• Concrete better for path then asphalt • Looking back at the nurses’ strike • Believes in working together for change • Harsher penalties needed for unacceptable behavior • Rebate debate Concrete better for path then asphalt Attn: Legislators and
• Concrete better for path then asphalt
• Looking back at the nurses’ strike
• Believes in working together for change
• Harsher penalties needed for unacceptable behavior
• Rebate debate
Concrete better for path then asphalt
Attn: Legislators and fellow Kauaians:
I am an almost daily walker on the bike/hike path in the Kapa‘a to Kealia section. The concrete path is a safe and beautiful dream come true.
Thank you to all who made this possible, it is certainly an idea whose time has come.
I would like you to take note: that on regular roadways it is always that asphalt is used for cars and other motor vehicles, while the sides of the roads are reserved for pedestrians with concrete to walk on.
As a nonprofessional in these matters but in regards to pedestrians needs, asphalt is pure black and very, very hot on hot days even when wearing shoes or slippers to walk on. It is also uncomfortably hot above asphalt on a hot day when people are walking on it, compared to cars which protect the driver from heat by the vehicle passenger compartment and the vehicle’s air-conditioning.
Concrete which still can get hot on hot days is markedly cooler than asphalt and is tremendously cooler above the concrete while walking on it.
Now, what might be the most beautiful portion of the bike/hike path going past Kealia Beach has been announced by Mr. Haigh of Public Works at a recent council meeting to be changed from concrete to asphalt. For the reasons above, and perhaps other reasons I am unaware of, the change from what is now beautiful rose-hue concrete to ugly black hot asphalt would seem to me to be a mistake. The County reason given was to save money with asphalt cheaper than concrete.
I believe asphalt on hot days will deter hikers from using the path, also asphalt will deteriorate much faster and require expensive repairs that concrete will not present. If saving money is an issue, perhaps it’s better to use concrete as far as the money runs out and stop the path there. Better a shorter path than an unusable one.
And if the Feds have contributed tens of millions of dollars to the path how could we run out of the monies put up. I personally, as well as many of my friends, think it wiser to reduce landscaping not for erosion control or other efforts, and instead put the money into the path itself, preferably using concrete for the already planned complete length of the path.
Mahalo for all the work done already, we’re for a smart usable path, more than a cheaper path.
Helen Kaneia
Kapa‘a
Looking back at the nurses’ strike
A year ago, more than 100 Kaua‘i nurses were cleaning out their lockers as they prepared to go on strike.
Little did we know that it would last more than four months. Through those very difficult months the overwhelming support of our Kaua‘i community helped us.
There was also support from our Hawaii Nurses Association staff members, Aggie Pigao-Cadiz and Clyde Hayashi. It saddens me to say that we did not have the support of our HNA board during the long labor dispute. Nor did these fine staff members have the support of our board.
Clyde and Aggie, we couldn’t have done it without you and you will always be part of our Kaua‘i nurses ‘ohana.
Hawai‘i nurses , please look closely at what our organization is doing.
Joan Kutzer
Kilauea
Believes in working together for change
I would like to take issue with the demoralizing tone set by some who see that the problems facing our community are “here to stay, so get used to them.”
While I also have no use for unproductive complaining, I have tremendous hope that when people work together to push for solutions and change, it really works. Clearly, the moneyed interests in our society believe this. Why else would they form associations and councils to push their agendas? Everyday people may not have the money that a business lobby has, but we do have numbers which can be mobilized when we put in the effort to do so.
In our neighborhoods, towns and cities, whether the issue is traffic, wages, housing, inappropriate development, racism, health care, war or the environment, history proves that organized groups of people make a difference.
On June 27, thousands of people from around the country will attend the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta, Georgia, to organize for change. Their slogan is “Another World is Possible.” Let us not dismiss the hope and power in that statement.
To do so would be to erase our people’s history of positive social change.
Katy Rose
Hanalei
Harsher penalties needed for unacceptable behavior
To those of you who are a little confused about what is unacceptable behavior in our society:
It is NOT okay to physically harm someone else or their pet. It is NOT okay to steal from others no matter how down and out you are (if you didn’t buy it or someone didn’t give it to you willingly and knowingly then it isn’t yours to take!).
It is NOT okay to throw trash on the ground or out your window (if you wouldn’t throw it on the floor in your own home, then put it in the garbage where it belongs!). It is NOT okay to vandalize or destroy someone else’s property, it is NOT okay to use someone else’s identity to benefit yourself, and it is NOT okay to sell or do illegal drugs.
I have been seeing letters from people making excuses for other people’s bad behavior and it needs to stop. Just about everyone nowadays has a sad story to tell, but we have laws for a reason and we ALL need to abide by them, no matter who we are or where we came from. Otherwise what is the point of having laws at all?
We need harsher penalties for those who break our laws, not excuses!
Janet Smyth
Lihu‘e
Rebate debate
Doesn’t it seem like every time we get a rebate from KIUC our electric bill is so high for the month?
Is KIUC really giving us a break then taking it (the rebate) back by hiking up the monthly bill?
Sometimes one just has to wonder.
Howard Tolbe
‘Ele‘ele
