LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Urges congressman to support Alzheimer’s funding

Alzheimer’s disease is among the most urgent public health challenges facing our nation, affecting millions of families and placing immense strain on caregivers, healthcare systems and local communities.

As a constituent, I urge Congressman Josh Riley to strongly support $113.485 million in funding for National Institutes of Health Alzheimer’s research and $35 million for the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure Act.

NIH-funded research remains our best hope for preventing, treating and ultimately curing Alzheimer’s disease. An investment of $113.485 million will help scientists better understand disease mechanisms, accelerate the development of effective therapies and translate breakthroughs into real-world clinical care. These funds are not abstract numbers. They represent hope for earlier diagnoses, better treatments and extended independence for those living with dementia.

Equally as important, the $35 million investment in the BOLD Infrastructure Act strengthens the public health response to dementia nationwide. BOLD funding supports state and local health departments in building dementia-capable systems, improving data collection, educating healthcare professionals and expanding support for caregivers. In communities like ours, this infrastructure is essential to ensure families are not left navigating this disease alone.

Congressman Riley can champion bipartisan, life-changing investments that will benefit current patients, future generations and the caregivers who support them every day. I respectfully ask him to advocate for these critical funding levels and demonstrate a firm commitment to the health, dignity and well-being of people affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia across New York and the nation.

Carol Kiehn Kirkey, Oneonta

Otsego County’s economic prospects will be hurt by Sheriff Richard Devlin’s agreement with ICE.

We are one of very few counties in New York state considering such an arrangement. The county has invested significant effort into developing economic opportunities, including industries such as Ommegang, Chobani and Golden Artist Colors. And do not minimize the value of our hospitality and agricultural sectors, both of which have longstanding needs for experienced seasonal, migrant labor. Experience in other parts of the country shows that even businesses that do not employ undocumented workers can still face ICE disruptions that negatively affect operations.

Although Devlin has stated that this agreement would apply only to individuals already detained for nonimmigration- related infractions, in practice it creates an easy pathway for ICE involvement. It would allow ICE to identify individuals, wait for or encourage minor infractions, and then “suggest” detention, thereby triggering ICE action. Trust in law enforcement is already eroding in many communities; this agreement would only accelerate that decline here.

Investors considering expansion or relocation will not parse the fine print about “only” certain detainees. Investors will simply see a county that is open to ICE involvement and its disruptions, the weakening of its law enforcement, and will take their money elsewhere.

We need to prioritize community trust and economic stability in Otsego County.

Maureen Schwartzman, Cooperstown