EpiPen cost hike is criminal
It is ironic that in the Aug. 26 ADN there were at least two long articles about the increase in the price of EpiPens. In the same edition's obituaries, the death of Ms. Tracy Boren was noted to be caused by an allergic reaction to a wasp sting. Many of us carry EpiPens with us because we suffer allergic reactions to bee stings and other things. The increase in the price of EpiPens is absurd, criminal and a hazard for those who can't afford the increase. EpiPens save peoples' lives every day.
— Thomas Eley
Anchorage
School lunch has distasteful past
With the new school year starting, parents' to-do lists are now filled with shopping for school clothes, supplies and food.
That's right — food!
In past years, our nation's schools were used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a dumping ground for surplus meat and dairy commodities. It is neither a surprise nor coincidence that one-third of our children have become overweight or obese. Such dietary mistakes at an early age become lifelong addictions, raising their risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Then came President Barack Obama's Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requiring double the servings of fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, less sodium and fat, and no meat for breakfast. The guidelines are supported by 86 percent of Americans.
Most U.S. school districts now offer vegetarian options. More than 120 schools including the entire school districts of Baltimore; Boston; Buffalo, New York; Detroit; Houston, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles; Oakland; Philadelphia; and San Diego have implemented Meatless Monday. Some schools have dropped meat from their menu altogether.
As parents, we need to involve our own children and school cafeteria managers in promoting healthy, plant-based foods in our own schools.
Going online and searching for "vegetarian options in schools" provides lots of good resources.
— Art Doddermyer
Anchorage
Post stumps for Clinton
I am happy to note a couple of days without one after another byline from The Washington Post being offered as news content in the Dispatch. I did look forward to maybe a short story about Obama having just come off a vacation and being so stressed out with all those command decisions he has been making that he now needs to fly to Hawaii next week to hit the links there.
The Post has certainly taken the word "journalism" to a new low, as it is clearly a bought and sold arm of the DNC and the election of Hillary Clinton.
— Charlie Bussell
Anchorage
Media cast Hickel as villain, but he emerged an Alaska hero
Ken Flynn's latest one-liner (Aug. 26, ADN), directed at me, quotes Wally Hickel's famous 1994 declaration, "you can't just let nature run wild" … ha, ha, ha. Gov. Hickel was blasted widely by the media for this. I remember thinking the environmentalists will have a heyday with this and they did. But they were wrong … about both Hickel and his declaration.
Hickel was elected Alaska's governor in 1966. In his first term, he pushed for the construction of an 800-mile oil pipeline from Prudhoe Bay in the Arctic to the port of Valdez on Prince William Sound. In 1968, he was appointed U.S. Interior secretary, which was met with a newspaper "smear" campaign of accusations that he had a corrupt and anti-environmentalist record as governor. Newspapers opposing his appointment included The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.
In the Senate, his confirmation was opposed by, among others, Democratic Sens. Walter Mondale and George McGovern and Sierra Club Director Dave Brower.
The Senate nevertheless confirmed him in January 1969. Addressing the National Petroleum Council in July 1970, he said: "Let us find new ways, better ways, of doing business so that our industries can prosper and our environment flourish at the same time. The right to produce is not the right to pollute." Hickel proved his critics wrong, supporting strong legislation that put liabilities on oil companies operating offshore oil rigs as well as demanding environmental safeguards on Alaska's growing oil industry. Concerned millions of acres of Alaska could be spoiled, he required oil companies to make major safety and operation alterations to their plans before final approval of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. And 25 years later in 1990, he was re-elected Alaska's governor.
As for "you can't just let nature run wild," as a wildlife biologist, I can only agree. In northern boreal ecosystems with minimal diversity, as witnessed in a number of Alaska's national parks, "'hands-off" often means overpopulation and crashes, as well as range destruction.
— Jim Lieb
Palmer
Celebrate centennial and join challenge to champion parks
This year is the National Park Service's 100th anniversary. Alaska parks have meant an enormous amount to Alaskans, and this is the time to celebrate our national parks, and ensure they last another 100 years, so future Alaskans and visitors can continue to use and enjoy them. Our parks face a variety of challenges, including not enough funding. With Alaska's national parks accounting for $115 million of the Park Service's $12 billion repair backlog, parks require not just additional funding, but creative solutions to get more investment for repairs and other important efforts to enhance them.
One of those solutions is the Centennial Challenge, which allows private-public partnerships to fund projects in our parks. In 2015, the Park Service, in partnership with Alaska Geographic was able to engage over 1,000 Alaskan youth in national parks activities, such as winter camping as well as science and history research. This project was part of the Park Service's Centennial project program.
Currently, there is a proposed bill in Congress to make this program permanent. We are appreciative of Sen. Lisa Murkowski's efforts to wrestle with the infrastructure issue, and we encourage her to pass a robust centennial bill that will allow park champions like Alaska Geographic and many others to work with the Park Service to continue protecting and enhancing America's favorite places.
— Barbara Elfman Bell
executive director, Alaska Geographic, Anchorage
Bailed out by darned feds again; thought we didn’t need them
Once again those darned feds have come to our rescue, how dare they! After all, we don't want them, do we?
So, when the state couldn't find a measly $1 million to extend the Matanuska River trench, what do those traitorous and despicable feds do? They give us the money.
Shame on them. I mean the Legislature has a new building to buy after having to give up a $42 million gold palace, (their suffering is enough to bring tears to your eyes.) Lance Pruitt wants millions for the University Hospitable Industrial Complex. We had KABATA, a $198 million railroad spur never to be used, (and don't forget the tens of millions spent on a port over there); $100 million for a sports center when the university is going bust, (yea, we saw it coming).
Folks, this is Republicans at their best. You might want to consider who you vote for this year, (and maybe thank the federal government for all it's done for us up here!).
— Greg Schmitz
Anchorage
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