Teenager suicide is no joke

I am the youth representative on the Statewide Suicide Prevention Council, an advisory council to the governor.

Most teens joke about suicide without really knowing it, using phrases such as "oh, just kill me" or telling each other to "slit vertically" (referring to cutting wrists). It is the job of teachers and principals to get the word out: Suicide is not a joke. Teens are at a higher risk for suicide, and the numbers in Alaska are higher than the national average.

While the faculty in schools has a duty to be observant, other teens should take the reins when signs of suicide occur. We as teens know our friends better than anyone else, and we should take it upon ourselves to help them out.

Sometimes counseling is necessary, but most of the time it's just a shoulder to lean on. Somebody to talk to can make a huge difference and teens are more prone to converse with their peers. So get the word out. Suicide is serious, and it's about time we teens stepped up and helped out.

-- Celaena Powder

Palmer

Not all Alaskans can expect to receive the best trauma care

Many people think that the local hospital in the community in which they live can take care of them if they are injured. The trauma could be a car crash, an act of violence like a shooting or stabbing, or a simple accident like falling in your house. It may be a child simply getting hurt while playing.

Some smaller communities in Alaska do not offer all medical subspecialty care and the general public believes their most severe injuries can be cared for at the next-bigger or -better hospital.

This in fact is not the case in Alaska. If you are injured and need trauma care, our state does not yet have a system to take care of you, your children and your loved ones. Coverage of the various medical specialties is not the same throughout the state and varies among races of people.

Data from the Alaska State Trauma Systems Review Committee show a large difference in mortality of the patients treated at the trauma-designated hospital versus non-designated hospitals in Anchorage. Patients taken care of at the trauma-designated hospital have a lower mortality rate than patients cared for at the other hospitals.

As in other states, legislation has been introduced in an attempt to improve trauma care in Alaska. The development of a statewide trauma system would assure that we all get a minimal standard of care once injured. Alaskans deserve good trauma care, so please support this effort to improve trauma care in our state.

-- Regina Chennault, M.D.

general surgeon

Anchorage

Our tax burden isn't all that bad

The tax cap initiative is based on the disingenuous proposition that we are overtaxed in this state. To the contrary, this place is a tax haven. Though real estate taxes may be high in absolute terms, they are comparable to other states', they are the only tax we pay, and then the state generously pays them completely for many of us (me included) in the form of a Permanent Fund payout.

Surely we all should contribute financially to the greater welfare of the community. One might argue about what is an appropriate amount to contribute, but I cannot conclude that we are in any way overtaxed by the state.

-- Rick Zimmer

Anchorage

Pursue Railbelt hydro power

Now is the time to really pursue a massive hydroelectric project for the Railbelt area. Think of the jobs that will be created by such a project.

Use of massive, cheap electricity is only limited by our imagination. If hydroelectric construction is compared to the Enstar bullet gas line, I'm thinking hydro will lose.

An abundant natural gas supply will not encourage us to build hydroelectric but to continue using natural gas for power generation. Our goal needs to be focused on renewable energy supplies like hydroelectric.

-- Vince Leonard

Eagle River

Rebut saving-time defenses

Most arguments for daylight-saving time are easily countered. For instance, the statement that farmers and ranchers like it: Not true, they are governed more by sun time then clock time.

Or the idea that business people need to have time to deal with East Coast businesses: They can get up anytime they want to conduct business.

The statement that most people like the extra hour in the evening is also easily countered. Probably half of us are morning people and like the time in the morning.

-- Glenn Erickson

Anchorage

ADVERTISEMENT