Letter: Who knew that genealogy could be so interesting?

February 28, 2026

My brother, Lorenzo, spent two years in Italy, tracing our family tree. Because Catholic Churches have kept meticulous records over centuries, he was able to reach into the eleventh century, before being called away. During those days of his search, it was assumed that Italians, other than those of the upper north and very south, including Sicily, of course, were pure, unmixed people. Now, however, we know that was a false assumption. In my own life, my dearest friend, who is Ashkenazi, on her mother's side, and I seem to have a strong blood affinity. The science of genetics has ...

Letter: America following path of history’s great empires

February 28, 2026

The greatest empires in history, like the Roman, Ottoman, Aztec and Mongol empires, all destroyed themselves from internal conflict. Internal conflicts destroy a lot of great countries. As they say, history repeats itself and America is no different. If America can’t come to an agreement with the different parties in our country which I love, America will be going down the same road. We must realize America is no different, and our greatest enemy is ourselves. Revolution is not far in the distance. We must unite. Terao NakasoneKīhei

Letter: We don’t build arenas like the Romans did

February 26, 2026

Verona Arena is 2,000 years old in Italy. It was built during the Roman Empire with pink and white limestone which was obtained in the mountains. It was built without any modern-day equipment and went through many renovations starting in the 1500s, and even survived an earthquake. The arena was also used for gladiator contest. It is still used today, with a capacity of 22,000. During the Roman Empire, the capacity was 30,000.  The arena was used for closing winter Olympic ceremony. The arena is still used today mainly for concert venues and also a tourist attraction. The ...

Letter: As DFS departs Honolulu, Kahului Airport is next

February 21, 2026

While attention is on Honolulu International Airport as DFS prepares to leave, Kahului Airport is next, and possibly others after that. What happens in Honolulu will likely set the pattern. DFS helped build airport retail in Hawaiʻi for decades. Their focus on Asian visitors made sense for many years. But when travel patterns changed, the dollar strengthened, and the pandemic hit, DFS made a business decision to move on rather than adapt. That decision leaves a large gap — and a warning. What many people don’t realize is that DFS relied heavily on local disadvantaged ...

Letter: Non-dairy milk in school lunch long-overdue

February 19, 2026

A recent move to expand access to non-dairy milk in school lunch programs is a long-overdue step toward healthier, more inclusive nutrition. Millions of students are lactose intolerant, allergic to dairy, or come from families that avoid animal products for ethical or cultural reasons. Offering plant-based milk isn’t radical, it’s practical. These options provide essential nutrients without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in dairy, and they come with a much smaller environmental footprint. School meals shape lifelong habits. When we normalize plant-based choices early, ...

Letter: Support tax credit bill for family caregivers

February 19, 2026

Please let your representative know you are in strong support of HB 197 HD1, which establishes a nonrefundable tax credit for nonpaid family caregivers. Family caregivers are the backbone of Hawaiʻi’s long-term care system. Every day, unpaid caregivers provide countless hours of essential care that would otherwise fall to already overstretched healthcare and long-term care systems. They do this quietly, out of love and responsibility, often at great personal sacrifice. A modest tax credit, such as the one proposed in H.B. 1972, HD1, would not erase these sacrifices, but it would ...