Lack of medication rules out living in Kona
My husband and I bought a house in Kona in 2013 with the intent of moving there. We have been going to Kona since 1991 and always felt it was home.
After we had our furniture packed into a container I called doctors in Kona to meet with new primary care physicians. I found out they couldn’t help us as we both have pain conditions and they don’t have enough pain medications on the island for us. They went on to tell me the medications they do receive are for “older” patients that have needed them for years and they get them first. I was also told it was not a good time to move to Hawaii.
We worked hard all of our lives and saved for retirement. First, we lose our health and then we’re told we can’t live where we want to and where we saved for once we retired. We had to sell our house there simply because we couldn’t get the medical care we need,
We still yearn for Hawaii and still struggle with the fact that in America even if you can afford to buy a home you can’t live there,
George and Barbara Hensle
Portland, Ore.
Skateboarders and the county code
In regards to the front page article in the June 7 newspaper about the SUV that ran over the young girl in Kailua Village and was chased by the Good Samaritan who caught up with him. Mahalo to you for your good deed.
I would like to address, however, the skateboard issue. According to Hawaii County Code Chapter 24, Article 1, skateboards are not permitted on any street or sidewalk except in a crosswalk being mindful of pedestrians in the same crosswalk. We have extremely dangerous issues on several of our deep sloped streets, including Puapuaanui and Lako streets. Skateboarders ride down, as fast as they can — no helmets, no pads, nothing — and a horrific accident is just waiting to happen.
Additionally, skateboarders ride in the street in subdivisions with cars backing out of driveways and children playing — another horrific accident just waiting to happen.
And so, stating that the skateboard was the mode of conveyance to catch this person on yet another busy street, Alii Drive, was not the best way to help. A bicycle, another vehicle or just running after the SUV perpetrator should have been the preferred choices to catch the perpetrator. I would respectfully ask the Police Department to cite skateboarders and to uphold the Hawaii County Code as noted above.
Barbara Hussey
Kailua-Kona