horbuchuk said letters to the 25 communities no longer targeted forpossible closure are going out this week, and that a review of the remaining 11 sites continues and should be completed by week's end.
This story is posted with permission from Alaska Newspapers Inc. , which publishes six weekly community newspapers, a statewide shopper, a statewide magazine and slate of special publications that supplement its products year-round.