Readers Write (Oct. 9): Ebola, solar at the airport, Black Bear Crossings, judicial elections

Our current national response to the Ebola outbreak as articulated by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is wholly inadequate ("Ebola patient fighting for life," Oct. 6).

While expressing confidence about the U.S. effort, the director, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, tells us the outbreak would be worse for us if we attempted to control incoming traffic from the affected areas. I feel like he is asking us to drink the proverbial Kool-Aid.

Ebola is clearly highly contagious and highly lethal. It is counterintuitive that we are not trying to control its introduction into the United States. With an incubation period of up to three weeks, even the newly suggested airport temperature screening would allow infected people into America.

The logistics and expense of quarantining all people coming in from endemic areas will not be simple or cheap, but playing catch-up to determine the contacts of people who become sick later will be much more complex and expensive.

We must also consider the possibility of extremists who want to hurt us by exporting this virus. Imagine the impact of 10 or more jihadists willing to martyr themselves as biological "dirty bombs." They will not seek medical care when they become ill, but rather contaminate as many as possible until stopped or dead. The potential impact upon our health care delivery system, financial markets and collective psyche is unimaginable.

Public health leaders need to institute 21 days of quarantine for all people entering the United States from any area with documented Ebola cases. Doing so will not only limit our risk of a widespread outbreak, but hopefully it will buy our scientists the time to develop the medicines to treat and/or prevent this horrible disease.

I just want to correct the assertion by Don Van Gorp in the Oct. 8 Star Tribune (Readers Write) that the historic new solar project at Minneapolis-St. Paul International will cost $25 million but return only $10 million in revenues and cost savings to the Metropolitan Airports Commission. The commission will be $10 million ahead AFTER you deduct the $25 million construction cost and all related expenses ("MSP has big plans to go solar," Oct. 3).

The writer is director of public affairs and marketing for the Metropolitan Airports Commission.

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The letter writer was unimpressed with the $10 million payback that will be realized over 30 years from this sound investment. Such criticism fails to address total cost. Continuing with the status quo, i.e., paying for electricity generated by coal and nuclear, results in costly ongoing expenditures. Particulate matter and mercury emissions released from coal-fired power plants contribute to asthma rates and increased levels of mercury in fish. Similarly, ongoing investment in nuclear power contributes to never-ending costs associated with securing and storing toxic nuclear waste. The letter writer also failed to acknowledge the economic benefits — the employment opportunities for people to install this impressive solar array.

I go to Black Bear Crossings every St. Patrick's Day. My friend Sheila, a traditional Irish dance teacher, performs with her students and the Biddies, an Irish dance troop. While there, I met David Glass, the owner, who received an $800,000 settlement from St. Paul for breaking a five-year lease the city had with his Como Park business ("Officials knew Como vendor had more time on contract," Oct. 7).

The article failed to mention that in addition to breaking the lease with a business that was profitable, but not a cash cow, the city was breaking ties with a successful Native American businessman who surrounded the restaurant with beautiful Native art and promoted Native artists.

Black Bear has made diverse visitors, neighborhood, arts groups and nonprofits feel welcome for years. Thanks to the Ciresi law firm for taking on this cause and prevailing. I will miss my St. Patrick's Day tradition. David Glass will leave Black Bear Crossings, but he will not leave the community. He has announced his candidacy for City Council. I wrote a check for his campaign the last time I visited. I hope Sheila and the Biddies find a new place to land.

Paul Scoggin is a candidate to become a Hennepin County district judge. He is one of the most qualified people we have ever had stand for judgeship.

Paul is a first-rate jurist. As an attorney, I always work to support candidates for judge positions who will faithfully uphold the law. Paul will be that person.

Paul also knows how a well-run courtroom is managed. He has been a prosecuting attorney for 30 years and has consistently been working in courtrooms for his entire career. As I look at Paul's resume, I cannot imagine any better preparation for the role of judge than the work he has done over his lifetime.

I have personally known Paul for 40 years. He is a person of sound judgment and unsurpassed integrity. Paul is exactly the kind of person we need in the role of Hennepin County district judge.