Letters to the editor: Airstrip, masks, health board, trees along Highway 55, health care workers
Airstrip
As a homeowner and backcountry pilot in Custer County, Idaho, I oppose Michael Boren’s private airport in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
I am not opposed to ranchers operating airstrips on their private land. However, Boren’s Hell Roaring Ranch lies within the SNRA and has a scenic easement attached. In order to operate an airport, he must have permission from Custer County, but also requires federal permission from the Forest Service, the FAA, and the EPA. His airstrip was constructed and operated before any of these permits were approved, meaning it is out of compliance.
More than 400 people wrote letters of opposition to approval of his county permit, many of us from Custer County. Neighbors and wilderness users have complained that the noise from Boren’s flights negatively impact this special place. Many bought their land nearby thinking scenic easements protected everyone’s property rights.
If Michael Boren’s airport is allowed, it sets a dangerous precedent for others who will take advantage of it. Custer County must protect the SNRA for future generations.
Rick Hesselbacher, Stanley
Highway 55 trees
I recently drove from McCall to Boise on Highway 55. Since moving to Seattle some time ago, I hadn’t made that drive in a few years. I was shocked and saddened by the huge number of dead and dying trees on both sides of the road virtually the entire journey. The trees in the hills looked relatively healthy, but the majority of trees alongside the road were in extremely poor condition. What is causing these trees to die? Is something being applied to the road or to the adjacent vegetation poisonous to the trees? Is it the blue salt mentioned in the Statesman today? Is anyone monitoring this situation? Is there a plan to remove the thousands of dead trees along the road? What was once a lovely drive has turned into a drive of death — tree death. It is not a good look for Idaho. Idaho can do better.
Jonathan Paul Carter, Seattle
Health care workers
Hugged a nurse, doctor or other medical worker recently? Unless you live with one, probably not. Why? Because with the surge in COVID cases, our health care staffs are once again working overtime. I got to see the teams at the St. Luke’s ER and SICU department in action. During the time I was there, I observed the extreme professionalism and dedication to their patients. However, even those traits were eclipsed by the compassion shown toward the family members who were there in support of the patients. My experience is with St. Luke’s in Boise, but I’m sure that there are similar examples to be found elsewhere. How the members of the caregiver community can shoulder such heavy loads and still manage to pay close attention to everyone’s emotional needs is nothing short of amazing. They are heroes without capes. Have I hugged a medical care worker recently? Yes. I only wish that I could do more to show them my thanks for all they did, and do every day. The best I can think of is for me to take care of myself, and stay out of their places of work. They’ve got way more than enough to do!
Curtis Stoddard, Eagle
Modern medicine
Doctors and medicine rarely healed or made a person better until the advent and acceptance of the germ theory. Prior to that, illness was thought to be a result of bad air or associated with one of four bodily humors — blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm. Treatment often consisted of bloodletting and/or purging.
We are in the midst of a pandemic caused by a “germ” that gives no thought for political affiliation yet we now have a Public Health Board that is rejecting modern science for politics and should more rightly be called the Political Health Board; it can only be assumed that they are unconcerned with actual public health. By focusing on politics we are being set back hundreds of years and the Political Health Board has turned last year’s often heard phrase, “We’re all in this together” into “Every man for himself.” Let the purging and the bloodletting begin.
Julie Kralovec, Boise
Pants and masks
If you have to wear pants to keep from exposing yourself to others, why not a mask? “Freedom” does not entail exposing yourself to others. It’s that simple.
Robert Elgee, Hailey