Letters to the Editor

Letter: Misplaced gripes

I believe we all know that the gripes of Mr. Andy Kriner and his customers are not with Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, but rather with our President. He is the only leader of a developed country to so spectacularly fail to quell the virus. Consequently, most other developed countries have forbidden tourists from the U.S. until we successfully get the virus under control. Even Canada has closed its borders to the U.S.

Alaska's recent spike has caused New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to add Alaska to a list of states where the virus is not under control. Visitors from those states require a 14-day quarantine before being allowed out and about.

If Mr. Kriner cannot afford to close for a month for indoor dining, again, that is not a problem created by Mayor Berkowitz. The U.S. House of Representatives passed an aid package in May that would provide funding for businesses to remain closed until the virus could be quashed to the extent that businesses could be reopened safely. Our senators, more than 11 weeks after passage of the House bill, still have not approved that bill, or submitted one of the Senate's own. Call your senators if being closed temporarily is a problem.

It is too bad that Mayor Berkowitz is left to make the hard decisions to keep Anchorage safe, because our federal delegation has failed to do its job.

Bill Hearn

Seward

Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.

ADVERTISEMENT