Dr. Wein
Dear Editor: So, Dr. Wein has been let go from the Sitka Community Hospital. It is my understanding the reason is that Dr. Wein provided care to the uninsured or the under-insured of our community at a reduced rate or no charge.
Dr. Wein is just that, a doctor. He chose a profession based on care for others first and foremost. Who hasn’t in our medical community taken the opportunity to help patients in this manner? The powers that be at the hospital decided this was completely unsatisfactory behavior and requested Dr. Wein to leave immediately.
Dr. Wein’s departure will slot in nicely with the sale of the SCH to SEARHC. On the matter of the “merger” anybody who believes that once the sale is complete that any Sitka entity will have any say in the running of that hospital is dreaming. The current practices at SEARHC will continue.
Once Sitka Community Hospital has been sold it’s not coming back. It is gone. All the work by community members to build that hospital is gone. Dr. Wein has been a longtime compassionate caregiver in this town. The revenue stream that he created at SCH so far outweighs any charity work as to make his termination all the more ludicrous. The people who caused Dr. Wein to leave SCH should be ashamed of themselves. If his charity actions were such a problem it should have been brought to his attention and a solution found.
Is not the mission of SCH to provide compassionate care to all who come through their door? This is what Dr. Wein did. The callousness of those attacking this man’s entire career Is shameful. Dr. Wein, I can only apologize on behalf of myself.
Stephen Lawrie, Sitka
Elizabeth Peratrovich
Dear Editor: I would like to thank this wonderful community for coming together once again to celebrate and honor a brave and courageous woman we have all come to know as our beloved Elizabeth Peratrovich.
We started off the week with a viewing of “For the Rights of All” at the totem park visitors center theater. I would like to recognize the hard work of Angie Richman, Chief of Interpretation at the Sitka National Historical Park. She was vital in bringing this film to the public. She not only previewed it herself but she took the time to make posters for the theater walls that had important information about the Anti-Discrimination Act of Feb. 16, 1945, that was passed due to the impassioned speech that Elizabeth Peratrovich gave that day. She also opened up the floor for discussion after the film was viewed that led to everyone sharing their ideas and opinions about the film. My esteemed colleague and co-chair, Nina Vizcarrondo, brought up a very valid point. “Why isn’t Elizabeth Peratrovich taught in all the schools in the U.S. like she is here in Sitka.” Something for us all to think about and hopefully start working on asap!
On Thursday, the Elizabeth Peratrovich Day parade ran on schedule without a hitch. This was largely due to the expertise of the Sitka Police Department. I would like to thank officer Gary Cranford, Sgt. Brad Wheeler and officer Scott Johnson. We are blessed in Sitka to have such dedicated individuals in public service. Also, Sitka Tribe of Alaska sponsored a van for all our elders who could not march in the parade. Thank you so much STA for honoring our elders who made this day worthwhile!
A special thank you goes to Lillian Feldpausch of Sitka Tribal Enterprises for donating the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi Community House for our Family Fun Dance on Saturday night. Thank you to Leo Jimmy, the building attendant who worked very hard making the night a success! Also to Dove Island Lodge, Harris Air and the Westmark Baranof Hotel in Juneau for our grand prizes.
Sitka showed up and showed off to cheer us on! This was due to the Sitka school district allowing students to get out of school at 1 p.m., so that parents and their kiddos could attend and march in the parade. It was so gratifying to see people of all walks in life standing together in harmony and cheering Elizabeth Peratrovich’s name. An experience I will not soon forget!
Following the parade, there was a great program of events at the ANB Founders Hall. The SNEP children stole the show with their beautiful songs. They even had a wonderful song to honor Elizabeth Peratrovich, sung to the tune of B-I-N-G-O. Well done, SNEP! Also, the MEHS Yupik dancers did a wonderful job with their dancing. Next was the MEHS Athabascan dancers, who wowed the crowd with their artistry. Finally, the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi dancers, marched in and gave us all a wonderful show of songs and dancing. The MEHS student council was on hand to reenact the legislative meeting of 1945 that actually makes this celebration possible. Every year they do this skit and it is the high point of our annual celebration. They received a standing ovation.
Gary May, our local executive chef, once again volunteered his time to make a wonderful rockfish dinner, with rice and green beans with bacon. Steve Warren made his famous homemade sesame wheat rolls. Also working in the kitchen were Darold Peters and Renee Jakaitis. Thank you to the other volunteers whose names aren’t mentioned.
Our ANS president, Jean Arnold, and her husband Spike worked over and above the call of duty making all these arrangements come together. Also, Marcia Strand, our ANS kitchen manager, has worked very hard and we are so thankful to have her as an ANS sister.
Also, my co-chairperson Nina Vizcarrondo has been an absolute workhorse for ANS and for this great celebration. She worked with the National Park Service to make the film viewing happen. She also did flyers and programs. She has also been busy building a website for ANS. Although it is still a work in progress, you can find it at anscamp4.com.
This great day would not have happened without the donations from the following fine Sitka organizations. Thank you to the Daily Sitka Sentinel, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Sea Mart Quality Foods and AC Lakeside. It is our deepest and sincerest wish that you know how grateful we are to you.
I would be remiss if I did not mention my boss, Pastor Ryan Gluth at the Sitka Assembly of God, who cheers me on and allows me to work unfettered on all our ANS special events and community projects. A true man of God who inspires me every day.
Finally, it is you who I wish to thank, Sitka! For years I have written about this wonderful island and the beauty and grace of the people that live here. So, I once again would like you to take a bow and pat yourself on the back. You came through like you always do, Sitka. My deepest and sincerest thanks.
Debe K. Brincefield,
ANS 1st Vice President,
Elizabeth Peratrovich Celebration chairperson
Enemy of The People
Dear Editor: I hereby invite all Concerned Citizens of Sitka (to say nothing of Alaska, and indeed, the entire United States, and beyond) to join me in declaring ourselves to be “FRiends of ‘the Enemy of the AMerican People’ (or Fr’EAmPs’), as President Trump described the news media on Friday.
This “enemy” is not to be confused with our other “enemies”: like Muslims in general, immigrants in particular, North Koreans/Chinese almost assuredly, Iranqians, Afghanians, and other assorted ISISemites (other than Saudi). This enemy to which we pledge our friendship is to Mr. Trump’s “news media”; whatever that term might mean, at least for today, to him and thus his faithfully devoted.
It has somehow, in the course of human events, come to pass that a sufficient number of people in this country determined that the next president of the United States should be someone who is either totally ignorant of, and/or oblivious to, and/or else just doesn’t give a shit about a thing called the First Amendment to The Constitution of The United States of America. This sounds suspiciously close to what Benjamin Franklin may have had in mind when he informed an inquirer back in Philadelphia, back in 1787: “We have given you a Republic...; if You can keep it.”
Either that, or Mr. Trump is simply (again) successfully diverting everybody’s attention (again) from what’s really going up there in SwampLand, and the status of Its “draining” (again). He has already demonstrated himself to be quite accomplished at that task.
After all (just for example)... how many people are wondering how much do all these now-weekly trips to and from Florida from and to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (apparently so a civilized person can play a decent game of golf in February) – by the president, his White House staff, entourage, strap-hangers, and guests – how much do all these trips cost? Let alone flying Melania and Barron in from New York. Let alone what it’s costing New York City (latest estimate, more than $1 million/day) to be her host? And, ehhhh... just exactly who is picking up the tab on all this? His “Re-Elect The Donald in 2020” PAC? Anybody wondering about that?
As a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant with 28 years of service, including two years in Viet Nam and two years in the pre-9/11 Middle East, I was deeply concerned and even deeperly offended by President Trump’s Tweets concerning Flag Burning last month; again, as a matter of his apparent total lack of knowledge and understanding of, let alone respect for, that same First Amendment.
His comments calling the news media “the enemy of the American people” is, for this old soldier, at least, a bit of a bridge too far. If it also isn’t for a whole hell of a lot of other people, then this nation and people will deserve the government that it gets and that they bequeath to their children. And Father Ben’s concern will have been realized.
J.G. Moebus, Master Sergeant,
U.S. Army (Retired)
Veterans Against War
(Sitka Platoon)
FRiends of ‘‘the Enemy of the American People’’ {Fr’EAmPs’ - News Media, North America}
