Letters From Our Readers

Dr. Lisa Crocket, Jackie Davidson, The OB Nurses at MDI Hospital, Ed Damm, Charles Sidman

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

We welcome letter submissions to The Bar Harbor Story; for details on our policy, please visit our about page and scroll down or just visit here.

The beliefs, opinions, and viewpoints expressed by the writers of letters to the editor and included here do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, opinions, and viewpoints or official policies of The Bar Harbor Story.

All the past letters to the editor can be found on the Substack site here.

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We Must Continue to Fund the U.S. Antarctic Program

Many of us never think much about Antarctica, much less consider the fact that Antarctica has an influence on the well-being of our planet. Having worked over a span of four decades as an Antarctic scientist, I think about Antarctica every day. I also grew up with a father who worked as a dog handler and radio operator for the first expedition led by then commander (later admiral) Richard E. Byrd to the Antarctic from 1928-29. As a child trying to listen at the dinner table, I was hearing statistics about the Antarctic – the thickness of the Antarctic ice sheets (close to two miles), how large the Ross Ice Shelf is (about the size of France). During the Byrd expedition, my father was part of a six-member geological team that sledged 1500 miles (including across the Ross Ice Shelf), spending brutally cold nights in sleeping bags in the Queen Maud Mountains to look for evidence of sandstone to confirm that the mountains were a continuous chain across much of the Antarctic continent.

Citizens in Maine and elsewhere may be troubled to learn that the United States’ leadership in Antarctica is under threat with recent cuts to the National Science Foundation, which manages the U.S. Antarctic Program. U.S. investment in Antarctic science has meant that the U.S. can claim exemplary status in discovery, scientific cooperation, and Antarctic governance. It was, for example, the U.S. Antarctic Program in the 1980s that funded the research and provided the logistical support which enabled scientists to make the connection between chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and the ozone hole over Antarctica. In the first half of 20^th century, many nations rushed to make territorial claims to the Antarctic, yet the U.S. took a position of not recognizing claims. The U.S. was one of the twelve original signatories to the Antarctic Treaty in 1959 which currently has 58 signatories. Included among the articles of the Treaty is that the Antarctic is to be used for “peaceful purposes” only, and that territorial claims are to be held in abeyance. To have a vote in the Antarctic Treaty System, a nation must demonstrate a significant research presence in the Antarctic. U.S. leadership and participation in Antarctic governance could become upended by additional cuts to the U.S. Antarctic Program.

The Southern Ocean which surrounds the Antarctic continent can boast a biodiversity that is second only to coral reef ecosystems. More than 325 species of fishes live in the Southern Ocean, and the vast majority of these species are found nowhere else. Benthic communities of invertebrates include organisms like sea and brittle stars, sponges and soft corals, kelp, urchins, and giant sea spiders to name just a few. The Southern Ocean is also home to the largest (by volume) circulation pattern on the planet, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current which transports about five times as much water as the Gulf Stream, or as much water as in 700 Amazon rivers. The Southern Ocean is linked to oceans further north through several ocean processes. Sinking Antarctic bottom water brings cold masses into the Atlantic Ocean (and others) while another part of this ‘great ocean conveyor belt’ carries waters from the northern hemisphere into the Southern Ocean. Along with atmospheric processes these ocean currents represent significant drivers of the climate on the entire planet.

As we face continued loss of ice sheets, sea levels could rise by almost 60 meters, which will have significant repercussions for coastal Maine, communities throughout the U.S., and around the world. Some Antarctic species depend on sea ice which is rapidly disappearing. Some of these species include the Adélie penguin and Antarctic krill, the latter of which is a small shrimp-like crustacean representing a keystone species in the Antarctic food web – an essential dietary constituent for many species of seals, fishes, penguins, and baleen whales.

Continued funding of the U.S. Antarctic Program is vital to the future of our planet as well as right here in Maine. Please take a position against cuts to the United States Antarctic Program by writing to our Maine legislators and/or signing a petition at https://chng.it/TYkmwxRsgW.

Dr. Lisa Crockett, Professor Emerita, Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University

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Observations from YWCA Mount Desert Island

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the YWCA here in Bar Harbor has been directly assisting women and their families throughout Hancock County and in Eastern Waldo and Western Washington Counties as well. As is the case with many programs in the non-profit world, several things occurred within a short span of time which made it seem compulsory.

Just after the effects of the pandemic became apparent, Benni McMullen, former executive director of YWCA MDI for 39 years passed away. To honor her years of dedication, we created the Benni Fund. Because she was well known for her unceasing help for women and girls, it seemed an appropriate memorial. Donations in Benni’s memory were quick to arrive, and we began to respond to the many applications for assistance that we received. The fund was set up to assist single mothers who were affected financially due to the pandemic. Twenty-nine women received assistance during the rest of 2020.

As we read through the applications, it became very apparent that there was tremendous need in our area. So, we continued to accept applications and help as we could. During the next three years, we provided financial assistance to 34 women for vehicle repairs to enable safe transportation to work, utility payments, rent assistance, glasses and eye exams, hearing aids, dental work, and medications.

Following 2023, when it seemed the worst of the pandemic was behind us, our board of directors widened the scope of applicants to include all women who were struggling financially, not just limited to pandemic circumstances.

At the same time, YWCA MDI had arranged with a local counselor to pay for counseling appointments for up to three women at a reduced rate. And, we hired a retired social worker to coordinate resources and help people apply for benefits that are currently available.

All of this history and program description is leading up to providing awareness of the difficulties people are facing in our area. To date, the Benni Fund has made just under $80,000.00 available to those in need who have applied. Almost all of this has been donated to us, and we are very thankful for this support.

We are thinking, however, that there will be many more requests for assistance during the uncertain times that we feel are coming. We would be very grateful for additional support.

Jackie Davidson, executive director of the YWCA MDI

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THANK YOU FROM MDI HOSPITAL OB NURSES

To Our Wonderful Community,

We cannot thank you all enough for the overwhelming support you showed us this past Sunday afternoon at the YWCA. We needed to know if you would want to work with us to keep the obstetrics unit open for you and your families, and you unquestionably dispelled any doubts we may have had. We are now fully energized with your support.

We are asking you to continue helping us on our journey to get these 3 things done which are outlined in our online petition.

• Cancel the closure of the OB unit.

• Bring transparency and accountability to this process

• Strengthen our OB unit for the future

Please help us spread our petition to all your friends and family.

We will keep you posted on upcoming events.

Standing together as a community, we will continue to uphold the highest standard of safety and care that we always have.

Thank you again.

Much love,

The OB Nurses at MDI Hospital

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Closing the MDI Hospital Obstetrics Department??

If we're spending over $60 million to build a new school and adding over $42 million to create additions to the Mount Desert Island Hospital so medical students can get training in rural medicine why on Earth is the hospital administration considering closing the obstetrics department?

Where are we going to birth our kids to put in the new school?

Are we supposed to deliver in Bangor? On a real good day, traffic wise, that's 70-90 minutes away. Between 3-5 p.m., 12 months a year, it could take 2.5 hours or more. In fog or ice conditions, you just shouldn't go.

Why do birthing families especially kids and pregnant moms, get this second class treatment?

What is that $42 million addition supposed to be used for? Is it for old white guys like me because I think I'm having a heart attack, or I stumbled on a trail and wiped out my wrist? Is it for a golden parachute?

My wife and I have had miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy. If it wasn't for the good people in both the OB and ER at MDI Hospital, we would have never made it through to have our three kids. We gratefully thank our nurse midwife, nurses, and doctors who helped us here at home on MDI.

Don't be short sighted. We need to work on housing solutions at lower price points. We have 4 million people that come here every season. Some are pregnant and don't realize what might happen to them like it happened to us. That 90-120 minute drive to Bangor can be deadly when time is critical and you're worried what decision to make.

Like my father-in-law orthopedic surgeon always said, "if you want to know what's going on, or who's good, ask a nurse!" We always do!

Ed Damm

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As a Response

In response and to correct two letters (from friends) in last week’s Islander and Bar Harbor Story, I do NOT oppose Gary Friedmann’s bill for a Local Option Lodging Tax, having written earlier that it “would be great” and clearly to Bar Harbor’s benefit if Augusta were willing to enact it.

However, I also cannot support the effort, considering it naïve, presumptuous, inequitable, and a continuing distraction and excuse for not addressing our fundamental problems of uncontrolled municipal spending and living beyond our means. So go for it, Gary, but please let’s be real, folks!

Charles Sidman

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