• Mahalo from veteran organizations • Happy new controversies • Story of a trail angel • Drug test teachers randomly • Bad behavior must change Mahalo from veteran organizations Sometimes it does us good to share our deepest gratitude and
• Mahalo from veteran organizations
• Happy new controversies
• Story of a trail angel
• Drug test teachers randomly
• Bad behavior must change
Mahalo from veteran organizations
Sometimes it does us good to share our deepest gratitude and appreciation. I would like to take time to thank all the community groups, organizations, Boy Scout Troop 83 and all individuals who were involved in helping (many of whom even helped beforehand) during the Nov. 11 Veterans Day Ceremony.
There are just over 1,700 graves at the Hanapepe Cemetery. Many do not realize the yearly contributions made for that day. I also extend gratitude and appreciation from all the many veteran organization commanders and members.
Many years ago, the leaders of our country decided to set aside a day to pay tribute, and to also honor all our fallen comrades. This was to happen on the 11th day in November of every year. Many veterans have fought in unpopular wars, but still they gave their lives for our great country.
• Wilbert Pereira, Lihu‘e
Happy new controversies
Should the superferry return? Should cockfighting be legal? Should we allow our four-legged friends on the pedestrian trail? Should the monkeypod trees go? Should we have more roads? Should Wal-Mart be allowed to expand? Should someone who spent a fortune on land be able to build if the land is on ancient Hawaiian burial grounds? Should the state initiate a lottery? Should Linda Lingle have gone to meet the president elect at the governors convention? Last but not least, should the “Kids Gone Wild” incident on American airlines and at a local resort possibly be made into a comedy movie?
I could see it now, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Arc, Blue Hawaii, South Pacific and the new blockbuster true life comedy, Kids Gone Wild. What a great way to boost the economy in these rough economic times with another Hollywood production right here on the Garden Isle.
Mahalos to The Garden Island newspaper for letting all sides be heard on these editorial pages and letting us vent our drama.
I am looking forward to the answers to many of our hamlet’s dilemmas and new ones to come in 2009. Happy new controversies in 2009.
• James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
Story of a trail angel
This is a letter of appreciation for Bill Summers, the volunteer who has done so much work to improve the safety of the Kalalau Trail over the past year and a half. In addition to that strenuous physical work, he has offered Gatorade to dehydrated hikers as well as given assistance to those who are injured. I have a personal story to tell about his good deeds.
I have been hiking the trail since 1974 and witnessed its deterioration due to lack of maintenance as well as extreme erosion caused by the increasing population of goats. I had met Bill a couple of times and thanked him for his needed work on the trail, but it wasn’t until I sprained my ankle last spring on the way to Kalalau Valley that I learned about his compassionate side.
Thank goodness, a local hunter aided me by fashioning impromptu crutches from guava branches, which allowed me to continue walking very slowly along the trail. But I was only able to scale the vertical slippery parts of the trail because of the steps that Bill had cut into the red dirt. And then, to my surprise, as I struggled along, doubting that I would reach camp before night fall, Bill appeared out of nowhere to help me. A hiker had told him of my dilemma and he hiked back down the trail to assist me by providing an instant ice pack and ace bandage, and then actually guiding and providing physical support for me along the trail. He was my trail angel.
This kind dedicated man wants to continue his trail work, but had to stop because he was recently cited by the DLNR. I would like to see Bill receive a permanent volunteer status from the DLNR and possibly a stipend. After all, as a stone mason by trade, and an ex-Marine, he has tons of expertise to do the job right. And the bonus is —that he is doing it from the heart.
• Janey Kanter, Kalihiwai
Drug test teachers randomly
Mr. Jeff Knope, here’s a rude awakening for you (“Love, not pay, draws teachers,” Letters, Dec. 31).
Even the unruly and disruptive deserve to be educated. But you seem to want teachers to have the power to kick them out of the classroom. Where is the love you mention with this kind of thinking?
Also truckers get paid more than teachers because they drive big rigs in dangerous conditions and long hours.
Furthermore, Mr. Knope, quit putting words into my opinions. Their is no way in my letter I mention that the children are exempt from drug testing. (We all know that some of the children are on drugs, too.)
What I’m simply saying is, “Why are teachers so afraid to be drug tested?” Let them be role models to our students by being a professional and step up to the plate and drug test. After all, the teachers agreed to drug tests in their contracts.
If teachers can not afford the drug test, have their teachers union pay for it from their union funds and to ease the pain, drug test randomly.
• Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
Bad behavior must change
On Dec. 31 at about 1 p.m. I was at Secret Beach enjoying the sun and my lunch.
I had to make a call on my phone and went into a shady place away from my towel so I could see the screen. As I was dialing, an older man and what appeared to be his son were walking two dogs toward my location. They were not on leashes.
One dog went right up to my towel and ate my lunch. I ended my call and told the men to get their dog away from my towel. I asked them why they did not immediately go up to the dog and leash it or restrain it by the collar.
I asked them if they were going to reimburse me the cost of my lunch. They just looked down their noses at me and snickered and kept walking.
These people must be blood relatives of the family on the flight already written about who refused to discipline their unruly children. The father by his example has taught his son that it is acceptable to violate property rights of other people, to not apologize, and not compensate for the wrongdoing caused.
I have never seen these people before. I do not know if they moved here or are visiting over the holidays.
Either way, we do not need their kind here. Our country is in a downward spiral not just economically but behaviorally. It needs to change.
• Richard Spacer, Kapa‘a
