•Lady Kaua‘i will be glad to see you • Vote for integrity •Regulation relief • Rough around the edges Lady Kaua‘i will be glad to see you The affairs of mankind are indeed troubling these days — financial insecurity, climate
•Lady Kaua‘i will be glad to see you
• Vote for integrity
•Regulation relief
• Rough around the edges
Lady Kaua‘i will be glad to see you
The affairs of mankind are indeed troubling these days — financial insecurity, climate uncertainty, social problems from glacial to global.
Yet I would send out a reminder to all of us here on Kaua‘i that to ground yourself with time spent in nature is a form of restoration that enables you to better cope with all the rest.
And here we are, living in a wonderland of nature, a place where millions would love to visit, much less live, if they only could. Yet it does no good at all if you do not partake of nature’s presence.
Just around the corner, June 21, is summer solstice, the longest day of the year. This is a time celebrated for thousands of years in a wide variety of cultures.
How long since you’ve sat in the quiet woods? Or hiked your favorite trail? Or been to a different beach, one you hardly ever go to? Or put your feet in the cold water of a stream? This is the day to get yourself out there.
Remember how good it feels? Get yourself happy again. Lady Kaua‘i will be glad to see you. And we will all be more empowered to bring our most positive energy into guiding these changing times into a new world of well being for all of us.
Kapua Janai, Waimea
Vote for integrity
Bravo to Kaua‘i County Council members Tim Bynum and Lani Kawahara for working so diligently on following the edicts of the public who elected them by raising awareness and demanding that our government officials practice “fundamental democratic standards” (“Government transparency at Kaua‘i County Council,” Forum, June 7).
I am appalled by, but not surprised about, the lack of transparency provided not only to the public but to all of the councilmembers. Perhaps Mr. Kaipo Asing has been in public office too long and should resign. Sometimes people in positions of power begin to feel infallible and omnipotent, therefore acting only on their own behalf while losing sight of why they were elected.
What may have been in the public’s best interests many years ago has changed, and if those in positions of administering the business at hand don’t change along with the times, then they should step down and make room for the upcoming crop of educated and dedicated people who have the energy and desire to move our government forward in the best interests of the people of Kaua‘i.
Each election in the future will bring on more candidates with Mr. Bynum’s and Ms. Kawahara’s integrity — guess who I’ll be voting for?
Charlotte Beall, Po‘ipu
Regulation relief
As do many others, we too love to visit Kaua‘i and have stayed at many vacation rentals on the North Shore.
On our recent stay in Hanalei we were very surprised at how busy and congested Hanalei had become. I don’t understand how this situation has gotten so out of hand.
The vacation rental next door to ours had a large and loud group that ruined much of our stay in Hanalei. I don’t know how these large vacation rentals have been allowed in a residential neighborhood. Where are the zoning ordinances?
For us it is a relief to hear that the county has begun to regulate these businesses. It means we may still be able to come back to Kaua‘i for our vacations and enjoy the beauty that is Kaua‘i. We thought we had lost our wonderful vacation spot.
We truly appreciate your efforts to keep Kaua‘i a beautiful place to visit.
Margaret and Joe Carr, Cotati, Calif.
Rough around the edges
We have been visiting Kaua‘i from our home in Oregon every year now since 1996. We love the “laid-back” atmosphere and relaxed attitude on Kaua‘i.
The Garden Island drew our hearts away from the busier, more developed islands of Maui and O‘ahu. We have been staying in the same Po‘ipu area condos each year. Whenever we come, we follow the local news closely to get a feel for what’s going on and what changes have taken place since our last visit.
We were there for the week of Memorial Day and here are some observations.
The news that burglaries are increasing on the island made us glad that we stay in a secure condo with a guard. We’re sorry to see this happening on Kaua‘i.
We learned that drugs are being bought and sold regularly in virtually every county park.
We were distressed to hear that someone (presumably a resident) shot and killed a pregnant Hawaiian monk seal and that a previous episode had occurred in the same area.
We were saddened to see the continued decline of the Coco Palms hotel, a site that has historical significance for native Hawaiians and that should be recognized as a part of Kaua‘i’s development as a visitor destination. One has only to read the excellent account by David Penhallow in The History Of The Coco Palms Hotel to learn about a wonderful period in Kaua‘i’s history that would be worth memorializing.
We hope things improve on Kaua‘i; it’s looking a little rough around the edges right now.
Mark Newell, Wilsonville, Ore.
