•Make everytime party time for the Food Bank •Quit using plastic bags •High five for hands-free •Extend your thanks to Kaua‘i Police officers •We need hate crimes enhancements Make everytime party time for the Food Bank No matter what the
•Make everytime party time for the Food Bank
•Quit using plastic bags
•High five for hands-free
•Extend your thanks to Kaua‘i Police officers
•We need hate crimes enhancements
Make everytime party time for the Food Bank
No matter what the occasion, my party guests seem pleased to be asked to bring food for the Food Bank.
And recently a neighbor who had attended one of my events decided to ask her guests too. She was astonished at their generosity. Her long entry hall was completely filled on both sides!
I mentioned this story to Judy Lenthall, 14-year director of the Kaua‘i Food Bank. She and her assistants all thought this was a very good idea for Kaua‘i.
Judy will be one of our honorees at the opening Kaua‘i Peacemakers Reunion. Please join us in the Wailua Houselots at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, (phone 821-2110), and be sure to bring food for the Food Bank. Other honorees for this event include Richard Diamond, Catherine Stovall, Althea McCreery and Councilman Tim Bynum, with a special theme of communications for the benefit of all Kauaiians.
Previously honored as Kaua‘i Peacemakers at the Valentine’s event were Laura Taylor, Jennie Yukimura and Mayor Bryan Baptiste (in memorium).
Let’s share all of our gatherings with those who need it most by helping supply the Kaua‘i Food Bank while we are celebrating.
G.G. Shanley, Wailua
Quit using plastic bags
Zero Waste Kaua‘i would like to commend Papayas, Foodland, Star Markets, Sueoka’s and Safeway for their leadership in providing reimbursements (as shown below) to shoppers who bring their own bags when shopping in those stores.
Papayas (15 cents), Sueokas (5 cents), Star Markets (5 cents), Foodland (5 cents), Safeway (3 cents cloth bag, 1 cent plastic bag).
Mahalo to these local stores for encouraging all of us to reduce our plastic grocery bag usage.
Americans throw away 100 billion plastic bags each year, causing many problems for the environment and wildlife. It also takes 12 million barrels of oil to produce these bags.
Not only do plastic bags create unsightly litter on our beautiful Kaua‘i, but they also put an additional burden on our landfill and contribute to the potential death of marine animals through entanglement and ingestion.
Plastic bags don’t biodegrade; they can take 1,000 years to decompose.
The environmental problems caused by plastic bags are felt worldwide.
Zero Waste Kaua‘i applauds the above businesses for changing their policies to encourage the right habits. They deserve our appreciation and support.
We can all make a difference when shopping by bringing our own cloth bags for carrying groceries.
John Harder, Chair of Zero Waste Kaua‘i
High five for hands-free
I wanted to congratulate O‘ahu for passing the hands-free cell phone law which will go into effect July 1.
Let’s hope that other islands including Kaua‘i follow their example in saving lives by passing a hands-free law.
Gina Lee, Kapa‘a
Extend your thanks to Kaua‘i Police officers
I want to send a big thank you to the Kaua‘i Police Department and the officers who patrol Kalaheo.
My family knows how busy you are these days. We understand how hard you work. Thank you for all you do!
With unemployment at an all time high and summertime foolishness (drinking heavily, drunk drivers, drug use, etc.) upon us, we know you are working overtime to keep Kaua‘i safe.
In talking with other neighbors, your presence has been seen and appreciated. As an elderly resident, with heart and lung damage, I feel good knowing you will respond quickly if I need to call over neighborhood disturbances.
I always feel guilty over needing to call, but there are times it cannot be helped. Having made three trips to the emergency room because of heartbeat irregularity, I have no choice but to call for your rescue. I am sure you have saved my life.
When close-by neighbors choose to blast their home theater systems and rattle my roof, walls and floors, I depend upon KPD response as my heart could stop. We do have laws on “disturbing the peace” and “disorderly conduct.”
You have always come through for me and I want you to know how much respect I have for you.
Residents of Kaua‘i, please extend your thanks to the next officer you run across. They put up with a lot, work hard and their lives are on the line each time they leave home.
Katie Ryan, Kalaheo
We need hate crimes enhancements
I’m not sure I understand the reasoning of why hate crimes legislation compromises the Constitution (“Is the theater on fire?” Letters, May 11).
A hate crime designation does not penalize the perpetrator for their thoughts, but for their actions (the commission of a crime). The “hate crime” enhancement only serves to provide a mandatory baseline to ensure (hopefully) appropriate penalties for that crime, because the marginalized victims would otherwise, in many cases, find no justice for their victimization.
The enhancement goes to motive, the “mens rea” of the perpetrator, and not just some nebulous policing of private thought or even speech.
We need hate crimes enhancements because people of color, people of differing religions, gays, transgendered persons and the disabled very often get the short end of the legal stick because of the apathy, or even downright bigotry, of the public and the system.
Elaine Albertson, Waimea
