Drop athletics
In the Thursday, July 2, Sports section, Ferd Lewis’ story was headlined “Hawaii’s foreign athletes in bind.”
Easy solution. Disband University of Hawaii at Hilo athletics, with the exception of intramurals.
I and my family love sports. I was a Little League player and, years later, a manager. I played intramural basketball (clumsily) at UH-Manoa, my alma mater, and surfed competitively off Oahu for several years.
My three sons have participated in youth sports for many years. Yet, for many years, I have questioned the purpose and value of paying for foreign athletes to come from France, Romania and the Czech Republic (countries mentioned in Lewis’ article). Scholarships to mainland athletes, too.
Hawaii, like everyplace else, is in financial trouble. Our institutes of higher learning are struggling. There is scant public or student support for almost every UH-Hilo sports event. Maybe every.
Where do semi-pro sports for largely non-locals fit in? Perhaps that money could go for Hawaii Island academic scholarships. What benefit do we receive, and at what cost?
Many of our customary practices are being re-examined. Can we return UH-Hilo to a mission of academic excellence?
Peter Easterling
Pahoa
‘Out to kill me’
As a kupuna, I would like to express my gratitude to every single one of you who wears a mask and practices common sense social distancing. All of you are my heroes for going the extra mile to keep me and every one of us from contracting the coronavirus.
I would like to shake hands and thank each of you for caring about me, my family and our neighbors, but that is obviously not an option at this time.
I am a former Navy diver and commercial diver for many years, so I am acutely aware of the commitment and sacrifice needed to preserve the life and well-being of those for whom we are responsible. Living on the Island of Hawaii for decades, I have found an awesome and utterly inspired community of people who care and come together in times of peril, whether it be a volcanic eruption, hurricane, tsunami, earthquake or now a disease. A huge mahalo for the sacrifices to your lifestyles that you have made.
As for the fools who think they are so special and more important than the rest, I have absolutely no respect. No mask, no respect; no distancing, no respect. As far as I am concerned, you are out to kill me.
The state of Hawaii — 19 deaths to date — has been the model for beating this horrible disease that has currently killed more than 130,000 U.S. citizens.
Outstanding job, Hawaii. Outstanding job, people of the Big Island!
Every time you put on that mask, take a moment and know you just got the respect of an old deep sea diver.
Bill Spurlock
Orchidland
Mahalo for story
Thank you, staff writer Stephanie Salmons, for reporting on COVID-19 and prevention steps being taken to protect our kupuna in long-term care facilities in East Hawaii (“Nursing homes still virus free,” Tribune-Herald, June 29).
Two of the largest, Life Care Center and Hale Anuenue, however, were not mentioned!
Wonder what protocols they implemented?
Katie Kosora
Hilo