Leave game management to pros

In reference to Bill Sherwonit's letter of 2/1/09, "Bell represents game all right, but only game that hunters want." It seems in his attempt to discredit Bob Bell's compass article, he actually makes Bell's point. Mr. Sherwonit's letter leaves out pertinent information. He refers to Bell's "stubborn determination" to allow trapping in Chugach Park. He neglects to note that the Board of Game increased the no-trapping areas in the park and cut the trapping season for all furbearers in half, not only in the park but in a large area around the park. The intent of which was to reduce the number of animals trapped each season. These actions were taken to enhance the furbearers' population while still allowing multiuses in the park.

In regard to bears in Unit 16. There are twice as many bears in that unit as the moose population can support. Therefore almost all moose calves are devoured in their first few weeks of life. Therefore the moose population has crashed. Does Mr. Sherwonit really think the board should follow his advice rather than that of the department's biologists and the residents of Unit 16 as to how to manage those game populations I don't think so. The management of Alaska's game needs to continue to be done by professionals and not fringe groups represented by Mr. Sherwonit.

-- David G. Calderone

Anchorage

Americans are capable of more

In the last presidential election we had fear and despair running against hope. I thought hope had won, but now we have Obama supporting Bush's bailout plans without the Republicans who readily supported them when they were Republican bailouts which made fat cats richer.

So here we are cutting back, making a shrinking pie ever smaller as we all try to get a bigger share.

I was hoping we might make the pie bigger, with each of us taking a smaller percentage but a bigger share, once we left the dark ages of things like no stem cell research behind.

OK, so the glass is something like 10 percent empty, but it is 90 percent full and we can make bigger glasses if we don't shoot ourselves in both feet and put everyone out of work.

Let's invent better technology and build American cars that last for decades and hundreds of thousands of miles on less fuel. Few countries can compete with us. There are lots of starving countries in this world. Let's not become one of them.

-- Duane Deal

Anchorage

Hospital musicians soothe pain

Your article about the harp musician at Providence Hospital brought tears to my eyes. A few years ago our family decided to take my father off of life support after a lengthy illness, and we sat by his side comforting each other for the final moments, and to our surprise a harp player knocked lightly on the door and asked if we would mind if she played her music.

During that brief moment in time, her soothing music made my father's passing a little easier and put the visitors for my father at ease. The music was angelic, soothing and very welcomed at our time of grief.

When we left the hospital I thought to myself that these people need to be recognized for their contribution they make to the families in dire situations, and your article hit the nail on the head. What a great program Providence has, and I appreciated all the compassion she put into her music to make my father's passing a little bit easier. All hospitals should consider implementing this art. It's good for the heart and soul to all who hear its melody.

-- Deirdre Kahula Collins

Anchorage

Vote to repair tax cap

The city was left with a $17 million dollar shortfall after the Begich administration ran wild with taxpayers' money. Now the municipality is trying everything it can to make it up. My house "grew" 78 square feet this week after the tax assessor's office came and re-measured it even though no improvements have been done for almost 20 years.

Matt Claman is against the tax cap being put back where it was since 1983, even though the law was changed unknowingly by the people of Anchorage. This smacks of unfairness and harassment to all of us. My home has been re-assessed by $85,000 over the last four years with low income housing being slapped up all around me. This unfair practice must be stopped. Vote to repair the tax cap initiative if it is on the April ballot.

-- Liz Bowen

Anchorage

I can't afford to keep giving fish

Sen. Bettye Davis and Rep. Les Gara's proposed bills for a series of reforms to keep foster kids in school and help with college bills, and pay for housing, etc. is noble and admirable. We are breeding a society where there exists so much social reform that the cycle is the more you give the more is expected.

Dropping out of school, hanging on the corner, doing drugs, committing crimes, joining gangs and being homeless is a choice.

I do not intend to demean the problems that exist within the foster care program and for these children.

They could benefit more by required programs to teach them values and morals. Teach them to have a purpose, set goals, plan their future and make a commitment to be productive citizens. Work their way through school. Society would benefit more if they are taught to earn their way in life instead of it being handed to them. What is the lesson being taught here

Don't give them a fish, teach them to FISH!

I can't afford much more.

-- Vera S. Stepsics

Anchorage

Daylight-saving time isn't valid

I resent living under a law that no longer has a compelling justification for its existence. The justification for using daylight-saving time in Alaska to support business in Alaska is no longer compelling.

Gordon Wanamaker in his Feb. 12 letter defending DST acknowledges that we have technologies that now allow communication (including business communication) 24/7. Alaska instituted the use of DST in 1967. At that time arguments that we needed it for business were valid, but not today.

Lets have the debate. Call your legislator and urge hearings on current House Bill 19 -- the repeal of DST in Alaska.

-- Lynn Willis

Eagle River

Fairclough's UA remarks appalling

As a student at the University of Alaska Anchorage, I am appalled at Rep. Anna Fairclough and her unnecessary questions toward students and the UA system. No one is denying the fact that we get our money from our developed resources.

As an engineering major, of course I believe in development, but the development I want to pursue with my degree is that of renewable energy, or cleaner development. I have no ill will toward oil or coal. It has never been my experience to listen to a faculty tell me what or how I should think or feel about development in Alaska. We offer different opinions, but that is the beautiful thing about universities and living in America, freedom of speech. We all share it and should all respect it.

I personally feel that Anna Fairclough should let it be, even though every year she seems so persistent on making students admit where we get our money, and that we're hypocrites. If that were so, the UA system would not offer many development majors, such as: engineering, geological engineering, arctic engineering, mining engineering and many others.

-- Melanie K. Leydon

Anchorage

Cutting bus service a big mistake

I can't believe that Mayor Claman and AMATS decided to cut People Mover funding. This is wrong! I ride the bus by choice. Many have less choice. Good bus service helps students, the poor, elderly, disabled, foreign visitors, my friend from New York who never learned to drive, etc. It encourages mobility and decreases road congestion. It allows us to lower our parking requirements so we can come closer to the beautiful, walkable, destination cities of Europe, heck even Canada, instead of being the ugly, strip-mall, paved-earth town we are (Don't get me wrong, I love this town, I grew up in this town -- but I want to help make it better.).

More buses! More routes! More service! If you aim for 20-minute frequency on popular routes and get the bus out to even more destinations around Anchorage, even my recalcitrant friends would ride.

Some road projects are smart -- the proposed Spenard improvements near my house seem great. As far as I can see, though, we need better pedestrian and bike amenities, better winter trail/sidewalk maintenance, better bus service, and some smart road repairs and traffic calming. Don't shortchange the bus.

-- Michelle M. Wilber

Anchorage

Funds should help move villages

I suggest stimulus funds be used to relocate the northwestern Alaska villages of Newtok, Kivalina, and Shismaref that are being washed into the ocean because of global warming. Barrow also needs help to deal with coastal erosion.

-- Jack Lentfer