State pays Miller Energy, gets nothing
Was anybody else as flabbergasted as I was when I read in the article "Cook Inlet gas producer faces fine and possible SEC lawsuit" (ADN May 7) concerning Miller Energy Resources? It stated, "(Miller Energy) has benefited from the heavy use of Alaska tax credits, with the state funding from 35 percent to 65 percent of its drilling and completion costs per well regardless of success, the company said." The company expects to collect more than $70 million in payments from the state in 2015.
The company produced at least 2,400 barrels of oil a day last year in Cook Inlet, where there are no oil production taxes. So, the state of Alaska pays for most of the costs and receives none of the benefits; and the state is dealing with a company that the state is proposing to fine $446,000 for not having "a working safety valve system required to prevent an oil spill or a gas release." No wonder we have budget problems.
— Michael Tullius
Anchorage
Alaska treats mental illness as a crime
"Hi, I'm from the government and I am here to help." Scary words if you lived in Alaska in the 1950s and had a mental illness. You could have been locked up indefinitely without much fanfare, given a job you may have not wanted, provided experimental treatment and all with no real complaint or appeal process.
In 2015 Alaska still treats mental illness as a crime. Psychiatric patient rights policies are written and administered by psychiatric institutions and units, including the patient grievance and appeal process. Many of the state rights given to patients in institutions to protect the patients and their rights through loopholes in the law are removed or minimized by the institutions for convenience or economy. In the l950s patient rights were so far down the rabbit hole, they have never seen the light of day. The lack of good patient rights is an embarrassment to the state and detrimental to psychiatric patients in Alaska. In itself, mental illness is not a crime, and any person unfortunate enough to be provided mandatory treatment should have their rights remain intact to the greatest extent possible. The Legislature needs to rewrite the basic rights given to psychiatric patients — institutions should only be allowed to remove rights if granting them would present a danger to the patient or others. Improve the grievance procedure. Give patients the right to file an appeal to a state agency — provide due process. A starting point for a Legislature brave enough to help the mentally ill. It is not a crime to become mentally ill, and the state Legislature needs to provide rights that reflect that idea.
— Faith Myers and Dorrance Collins
Mental Health Advocates
Anchorage
Fight breast cancer: Go vegan
The Department of Health and Social Services is reporting that women in Alaska are diagnosed with breast cancer at a higher rate than women in any other state. Besides the physical and emotional toll, medical expenses for breast cancer treatment can add up fast. Breast cancer runs in my family, so as a woman who is considered high-risk for the disease, I want to do everything I can to better my odds. That's one of the reasons I switched to a plant-based diet.
According to Dr. Jane Plant, a British scientist, cancer survivor, and author of The No-Dairy Breast Cancer Prevention Program, "Undoubtedly, the best anti-cancer diet would be to go completely vegan." The saturated fat often found in meat and dairy products promotes the growth of cancer cells, and excess animal protein has a carcinogenic effect on the human body. A vegan diet maximizes the intake of foods that help us fight cancer — fiber-packed grains and beans and phytochemical-packed fruits and vegetables. Going vegan is one of the best decisions I've ever made for my health, and I hope other women will join me.
— Michelle Kretzer
The PETA Foundation
Norfolk, Virginia
Low-income senior gets no respect
I am a 78 years old and disabled. Despite a Fire Lane painted on the sidewalk and a No Parking sign on the building, my neighbor's family constantly park in front of my house allowing no access to my building for caravan or ambulance should I need one. The manager of this section I live in states she has spoken to them and given written instructions to correct this, but still they continue. Parking to discharge a person or unload groceries is perfectly understandable, but they stay there for hours at a time. In addition they have a large family that visits daily, and brings all their children with them. There is a disabled ramp at this residence, and the children consistently ride scooters and skateboards down the ramp and across my tiny area that I am allowed. They have almost hit me several times and do not desist despite my talking with them and one of the parents. I know this is my cross to bear because I have grown old beyond my usefulness, but I just thought you would like to know what life is like for a low-income senior in subsidized housing.
— Sykvia Towle
Juneau
Time for airlines to respect Alaskans
Recently on a trip back to Anchorage from Houston, I selected a particular flight because the aircraft was a 787 Dreamliner. The flight would stop in Denver and then continue on to Anchorage. The Dreamliner was modern, spacious, and had an amazing amount of free entertainment. Upon arriving in Denver, although the flight number did not change, the aircraft did. Instead of the comfortable experience I had enjoyed on my two hour flight to Denver, I would now spend the next five hours in the usual jampacked 737 without the free entertainment of the earlier flight. Why aren't wide-body aircraft servicing Anchorage? For years Anchorage passengers have been treated as if they are traveling steerage in a steamship. Someone offered the opinion that Anchorage doesn't attract enough passengers to warrant such aircraft. Yet it is rare to ever find an empty seat on any flight coming or going any time of day. The practice of charging for extra leg room is also galling. On a five hour flight, shouldn't basic comfort be an expectation rather than an add on? The practice wouldn't be unlike a movie theater charging extra for a seat. It is time for airlines to treat Alaskans as if their business really mattered, instead of acting as if Alaska is a captive market in which they don't have to compete.
— Michael Druce
Sterling
Thanks to all Sockeye fire responders
No sufficient words exist to express our gratitude to the firefighters, pilots, law enforcement, forest service and incident command workers involved with the Sockeye fire. Our place was ground zero — parallel to the property the fire originated from. Our first layer of relief came the day of the fire when we escaped unharmed and found our neighbors had done so as well. The second layer of relief came when defying all odds our structure was standing by 4 a.m. Each person we dealt with was compassionate, professional and empathetic — even under the most dire of circumstances and chaos.
Weary and anxious we returned to Anchorage, only to hear later in the day winds had changed, our place was in the direct path of destruction again, and additionally, looting was a threat. It has been the longest week of our lives but also one where we experienced a renewed faith in humanity.
We've been able to access our property and learned a miracle happened — twice. It is still standing and nothing was stolen, thanks to the vigilant efforts of too many to list. Our hearts break for the people who lost their land and property or had been victims of theft. I know the firefighters couldn't be everywhere at once and we were spared. I have physically felt the pain of each reported loss.
My hat is off to each professional or civilian who assisted with the fire and its victims. I've been critical of law enforcement in the past, quick to pass judgment on the actions of others. I will be no more.
— Amy DeWall
Anchorage
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com.