• A Christmas tradition St. Regis should keep • A look at gun control, health care • Mahalo for brightening the holiday season A Christmas tradition St. Regis should keep Another Christmas tradition seems to be disappearing at the St.
• A Christmas tradition St. Regis should keep • A look at gun control, health care • Mahalo for brightening the holiday season
A Christmas tradition St. Regis should keep
Another Christmas tradition seems to be disappearing at the St. Regis Hotel.
For the past few years, a friend and I have made a point of going to our local hotel (The Princeville, and now the St. Regis) for a Christmas drink and to enjoy all of the wonderful Christmas decorations.
This year it was immediately apparent that something was missing.
There was no scent from the trees. Every single tree, though beautifully decorated, was artificial. This was a huge disappointment. The smell of evergreen trees is an integral part of Christmas I believe.
I checked other hotels to see if this was the coming trend.
Fortunately, it is not. The Westin has real trees and cedar boughs in their lobby. It looks and smells wonderful.
The Prince Golf Course, Hanalei Bay Resort and several condo lobbies display real trees as well.
The Hyatt Resort also has marvelous real evergreen trees in their lobby and again, the scent is beautiful.
My hope is that the St. Regis will reconsider this policy for 2013. Even a few real evergreen trees and cedar boughs will bring the scent of Christmas to their lobby.
Diane Tilley
Hanalei
A look at gun control, health care
I am writing to say that Republicans and some very conservative Democrats are on the wrong side of gun control and “Obama Care.”
First, I know everyone has heard about the tragic killing of the grade school children and the adults in Connecticut.
Even though the killer had two hand guns, I believe that he used the AR-15 assault rifle to do most of the killing.
If I am not mistaken, these assault rifles were banned for 10 years up until the mid-2000s. Now most Republicans and very conservative Democrats seem to be just fine with the current laws.
I ask you, why does anyone, outside of the armed forces, need an assault rifle of this killing capacity?
The public who wants these rifles say they like to target practice and hunt with these rifles. There are hand guns and other kinds of rifles that can do these same things.
Again, why allow assault rifles to be owned be the public? I say these kinds of rifles should not be allowed.
Second, I believe the Republicans and very conservative Democrats need to study “Obama Care” much, much more. I believe conservatives are supposed to be against the free give away programs like Medicaid.
I have heard the president say himself that all, but the very poor citizens, will have to be on some kind of health insurance and/or pay the government some money to buy insurance from the government.
I ask you, isn’t this a way to eliminate some of the current “give away” of Medicaid?
I personally know families that had ALL of their children using Medicaid.
These families pay a net of no income taxes and get a large sum of money back by using the child tax credit and the earned income credit!
Wouldn’t “Obama Care” get rid of some of this outrageous government give away?
I ask you, please ponder these two subjects to see how you really, really feel about these controversial issues!
Timothy Monroe Bledsoe
North Augusta, S.C.
Mahalo for brightening the holiday season
For years there has been a house on the highway near the Koloa turn off in Lawa‘i that has gone above and beyond every Christmas.
I’m sure that anyone who lives in the area has seen it. Every year dozens of hours are spent decorating this home.
Whenever I go into Lihu‘e, I see a father and son (so I have been told) decorating their house.
They are very meticulous with their planning and even have a different theme every season.
When its all said and done the house is a beacon on the hill that has been a staple for every Christmas. And every Christmas Eve Santa appears on the roof to greet people as they drive by.
I just wanted to write in and say thank you for all the work that is done every year.
I’m sure its no small task to decorate and then pack it up every year. I hope this tradition continues for years.
Also if anyone gets the chance next year, there is a street in the Puuwai neighborhood of Kalaheo that also goes above and beyond.
Thank you as well and thanks to everyone else who decorated this holiday season.
Jeff Dorough
Kalaheo
