Education

Not everyone has the easiest time in school. I know I didnt. My mental health was something I struggled with coming up in the one brick-and-mortar school in my small town. It was difficult to succeed in the school district. Fortunately, I found a solution with online school.

I can now say that Ive grown so much from my transition from a brick-and-mortar school to online learning at Idaho Technical Charter Academy, as I look to complete my senior year of college at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX

I didnt have what one would call a normal life. For starters, my home environment wasnt great and my struggles with mental health made it difficult to take full advantage of everything that online school has to offer. My school provided me with an incredibly strong support system in the form of its teaching staff. I became very close with one of my English teachers who is part of the reason I even got into Trinity. I now study English there and Im really involved in advocacy and inclusion on campus.

With COVID-19, many families are concerned about returning to in-person learning but also hesitate to go fully online. I can assure you that with the right tools and guidance, online school works. It drove me to establish myself as a truly self-driven and self-directed person, and I appreciate that it could act as that buffer for my mental health. Lets make sure that every family has the ability to choose the school that meets their needs.

Brianna Duncan, Meridian

Lands

The consequences of swapping McCall land to Trident Holdings LLC will outlive sweet-talking Alec Williams. Its easy to imagine the owners of the contemplated private acre lots backing up to public land enjoying access to the public land and denying it to the public, as often happens. An easement on private property is only a right to sue for access, not access. Who wins that suit, the deep-pocketed, politically-connected rich guy or the public? If Tridents plans are so benign and financially beneficial, why doesnt the Land Board do them? And endowment lands arent public lands but Tridents would be? Huh?

James Runsvold, Caldwell

Kool-Aid

Sorry Mr. Cannamela, youve been drinking the same $17 Billion Dollars worth of Kool-Aid over the past 20 yrs that the majority of Governors, Congressmen and Native Americans have on how to renew the Salmon/Steelhead runs in the PNW. Imagine $17 Billion and still no solution; typical government scenario in wasteful spending. Well, I have a solution that is backed by Good Science. Contact Mr. Ron Harriman at ronharriman@q.com for the details and I would invite our Governor to do the same. Mr. Harriman has the solutions without losing any of our Hydro Power and it wont cost another $17 Billion of taxpayers money to do it. Will it be easy? No, but the plan will solve the problem.

Chuck Stadick, Caldwell

Grow a heart

An Idaho Press story over the weekend helped me understand why so many Idahoans do not wear masks or take protective measures urgently recommended by the governor and, most recently, the president.

While discussing the death of a St. Lukes nurse, Representative Tammy Nichols told the Idaho Press that information about the virus coming from government and medical scientists was without consensus. This suggests that, for many, science which seems unequivocal can be disregarded if, for example, medical advice changes about the importance of masks. She then implied a distinction should be made between those who died from the disease from those who died with it, as if Covid death numbers are also without consensus. Finally, Nichols said she did not want someone else to be held responsible to keep me safe.

It is obvious and undeniably we are responsible for ourselves. But have we no responsibility to protect others, which is the purpose of wearing a mask? What happened to Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself or the Golden Rule?

The same weekend brought a call from my brother saying his dear wife had just been diagnosed with Covid and taken to a hospital. Apparently, three workers at a facility where she was in medical rehabilitation had brought the infection to her.

Should she die, it would be from three workers failing to wear masks or engaging in risky behavior or because testing, tracing or protective equipment was unavailable. Isnt the point to protect everyone possible, not statistical consensus? And, as with Samantha Hickey, the St. Lukes nurse who died, we will not care if Covid is only the immediate but not the sole reason we lost her. Please, Representative Nichols and likeminded Idahoans, grow a heart.

Jerry Brady, Boise

Baseball

It is good to see that major league baseball is now being played. It would be nice if the Idaho Press printed the box scores in a larger font so that we can read them, otherwise why print them at all. Please do what you can to present a sports page that is readable to all readers. Im sure you can spare a bit of additional space in the daily paper.

Craig Lochner, Boise

Subscriber no more

Please add my name the expanding list of readers dropping off your subscriber list due to your obvious tilt to the left. I was sold on the Idaho Press as it was presented to be an alternative to the liberal Statesman, but the July 28 article titled Black kids die more often after surgery, new research shows pushed off the ledge. How can an article stating that out of 173,000 operations 23 black youngsters died within 30 days of surgery compared with 13 whites be declared striking without any additional info such as the admitted slightly more heart and digestive problems among black children. How many of those surgeries were the result of domestic or gang violence for instance? When looking at the odds of dying after 173,000 surgeries (about 0.01%, it compares to the odds of dying after being struck by lightening. If you want to print something truly striking, why not print the odds of dying as a black child due to a gunshot in Chicago.

Michael Piechowski, Boise

Dictatorial

The Barr Hearing once again gave insight to what a Democratic Party governance would be. Dictatorial, lacking any fairness or truth, unprofessional. Once more we see that Democratic control of the House of Representatives proves to be out of control. If you do not see anything wrong with their actions you could go to Venezuela and enjoy that type of government right now. The governance we see in the House of Representative is the best reason I have seen to vote for Trump for President.

Richard Wasson, Meridian

Why?

Is anyone else concerned with the larger companies eateries. I chose to stay local because the local companies seem to have figured out the way to be safe. The larger companies choose to have their employees use gloves! They will put them on and wear them for long periods of time in between touching menus, money and delivering your food! The gloves only protect those who are wearing them- not us. They are spreading any bacteria, virus, e coli etc from pone patron to the next. WHY??? How often are they washing their hands, one of the #1 ways to prevent spreading anything.

Cheri Beauvais, Nampa

Liability

A recent article in the Newspaper written by Betsy Russell covered legal liability issues regarding school closures, and reopening risks for school districts, teachers and administrators.

The article vividly reminded me of one of the 8 primary reasons for moving OUT of California 20 years ago. While on the board of directors of a California company that was growing rapidly, but still not profitable, we cratered when 4 different investment bankers promising funding did not deliver.

Soon thereafter, the buzzards (lawyers) starting circling, and first sued the company but nothing there, then sued the management team and nothing there, and finally sued the board of directors. The board spent 3 years fighting the lawsuits, spent a fortune, and won all suits. But no compensation for our legal expenses was paid.

The United States is one of 2 countries in the world where the loser in a lawsuit does NOT have to pay all lawyer fees, which puts US companies at a real disadvantage to competing companies around the world which do not have all those ambulance chasing lawyers; there is no opportunity for them.

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Realizing that the California legislature was primarily lawyers, but the Idaho legislature was comprised of business people, teachers, farmers, etc. helped push us here. Unfortunately, California lawyers can sue anywhere, and this is probably a problem for the school districts today.

Finally, look at the mess California is in now---Dirty and financially broke cities, people camping in tents along the ocean beaches, no funds for clean up, declining quality of schooling, etc. And today Californians are moving quickly to Idaho, but thankfully, those moving are financially sound. Lets keep Idaho sound!

Chas Bonner, Eagle

Shameful

I cried watching destruction of our U.S, cities during the Barr hearings, then laughed when the dems showed their videos & denied knowing about the damage of our cities. Shameful!

I wear a mask, but what good is it when hundreds or thousands of protestors are out in many states. No masks, no social distance, then return to their state. Why should we tax payers pay for special guard just for political people ( left or right) who do not stand up for & insist on law & order with the protestors?

Why cant teachers have private session with the students assigned to her or no pay or give the designated money for each student to hire their own tutor? I worry about pay to play, as the 85 year old mother of six children, that I raised on my own when their father left us, I was not able to spend a penny for sports. One of my sons received a football scholarship. We better all pray if police are abolished or defunded to the point of being worthless or no one is willing to join because of no support. 3 of my sons served in the military, one retired military is now state police. Have we no appreciation for all these young peoples sacrifices?

As for BLM. They should have to take some of the responsibility for much of the destruction of our country. all known members & others who have encouraged all this damage ( federal & private) They should not only serve time, but be sued for all the cost involved. Along with many people I agree Trump is never or seldom politically correct in speeches & tweets. Never was a politician. I guess thats why he was elected.

Thanks for the opportunity to unload!

Pat Cone, Eagle

Whats right

Paulette is right on in her assessment of Risch. He is a puppet of Trump. No backbone to stand up for what is right.

Ed Crateau, Meridian

Thank you

I want to thank Americas Frontline Doctors and President Trump for taking the message to the public that outpatient treatments for COVID-19 exist. People need to know that they can ask for treatment and get help from their own physician.

I have been a pharmacist since 1981 and I am astounded at the attacks on hydroxychloroquine. The Frontline Doctors are brave to stand up against almost entirely negative coverage in the news media.

I also want to say that hydroxychloroquine is not the only useful drug in the early treatment of COVID-19 infections. People who should not take it because of possible adverse effects or are frightened of using it can use other medications that also reduce the chance of serious illness due to COVID-19.

In my opinion this is a battle for lives, and I applaud anyone who dares to stand against the most shameful episode of medical disinformation that I have seen in my career.

Brent Cornell, Boise

Link:

Letters to the editor, July 31, 2020 - Idaho Press-Tribune