Letters for Aug. 14, 2016 Get tougher on automatic weapons Question: What is anybody on Kauai doing with a MAC 11 automatic sub-machine pistol? As reported in The Garden Island, an anti-social, often-arrested ex-felon and parole violator was busted on
Letters for Aug. 14, 2016
Get tougher on automatic weapons
Question: What is anybody on Kauai doing with a MAC 11 automatic sub-machine pistol?
As reported in The Garden Island, an anti-social, often-arrested ex-felon and parole violator was busted on the Westside in possession of such a gun.
This is a powerful, dangerous weapon in the wrong hands. It is not used for hunting pheasant or pigs.
It can empty a magazine of 32 9-millimeter cartridges in less than three seconds!
We have memory of recent terrible events in Orlando, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, and the Colorado movie theater. A crazy loser can cause a lot of misery.
The people of our little island have a right to ask if the ownership history of such a weapon can be traced, and if not, why not? I understand the police do have a registration requirement.
Also, can the gun be destroyed, or at least decommissioned before being returned to its rightful owner?
I shudder to think that guns such as these are obtainable on Kauai.
Jack Lundgren
Kapaa
Dairy is a risk to South Shore
Ann Hennessy of Hawaii Dairy Farm said recently in a TGI article the people opposed are self-interested. Far from the truth. Her article said there are no dairies in Hawaii. There are two, one on the Big Island and one in Waianae, Oahu.
Three primary issues to me that the HDF’s EIS didn’t clearly address are: 1. Poipu/Koloa drinking water 2. Jobs that the visitor industry could lose if there is a negative impact and 3. Potential loss in Poipu/Koloa property values that would result in lower property tax revenues for Kauai County.
1. Experts can’t agree if the three wells that provide the majority of Poipu/Koloa drinking water in the vicinity of the dairy would be contaminated. This is the most vital resource for our families and children (remember Flint, Michigan). If contamination were to occur, is the county funded and prepared to correct the problem?
2. If the odors that the EIS emits will on occasion hit the Poipu visitor area, visitors will go elsewhere. First to be impacted will be the Hyatt, where many of our friends work. If occupancy drops there and at the many condos and other hotels such as Sheraton here, will these people find jobs? The EIS hasn’t addressed this problem.
3. If occupancy drops and the Poipu area is a less attractive destination due to the smell, biting flies and the ocean pollution from the 20 tons of cow manure runoff monthly, property values will decline as a certain number of people won’t want to be in Poipu. County property tax revenues will drop. How will the county deal with that lost revenue? They will have to increase everyone’s taxes islandwide and/or cut services.
There are many unanswered issues in the EIS and since its publication, quietly HDF has updated a number of issues. The fact is that the risk is too great, the benefits too small to our island to gamble on. HDF calls the dairy project an experiment. Are we to be the subjects of Pierre Omidyar’s experiment?
The HDF’s primary purpose is to create terrific tax write-offs for billionaire Pierre Omidyar who is behind Ulupono Initiative. He has already received large tax rebates from the state.
We can’t let them destroy sacred Mahaulepu, our drinking water, local jobs (the dairy is creating only five full-time jobs per the EIS), and the Poipu/Koloa lifestyle, all for the tax benefits of a Mainland billionaire who recently moved to Hawaii. Stand up for protecting this vital area and make sure your voices are heard.
Tom Barlett
Koloa
