Your Views for July 26

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We’re still open

We’re still open

Thank you to the Tribune-Herald for its accurate reporting on the suspension of the Hawaii Palliative Care Center. Unfortunately, the article has created some confusion.

I want to reassure the community that Hospice of Hilo remains open. The suspension of the palliative care clinic will not interrupt the hospice services offered to patients at their homes and at our newer Pohai Malama a Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Care Center.

Since Hospice of Hilo was founded in 1983, our mission of providing quality, compassionate care has not changed.

We are grateful to the many families throughout East Hawaii who have allowed our team the privilege of providing support, guidance and comfort in their time of need.

Hospice of Hilo is here for those who seek our care.

I welcome anyone who has questions to contact Hospice of Hilo’s development, PR and education coordinator, An Umamoto, at 969-1733 or anthuyn@hospiceofhilo.org for more information.

Robert D. Irvine, M.D.

Hospice of Hilo board president

Obama’s legacy

I would like to reply to the letter, “Impossible mission,” by Kevin Bradley (if it doesn’t interfere with the Tribune-Herald editors’ political ideology).

What has President Obama accomplished?

1. Obama inherited a country on the verge of collapse; he did not inherit a strong economy and a balanced budget like Republican G. W. Bush did.

2. Statistics were just released showing the lowest unemployment in 42 years.

3. Housing tanked after Bush, but it’s now back to normal.

4. Some 16.4 million people, including children, now have health insurance.

5. Obama got Osama Bin Laden in two years; Bush tried for seven years, but couldn’t get it done.

6. Obama ended war in Iraq; thousands of Americans saved.

7. The “Big Three” automakers tanked; Obama saved them, and saved our auto industry.

8. Obama stopped conservative torture tactics, proving he believes in Jesus.

9. Obama stopped Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and did it peacefully.

10. Obama created many bills that help to clean the environment.

This list goes on and on, but these are the biggest accomplishments. They were done for every American, and they were done looking to the future, instead of just talking and repeating sound bites for the angry, bitter and self-absorbed.

As far as Hillary (Clinton) goes, we will have to wait until 2024 to judge the job she did as president of the United States.

Dennis Chaquette

Keaau

Try daylight saving time

The taxpayers here in Hawaii already are taxed to the max. It takes our time and gas to go to the dump and recycling. Now we will have to pay out of our pocket, on top of that?

We will see garbage bags in parks and roadsides. Take a ride down Government Road and see all the regular garbage already there. Mainland has better-paying jobs where this is doable. They also enforce the laws on littering.

This is just another government-forced program. People already get paid for recycling, and if that doesn’t persuade them, do you think making them pay will?

If the state is trying to create revenue, why not try going on daylight saving time? When we lived on the mainland, we saw a drop in our electric bill the very first month of daylight saving time.

It would be nice to come home after work and do yard work when it is still light outside, and the farmer would benefit also.

The roads that do not have street lights would be safer to drive longer because of daylight saving time.

Everyone would be saving money from the state level all the way down to the taxpayer.

Guess what? It did not take any money to make this money-saving idea work; just turn your clock back one hour and see the savings.

Jeffrey Pietrzak

Pahoa