Readers write: Letters to the editor, July 11, 2017

Track bears with technology

In the public interest, why can't we use motion cameras and drones to track bears that enter the city parts of Anchorage and to provide for a clear path for their passage? Surely our military friends if not the city and local residents could get together and get the job done.

— Linda Cooper
Anchorage

Don't let senators cut services

We both win … or we both lose. Alaskans take care of their own, but occasionally people with severe trauma or burns get transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Alaska is facing the defunding of care for tens of thousands of your neighbors. Harborview is facing an estimated $130 million cut. Services will be affected with that level of reduction. Your senators will be making the decision about this care and service. I hope you will encourage them to not cut needed services through the ill-conceived Senate health bill.

— Robert Crittenden, MD, MPH
professor emeritus, UW Medical School
former chief of family medicine
Harborview
Seattle

To help budget, ax freeloaders

Referencing the ADN headlines (July 10) that two state commissioners earn over $130,000 for a minimal workload: With our Legislature down in Juneau, overtime at that, looking for ways to cut the budget, why didn't they find these two freeloaders feeding from the public trough? If they indeed make $130,000 each, that could be a savings of over a quarter million dollars. Granted, the state needs more money than that, but it is at least a start. I am shocked and disappointed that our elected legislators miss such an egregious waste of public money. What the heck were those folks doing down there in Juneau, also rooming and feeding themselves from the public treasury.

— Thom Eley
Anchorage

Please revive weekly TV guide

Once again I have to remember not to recycle the morning paper till I've removed the TV guide for the day.

Please figure out how to bring the TV guide back!

— Penelope Geisler
Anchorage

Trump is lessening US influence

Donald Trump arrived in office by appealing to selfish, separatist tendencies. Anyone who follows fact-based reporting can see the increasingly unfortunate effects of his presidency. Under Trump's "leadership," the United States is distancing itself from our allies, treaties, international friendships and commitments. As our nation becomes isolated, countries left estranged are more and more likely to come under Chinese and/or Russian dominance.

Trump is doing a tremendous job of diminishing the United States' influential role in the world and making our adversaries Great Again.

— Larry Asher
Anchorage

Hold on — primary care doctors here don't take Medicare

It is well known in Anchorage that no primary care doctors here accept Medicare, in spite of Tom Buccheri's assertion that such doctors are easy to find (Letters, July 9).

Just enter your ZIP code in the search program that Tom mentioned, and click on options "Family practice" or "Internal Medicine." Result: "We couldn't find any (such doctors) in your area." I pay full price to my internist.

Many specialists do accept Medicare — because they're somewhat better paid by the system. (Some only take a certain number of Medicare patients, however.)
As for a single-payer system, the United States is the only First World country that doesn't have a version of one. Single-payer would not reduce medical care options for poor people, contrary to Myers and Collins (Letters, July 6) — it would increase them.

I've lived in two countries with such systems, and have needed medical care in others. Those countries still have bankrupt and homeless people, but not because of the cost of medical care. All the systems could be improved in ways, but our top priority ought to be saving lives, even of the so-called "undeserving."

I suggest that people verify their facts before attacking the opinions of others.

— Vivian Mendenhall
Anchorage

It's always about color

So now we're presented with a new theory and new location regarding "evolution." After reading the article "How are Neanderthals related to humans? Finally, an answer," the implication is that brown-skinned Africans, not black-skinned Africans, assisted in creating white people.

This latest fossil find is a hoax. Yet, if it hastens the evolution chart being changed to depict a man of color instead of a white guy (which we all know is false), then it's a step in the right direction. Prior to this hoax, DNA testing on random people from all nations unequivocally placed Central to South Africa as the birthplace of humankind. After Russia's failed attempt to convince the scientific community of its ridiculous theory on their evolution, Europeans knew further denial was futile, so they resolved to admit Africa is the cradle of civilization. However, to this very day Europeans are still not comfortable enough with their identity to admit black people are the chosen ones, so they placed the fossil in Morocco to give credence to brown people being the chosen ones. Trust me, as always, it all pertains to color.

— Phillip Labay Mikes
Anchorage

Alaskan salmon forever

Thank you, Rep. Louise Stutes, for introducing House Bill 199 and seeking to update Title 16, our Alaska statutes on fish habitat. Title 16 has not been updated since statehood. The Alaska Board of Fisheries reacted to thousands of Alaskans speaking to the board on the importance of salmon to them and their lives. These Alaskans include commercial, sport, personal and subsistence fishers and more. Thousands of Alaskans spoke in defense and support of strong, healthy, wild salmon runs and habitat. The Alaska Board of Fisheries heard these Alaskans and HB 199 is the response to the board's letter.

HB 199 will update Title 16 statutes by creating clear scientific and enforceable standards for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to identify important habitat characteristics (water quality, instream flow levels, fish passage and riparian areas) that need to be maintained to protect and support the sustainability of Alaska's fisheries.

HB 199 gives Alaskans a now-missing voice in the permitting process. Title 16 does not currently mandate public input and involvement.

HB 199 expands Title 16 protection to more of Alaska's waters by mandating that all streams are presumed to be salmon bearing unless proved otherwise. Important salmon waters will be protected.

HB 199 creates commonsense standards for mitigation that must be met to protect wild salmon before a project can move forward.

With HB 199, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game can judge and quantifiably say yes or no to projects that would harm Alaska's salmon rivers and waterways. Alaskans would have a clear voice in the future of our fisheries.
There is a growing need to update Alaska's outdated fish habitat law. HB 199 will give Alaskans a chance to weigh in on decisions impacting our salmon rivers and finally set clear standards to protect our salmon for generations to come.

Please support HB 199.

— Barbara N. Reilly
Anchorage

Affordable Care Act a lifesaver for this Anchorage man

My name is Scott Selman. I am writing you today to express my gratitude for the Affordable Care Act. In essence, if not for the ACA I would be in my grave today, my wife would be a widow and my young daughter would be without a father.
In 2015 I was diagnosed with a rare, incurable lung disease known as diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia.

After I had numerous stays in ICU on life support, my doctors all came to the same conclusion. The only chance I had to survive was to receive a double lung transplant.

In January of 2016 they fast-tracked me to the University of Washington in Seattle to begin testing to see if I would be a qualifiable candidate for transplant. This is a very thorough process and includes not only your physical evaluation, but also your emotional state, your post-procedure caregivers and, perhaps most importantly of all, access to insurance that will cover the staggering costs.
Here was where I ran into trouble. I was found to be extremely suitable for candidacy in every area except the monetary aspect. The financial adviser at the hospital had to explain to me that my insurance would cover the actual operation, but there was a problem in the actual procurement of the donor's lungs. Expenses for obtaining and delivery of the lungs could actually be up to $100,000 and my particular policy had a cap of $5,000. It was like a catch-22. While the procedure itself was covered, getting my new lungs to the hospital wasn't.

My hopes for survival were dashed upon the rocks of reality. My only chance at this point was to refinance my house and max out all my credit cards in hopes I could cover the expenses myself. However, I then thought what if the procedure failed? Do I really want to leave my family so far in debt that they may not only lose me but possibly our home as well?

I began to seriously contemplate the advantages of me dying … of everyone being better off without me. I accepted my impending fate and concluded my story was one of brevity, not longevity. This is a soul-crushing place to be. Yet I vowed to appreciate, attempt to illuminate and lend weight to every waning moment I had left on this planet. Game over …

But then a miracle came into my life, one of many I would be blessed with over the next year. It appeared in the form of the Affordable Care Act. This law actually called for the removal of cap limits from policies that restricted access to numerous life-saving procedures, in particular to me — organ procurement!
The board of directors responsible for my insurance coverage actually had a meeting and changed the policy. Not out of generosity and concern for my well-being, mind you, but because of the law, the Affordable Care Act law.

Solely because of this I am alive today, as are others. I am an active participant in my own life now. I am back at work, I am able to be a father, husband and friend, I am able to dream, plan, laugh, walk and breathe again. I am so grateful for this priceless gift I have been given, this second chance, this miracle, this redemption.
All because of my donor, my doctors, my family. And this law.

Please keep the ACA intact and allow others the opportunity to survive and thrive as I. Thank you,

Not only for your time, but mine as well.

— Charles Scott Selman
recipient of a double lung transplant on April 24, 2016
Anchorage

Exposed aquifer/pond near
Westpark creates concern

A special Sand Lake Community Council (SLCC) meeting will be held Tuesday, July 25, at 6:30 p.m. at the Sand Lake Baptist Church. The only agenda item is to hear more about resolutions presented to the MOA for solutions to fix their approved build of a storm water bypass system.

Summer of 2016, a storm water bypass system to the exposed aquifer was built without public input or knowledge. On Aug. 8, 2016, a "high-intensity rain event" occurred that allowed pollutants from storm water runoff directly into the exposed aquifer.

Three solutions were presented at the March SLCC by MOA staff to appease those concerned about the safety of their drinking water. A resolution was requested by the MOA of the SLCC to address their offered solutions.

Currently people and their pets swim, boat and utilize the exposed aquifer as a public use body of water. Prior to the build of Westpark, those on wells expressed great concern for the safety of their well water at SLCC meetings. Please attend to hear how your well water may be impacted by the bypass system in place. Go to www.communitycouncils.org

— Claire Lewis
Anchorage

Lawmakers, start compromising

The leaders and members of the Alaska State Legislature, whether Republican, Democrat or independent, must immediately step away from just standing on principle and get into the nitty-gritty hard political work of bargaining with one another, otherwise known as compromising.

It is more than past time that a sustainable fiscal plan was put in place. I do not underestimate the difficulties of reaching agreement. However, your collective responsibility is to the state of Alaska and its residents, not to a position.

— Susan Olsen
Anchorage

The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.