Letters to the editor June 30

Keeping the lights on

Once again the dedicated employees of Flathead Electric braved the cold, rain and risky elements of the June weather to restore electric power to our neighborhood, working well into the evening hours so that we could be once again be safe and warm in our homes. Thanks so much for your dedication.

— Keith Armstrong, Columbia Falls

Bypass discovery

Complain, complain, complain! That’s what I was doing every time I drove on U.S. 93 South to reach downtown Kalispell. Heavy traffic ruled every day, and not just with our summer visitors, but with our new residents.

Then the aha moment. The bypass. Nonstop to my downtown destination and beyond.

Folks, get off U.S. 93 and onto the bypass!

— Vera Smith, Kalispell

Join the Alzheimer’s fight

Most people don’t realize this, but the mortality rate among seniors with Alzheimer’s is worse than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Even with all the strides we have seen over the past decade as it pertains to treating complex diseases like cancer, HIV and hepatitis, for 1 in 3 diagnosed, Alzheimer’s remains a death sentence.

It pains me to say, but I know this because my sister passed as a result of the disease.

Having served as one of my sister’s primary caregivers while she was fighting for her life, I speak from first-hand experience when I say that Alzheimer’s patients are in desperate need of new treatment options. The mortality rate is obviously staggering but even for those who are fortunate enough to live with the disease and eventually pass for another reason, the mental deterioration is gut wrenching for both the patient and their loved ones.

That is why I am concerned politicians in Washington are continuing to discuss government price setting as a potential solution to curb patient spending. Don’t get me wrong, I wholeheartedly agree that patients are paying entirely too much for their medicines, but we must find solutions that won’t stall new drug development.

You see, while it sounds good in a sound bite, the truth of the matter is the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said government price setting could result in as many as 60 fewer new treatments and cures over the next several decades.

I hope that our leaders in Washington will think of families fighting Alzheimer’s and other diseases who pray every day for a breakthrough when it comes time to vote on price setting. Who knows, one of those 60 medicines we sacrifice could treat Alzheimer’s.

— Thomas Collins, Columbia Falls

Colorful logo

I an writing in response to the State Library Commissions “fret” over the proposed colors of the new logos color scheme and it’s resemblance to the colors of the LGBTQ pride flag.

I personally did not see this when I first looked at the logo, but after reading the article, yes, I do agree with their concern. Although I tend to agree with commissioner chair Kennnig Arlitsch as well, that associating this with the pride flag is “a stretch.”

But I too can see where it could be construed as such by other Montanans, especially after the release of this article.

However the colors of the pride flag are the colors of the rainbow! The new logo itself is very beautiful and I like the idea of the different colors. It’s so cheerful!

What if they were tweak the colors a bit, to a brighter color tone, such as using the primary color palette: red, yellow, blue and green, and keep the purple and white. It would no longer resemble the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ pride flag, but still be beautiful and colorful and keep that beautiful design.

— Bonnie Billuni, Whitefish