Animal Shelter
Dear Editor: Notice to Animal Lovers: Please be aware that the Sitka Animal Shelter is now a kill shelter.
A dog turned into the shelter has either three or five days to live, depending upon whether the animal is licensed, before the police department can kill the animal. Cats may also be killed. No volunteers have been allowed into the shelter so there is no monitoring or tending to the welfare of the animals.
No animal control officer has been hired, leaving the care of the animals up to the police department, which is severely understaffed. This means that little or no animal care, rehabilitation, education or rehoming is likely to take place. The solution, to save money and police time, is to kill the animal, which has been done in the recent past.
The source of this information? Police chief testimony at the public hearing on the shelter, the Facebook page of the Sitka Police Department, and recent ad in the Sentinel informing the public that the animals would be subject to ‘‘shelter policy,’’ meaning the Sitka animal kill ordinances.
Galen Paine, Sitka
Homeless Connect
Dear Editor: Sitka Outreach and Support: Lifeline Group would like to thank the many people who supported the 2024 Fall Project Homeless Connect.
A big thank you to all those who donated warm clothing, socks, jackets, hats and gloves, sleeping bags and so many other things and to several people who donated funds so that specific items could be purchased. Also thank you to LFS Marine Supplies.
We are so grateful to the volunteers who helped made the event possible. Thank you to the organizations who came to offer services, SEARHC, University of Alaska Southeast, Southeast Alaska Independent Living, St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church of Sitka, Salvation Army, St. Gregory’s Catholic Church, the White Elephant Shop and the Homeless Coalition.
There are many people who are homeless in Sitka today; if you can help, contact the Salvation Army, the Homeless Coalition, or Sitka Outreach and Support: Lifeline Group. Thank you, Sitka, for caring.
Julia A. Smith, President
Sitka Outreach and
Support: Lifeline Group
Vitamin D
Dear Editor: I enjoyed Wednesday’s front page photo of Sitkans enjoying the winter sunshine. But I would also like to clear up a little misconception in the interest of public health. I wish that we could have gotten a dose of vitamin D from those lovely rays, but that’s simply not possible this time of year.
Our skin does manufacture vitamin D from the sun. How much is a factor of the type of skin we have and how much of our skin is actually exposed to the sun, along with how strong the sun’s rays are at the time of exposure. Sadly, there’s not enough strength in the sun’s rays to allow any of us to manufacture vitamin D this time of year. At Sitka’s latitude, the sun is not strong enough for any of us to make vitamin D from about mid-October through mid-March. We can lay out in our swimsuits in the sun all day long this time of year and not make any vitamin D at all.
Vitamin D is crucial for bone health, immunity, reducing risks for depression and mortality from cancer… the evidence base is vast and strong. Sitkans must supplement with appropriate amounts of vitamin D if they wish to enjoy the benefits of adequate vitamin D levels and not suffer from insufficiency (increased depression, increased mortality from cancer, etc.). We won’t get it from the sun, not at all. That sun is mood enhancing maybe, but it will do nothing for our vitamin D levels.
The best, most researched database and information regarding vitamin D I have found is https://grassrootshealth.net
Thanks for keeping us informed!
Karen Zamzow, D.C.
Baranof Chiropractic
Mideast War
Dear Editor: As Sitkans bundle up and throw another log on the fire, people over in Gaza and Lebanon are shivering under cool night temperatures and with rain in the forecast, while living in ragged tents or with no shelter at all. And every day, every minute, they are in danger of their lives.
AP news estimates that over 44, 000 people, mainly women and children, have been killed since Israel launched its revenge assault on Gaza last October. Of course, there is no way to know how many bodies are unrecoverable, under the rubble. We may estimate many thousands.
America continues to provide arms to Israel, and friendship with Netanyahu (who has an outstanding arrest warrant out for him, issued by the International Criminal Court, for war crimes.) The United States is becoming more isolated in its support.
“The United States on Wednesday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza. The 15-member council voted on a resolution put forward by 10 non-permanent members that called for an ‘immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire’ in the 13-month conflict and separately demanded the release of hostages. Only the U.S. voted against, using its veto as a permanent council member to block the resolution,” according to Reuters. “Only the United States.”
As my heart continues to break over the stupidity and horror of this situation, I can only continue to stand witness against a modern day, well-documented genocide.
In the snow I’ll stand, in solidarity and in pain at the appalling violence humans inflict on each other.
Saturday, noon at the roundabout, we stand vigil. It will probably still be icy and cold then, and folks may prefer to drive on by, toasty and safe and unwilling to do more than feel a fleeting empathy with those whose lives are deemed inconsequential by the mighty powers of war. It may indeed be a fruitless action, and standing witness to the crime of our century may be a hopeless quixotic endeavour, but speaking for myself, I cannot, by my silence, give consent.
All are welcome to join in (Saturday, 12 at the roundabout) as we demand a ceasefire, an arms embargo, and a freeing of all hostages on both sides, and perhaps a tender return to humanity, to caring for small children and their mums and dads.
Nancy Metashvili, Sitka
