• Kauai VA clinic helps veterans • The danger is real • Closing reflects how the island’s changed • Dairy farm should do the right thing Kauai VA clinic helps veterans Evan Price is correct. The Kauai VA clinic does an excellent job for our veterans.
• Kauai VA clinic helps veterans • The danger is real • Closing reflects how the island’s changed • Dairy farm should do the right thing
Kauai VA clinic helps veterans
Evan Price is correct. The Kauai VA clinic does an excellent job for our veterans. My husband is a patient and he gets very good care from the local staff, as well as physicians who travel here from Oahu. Recently, however, the Oahu office directed that all phone calls to Kauai Clinic must go through Oahu. It only makes things more difficult for Kauai patients and Kauai staff. Such unnecessary bureaucratic requirements seem to pervade the VA.
For the time being, veterans are lucky to live on Kauai.
Edie Moe
Kalaheo
The danger is real
Pesticides present a real and present danger. I am not a scientist, I do hold a Ph.D in holistic nutrition. I have studied cancer prevention for more than 20 years. In part because, if possible, I would like to avoid contracting it. The citizens that are concerned about the biotech companies are not fear mongers (instilling fear). Pesticides disrupt hormone regulation among other things. There are scientific studies to back this claim up. I will try to explain one aspect of the problem with pesticides as simply as possible. Pesticides, once inside the body, can mimic the hormone estrogen. They fit into receptor sites meant for our natural hormones. Because they are synthetic, they give the body wrong signals. Natural estrogen promotes normal cellular growth. Synthetic estrogen causes the body to over produce cells. This can lead to potential for tumors and other health problems. Because of this exposure to abnormal amounts of estrogen, other hormones are diminished, such as testosterone (male hormone). Do I have your attention? When we come in contact with pesticides, be it air, in our water or even by getting it on your skin, we are getting doses of estrogen. Yes, this means Round up, too. Can you see why we don’t want these companies spraying pesticides near our schools, hospitals and homes? Seriously, do we really want them spraying anywhere in the islands or for that matter anywhere on our precious Mother Earth?
We now have proof these chemicals are reaching our ocean. The amounts are above government guidelines, which means coral reefs and our sea life are being killed by these companies. We need our government officials to take action sooner rather than later. If they don’t, it’s a clear message they are in it for the money not the well-being of our island and our people.
Linda Bothe
Kalaheo
Closing reflects how the island’s changed
Sorry to read about the closing of Kojima’s Store in Kapaa. Score another one for the big box stores competition and the changing of Kauai’s landscape by outside forces. The island is being altered by those who say they love Kauai and moved here for the quiet atmosphere … but, can’t adapt to the cost of living. They were/are vocal enough to start making this island be like wherever they came from. Big box stores built on ex-agricultural lands and old plantation-time stores dying out.
Will Ishihara’s/Sueoka’s be next? Lower-priced items feel good with a lot of the monies going to corporate offices elsewhere instead of supporting local markets and island folks.
This island was not meant to have a 60,000-plus population and the resulting pressure on the infrastructure. Too late now. Things are on a roll to something like Oahu.
Masaru Shirai
Lihue
Dairy farm should do the right thing
When placing something close to the ocean/rivers, it never turns out great!
Oregon has their sewage treatment plants next to the Willamette River and when a large quantity of rain falls, the holding tanks overflow and run into the river. Notices are sent out telling the public the river is contaminated. And probably the worst disaster in the world’s history is the nuclear plants next to the ocean in Japan which will and is affecting us all. Let’s not repeat history with the dairy farm! Put the farm inland!
So when I read the Grove Farm website, it made me feel that they are trying to give back to the community but then looking deeper into their website, I noticed this:
“In May 2011, the State of Hawaii Land Use Commission unanimously approved Maha`ulepu Farm LLC’s Important Agricultural Land (IAL) application, thereby dedicating 1,533 acres on the South Shore of Kauai for agricultural use. The land was originally owned by Grove Farm Company and Visionary LLC, dba as Lihue Land Company, and was then transferred to Maha`ulepu Farm. Maha`ulepu Farm’s voluntary IAL application was only the third entity throughout the state to have sought such a designation and to have received approval.”
Now it makes sense, they changed the names, they were able to override the council vote in 2001 to protect this land and to dedicate this land for agricultural use in 2011. Question: Are the players in Grove Farm the same as the players in these made-up companies?
Grove Farm is the steward of over 33,000 acres, and they have posted signs along the road on 583 that would be more suitable site for the dairy farm and would be better for everyone.
Instead of destroying that land that our keiki and future generations can enjoy, Grove Farm, be the stewards that you are meant to be and do the right thing. Maybe watching “The Decedents” movie would inspire Grove Farm to do the right thing!
BJ Thomas
Koloa
