Letters to the Editor: May 19, 2020

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Get outside for ‘Lahaina Noon’

A bit of astronomical trivia for us lay people. On our island, at 12:19 p.m., today, May 19, celebrate “Lahaina Noon.”

This is the precise day and time when the sun is directly overhead, on its way to the north of us for two months. Get a very straight stick, or a steel rod, and put it in the ground so there is absolutely no shadow. You’ll know it’s pointing straight up. Look around you and see no shadows — unless a telephone pole isn’t straight.

Niel Thomas

Waimea

Frustrated at home

Let me get this straight, you can run and walk on the beach but can’t sit and enjoy our beautiful ocean, are you kidding me? We are not stupid, we know what to do at this point. Social distancing has been jammed down our throats. This is not America, this is a dictatorship telling us constantly where and when not to go. It is our God-given right to live our lives the way he intended. We have politicians here that can’t make a decision. Maybe it’s time to elect someone who has the courage to make constructive decisions that can actually work. While I am on a roll, there is no reason our restaurants that are open air cannot open up. We are going to lose them real soon if something doesn’t materialize. We would like to work together for a common cause but being restricted in our homes is not the way to accomplish that. As the saying goes “Our Flag still stands for Freedom and they can’t take that away.” They say it’s not political but really we are smarter than that and realize this is a political ploy by one certain party. I think we need to work together as one. These are some troubling times and with faith and hope we can get through this. This is not political anymore, this is people’s livelihood that is being compromised. United we stand, Divided we fall, so lets work together and make our country healthy and safe again without playing the political game. God bless America.

Laura Bollman

Kailua-Kona

Remembering the late, great Peter Moon

I have written in the past to prestigious West Hawaii Today about the late, great Mackey Feary and rightfully so. During this coronavirus pandemic, music especially of Peter Moon has kept me alive.

I remember the great ukulele player Troy Fernandez of Ka’au Crater Boys telling me “Peter Moon is the greatest.” Till this day, Troy’s words reverberate in my mind as I thoroughly enjoy the music of the late, great Peter Moon.

Peter Moon’s “Cane Fire” and “Tropical Storm” are definitely classics. Peter Moon was sadly in the shadow of the great Gabby Pahinui at the start of his career and Kalapana, Olomana, Summer and other great contemporary Hawaiian music groups latter in his career and was not given due credit.

Here, I am giving the late, great Peter Moon credit as one of the greatest musicians and innovators in Hawaiian music. His Panini Records label definitely brought Hawaiian music to a higher level and this should not be forgotten.

Shoots, a new copy of Peter Moon’s “Malie” goes for almost a $1,000 online. Long live the music of the great, late Peter Moon. Enough said.

Dean Nagasako

Honokaa

Letters policy

Letters to the editor should be 300 words or less and will be edited for style and grammar. Longer viewpoint guest columns may not exceed 800 words. Submit online at www.westhawaiitoday.com/?p=118321, via email to letters@westhawaiitoday.com or address them to:

Editor | West Hawaii Today

PO Box 789 | Kailua-Kona, HI 96745