• Stoplights are causing traffic woes • David Chang was a treasure • Love of pets is priceless Stoplights are causing traffic woes Amazing how we can spend tens of millions of taxpayer money and have beautiful concreted sections of highways, but the
• Stoplights are causing traffic woes • David Chang was a treasure • Love of pets is priceless
Stoplights are causing traffic woes
Amazing how we can spend tens of millions of taxpayer money and have beautiful concreted sections of highways, but the actual traffic problems is getting worse instead of better. Compared to two years ago, people are spending more time commuting, spending more money burning fuel getting to work and spending less time with their families.
So how do we address this issue that will only get worse as more resorts come? (Think Princeville, Kapaa and Coco Palms projects in the next four years.)
The answer lies in keeping the traffic moving on the main highway. Instead of stopping at every intersection, we need to keep moving. How to do that? Easy. The real problem is stoplights. Yes, they stop traffic. Why in the world would you want to stop the traffic? Keep it moving, silly! So how do you do that?
Here’s an idea: Some 50 years ago, Phillips developed a stoplight sequencing system and installed and perfected it in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Now, you can go from Princeville to Lihue without stopping because LED signs tell you what speed to maintain to hit green at every intersection.
Can we get that system installed on Kauai in the next few years to keep our traffic moving, please?
Rudy Bosma
Lihue
David Chang was a treasure
I would just like to share in light of hearing the sad new of David Chang’s passing. I used to work in old Koloa town at a little shop in the main strip. This is how David and I first became acquainted as he was a regular there every morning. After sweeping up around his family’s area in the back, he would come around front, grab some food from Sueokas store and stop in the shop where I was opening to talk story for at least a half hour before going about his day. He shared many stories about old Kauai, helping during Hurricane Iniki and local legends. About halfway through one of his stories, he would throw in something that was completely wrong just to make sure I was still listening.
When I would call him out on it he would laugh to himself and continue on never acknowledging what he had done. He brought me many gifts in those years — jade flower leis, jasmine lei, tuberose, gardenias, plant starts, shells, old interesting books. Never missing a birthday, occasion to give or opportunity to help. We went on many fishing adventures together on my days off. To all the old spots that only he could get into anymore because they were blocked off by the cane companies or landowners. We never missed an opening day when they would restock the pond in Kokee. At Christmas we would go up into the mountains in Kokee and gather evergreens and other specific plants he taught me to make Christmas wreaths with. I would come help him on his land in his garden and he would never let me go home empty-handed.
When I became pregnant with my first child, he came more often checking in to make sure I had everything that I needed. Since he never had keiki of his own, I think he took some joy in the experience. Taking on the role of a grandfather to some degree. In the course of those years, I saw many photos of his family, he was always very proud of them. I moved back to the Mainland for my son’s schooling and we kept in touch. He would mail me envelopes with Kauai sand salt and shells inside and I would mail him back dried salmon and different things from where I was living. He used to give me a hard time about that and say “mo bettah da fish here.”
David was a remnant of Kauai past who will be sorely missed. His aloha lives on in the many things he accomplished while he was alive as a man, a activist, a farmer, a fisherman, and a giver.
Esther Heckman
Issaquah, Wash.
Love of pets is priceless
I had a letter published in 2007 about several kitties we brought from Kauai to Virginia that were rescues that would not have survived otherwise.
It is 14 years later and one of those rescues is still with us! Unbelievable! My husband found her abandoned at PMRF. We have been in Virginia for 14 years and rescued her around 1996. She would not have made it past 1999 if not rescued. Please keep this in mind when you see a stray dog or cat. Perhaps we may have to overcome litterbox and other obstacles but the love that these animals give us is well worth the effort.
Linda Reagan
Carrollton, Virginia
