Love is the answer on Maui

Why do they say Maui is “No Ka ‘Oi?”

It’s for many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons they say that is due to the generous heart of the people who simply love Maui.

They want to spread the Aloha of “Always Love Over Hate, Always” that Maui is all about. We celebrate getting to give instead of just giving to get. It’s a spiritual thing that enables miracles to occur and Hope to triumph. Maui raises more money than any other island per capita for charity. That’s been the case for many years as seen in the millions raised in the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk.

We have an opportunity to showcase Maui’s best when we Malama the Olowalu Fire Station.

Love has always been the answer, and on Maui, the love is all around!

JOSEPH PLUTA, President, West Maui Taxpayers Association & West Maui Improvement Foundation

Why can’t Congress figure out gun control?

Amazing that Congress can come together on Ticketmaster — which will kill no one — BUT when it comes to guns, let’s all pretend to buy them to “protect our home and family,” which has rarely been the case.

Mass murders happen when insecure little boys go off because their girlfriend broke up with them, or they lost a job, or a battered wife left them, or it rained that day… or, because they were banned from a dance club.

We will never find most of them on a background check because there is no background until after the fact. We will never intercept killers by strengthening mental health services because they don’t walk around with “crazy” written on their foreheads. They are the quiet, bullied, loner, whatever… no one is going to refer for help, and even if they did, there are laws.

No one has to submit or agree to treatment.There have been more mass shootings in the U.S. than days this year, and it’s coming to Hawaii. Our gun laws have changed and will continue to, and one day an angry little man will be able to go to a gun show or walk into a store and buy an automatic weapon.

No, I am not impressed that politicians came together on Ticketmaster; I agree, but I am not impressed.

There have always been big boy crybabies; there has not always been the ability to buy military weapons, or a far right “Christian” Trump loving, NRA supporting group of terrorists in Congress who ignore it for campaign dollars.

Better start buying those bullet-proof backpacks and arm our teachers. The planet has been spinning backwards since 2016.

PENNY MULLEN-WEIGEL, Lahaina

Lobby for full access to treatments for Alzheimer’s

My father lived with some form of dementia for a ten- to 15-year period of decline until he passed away in 2016. Access to treatments for Alzheimer’s and dementia that can change the disease in a meaningful way remains critical to me.

On Jan. 6, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Leqembi using the accelerated approval pathway. Based on results from strong clinical trials, Alzheimer’s researchers agree that this treatment changes the disease in a meaningful way for people with early Alzheimer’s. But because of the decision the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has put in place, Medicare will not cover this treatment.

Every FDA-approved drug is covered by Medicare, except for Alzheimer’s. CMS’s policy is unjustified, harmful and unfair. Just as is true for individuals with every other disease today, people who are living with Alzheimer’s and their doctors should be able to decide if an FDA-approved treatment is right for them and should have it covered by Medicare.

There were no options like this for my father, but all those living with Alzheimer’s deserve better. We need support from Congress. The Alzheimer’s Association has filed a formal request asking CMS to provide full and unrestricted coverage for Alzheimer’s treatments approved by the FDA.

Please join me in thanking our newest member of Congress, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda, for her commitment to ensuring individuals with Alzheimer’s have equitable access to FDA-approved treatments.

To learn more about this disease and how you can join the fight to end Alzheimer’s, visit alz.org.

NANCY ROSE, Pukalani

It’s hard to be a royal

You know folks, the Harry and Meghan story is just a rerun. Their whole story first played out before World War II, back when Elizabeth’s uncle broke from the royal lineage and moved to France.

People crack under the pressure of being a royal and just want a real life instead.

The royal job description requires one to incessantly duck, dissemble, cover-up, omit, propagandize, fake, pose, dress-up, parade about, wave like a hero… all to convince the rest of the population that God picked their family to live in a castle and rule forever.

It’s a hard job. Some people, like Harry, would rather be somewhere else and do something else, like tell the truth occasionally.

Harry’s Mom, Diana, went through a similar wringer, too, so give him credit for learning something from his elders.

That is something we don’t do very well in America.

KIMBALL SHINKOSKEY, Woods Cross, Utah