•Let’s clean up Kaua‘i •A recommendation for KIUC Board •Minimize tragedies •KIF basketball all-stars Let’s clean up Kaua‘i Our island has a problem with litter. I believe that Kaua‘i needs to focus on fixing this problem. Anywhere you go you
•Let’s clean up Kaua‘i
•A recommendation for KIUC Board
•Minimize tragedies
•KIF basketball all-stars
Let’s clean up Kaua‘i
Our island has a problem with litter. I believe that Kaua‘i needs to focus on fixing this problem.
Anywhere you go you find trash on the ground. Driving by you see it on the street, when you walk around and even on the beach. I personally think, and I hope you agree, that it is really sad that we don’t care enough about our home, about earth, or this island that we continue to throw trash all over it. We are simply too lazy to go find a trash can, or if there isn’t one available to hold onto our trash for a little bit until we find one.
If all of us pitched in it would be a very easy to solve this problem. First, we need to stop and think. Don’t throw any trash on the ground, the beach or anywhere! If we all stop littering soon there won’t be any trash in sight.
Second, let’s consider all the trash that is already on the ground. It won’t just go away so we need to pick it up. Whenever we see a piece of rubbish on the ground, just pick it up and throw it in a trash container. It only takes a few seconds to help.
Let’s not wait until it’s too late. Let’s help Kaua‘i. We all created this problem and together we can solve it.
Anae Anderson, Eighth grade, Phillip Steinbacher’s class, Island School
A recommendation for KIUC Board
All KIUC members will receive their ballots to elect new a Board of Directors for our cooperative shortly. It is important that all official members (those whose names are on the electric bill) vote in this election.
As you will remember our electric bills were one of the highest in the nation when oil was over $140 per barrel last summer. At the moment our bills are down due to the price of oil but anyone who listens to the news knows that oil prices are going up again.
OPEC has said it wants the price of oil to be over $70 per barrel or else it is not profitable for them. KIUC is currently more than 90 percent dependent on fossil fuels. We must as an island move rapidly and aggressively to stabilize our energy costs and one means is by decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels.
In this election there is one candidate, Ben Sullivan, who has worked tirelessly to raise our awareness of the need to move to alternative energy. He is a careful, considerate and reasonable advocate for our island’s energy needs.
Ben asks the right questions and also seeks out those with the knowledge to genuinely help solve these energy challenges for Kaua‘i. He is a voice of reason and responsibility.
I hope you will cast a vote for Ben Sullivan in the KIUC election. He will continue to speak for the necessary changes we need to make and advocate sound policy decisions by the board for our benefit. He will not be a voice to divide the board but a voice that will enable the board to make the necessary and critical decisions to insure Kaua‘i’s sustainable energy future.
Please join me in voting for Ben Sullivan for KIUC Board of Directors. He is a voice for all of Kaua‘i.
Neil Clendeninn, Hanalei
Minimize tragedies
Two recent water incidents (tragedies) merit some comment.
One occurred off the Florida coast. A boat flipped over and three of the four occupants were lost. I don’t claim to know the circumstances but I do urge our Kauai boaters and fisherman to spend the $600 for an EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon). When it’s turned upside down it immediately sends out a satellite-mediated distress signal and your exact position to the nearest Coast Guard station.
The second just occurred on our Wailua River. Again, I don’t know the circumstances nor am I familiar with the ins and outs of the kayak tour/rental business. But having every kayaker wear a life jacket will save lives in the future.
We ocean safety advocates and workers are working on a cause that we can’t win. Our waters have both obvious and hidden dangers, and our residents and visitors alike love to enjoy the waters, for the most part that’s why we’re here. With this set-up tragedies are inevitable. Our hearts will always go out to the victims and their families and friends, no matter what.
Meanwhile there are things we each can do to minimize the number of these tragedies.
Dr. Monty Downs, Wilcox Hospital ER
KIF basketball all-stars
Let me begin by saying that true, everyone is an all-star but there has to be some kind of guidelines or intervention as to what makes an all-star.
My perception on being an all-star might be different from others so I’ll just keep it myself but let me share my picks for the KIF All Star Team: guards, Malcolm Carter, Devon Florence; Thomas Gauspol, center; Duke Pauli, forward.
John Kaneholani, Anahola