Above all, protect the aina
My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by the flooding.
I am also remembering Dr. Ray Chuan, the late Hanalei resident who believed that protecting the aina toward the end of the road for future generations would rely on limiting tourist traffic — offering shuttles, bike lanes and such instead.
I wonder if the aina herself has weighed in on the issue.
Honolulu was so beautiful when my husband grew up there in the 1950s.
Nalini Hull, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
Appreciate visit by congresswoman
On behalf of Wainiha kupuna, I wanted to say a special mahalo nui loa to our hands-on Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard for her visit to our hard-hit Wainiha and Haena communities in the wake of the destructive floods. I went through Iniki, but this has been especially traumatic due to the destruction of our roads and homes from landslides and flooding.
Having Tulsi make a special effort to come out to our unstable area to see firsthand, and hear our concerns directly, was very reassuring to us. She listened to everyone she could as soon as she touched down — to the families affected, to our tireless volunteers, to the Hawaiian community, to the keiki.
Part of the urgency during the first couple days after the floods was that people were really concerned about getting our voices heard regarding the different emergency needs we had in the chaos of the aftermath. Having Tulsi’s ear and having her be on Kauai for so many days gave us a sigh of relief. We knew that she would carry our messages back with her to the state Capitol and to D.C., to the people that needed to hear them and that could make a difference.
I feel many of the concerns were addressed soon after her visit. Her aloha spirit really shone through. Thank you, Tulsi!
Sharon Prater, Wainiha Valley
