• Dog barking law makes sense • Developer’s plans wrong for Kauai • State needs better sex education • Dog barking law makes sense I am writing in response to the letter of Jan. 28, 2014, regarding the dog barking
• Dog barking law makes sense • Developer’s plans wrong for Kauai • State needs better sex education •
Dog barking law makes sense
I am writing in response to the letter of Jan. 28, 2014, regarding the dog barking law.
Many people on Kauai are dog owners. I, myself, own two dogs. They are a big part of our families and are very much loved, however, they can be a problem to our community. Some dogs bark a lot, so much that it can get to the point where they really bother the neighbors.
Recently, there have been discussions about creating a law that prohibits incessant dog barking. At the moment, there are laws containing noise ordinances that cover many things such as loud parties and music, but not dog barking. Many people have complained about noisy dogs to the Kauai Humane Society, but unfortunately, they are unable to do anything about it due to the fact that there is no law that covers this problem.
Personally, I think that there should be a law prohibiting dog barking. People may say that it is in a dog’s nature to bark, but when their barking is continual, it becomes disruptive and very irritating to the neighbors.
I am hoping to encourage people to support the idea of a law which covers this problem because I believe that it has become an issue on Kauai. I also think it would make a huge difference if people could try to limit their dogs’ barking; whether it be by using a bark collar or even just by giving their dogs a little more attention each day.
Kenz Hubbard
Kalaheo
Developer’s plans wrong for Kauai
Pierre Omidyar strikes again. Mr. Omidyar made billions of dollars on an Internet startup company. However, under the guise of doing good for local Kauaians, he is attempting to use his money to develop Kauai in a way that many Kauaians feel will seriously detract from some of Kauai’s unique magical charm.
His first endeavor is the development of the old Club Med property adjacent to the Hanalei River and Blackpot Beach on the North Shore. His proposed hotel appears to be quite compatible with the natural beauty of this North Shore area. However, the 34 residential lots that are part of the development and which overlook Hanalei River and Blackpot Beach will destroy the irreplaceable scenic beauty of a truly unique part of Hawaii. His development team obfuscates this scenic destruction by emphasizing the restoration of an ancient fishpond — a real red herring if there ever was one.
His second Kauai endeavor is financing the development of a 1,800-cow dairy in Mahaulepu on the South Shore. Much has already been written in The Garden Island about the potential for water pollution and smell pollution from this proposed dairy on yet another place of irreplaceable scenic beautify. His dairy development team obfuscates these problems by emphasizing that the dairy will contribute to Kauai’s food sustainability and provide fresher milk for Kauai’s children. Yes, this argument is yet another red herring.
I may not be a connoisseur of milk freshness but the milk I currently have on my daily bowl of cereal certainly seems quite fresh and tasty to me. Regarding the potential for smell pollution, some years ago there was a small area around 30 miles east of Los Angeles called Dairy Valley. Yes, as you surmised, the area had several dairies. Driving through this area, even at freeway speeds, called for rolling up car windows and shutting car vents. You guessed it — the area had serious smell pollution from the dairies.
My guess is that Mr. Omidyar intentions are good and might make good business sense, although I don’t understand why he feels the need to make any more money. However, it appears that his development teams have been successful at isolating him from what the majority of Kauai community residents passionately feel about his developments and the negative impacts they will have on their quality of life as well as visitors’ Kauai experience.
Peter Nilsen
Princeville
State needs better sex education
Hawaii ranks 12th in the rate of teen pregnancy in the United States and is consistently among the top 10 states in the rate of chlamydia infections. Among sexually active students, we have the lowest rate of condom use in the U.S.
When teens give birth, both parents and children face serious challenges. Teen mothers are less likely to graduate from high school (Only 50 percent have graduated by age 22 compared to 90 percent of their peers). Teen mothers and their children are likely to live in poverty. The children fare poorly in school (more likely to repeat a grade) and they have more health issues (higher rate of emergency room visits and chronic health conditions).
Teen child bearing costs Hawaii taxpayers $37 million a year — 71 percent in state and local costs.
If young people receive medically accurate sexual health education, they are much more likely to:
• Delay initiation of sexual activity or practice abstinence;
• Believe that it’s OK to say no if they are not ready for sex;
• Adopt safer sex practices if and when they become sexually active.
We all want our children to grow up safe, healthy and ready to succeed. Unplanned pregnancy or STIs make that goal much harder to achieve. Instead of trying to remove a medically accurate, age appropriate program from the schools, we should be looking for ways to ensure that all students have access to the knowledge, skills and resources they need to grow up sexually safe and healthy.
Judith Clark
Honolulu
