AMHS Abuse
Dear Editor: Disgusting – disgraceful! We boarded the M/V Malaspina with a car for a five-day trip north to get the vehicle down to the states on March 9. By the time we got settled, both the forward lounge and the recliner lounge had turned into small tent cities.
Which on the surface is a good thing that is allowed to provide affordable travel. However, these users seem to think they own these areas. One could hardly walk through the recliner lounge and the forward lounge had but two rows of empty seats with a bag and body on the floor in front of some of the ‘‘empty seats.’’
Understand, I do not know who, where they came from, or where they were going. After off-loading at Haines what I saw was beyond belief. The good thing, the folks in the recliner lounge cleaned it up to what I would think was the way they found it. The bad, the forward lounge was to say the least-disgusting – blankets, pillows, snack wrappers, bottles, garbage, whatever strewn everywhere. The site looked like a landfill. I just could not believe what I was looking at nor could I get a grip on the idea of folks getting a break to use a restricted area (no food-drink) as an affordable means of travel.
As I looked at this shameful way a public transportation system is abused, I could not help to think that there will be a day when the rules of the ship will be enforced.
Just throw it on the ground, let someone else deal with it. I’m quite sure the captain and crew are really getting tired of this type of behavior.
David H. Tjomsland, Sitka
Fish Donation
Dear Editor: Thank you to Alaskans Own for the generous fish donation.
Youth Advocates of Sitka would like to thank and appreciate Alaskan’s Own for donating 20 pounds of fresh fish to our Hanson House program. The Hanson House is a 24-hour level III residential treatment facility for youths ages 10-18 in need of intensive supervised care, but who do not need detention or a locked facility. We provide a safe and structured home-like environment for up to 10 young people at a time.
At the Hanson House we strive to cook nutritious meals daily. A well-balanced diet is essential for the well-being of growing teenagers. Additionally, the promotion of a healthy diet is supportive to the healing and overall good-health of our youths.
Thank you, again, to Alaskans Own for your support. Together, we are able to able to support the mental health of Alaska’s youths and their families by empowering youths to grow into healthy, happy and productive members of our community.
Annette Becker, Executive Director,
Youth Advocates of Sitka
Common Core
Dear Editor: Did you know? Based on statements by the Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of Education, Arnie Duncan, the self-described definition of the Common Core Standard by their architects, is: “A work force development for a managed economy” by state and corporations as opposed to individual achievement for an open economy. Oh ... wow. Not exactly the American Dream for my children and grandchildren I had hoped for.
For the people of Sitka, it boils down to eventually losing teachers to afford the technology needed to run Common Core. Of course, we need some technology today, but I want teachers, not technology to instruct and nurture the minds of my children.
Kodiak has had to let 20 percent of their staff go after implementing Common Core standard in their schools. This is not about politics. This is about keeping our children, teachers, and school district healthy. Don’t avoid knowing for yourself. Look it up. Go to badassteacher.org, wallbuilders.com, facebook.com/ StopCommonCoreAK, and breitbart.com for starters. Then do your own research. Be informed.
Julie Stroemer, Sitka
