• Kathleen Ho • Peggy Ellenberg • Valerie Rivera • David Dinner • Phillip Stevens • James “Kimo” Rosen • Editor’s note: TGI appreciates the flood of concerned letters we received for Laura Evans. TGI strives for 100 percent accuracy in all stories we report,
• Kathleen Ho • Peggy Ellenberg • Valerie Rivera • David Dinner • Phillip Stevens • James “Kimo” Rosen
• Editor’s note: TGI appreciates the flood of concerned letters we received for Laura Evans. TGI strives for 100 percent accuracy in all stories we report, and we verify information we receive through official channels before publishing. If TGI is provided with misinformation from these channels, it is our policy to run a correction in print and make appropriate changes online. In the case of Kaua‘i’s Most Wanted, KPD did issue a warrant for Laura Evans and an arrest was made. We feel TGI reported accurately with the information we had at the time and will continue to partner with KPD in printing these articles to notify the public of those with outstanding warrants.
A most wanted friend
I don’t know anyone who has been dealt as full a deck of hardship as my dear friend. Challenged with her third bout of cancer, she struggled to face facts of her failing marriage. In a moment of weakness, emotions took control resulting in a domestic incident involving three adults.
Prior, friends created a Share The Care support group for this courageous lady, offering help during her cancer healing process. Her goal was to be alive and healthy so she could actively participate as a mother and watch her amazing son grow. For 12 years, I have witnessed her as a caring, capable, devoted mother and human being.
Unfortunately, greater medical care was needed, and the past four months were spent at a top cancer center. Lawyers, judges and doctors were all in agreement that life-saving treatment on the Mainland was required.
Upon her recent return home to Kaua‘i, we celebrated the culmination of initial phases of treatment. Then, due to gross errors and miscommunication between the powers that be, this beautiful lady, happy, alive and home, found herself in Kaua‘i’s Most Wanted column. With the hardships she has faced, to see her dealt another blow like this is unconscionable. A printed retraction is simply insufficient! I offer my full love, admiration and support to this woman and son. She is definitely on my list of “most wanted” as I’m honored to know and hold her respectfully in my heart.
Kathleen Ho, Lawa‘i
Most Wanted isn’t an accurate portrayal
When the “Most Wanted” list, complete with mug shots, is printed, I find myself scanning these unfortunate faces for someone I know. I doubt many readers could honestly say they do not do the same. My higher self knows that circumstances can drive people to all sorts of indefensible actions, and that mercy and understanding should be heavily mixed in with the hunger for punishment. But it is not my higher self, I’m afraid, that scans the pages of the Arrest Log and the Most Wanted list for familiar names.
I never doubted until now that the opinions I was forming about these people might be based on inaccuracies. The thought that I might be harshly judging some of these people, when in all actuality the information in the newspaper is false, makes me even more ashamed of myself.
A case in point is the inclusion of my friend, Laura Evans, on Tuesday’s Most Wanted list. I suspected immediately that this information was incorrect and was appalled that something so slanderous could happen. The fact that Laura is in treatment for breast cancer, and that she has a middle school-aged son who is trying to manage a difficult situation, make this not only cruel, but unconscionable. The tiny retraction that appeared in Thursday’s The Garden Island newspaper (which is not even online) is miles away from making amends.
I now will look at the names and faces of the so-called criminals on Kaua‘i with more compassion, wondering if yet another person is being slandered by the media.
Peggy Ellenburg, Kapa‘a
A terrible error
Earlier this week, in a bold, 30-point font, the headline blared, “Kaua‘i’s Most Wanted.” This nearly 1/6 page article, complete with full-color head shots, mistakenly included a very dear friend of mine. Imagine the shock and resulting horror! Mistakenly included. Yes, The Garden Island did apologize. A printed retraction in standard text can be found buried on page A2 in the Sept. 20 edition under “Corrections and Clarifications.” A brief, two sentences apologizes for the “inconvenience.” The inconvenience?!
Now this is criminal!
And a shameful attempt at rectifying erroneous publication with such damaging ramifications. This is no light news for her child to process. And while she completes her cancer treatment plan, during a time when healing is paramount, effects can be drastic. Minimally, she deserves a retraction as visible as the original article, and even this seems small compared to the severity of the mistake.
Now, I shout to the world, with head held high and arms outstretched (and in 75-point font), my friend, Laura Price Evans, is a woman of grace, kindness, beauty and all that is good! Her courage, strength and determination are admirable, and she is definitely WANTED in my life!
Valerie Rivera, Kapa‘a
Keeping Act 55 in mind on Nov. 6
I was embarrassed and infuriated to witness the Kaua‘i Governor’s conference Wednesday night.
Most of the crowd was there to hear about and comment on the Public Land Development Corporation and Act 1, the state land grab that has stirred so much fear in the hearts of Hawaiians on all Islands. The Governor and his entourage swept aside nearly every major issue with deflective answers, managed the irate crowd by denying their emotions and left far too little time to even scratch the surface for the PLDC discussion. Then at exactly the appointed time to end the meeting, the Governor and his entourage stood abruptly and left the building in the middle of Councilwoman Yukimura’s most appropriate comment.
It may well be that there is nothing an outraged citizen can do about the PLDC at this time because it is signed into law. But when election time comes in six weeks, we have a say. I for one will not vote for any legislator unless he/she states publicly that he/she will vote to repeal Act 55.
And Neil Abercrombie will not receive another vote from me when he runs again until he apologizes to this community and changes his dictatorial tune.
Please do the same.
David Dinner, Hanalei
Hanalei Bay or eBay?
We have seen what “development” has meant for the once-beautiful island of O‘ahu. As George Orwell said, “People come flocking toward ‘progress’ like bluebottles to a dead cat.”
Now billionaire eBay founder Pierre Omidyar seeks to “develop” 300 acres of scenic Hanalei land in the most beautiful area on the planet, offering as some kind of atonement the preservation of fish ponds.
Hanalei Bay is not going to be reduced to eBay. Indeed, it is going to prevail for a lot longer. If Pierre Omidyar wants to achieve hero status in Hawai‘i, and also please the spirits who do not smile at dispossession, he can create the Pierre Omidyar Hanalei Park as a priceless gift to all generations. He has the opportunity to preserve his name long after everything else has been forgotten.
Take it, my man, Take it.
Philip Stevens, Hanalei
RIP Mr. Stoessel
I read with sadness and dismay in the obituaries that Horace Stoessel had passed away.
I did not personally know Mr. Stoessell, however I would like to acknowledge his many letters to the editor in this newspaper. Most of his letters were factual accounts of county government.
Horace made me have a better understanding of many political actions that took place in our local island government.
Whether you agreed or disagreed, he cared about his community and voiced his opinions many times on how he felt we could better our cosmic island.
I remember one letter in particular about how the salary commission raised nearly every local politicians salary during the brink and peak of the current economic crisis. The salary increase would immediately take effect unless of course our county council nullified it in whole or part, which never happened since nobody wanted to vote down a salary increase for themselves.
Mr. Stoessel, I will miss your frequent opinion articles, which opened my eyes to many local issues.
From one frequent letter writer to another, mahalo nui loa Mr. Stoessel, and may you rest in peace.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
