• Much ado about nothing • There’s power in unity • Thank you to those who serve • KIUC energy cost savings Change in online commenting policy Starting July 1, The Garden Island has changed how it monitors the online commenting portion of thegardenisland.com. All
• Much ado about nothing • There’s power in unity • Thank you to those who serve • KIUC energy cost savings
Change in online commenting policy
Starting July 1, The Garden Island has changed how it monitors the online commenting portion of thegardenisland.com. All comments will go through an approval process. Not all comments will be approved. Priority will be given to those that are topical, remain within our comment policies and contain the author’s full name and hometown.
We encourage continued use of our online comment feature as well as the Letters to the Editor in our print edition. The Garden Island values reader input and encourages thoughtful debate.
Much ado about nothing
“Shall. Must. May.” After reading yet another article about the ineptitude of our local government to get anything done, I am steaming!
Get over it, please! As our elected (for now) county officials, can you please just make the laws read yes or no? What is all the drama about? How much has been spent on lawyers at our tax expense on this ridiculous argument?
Yes or no! Heaven help us!
Michael Stauber
Koloa
There’s power in unity
Regarding the letter by Raymond Catania and James (Jimbo) Alemalem, which focused on financial exploitation by Walmart of its employees, I noted responses in the comment section essentially stating nothing can be done due to the overwhelming forces of corporate control.
Under such circumstances, it is natural that people will say “What can I do? I am only one person.” I will remind you in the words of anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Shine on Raymond and Jimbo!
Janet Ashkenazy
Kilauea
Thank you to those who serve
On July 4, 1962, 289 graduating seniors from high schools across the state of Hawai‘i were inducted into the United States Army as an All Hawai‘i Company to be trained together at Fort Ord, Calif.
This event took place on the grounds of ‘Iolani Palace. Volunteering for military duty after high school was second nature for most of us. We were on our own after high school and this gave us the opportunity to grow up prepare ourselves for adulthood.
I was too young to remember my uncles leaving for WWII and the Korean War. Others served during peace time during the 1950s and myself in Vietnam during the ’60s
I know there are those who do not see military service to this nation as an honorable calling. Trust me, there are bad people in this world. We need to maintain a strong national defense program to keep a step ahead of those who want to inflict harm upon us. Thanks to all of you that have performed service to our great nation. You know who you are. This includes those in many civilian occupations as well as military members.
To the other 288 graduating seniors that joined me that day, God bless you and thank you for your service to our nation. Please, please, be proud of what you did and pass on this kind of passion for our country to your grandchildren.
Malama pono.
Mel Apana
Norwalk, Iowa
KIUC energy cost savings
The quickest way to reduce the cost of energy to our residential members as well as our businesses on Kaua‘i would be KIUC and member-owned hydro projects. Though hydro projects require a lead time for permitting and studies, the benefits of a completed project will be for decades to come. A hydro project developed by KIUC would be able to generate clean energy at a cost of less than 13 cents a KWH (kilowatt hour) while the debt is being paid off.
When the hydro debt is paid off, the price would then drop to 5 cents a KWH. Today both our Waiahi Hydro Plants built in 1914 and 1931 produce power at 5 cents a KWH.
The cost of producing energy using liquid fuels (diesel, naphtha) ranges from 23 cents a KWH to about 27 cents, given the price of fuel oil at the time. A cost savings of about 50 percent to our members.
For every two megawatts of firm power we produce using clean alternatives, we reduce our usage of liquid fuels by 1,000,000 gallons a year.
A huge cost saving to our members at $3.50+ a gallon for liquid fuel. Solar with storage will get you there but it will take a little longer because of the lower efficiencies.
Hydro with solar and storage, in my opinion, is a winning combination.
Steve M. Rapozo
Lihu‘e
