• KIUC should consider criticism • Smart crosswalks • Take a stand • Online shopping KIUC should consider criticism When I read Jan TenBruggencate’s letter to the Forum on April 7, I had to wonder why he was so mean
• KIUC should consider criticism • Smart crosswalks • Take a stand • Online shopping
KIUC should consider criticism
When I read Jan TenBruggencate’s letter to the Forum on April 7, I had to wonder why he was so mean spirited. He lost credibility with me by abusing his duties as a KIUC director and improperly disclosing confidential information which invaded Mr. Lewis’ privacy as a KIUC customer.
And then his suggestion that Lewis, who spent his life as a lawyer and who TenBruggencate acknowledges is smart and has considerable talent, failed to read the bills he wrote about is foolish.
Mr. Lewis has been a long time writer for TGI and has consistently been one of our best advocates for “A Better Kaua‘i.”
More importantly, Mr. TenBruggencate was wrong in his principal point that the bills “give the PUC new authority over KIUC.”
Only in deceptive reasoning can it be said that the power to exempt KIUC from regulation should be considered a new PUC power.
And Mr. TenBruggencate ignores the valid point made by Mr. Lewis that KIUC members lack meaningful opportunity to influence KIUC’s major transactions.
KIUC should learn that instead of issuing hasty criticism it should thoughtfully consider it. Maybe then KIUC would better serve its members.
Glenn Mickens
Kapa‘a
Smart crosswalks
In Road Way Light (IRWL) systems were installed at the two crosswalks on Po‘ipu Road fronting Koloa Elementary School. These “smart crosswalk systems” have imbedded lights on either side of the crosswalk facing oncoming traffic in both directions. There is also a taller lighted rectangular sign facing oncoming traffic.
When a pedestrian wants to the cross the street, they simply press the button on the light post and all lights start blinking for 26 seconds, long enough for the pedestrian to make it to the other side. The lights are visible from a couple hundred yards away during daylight hours.
Over the years, concern for safety in this school corridor, especially for our keiki crossing to school, became the paramount concern. Drivers paid no heed to “School Zone 15 MPH” signage, speeding through the area while children were on their way to and from school and during school hours.
A crossing guard, a radar speed sign and police standing on the roadside during the start of school hours did little to deter speeding. Over 25 speeding tickets were issued in a seven-week period, the speediest culprit clocked at 57 miles in a 15 mph School Zone.
The Koloa Community worked with Public Works and discovered this IRWL smart crosswalk system acceptable to Public Works. Public Works went a step further and designed the IRWL system into Koloa’s Safe Route to School and Complete Streets initiative.
Mahalo to Lyle Tabata, Scott Suga, Ed Renaud and Jojo Ponte of Public Works; Lee Steinmetz, Planning Department; and Jared Raymond and Tommy Yeoman of R-Electric, the contractor, for their exceptional work.
It took a little while longer but that argument pales when the results are a great job. The job performed by Public Works, Planning and R-Electric is exceptional and shows kuleana, aloha and pride in their work. Koloa is a grateful community for their efforts to help address our community’s safety issues.
Ted K. Blake
Koloa
Take a stand
In response to Kelly Sato’s letter “instead of focusing on Bush, look at Obama” Sunday, March24.
Kelly, your letter is a great reminder to show us why it was a big mistake that people chose to vote and elect Obama as their president.
I truly believe that war is a terrible thing, but unfortunately we have many people in our state and country who through their actions and words don’t see or realize that our surrounding world of neighbors are full of people who will go to any extreme to kill every American alive.
When people will tie bombs on their children and send them into crowds of people, or hijack planes and fly them into the World Trade Center killing thousands of Americans, or Iran lying about the intended use of nuclear power, and the continual threats of those like the little dictator of North Korea who are going to find any way possibe to kill more Americans, then we must as Kelly said, “take a stand and it must be now.”
It’s time to realize that if it wasn’t for the help and dedicated military duty we received from Kelly Sato’s father, brother and others, there is a good chance that none of you would be alive today to write the off the wall propoganda letters that you so choose to constantly write to The Garden Island paper.
Steve Martin
Kapa‘a
Online shopping
A person in the Forum once said that you could purchase anything online.
For the past few days, I went online to order furniture. My wife and I seen one that we really wanted. I went online to shop at several stores with locations on the Mainland and several that has stores here on Kaua‘i.
To make a long story short, after submitting my order, those Mainland stores would reply, “Sorry but the items you submitted can not be shipped to Hawai‘i, place of residence and or P.O. address.”
So, since one of the big stores (we have in Kukui Grove Center) is on O‘ahu, I called and ask if I could order the mentioned item above and to be picked up here on Kaua‘i. The employee of the store replied, “No we don’t ship out to outer islands.”
My point is if both the Mainland stores and O‘ahu stores do not ship to Kaua’i, how are we getting all our items such as furniture, appliances, etc. here from various companies who claim they do not ship to Kaua‘i?
Why advertise online ?
Howard Tolbe
‘Ele‘ele
