Anchorage Daily News

Thank you, Solid Waste Services

We recently started receiving the new recycling and trash service from Solid Waste Services ("City recycling effort still working out wrinkles," Sunday Oct. 26) and I'm happy to report that we have not encountered any wrinkles. My husband and I opted for the smallest garbage can we could get -- 48 gallons -- and for the every-other-week trash pick-up, yet we still don't fill it up thanks to the curbside recycling container. We used to pay the same amount as other households with large families that produce much more garbage than we do, which wasn't fair. Now we are paying less than before and getting better service. And this new system rewards reducing and recycling rather than contributing to the "throw-away" culture in society. Thanks for creating a fair rate system and -- finally -- adding recycling.

-- Tamara de Lucia

Anchorage

Alaska doctors are honoring oath

A salute to the Alaska doctors who honor the oath to "First, do no harm."

Through no fault of their own, Alaska seniors are stuck in a Medicare system that does not adequately reimburse Alaska doctors. Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski have successfully brought about a 35 percent increase in Medicare payments, but more increases will be needed if the trend of doctors denying service to Alaska's aging population is to be reversed. Many Alaska doctors, at great personal sacrifice, continue to treat the senior population. Causing harm to come to Alaska seniors by denying them medical care and thereby denying a sworn oath is not something these doctors are going to let happen.

-- Robert Marshall

Wasilla

Bears need a reason to fear us, but won't unless a hunt is allowed

Contrary to Bill Sherwonit ("Unthinking people create bear problems," Oct. 22), there is a very different way to view Anchorage's bear "problem." The vast majority of local residents do not view the Anchorage Bowl, including Bicentennial Park and the front range of Chugach State Park, as "bear country." They consider this area to be an outdoor multiple-use recreational area and that's how they want it to be managed.

This does not mean that outdoor users want all the local brown bears exterminated; nor is anything that drastic necessary. But recreational users should not have to greatly restrict their usual and customary outdoor activities, as Sherwonit proposes, to minimize bear conflicts.

What is needed here is some bear education. Sherwonit suggested that Rick Sinnott must have been joking when he said that we have a higher percentage of ignorant bears in our area. Sinnott was right on. Bears that are not hunted are much less likely to learn to avoid humans. Brown bears are very smart and learn quickly when hunted not to confront humans, but rather to avoid them.

A brown bear hunt, with a limited harvest, in the Anchorage Bowl and the western half of Chugach State Park -- possibly in combination with rethinking the whole concept of salmon runs in our local creeks -- would go a long way in solving our bear problem.

-- Jim Lieb

Anchorage

A better life requires action

It is not enough to "stop and smell the roses" -- you have to pull a few weeds too.

-- Thomas Higgins

Anchorage

Candidates should clean up signs

I have a suggestion in response to Griffin Kellar's letter about political campaign signs that are not taken down after the election. Before a candidate can put up any signs they must post a bond to the local municipality. The amount needs to be high enough to get their attention but at the same time be a reasonable amount so as not to preclude third-party candidates who don't have huge war chests. Five thousand dollars might be a reasonable amount. After the election is over, candidates have 10 days to have all signs removed in order to get their bond back. Otherwise they lose it and it is given to a charitable organization such as the Red Cross, or is used to cover the expense of the city removing the signs.

-- Jamelia Saied

Anchorage

Don't stop being politically active

America has been aroused and the people are clearly involved in the democratic process of guiding our republic. I applaud my fellow Americans, but this process cannot end on Tuesday.

We believe our system of government to be the lighthouse for the world. If we are to be that lighthouse, we have the responsibility to question, study and fully participate for democracy to work. We must go deeper than bumper-sticker politics.

Our "lighthouse democracy" requires leaders who will lead based on the citizens' carefully studied conclusions and consequent collective desires.

-- Glen Ramos

Palmer

State can't clean political mess

The governor was found not guilty by the Personnel Board. This means we have either a governor or a former public safety commissioner who is lying, because one remembers a conversation they had and the other claims it never occurred. The legislators and lobbyists already in jail would not be there were it not for the federal government stepping in, as our state government seems powerless to police itself.

-- Mark Stopha

Juneau

Bear didn't have to be killed

I was deeply saddened to read a news report that appeared in the Times of India's online newspaper regarding the shooting of a bear foraging garbage in Anchorage ("Bear killed out of worry for trick-or-treaters," Nov. 3).

The wildlife officials could have saved the animal by tranquilizing it instead of killing it. The reason animals enter human habitat is because of deforestation or other such factors. Let us show compassion to these helpless creatures, please.

-- Vyjayanthimala Jacobs

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Fund trustees aren't paying attention to Alaska's needs

I think the time has come for Gov. Palin to show the Permanent Fund Board of Trustees the door. Losing $10 billion in one year is inexcusable. That is 10 times the amount the state received in the Prudhoe Bay oil lease sale. More than the cost of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. One-third the cost of the Alaska natural gas pipeline to the Midwest.

It wasn't too long ago that the trustees asked for less regulation, freedom to get into derivatives and more secrecy in their business. It appears that their request was granted.

I would like to see a legislative panel formed to investigate how this was allowed to happen. The financial crisis that they are blaming was a year in the making. Prudent investors had plenty of time to find safe investments. The Permanent Fund dividend is a very important part of Alaska's economy but it is not a priority with these trustees. They always refer to looking toward some distant horizon when investing. Gov. Palin needs to appoint trustees who will conservatively invest the Permanent Fund for the future but also provide a dependable annual dividend to the Alaskans who are here today.

-- Brian Hakkinen

Kasilof

Investigation of UAA athletics is inane; women's teams thrive

We are surprised at questions regarding Steve Cobb and UAA's Title IX investigation. As longtime boosters, we have seen firsthand the high quality of support UAA provides its student-athletes. The current women's head coaches, Tim Moser and Chris Green, have turned the women's programs into exciting and successful teams. Consider basketball's current national ranking and volleyball's turnaround season. These two men have national recognition and Cobb brought both of them to UAA.

We're also confused by the questions regarding trainers and locker rooms. The trainers are the same for volleyball and track and both men's and women's basketball teams. How can that be inequitable?

Locker room space had been a problem long before Cobb arrived. They have been trying for years, and got partial funding for the new sports facility that will solve this problem. The current facility has 11 sports using rooms designed for maybe five. The state has finally addressed this issue.

We'd like to commend Cobb and his staff for working hard to provide our community with a first-class program. Working with the UAA booster clubs, Cobb strives to provide every sport with whatever it needs. The athletics program has never been on such firm footing.

-- Jim and Bobbi Olson

Anchorage

Cuddy was better Senate choice

It is unfortunate that Alaska voters did not choose Dave Cuddy as the Republican nominee for the Senate in the August primary. If we had, Alaskans would have had a well-qualified candidate to support on Election Day.

Besides being scrupulously honest, Dave has the resume and experience to help solve the daunting problems that face our country. Dave campaigned on issues. No mud. No smears. No attacks on Ted Stevens. In fact, he stressed long-term planning, reform, good government and balancing the budget during his race.

Dave ran to provide a better future for America and our children, not to deliver favors to special interests. Dave is who we need now during these harsh economic times. Our state and the nation would benefit tremendously from the economics degree that he earned at Duke, his MBA from Gonzaga and his many years of experience in Alaska banking and finance. The career politicians in Washington wrecked our country's economy. We need seasoned, capable and ethical business people like Dave to fix this mess.

-- Thomas Senter

Anchorage

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