Wednesday's Letters to the Editor

<p class="bold allcaps">So much for passes</p> <p>EDITOR: So, if all these state parks are slated to close, what happens to those of us who purchased a $125 annual state park pass? My husband and I purchase both Sonoma County regional park and state park passes each year because we visit both quite often. It also helps support the park systems, and it’s cheaper than paying each time you visit a park if you go as often as we do. There are many different levels of support for both park systems. We thought we were supporting the parks by buying passes, yet we might have spent the money for nothing.</p><p>DEBRA McGAULEY</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><h3>A bad dump deal</h3> <p>EDITOR: I want to extend my thanks to Ken Wells and Tim Smith for representing the other side of the possible landfill sale to out-of-state interests now under consideration by our seasoned county supervisors (“Don’t sell our landfill future to an Arizona firm,” Close to Home, Saturday). We might just want to keep our dump in local hands. If you think the biannual fertilizing of south county dairy pastures smells a little sour, wait until you get a whiff of this stinker.</p><p>J.L. MISNER</p><p>Petaluma</p><h3>Price of service</h3> <p>EDITOR: I read with great amusement the letter from Paula Shatkin (“Picking on Wiggins,” Friday) chastising you for your headline citing state Sen. Pat Wiggins on her achievement of becoming one of the top 10 recipients of lobbyist gifts. Was she ill the entire time she earned this distinction? Further, once someone makes the commitment to be a public servant, they sign a contract with their public and become a public figure. That means, ill or not (and they should advise us when they have become incapable of serving . . . just a thought), what happens in office is subject to comment.</p><p>BRIAN BAKER</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><h3>Let us vote</h3> <p>EDITOR: What’s the rush? Health care should be debated and discussed openly without a timetable. It is our lives and not Congress’ right to decide what is best for us. Remember, Congress and the president work for us, and we should be totally informed.</p><p>Since it is our health care, our lives, we should have the right to vote on a new program. Something of this magnitude should be brought to an election, in which we, the voters, after reading and having a clear understanding of the costs and provisions, can choose from several programs. Let’s not lose our freedom of choice: </p><p>If we choose to be in the new program, then we pay a premium for the health care coverage. </p><p>We believe that the government should not be in control or running the program. </p><p>Have federal guidelines and tax incentives for insurance companies that follow the rules. No penalties if they do not. </p><p>Folks who do not want to be included in the health care program should not have to pay and should be responsible for their medical needs.</p><p>Change should be accomplished through constitutional guidelines that ensure thoughtful deliberation by our community.</p><p>TED and NANCY DRAPER</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><h3>Vaccines work</h3> <p>EDITOR: I found Tuesday’s article “To vaccinate or not?” lacking in meaningful information.</p><p>What readers need to understand about the issue is the data itself. The data show that the risk of dying from swine flu is greater than the risk from the vaccine — especially for young people. Rather than imposing risk, we are imposing protection by vaccinating.</p><p>The immune system is stimulated much more by getting sick than it is by receiving a vaccine, so fears of causing autoimmune diseases (aside from not being supported by research) don’t make sense. </p><p>Your presentation of differing opinions did nothing to illuminate the truth because false statements such as “we continue to inject our babies with known neuropathogens” were given the same weight as the experts. A mother’s “feelings” are not newsworthy information and contribute nothing to promoting the health of our community.</p><p>It will be the children of parents like Sue Gimpel who will be killing their less healthy classmates by giving them the virus in the 24 hours before their flu symptoms begin. Who will care for sick kids? The parents, yes, and doctors, nurses and the taxpayers.</p><p>TERRY DYE</p><p>Registered nurse,</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><h3>Palliative care</h3> <p>EDITOR: I’d like to clear up some misconceptions in recent letters about the James B. and Billie Keegan Palliative Care Unit and Memorial Hospice.</p><p>First, there have been no changes to Memorial Hospice’s services; our hospice program is actually expanding into northern Sonoma County. </p><p>Second, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital continues to provide palliative care despite fluctuations in patient volume that require us, periodically, to change locations within our hospital where we deliver those services.</p><p>As with many hospitals in this economy, we’ve seen the number of patients decline. This resulted in temporary closure of units serving the fewest patients, which lately have included palliative care.</p><p>We’ve relocated the palliative care staff to our general surgery floor. Wherever they’re placed, based on medical need, our palliative care patients still receive expert care in pain management, end-of-life care and coordination of services with Memorial Hospice. All palliative care referrals still are followed by a team led by Dr. Gary Johanson. </p><p>During this transition, our palliative care team is putting patients first. We thank them, along with all who entrust us with their care and community members who generously support this program. We remain committed to exceptional, compassionate care.</p><p>KATHY HARDIN</p><p>Chief nursing officer</p><p>Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital</p><h3>CHP should be seen</h3> <p>EDITOR: Dick Anderson of Cloverdale is right on (“Speed traps,” Letters, Sunday). His observation about CHP officers being more punitive than preventative is the way I see it, too.</p><p>Surely there would be fewer traffic accidents if CHP officers would position themselves to be seen rather than remaining hidden with their radar guns out. Come on, CHP, help motorists be safer on our highways by being more visible.</p><p>MEG BRITTAN</p><p>Sebastopol</p>