Alice Cain; Postal Service retirees; Riviera Beach library; Rick Hutzell

Warren and Trump

My take away from the article ("Warren's DNA points to Native American Heritage," The Capital Oct. 16) is that U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren tells truth and President Donald Trump tells lies.

Warren's claim was that her family lore had a Native American ancestor in her genealogy. The DNA test confirmed that as true, i.e., it showed a Native American was somewhere in the family tree. Warren tells truth.

Trump said he would give a million dollars to charity if Warren took a test and it showed her claim was true. When Warren's claim was substantiated and she challenged Trump to make his donation, he lied about ever having said he would make such a donation even though it is caught on video. Trump lies.

As to the validity of family lore and DNA tests, there was a time in the early 20th century when some states had "one-drop" laws in which any black ancestor in your genealogy meant you were black and subject to the discrimination legally applied to blacks. Under such laws, Warren's family lore would have resulted in her being afforded official status as a Native American.

Today, DNA tests are accepted as credible for giving evidence in a court of identity and parentage and are widely used to interpret ancestral heritage. I will not even begin to entertain you with our genealogy and family lore, except to say that our motto is s rìoghail mo dhream (Royal is my race).

PAM McGregor

Millersville

Alice Cain

If you live in District 30 A and are concerned about the environment, how will you decide which two of the four candidates for delegate to vote for? A vote for Speaker Mike Busch is a no-brainer. He fought to protect the environment for decades. The three other candidates have no legislative record.You could visit their websites.

The website of one candidate has no mention of the environment, the bay or pollution. This candidate focuses on taxes and railing against the other party. Another candidate mentions the environment but doesn't see a role for the legislature in protecting it. Neither website mention climate change or runaway development.

The third candidate talks, with understanding and passion, about addressing climate change while creating green jobs, cleaning up our waterways, managing growth and the effects of pollution on public health. That candidate is Alice Cain.

A simpler way to identify the green candidate is to check the website of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters: http://www.mdlcv.org/anne-arundel-chapter-updates. LCV, the Sierra Club, Clean Water Maryland and environmental leaders have enthusiastically endorsed Alice Cain.

Most voters don't vote exclusively on environmental issues. Neither do I. Alice Cain, alone among these candidates, talks in specifics about her record of working with all parties, building consensus in the community, her efforts to protect children, improve education and healthcare, prevent gun violence and to restore trust in government. She is also passionate about addressing the opioid crisis, reducing the cost of prescription drugs, and building an economy that works for everyone.

BOB GALLAGHER

Co-chair

Anne Arundel Chapter

Maryland League of Conservation Voters

Annapolis

Postal Service retirees

As a member of the federal community who served our country for years, I am concerned with an attempt to force current U.S. Postal Service retirees onto Medicare Part B, after they previously declined this coverage.

While hailed as a way to improve USPS' finances, this is nothing more than balancing the books on the backs of seniors. Why should retirees, who spent their careers serving this nation, be forced to pay an additional $134 per month, or more, for health coverage they previously deemed unnecessary?

Mandatory Medicare Part B coverage was never part of the agreement made upon employment, and it should not be forced on any postal retiree, especially retroactively.

Congress is currently attempting to fix the Postal Service's problems by shifting costs to Medicare. I urge our legislators to reject the current postal reform bill, H.R. 756. Retired postal workers proudly served our community and promises to them should be kept.

DON BENDER

Glen Burnie

Riviera Beach library

I read with interest that the need for a temporary library location, while the Riviera Beach library replacement is under construction, is a subject of discussion by candidates for the county council (The Capital, Oct. 24).

The Pasadena community has long valued the services, programs and resources of the Riviera Beach library, and losing access to it for as much as sixteen months would be a great loss. Accordingly, in February and again in July of this year, the Elizabeth's Landing Board of Directors wrote to County Executive Steve Schuh and County Library Administrator Skip Auld urging funding support for a temporary library facility in Riviera Beach.

Auld responded by indicating that he would be "requesting funding for a temporary library in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget", and the county executive responded in August that he would consider our suggestion regarding funding for a temporary library facility when his Administration begins the Fiscal Year 2020 budget process.

Hopefully, other communities will contact the newly elected county executive and county council to make their feelings known about the need for a temporary library in the Riviera Beach area.

JOHN R. LEOPOLD

President, board of directors

Elizabeth's Landing Community Association

Editor's note: John Leopold is a former Anne Arundel County executive.

Rick Hutzell

I'd like to offer my sincere congratulations to Capital Gazette Editor Rick Hutzell for receiving the well-deserved Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year Award (The Capital, Oct. 20).

Despite the deaths of five employees at the offices of The Capital in a senseless shooting, Hutzell and his staff put out a paper the very next day. Enough said.

MIKE MALONEY

Crofton