Getting guns away from abusers will save lives
“273.D.” The dispatch code for domestic violence sends chills down the spines of law enforcement officers, who know these calls to be among the most dangerous. Early on the morning of Feb. 18, police and first responders in Burnsville, Minnesota, saw just how deadly domestic abuse incidents can be. Although they saved seven children and the killer’s girlfriend from harm, two officers and a firefighter were killed.
Aging comes with stigma. Let’s admire the defiant
Who do you want to be when you grow old?
Letters to the editor for Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Grats to the Kohala Cowboys for victory
The test Biden can’t pass
President Joe Biden recently gave a rough, tough, eyes-ablaze, here-I-come State of the Union speech that some saw as a definitive disposal of his democratically diagnosed mental vacuity. But not too many days after that, TV sets were once again spreading news about Biden’s brain gone blank in a different situation, one that had included an impeachment possibility.
Grade inflation is making learning loss worse
Recent test results confirm a dispiriting reality: America’s students continue to lag far behind their peers around the world, and millions are running out of time to catch up. Yet many families remain unaware of the true deficits their children face — in no small part because teachers are often giving students higher grades than they actually deserve.
Don’t fear AI in war, fear autonomous weapons
There’s no question that artificial intelligence will transform warfare, along with pretty much everything else. But will the change be apocalyptic or evolutionary? For the sake of humanity, let’s hope it’s the latter.
Rethinking Hawaii’s conveyance tax
Hawaii grapples with a daunting challenge: the urgent need for 4,000 to 5,000 affordable rental units annually over the next five years to tackle our lack of affordable housing. This acute shortage of housing drives both the houselessness and outmigration crises. The state Legislature has a pivotal opportunity to address this situation by reevaluating conveyance tax rates on the sale of multimillion dollar investment properties.
Westside Stories: What’s wrong with this?
What’s wrong with this picture?
No waiting line for vets’ care
Plastics. Paint. Petroleum. Metals. Munitions. Medical waste.
Letters to the Editor for March 16
Support needed for SB 3126
Katie Britt’s speech does a terrible disservice to sex trafficking victims
Scarlett Johansson’s “Saturday Night Live” open was hilarious, and there have been so many more great jokes about the oddly amateur theatrics of U.S. Sen. Katie Britt in her response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address. But we can’t let the humor mask a patently cruel lie that was one of the cornerstones of her speech.
Letters to the Editor for Friday, March 15, 2024
Pele cleansed Puna of ‘wrongdoing’
Making smart budget choices: Biden plan is rooted in common sense
With a $7.3 trillion budget plan for fiscal year 2025, President Joe Biden laid out priorities that include a heavy emphasis on anti-poverty and quality of life while taking aim at Donald Trump’s efforts to roll back taxes on the rich.
Biden plays into the hands of Hamas terrorists
President Joe Biden continues to dangerously play it both ways regarding Israel. His misguided public comments rouse Hamas terrorists and cost more lives.
Measles is making a comeback. Should we be concerned?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported an uptick in the number of measles cases around the nation since early December. If the pace of infections continues to follow this trajectory, 2024’s total will top the surge reported in 2014 (667 cases), or even the 1,274 cases reported in 2019. Should we be concerned?
Letters to the editor for Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Reach agreement regarding Punalu‘u
Biden hams it up during stemwinder
In poll after poll, American voters have expressed overwhelming concern about Joe Biden’s age and fitness for office. Which explains the president’s over-the-top delivery in Thursday’s State of the Union address.
Dealing with false facts: How to correct online misinformation
Deepfakes of celebrities and misinformation about public figures might not be new in 2024, but they are more common and many people seem to grow ever more resigned that they are inevitable.
What a doctor sees when Joe Biden hesitates
As a geriatrician, I discuss the effects of aging with patients every day. I wish I had a chance to give my usual talk to everyone who chortles or tears their hair out about President Biden’s fitness for his job.
Letters to the editor for Tuesday, March 12, 2024
How many more people need to die?