• DOT meeting • Son’s injury DOT meeting How many of you read the headline in Sunday’s GI paper? “DOT officials tell of Kaua‘i highway, airport plans.” This was supposed to be a public-information presentation. Did anyone see the announcement?
• DOT meeting
• Son’s injury
DOT meeting
How many of you read the headline in Sunday’s GI paper? “DOT officials tell of Kaua‘i highway, airport plans.” This was supposed to be a public-information presentation. Did anyone see the announcement? The paper states that only a handful of residents showed up. I can understand why. Most of the interested and involved people were not invited. What happened to the data base collected at each of the previous traffic public-information meetings? It was stated at one of these meetings that a mailing constituting this data base must always be used to announce any upcoming meeting. If DOT really wants input, they must work to make sure the public is properly informed.
We have been told by Sen. Hooser the $12.5 million taken out of the DOT budget this year will not have any affect on Kaua‘i. He reported that the only money needed for immediate purposes was for guard rails. Am I to understand this money could not be re-appropriated to needed projects? What about gateway maintenance? The highway to the airport looks horrible. What about funding the Pouli Road connection or appropriating the funds to Okamoto consultants who completed their study but have not been given the funds to implement the “Short-Term Traffic Solutions” project they have completed? Why pay the consultants to create a study and not provide the money to do the job? And, when do we get to see the results of the study?
There’s more. Rep. Case announced a few months ago he was appropriating $3 million to Kaua‘i for the Kapaa Relief Route. This is not a done deal! Here’s the response from Rep Case’s office:
“You are correct, that the $3 million for the Kapaa Bypass was included in H.R. 3550, which passed the House on April 2. The Senate passed its own version, S. 1072, on February 12th. The two chambers have met numerous times in a conference committee, attempting to resolve the differences between the two versions. The main disagreement is currently over the total cost of the bill: the Senate bill authorizes $318 billion over the next six years, which is widely accepted as the minimum needed to maintain and improve our surface transportation infrastructure; the House bill authorizes $285 billion over the next six years. The Bush administration continues to threaten to veto a bill that costs more than $256 billion. Until the cost of the bill is agreed upon, the bill will not move forward. Conferees in both the House and the Senate appeared close to reaching a final agreement just before Congress adjourned for the August district work period. Congress returns the day after Labor Day. Many want to see a final version passed this year. I hope you find this information helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need additional information.”
Why is it that reporters go to these meetings, or takes press releases and just report on what is said? Shouldn’t there also be some investigative reporting?
Bob Bartolo
Kapa‘a
Son’s injury
So much we live for granted. So much swallowed whole…and not to chew
So much time in haste…With each wasting moment.
Some times it takes a splash; A slap instead, or a body board smash to the side of the head
To knock true sense of time inside us.
Because there is much more than the ending…Much more than the glory or the victory.
There is so much to the story…And in a quick burst of time…through the lightless of color — All of you poured onto us, with the grace of a newborn nurturing its mother
Mahalo to all of you, who prayed for our Dylan…we were pardoned…we were blessed with a chance again at enjoying each second found…together again. learning to savor and eat at each second’s byte
never having to choke it all up while on the way down.
Andy Melamed
Hanalei
