• Surfacing violence • Let’s get it together • Prioritize the prople • Vacationers don’t cluck • Well-paid trustees • Enough is enough Surfacing violence After the recent devastating loss experienced at Virginia Tech, many questions have surfaced about safety.
• Surfacing violence
• Let’s get it together
• Prioritize the prople
• Vacationers don’t cluck
• Well-paid trustees
• Enough is enough
Surfacing violence
After the recent devastating loss experienced at Virginia Tech, many questions have surfaced about safety. violence, mental health and gun control. We at the YMCA of Kaua‘i have had opportunities to examine the complexities of these issues in the context of our work in the areas of domestic and sexual violence amidst the influences of race, ethnicity, class and culture.
What we experience is that powerlessness, bullying, insensitivity to race, culture and class dynamics, stereotyping, isolation, one’s self perception or self esteem mixed with unstable mental health may sometimes create a dangerous consequence that can be difficult to detect. However, our society is learning that a cry for help coming from anyone, a woman, a child, a young person, a man, must be taken seriously and resolved.
And so we suffer with all the victims, the perpetrator, their families and the communities traumatized by this along with all the young people made to fear for their safety, all victims of prior gun violence and anyone who has lost another to violence of any kind.
We also all suffer with any community who may be targeted with racism because of such a tragedy or can remember being terrified by something like this.
We look forward to and work towards a future where such an act would never occur and hope you will continue to join us in our efforts for the elimination of racism and establishment of a peaceful and safe society.
Joan Luzney
Lihu‘e
Let’s get it together
As someone who served on a PAL Board of Directors in another state, I am keenly aware of the value of PAL programs for young people. I do not know if what is happening to KPAL in Kaua‘i is due to turf battles or honest misunderstandings. Regardless, I urge the Mayor and the County Council to get the matter resolved. PAL programs are much too valuable to risk losing and the young people, who participate in those programs, and their parents should not have to worry about whether or not the programs will be continued.
Linda Estes
Koloa
Prioritize the prople
As I read the Letters to the Editor, I notice an overwhelming theme arising from the people of Kaua‘i, that is: the threat of over-development.
I agree with Gordon Oswald who asked “When does paradise cease to exist?” in the May 16 Letters section. I would also like to know if our elected officials and those in position to make these decisions even read these letters to the editor?
Do they even care that the people of Kaua‘i are continually voicing their concerns?
When will the residents of Kaua‘i be given a higher priority than bringing in newer, bigger multi-million dollar developments?
Kim Acierto
Kapa‘a
Vacationers don’t cluck
Roosters 1, Vacation Rentals, 0.
After being awakened last night at 2:15 a.m., (and again at 3:28, 4:12 and 5:54) to the ear-wrenching cackling of the roosters being raised (illegally) by my neighbors next door (in my residentially zoned neighborhood in the Wailua Homesteads) I thought to myself: “And the county is worried about vacation rentals in non-VDAs?”
How about the county cracking down on all of the homes blatantly and illegally raising roosters, chickens, goats and other non-residentially zoned animals?
I’ll take the squeal of delight from a visiting, money-spending vacationer watching the sky turn pink at sunset over the incessant clucking and squawking of an illegal rooster coop any day.
George Spelvin
Wailua Homesteads
Well-paid trustees
Is it just me or does anyone else think that the trustees who oversee Kamehameha schools are overpaid?
A million bucks, plus a year to do what? Henry Peters said that it’s justified because it’s performance-based.
Really?
Like how?
There are doctors who save lives who don’t get paid anything near that. He complains that he had no medical. Aww, bummer what a hardship huh? I know people who work their buns off being self-employed and have no medical, dental or 401K making $35 to $40 grand a year or less with kids and paying all their taxes. How in the world is that kind of compensation justified when the trustees’ history is as spotty as it is? Remember Trustee Lindsey? Or the others? Now Peters is trying to defend his deferred income ‘cause he’s got no medical or retirement. And says he’ll be in a lower tax bracket so he can keep more of this money.
Somehow I don’t think he’ll get too much sympathy from the average tax payer. To me, if the trust had that kind of money for expenses it should be spent on the students or their facilities. In other words, the school must be in a totally pristine condition and the students are not wanting for anything before the trustees can justify their income. I just hope that they are not getting wealthy at the expense of the school, the students or the original intent of the will.
Stephen Shioi
Kapa‘a
Enough is enough
Voting “Yes” on Bill 2203 is not a vote against competition or lower prices. Stores do not need more than 75,000-square feet to be competitive.
The people of Kaua‘i need to decide what is more important: Saving what’s left of our rural lifestyle or saving a little bit of money. Big box stores like Wal-Mart do not care about providing jobs or keeping with the character of Kaua‘i. They care about making bigger profits (a bigger store = bigger profits) and that is the only reason they are against the bill.
I only wish the County would be this concerned when it comes to the size and quantity of developments. I think we all agree, enough is enough!
Janet Smyth
Lihu‘e
