FEMA claim was debunked. Why was it on the Sun website?

With regard to the recent article, “FEMA running out of hurricane relief money while spending hundreds of millions on migrants” (Oct. 5), multiple reputable news outlets and fact checkers have already debunked this claim that originated on Twitter.

While Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas did say that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief efforts do not have the funds to make it through hurricane season, the truth is that this is not because that money is going to immigrant communities. While FEMA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have given more than $1 billion since the start of 2023 to communities that are taking in migrants, that’s been through the agency’s Shelter and Services Program, a totally different funding pot than the Disaster Relief Fund used to respond to hurricanes and other natural disasters.

In addition, it should be noted that Congress determines how much money goes to FEMA’s disaster fund and that while the fund faces issues after lawmakers declined to allocate additional funding for FEMA’s efforts in the stopgap funding bill it passed last month, that effort was led by the GOP as they have the majority in the U.S. House at this time.

Lastly, why is this article even on The Baltimore Sun website anyway? It wasn’t even written by a Sun staff writer, but instead by a writer for The Center Square, a conservative American news website that earns a “Lean Right” distinction from AllSides, which provides media bias ratings. While I certainly lean one way versus another when it comes to my politics, I would prefer that politics remain out of journalism and that my news be unbiased.

— Micah Kleid, Owings Mills

CFG Bank Arena deserves high marks for renovation

Many of us will forever and always refer to the CFG Bank Arena as the Baltimore Civic Center where we saw the circus, graduated high school and college from the stage and, if lucky like my older sister, saw the Beatles (“CFG or Capital One? Battle between Baltimore and D.C. arenas is more hype than heated,” Oct. 4).

I have had no complaints about the facility in the decades since, but I am just wowed by the renovation, which transformed this circa 1962 building into a sleek and modern venue with a warm and welcoming staff. Bravo!

— Donna Beth Joy Shapiro, Baltimore

Next senator should make fighting cancer a national priority

The race for U.S. Senate in Maryland is on. Now is the time we should make sure former Gov. Larry Hogan and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks know where we stand on health care issues, including issues affecting those with chronic diseases such as cancer (“Democratic congressional candidates, including Maryland’s, show support for caps on health care costs,” July 31).

As a cancer survivor, I know first-hand how important the decisions of elected officials can be to people with cancer and their families. That is why I am asking everyone to make the candidates aware of the impact that issues pertaining to cancer have in our state.

Both Hogan and Alsobrooks have pledged their support for public policies benefiting the cancer community by signing The Cancer Promise, which outlines for candidates what patients expect from them and challenges them to commit to addressing each issue.

Later this week at their first debate, they will have another opportunity to commit to supporting cancer patients. I will be attending a debate watch party, sponsored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and AARP. I am hoping the candidates will be asked to publicly state their positions on health care issues, including cancer research funding, access to affordable, quality health coverage and access to cancer prevention services including tobacco control and access to lifesaving cancer screenings.

I hope the candidates will commit to making cancer a national priority — the nearly 18 million cancer survivors and their families in this country will be counting on it.

— Dozetta Lewis, Cockeysville

Trump’s lies about Helene aid likely to hurt victims

Donald Trump is lying about the relief efforts from Hurricane Helene to try to boost his campaign (“US disaster relief chief blasts false claims about Helene response as a ‘truly dangerous narrative,'” Oct. 7).

His lies are hurting the relief process and people will be hurt even more because of his words. It is a new low for a person who has already proven time after time how low he can stoop to try to help himself. Anyone who is not disgusted and enraged by his callous behavior is not paying attention.

— William Opfer, Bel Air