Turn off your lights at night this week Many Kaua‘i residents are aware of the declining population of Newell’s shearwaters (a‘o) and other endangered Hawaiian birds. Unfortunately, the various lawsuits, “take permits” issued to KIUC, and alterations to the high
Turn off your lights at night this week
Many Kaua‘i residents are aware of the declining population of Newell’s shearwaters (a‘o) and other endangered Hawaiian birds. Unfortunately, the various lawsuits, “take permits” issued to KIUC, and alterations to the high school football season have made a lot of people cynical to the plight of these birds.
Truth is, because shearwaters live mainly at sea, they are just not that good at flying over land — especially with bright lights. They circle parking lots, crash into power lines, and hit windows in an attempt to find their way to the ocean.
This week, the darkest week on October, is when the young birds leave their nests and head out to sea from their nests in the mountains, and lots don’t make it.
When I examined data from Save Our Shearwaters, I could see a huge “spike” in recovered birds during the new moon nights of October, and thought making the Kaua‘i Community aware of this fact might help.
Thus I created Po Ele Ele A‘o (Dark Night of the Shearwater) to raise awareness that residents and businesses should all turn out outside lights this Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 26-27.
Bright security lights, parking lot lights, lights at the tennis courts, and others are the main culprits — if you can turn these off for just these two nights, you can really help preserve this species. If such an effort can help to save even an ‘extra’ handful of birds, this can make a big difference in such a threatened species.
John Patterson, Kapa‘a
Rain gauges need funding
On Sept. 27 it became public that funding for stream and rain gauges will run out after Oct. 1, 2011. For Hanalei this can mean people stranded because of the river flooding and emergency personnel unaware how fast it has risen. For Hanalei Elementary School it means possible closure of school delayed to the point the children and teachers and staff are all stranded.
We are at the start of our rainy season and for residents that have seen how fast and high the Hanalei River can flood knows how important this gauge is. Knowing that we can keep an eye on the gauge while school is in progress makes this a viable tool for our emergency procedures. The majority of our 279 students, teachers and staff live on the other side of Hanalei River.
I think one question is why was the public not notified until Sept. 27 when funding ended Oct. 1?
I can recall years before the gauge the river flooding and students and teachers had to spend the night at school. Do we really want this to happen again? The reality is that it could. Some people can argue that it doesn’t flood like it did back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. What’s to say it won’t? We don’t have any way of knowing if or when it will ever happen again. Chances are it will and without a rain gauge who knows what the scenario will be. Hanalei is completely closed off when the road closes. No in or out. What if there is an emergency vehicle needed? When the emergency personnel know the river is rising they make sure we have emergency vehicles on the Hanalei side. Without the gauge the emergency personnel need to drive back and forth looking at the height of the river. Thank goodness for the local boaters for taking stranded tourists across the river with all their belongings so they don’t miss their flights.
Sure all of these things can happen even with a working gauge but without the gauge it will be far worse. There are a lot more people living and visiting the North Shore then there was in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Don’t get me wrong all the rain gauges are important and none should be shut down. The residents of Hanalei depend on that gauge for their kids going to school and jobs in and out of the valley. I truly hope this gauge can be back online. So many of us depend on it.
Barbara Poor, Hanalei
Mahalo to the community
The Lihu‘e AARP Chapter 654 celebrated the 2nd Annual Happy Times Community Picnic and Food Drive, Oct. 8 at Lydgate Pavilion. Food, fun and entertainment highlighted the event which supported Kaua‘i’s hungry families.
Attendees brought canned goods, rice or a monetary donation for the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank. This celebrated National AARP Drive to End Hunger and all proceeds benefited the KIFB, who not only feed those in need but also help them enroll in the SNAP program and assist young people in gaining job experience and nutrition through the Keiki Café and Backpack Program.
Entertainers Ronnie Toki, Larry Rivera, Alberto Genovia, Mark Huff and his daughter Teresa, and Millie Curtis performed. Larry Rivera even sang a new composition that is not even recorded and asked Janice Bond to dance to it. Audience participation followed with Larry getting laughs throughout.
Generous food sponsors included Pono Market, Wailua Marina Restaurant, Aloha Beach Resort, Kaua‘i Beach Resort, Mark’s Place, and 22 North. Everyone who brought a donation for KIFB got tickets for prize drawings donated by sponsors.
Educational materials were provided by the Kaua‘i Fire Department, the Emergency Medical Response team with “Andy” and KIUC exchanged incandescent bulbs for free energy-saving CFLs. Educational materials by AARP and the Senior Medicare Patrol of the Office of Aging were available. AARP members and Kaua‘i High School HOSA members were valuable volunteers. Some 543 pounds of food and $79 were raised for the KIFB through the Staying Sharp Seminar and the Happy Times Picnic.
Janice Bond
AARP Lihue Chapter 654
Community Services
Organizer
