Mayor Mike Victorino has been blamed for everything COVID-related and then some. Time to set the record straight as to what the mayor deals with. The following state agencies set mandates: Hawaii Departments of Health, Transportation, Education (school policies), Land and Natural Resources ...

There have probably been more than 100 crashes where Wailea Ike terminates with a sharp 90-degree turn onto Piilani Highway since that section of the highway was opened 30 years ago. Almost all of the crashes are by visitors who are unaware of that sharp turn. I have made many requests ...

I read with shame the recent convictions of two kupuna involved in sports betting. These poor men were not only heavily fined, but one had to forfeit his vehicle after a protracted five-year court case. I cannot support this unjust seizure of private property, especially when the “crime” ...

Tourism and the infrastructure associated with it have been in the news a lot lately. When a plan for a new hotel or condominium project is presented, supporters usually claim that it must be approved to preserve jobs. I’m the first person that wants to support the trades, but this ...

On George Floyd’s death, I’m agnostic as to cause. I would be willing to entertain an involuntary manslaughter charge, however. Everyone on the left seems to have given no thought to the facts, many on tape, that occurred prior to the knee. For those who do look into it, and can ...

We believe the proposed property tax change targeting non-rental units in complexes that allow short-term rentals is discriminatory and probably illegal. Federal constitutional rules generally require nonresidents to be taxed as favorably as residents. We have been condo owners on Maui ...

Gov. Ige has signed a climate emergency proclamation that invokes state of emergency authorization. Now Hawaii is the first state in the country that will allow the governor and mayors the same powers so greatly abused in the COVID “pandemic” response. The Hawaii State Legislature is ...

There has been much said about what laws we need to change to improve our community’s chances to find a home to live in. All the talk is for naught if we cannot agree together to build the homes our people need. Hawaiian Community Assets is working on developing a housing plan for us. We ...

The sky is falling! What shall we do? Build more roads? Reflect more heat? Oh no! Global warming! Install more solar panels? Reflect more heat? Oh no! Global warming! Remove shade trees? Oh no! Save. Plant more! The glaciers are melting! Polar bears can learn to live on land. (We ...

State lawmakers are now advancing a bill that will permit traditional Hawaiian burial practices that will include the recovery of entire bones. One of the methods for this would be a recently developed technology that utilizes alkaline hydrolysis. Some states have begun allowing ...

I was delighted this week to see that President Biden has decided to join us in our pledge to reach a 30 percent reduction in global greenhouse gases by 2030. This action puts the U.S. firmly in its once-abandoned leadership position in the global fight to beat the most serious threat our ...

We wish to commend our Sen. Kalani English on his 25 years of service and wish him well for the future. We are excited that Walter Ritte of Moloka‘i has stated his intention to replace the senator (Gov. Ige willing). Walter is an honored kupuna (one of the 100 for Maui’s 100th ...

Why is the County of Maui continuing to delay the start of the Senior Softball League? We appreciate the county starting league play for our youth, including hosting the U.S. Club Soccer Hawaii State Cup last week, but it is equally important to keep our kupuna active with league play. Senior ...

It’s bad enough that there are hundreds of voter suppression laws headed for governors’ signatures; now we have 81 anti-protest laws following. What’s next: police departments shelving their body cams, criminalizing the filming of police conduct? Every day we creep closer to becoming ...

An opinion piece April 23 got the title right and everything else wrong. Affordable housing is in the hands of Maui County Council but not in the way the writer described. She refers to the “unbreakable” rule of supply and demand without acknowledging that while the supply of housing on ...

Prejudice against black people often occurs at the moment of perception. It is a product of a conditioned sense-mind, not a product of reason or rational thought. It is the child of ignorance. At some point in the evolution of America’s thought, we must undergo a deconditioning. Instead ...

In recent news regarding the COVID-19 clusters at King’s Cathedral, church administration and members of the church have major concerns about the stigma that has been placed on the church and everyone associated with it. I agree with their concerns. Harbor Lights is still faced with a ...

Council Member Kelly King recently introduced a bill to put a moratorium on new hotels. I have a better idea: Maui should enforce the 30 percent of resident population cap that is in our 2012 Maui Island Plan. That cap has already gone through the plan’s review process so really needs ...

Although often rewarding, the intense responsibilities of providing care for someone living with dementia often take a toll on the caregiver. Providing that care can be emotionally, physically and financially draining. Yet as a nation, we haven’t done enough to support the 11 million ...

I agree with Mayor Victorino’s veto of the 75 percent affordable housing requirement for new developments proposed by some council members. If we learn nothing from past history, we are doomed to repeat its mistakes, in this case even more severely than before. Because many council ...