• Get to the root of it • Real environmentalism • BYOB A bag that is! • Contract nonrenewal deserves explanation • Enact penalty for swearing Get to the root of it Thanks to the vision of Mr. Mickens and
• Get to the root of it • Real
environmentalism • BYOB A bag that is! •
Contract nonrenewal deserves explanation •
Enact penalty for swearing
Get to the root of it
Thanks to the vision of Mr. Mickens and Mr. Tolbe we now have a clear path forward.
Rather than adapting to the real challenges that face us, we will simply build more roads.
Not wanting to be considered narrow-minded I must endorse this plan as brilliant. After all, we are here to serve the automobile are we not?
We will pave the Powerline Trail into a four-lane highway (why stint?), bringing the North Shore well within commuting range of Lihu‘e. People will then move north and commute in droves, until within a few years traffic is congested even more than now.
The truth is more roads lead to more traffic, more wasted gas, and more carbon emissions, not less congestion.
Far better is to make the roads we have more efficient and improve access to all. That is exactly the point of the complete streets initiative.
For example, we have a major transportation corridor that serves only cars and trucks, and poorly at that. Kuhio Highway through Lihu‘e is a nightmare of lane changes and sudden turn lanes that render it barely functional during rush hour. The light at Kapule Highway in Hanama‘ulu serves mainly to back up traffic.
Utilizing roundabouts and thoughtful redesign can vastly improve the current system without new roads.
Of course I would love to bike on newly paved cane roads and the “Powerline throughway” since federal and state funding requires access for pedestrians and bicyclists, but it will not solve any traffic problems.
Kurt Rutter, Kapa‘a
Real environmentalism
I thank the Kaua‘i County Council and groups like Zero Waste Kaua‘i that pushed through the latest law banning plastic shopping bags that have filled up our landfills, killed wildlife and polluted our open spaces.
But if the Council and groups like Zero Waste Kaua‘i are really concerned about protecting our cultural resources they should come out against the destructive bike path proposed on the sacred sands at Wailua Beach, tear down the millionaire home built on the Naue Burial site and stop commercial tour groups from damaging the coral reefs on the Westside, that are actually “ocean gardens” feeding many Native Hawaiians and others from that community.
Those are serious concerns that need to be corrected now. That’s real environmentalism.
Ray Catania, Lihu‘e
BYOB A bag that is!
Plastic bags will soon be banned from Hawai‘i. Mayor Carvalho strongly supported the bill here.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about this. This is due to the fact that it would inconvenience the community because they would have to bring their own bags everywhere to carry their groceries in. I don’t look forward to bringing my own bag every time I go shopping; however, I want the island to be cleaner and the environment and animals to be safer.
Even thought it’s an inconvenience, we have to look at the bigger picture.
Due to a lot of people littering, it’s no surprise that they decided to ban them in the first place.
The plastic bags are a danger to animals and marine life, which sometimes mistake the plastic bags for food or get trapped/tangled up in them. This ends up killing them.
We need to take care of the environment that we live in so that we don’t end up living in our own filth. With the environment and animals in mind, I don’t mind a little inconvenience to save much more.
Kim Charles Delos Santos, Lihu‘e
Contract nonrenewal deserves explanation
I believe that the situation going on with Borrero is unclear.
If he’s getting fired for swearing then all coaches should get fired. All coaches swear no matter what.
Coaches who use vulgar language do it to get their attention or to get the point across to the kid. Some kids may get offended and some may not.
The decision is unfair. Like he said, they should all put their heads together and figure out what they’re going to do.
He should have an explanation, not just get fired in a heartbeat.
Jay Ban, Lihu‘e
Enact penalty for swearing
The situation of Borrero being fired at the head coach position is highly unfair because he has had a clean record for the last eight years.
This blemish should not constitute his contract not being renewed.
The appropriate approach would be to enact a penalty for swearing. In my opinion, most of the coaches in the country swear.
Cameron Bargamento, ‘Oma‘o
