Counselor gave bad info
Nancy Cook Lauer, as always, wrote an incisive and informative article describing the cannabis crisis for kupuna who live in public housing. Unfortunately, the public was not informed of the truth of the matter, however, because Deputy County Counsel Amy Self chose to misinform Ms. Lauer about what the law actually says. Ms. Self “said the complex could lose federal Housing and Urban Development funding because marijuana use, even by users registered by the state for medical purposes, is against federal law.”
That is not a true statement. Federal regulations and even the U.S. Supreme Court say this is not true. Two separate Assistant Secretaries of HUD, one in 2011 and the other in 2014, have pointed out in memorandums to people who run Ainakea Senior Residences that the decision to terminate or not terminate a lease is optional, at the discretion of the local Public Housing Authority – which in our case is the county Office of Housing and Community Development – or the owner/landlord of the property.
Medical marijuana has been used at Ainakea Senior Residences apartments since the place opened in 2010. The fact that management is only now, seven years later, making this draconian policy shows how absurd it is. The public should not be lied to about such serious matters, especially when public policy depends upon the accuracy and truthfulness of statements made by Deputy county counsels.
Lanric Hyland
Kapaau
Vols made event great
A great big mahalo from the Friends of Thelma Parker Library to all those who volunteered to sit and/or roam during the April Count Week at Thelma Parker Library.
I do believe we had more volunteers this time than we have ever had before, including several new ones. Many extra thanks also to those who had to deal with a slightly malfunctioning people-counter the first day. It was fixed and should be ready for the October Count Week.
Sincerely, Carol Buck, Volunteer Coordinator
Chris Dunlap and Alice Jenkins, Co-Directors of Volunteers
Choral society puts on great performance
My wife and I attended the Kona Choral Society’s performance of Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living on Saturday. It was a great experience.
This is the third or fourth performance we have attended by this group and all have been wonderful. Thank you to all who contributed to this performance — it was truly a work of outstanding art.
Roger and Vivian Rittenhouse
Captain Cook