Anchorage Daily News

Four-wheelers damage creek

Irresponsible four-wheelers are ruining Montana Creek. These operators are driving up and down the creek, destroying fragile fish habitat. No trail? No problem! Just make your own. Mow down any tree in front of you and turn black spruce bogs into muddy quagmires. A four-wheeler in the wrong hands is just a miniature bulldozer and, sadly, Montana Creek is just one of the habitats being slowly destroyed across Alaska.

-- Kevin Vrem

Anchorage

Governor deserves an apology

I owe an apology to Gov. Sarah Palin for my remarks in the Saturday paper regarding her not attending the Miss Alaska pageant.

I got a call from someone who explained to me that while Gov. Palin was downtown the afternoon of the pageant, she immediately caught an airplane to go work on far more important issues dealing with the welfare of Alaska.

I happen to be a very big fan of Gov. Palin and sincerely apologize for not checking with her office about her schedule that day before I started "bashing her in the newspaper."

The point I was trying to make is that no coverage from the news or paper seems to show a real lack of respect for a scholarship program that showcases some pretty extraordinary Alaska women.

-- Judi Spry

Anchorage

Nuclear holocaust -- never again

On Aug. 6 and 9, we will commemorate the 1945 nuclear holocaust inflicted needlessly on two Japanese cities with zero threat to American troops. In the years following, those two bombs set off an insane arms race that spawned cluster bombs and eventually spread into outer space. Today, we waste trillions of dollars to maintain and renew these weapons.

These weapons don't defend our country. Instead, they spread to China, Russia, France, Great Britain, India, Israel and Pakistan. And, about 240 are stashed in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. The more nations with nukes, the more they threaten our national security.

Sixty-three years ago, we refused to negotiate the terms of Japan's surrender. We chose instead to squander 200,000 lives in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 and many more later to cancer, mutations and birth defects. We can't let that ever happen again.

-- Ruth Sheridan

Anchorage

Photo caption dismays reader

I was very dismayed by the Daily News caption on a large picture of Palestinians using slingshots to fire rocks at Israeli troops in Monday's paper. Your caption read, "Palestinian youth protest Israeli barrier in West Bank."

I am wondering if the Daily News would use the same headline if youth in Anchorage "protested" in the same manner. Rocks fired from slingshots are deadly missiles. They are weapons that can kill. I have no doubt the Palestinian issue needs to be resolved and there are two sides to the issue. However, your redefining the word "protest" seems a bit slanted.

It is awful that the youth of the West Bank and Gaza have grown up in bad conditions. Israel has some fault in this but let us not forget the ultra rich Arab countries that have purposely neglected to help their fellow Arabs with the money needed to improve their living conditions.

This neglect led to Palestinians voting in a Hamas government which approves of suicide bombers and refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist.

This results in walls being built for Israeli citizens' protection. This isn't the first poorly written caption by the Daily News, but I request that you please look more carefully at the picture before you apply a caption next time.

-- Michael Kaplan

Eagle River

Dog Jog makes a big difference

On Saturday Friends of Pets held their Dog Jog. The money raised helps countless abandoned animals in need of a new home. As a rescue volunteer, seeing the never ending problem of homeless animals can be disheartening. What a wonderful sight it is to see hundreds of dogs who are loved, and have found their forever home Thanks to all who attended which included many volunteers. Together we are making a difference.

-- Elaine Aldorfer

Eagle River

Prison medical care not very good

A couple of months back someone wrote in stating that if a person wanted free medical care, go to prison. This person obviously has never been subjected to the perils of Alaska Department of Corrections medical care. I have.

Upon my induction into what I consider the "House of Pain," I informed the medical department that I had an ongoing medical condition that would require surgery due to an on-the-job accident that the company's insurance would cover. I was deemed to have what the Department of Corrections refers to as "nonessential" health care needs.

Six years later, I was allowed the surgery after enduring incredible amounts of pain and suffering. I had to have four discs extricated with a hammer and chisel and a titanium plate screwed to my upper spinal column. The surgery came at a very steep price. I now have loss of feeling in my left arm and both hands.

-- Darren S Teasley

Anchorage Correctional Complex-East

Anchorage

Bear numbers must be reduced

Three Hillside bear attacks this summer!

Perhaps we could substitute that lead with "three attacks by psychotic man with knife" or "three attacks by rabid dog." Maybe that would get our officials' attention and provoke a measured response to re-instill a natural avoidance and fear that the bears have in the real Bush because they are once a year hunted and some killed.

I have biked and run in the Hillside area since 1976 with little anxiety and very few bear sightings. I recently took my granddaughter on a beautiful hike around Spencer Loop with definite caution and apprehension.

If Fish and Game feels we should be prepared (per biologist Rick Sinnott), then my options appear to be either not enjoy the outdoors close to my home or take my 12-gauge shotgun loaded with slugs on a short day hike.

Our parks in the city are not, nor were they intended as bear sanctuaries. If a psychotic person was "surprised or defending his territory," that would not even be proposed as a rational reason to leave him in the park.

A limited hunt or official culling of a few bears and moose in the area each year would solve this problem. Bears and moose are smart and learn quickly.

These attacks will continue unless we institute some type of remediation.

-- Randy Taylor

Anchorage

Alaska needs better recycling

My wife and I are third-time visitors to your beautiful state starting in 1977 as part of our honeymoon. We were, and remain, in awe of the grandeur and vastness of it combined with the uniqueness and energy of your citizens. However, one thing has consistently troubled us. As avid recyclers, we have a difficult time recycling while visiting. The only recycling seems to be with aluminum cans and even with that we often need to search to find where to deposit them. Everything else, including glass bottles, plastics and tin cans, all appear to be headed for the landfill (although post offices seem to take some paper).

When asked about this, most replies seem apologetic, sometimes sheepish, by mentioning that it is just not economical. Since there must be some economics in recycling aluminum cans, why not at least discourage the sale of glass beer and soft drink bottles to minimize the throwaways or have a deposit at time of purchase to encourage returns?

Litter is never becoming anywhere and least of all in this most beautiful part of the world. Given what we have learned about the resourcefulness of your citizens, this issue hardly seems insurmountable and you can only add to the attractiveness of your state.

-- Jim and Chris Hoeppner Calgary, Alberta

There's no room for error now

I don't know trooper Mike Wooten. I never met the man. But (if) he has any brains at all, he will be an exemplary trooper from now on, because everything he does will be subject to question by all concerned.

-- Dale Jones

Palmer

Forget Palin; investigate Wooten

Instead of spending $100,000 investigating Gov. Sarah Palin's honesty, shouldn't we be spending $50,000 investigating Mike Wooten? I, as a law-abiding citizen, say "Three cheers for the governor and Mr. Palin and all the little Palins." Legislators are going at this situation backward.

-- D.E. Wood

Seward

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