• Heartbroken wife, fatherless child • Supporting local businesses • Respecting the individual • Kilauea town unites Heartbroken wife, fatherless child My husband drowned at Kipu Falls on Dec. 6, 2009. (“Kaua‘i water safety: 2009 review, 2010 preview,” The Garden
• Heartbroken wife, fatherless child • Supporting local businesses • Respecting the individual • Kilauea town unites
Heartbroken wife, fatherless child
My husband drowned at Kipu Falls on Dec. 6, 2009. (“Kaua‘i water safety: 2009 review, 2010 preview,” The Garden Island, Jan. 4)
Despite our careful research, we were grossly misled to believe that this falls would be the highlight of our trip. The falls was published in a guidebook, it was recommended by the local people and the saddest part of it was that when we asked the concierge at our hotel, we were not given any warnings whatsoever.
My son is eight years old, a blessed gift from God after my husband and I waited and prayed for 11 years for a child. There is no way I or my husband would ever do anything that would risk our child’s life or our own.
I ask for an opportunity to have a voice at this upcoming meeting. I will become a No. 1 advocate in closing down the falls. If any good might come out of this horrible fatal accident, I’m hoping I can save another person’s life and the pain of their loved ones; I’m hoping it will be to close Kipu Falls, which should be called Suicide Falls.
The article is accurate in that it is “paradise” but it hasn’t been one for our family and many others. It is unfortunately that it is after my husband’s accident that I am finding out what a deadly place the falls has been.
For those who are fighting to keep it open, I ask you to look yourselves in the mirror and accept responsibility for the loss of my son’s father and for others who have lost their loved ones or have permanent injuries from this falls.
It is the victim and the victim’s family who are suffering from your selfish desires to keep the falls open for some or most of you to enjoy. You must take a step back and look at the beauty that the island has to offer and capitalize on the safe areas.
Myrtle S. Valdez, Apple Valley, Calif.
Supporting local businesses
As a supporter of local businesses on Kaua‘i and as a business owner myself, I must express concern over the state’s treatment of the Kapa‘a Poi Factory.
This family-owned business has provided excellent quality, and culturally imperative food products to our community for over 50 years. I spoke with the owner recently and discovered that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is raising their lease an oppressive 600 percent.
Rent raises are a part of doing business but this rate is deliberately excessive and will force the closing of a much loved Kaua‘i institution.
I’m not sure if our leaders will ever understand that the backbone of this nation is the small business owners! By forcing them out of business they themselves loose those all so important tax revenues. In this economy, I cannot believe that the representatives of Hawai‘i would let a 50-year-old food product business close because of government directed rent increases.
All they see is the increase of rental income (that is doubtful they would even get), not the continued GET revenue that this established business brings in every month!
This closing will not only impact the culturally significant taro industry but will also deny the community products that some have grown up on. In this economy our government should be providing encouragement and incentives for local food businesses, not put obstacles in their way.
I am asking our state government to work closely with the Kapa‘a Poi Factory to establish a more reasonable agreement; one that reflects the current state of our economy. I support our local businesses and I would expect our state government to support us as well.
Kelly Sato, SOS Farms LLC
Respecting the individual
Everyone has a right to their opinion, but it is shaming to see people demonstrating with the purpose of denying others equal rights — all the more so when they do it in the name of God, as religious belief is not the issue here.
Kaua‘i has always been a place that respects the individual and it seems to me that these demonstrators should respect both the constitutional mandate for equality for all, and the spirit of Aloha. Clearly there is no harm or shame in doing that.
Mark Bedford, Anahola
Kilauea town unites
Seven hundred to 800 people came to honor the recovery of Tom and Katie Pickett from ciguatera poisoning with a night of food, fun and music.
The gathering included a spaghetti dinner where hundreds of people stood in line under umbrellas while the rain sprinkled down. No one seemed to notice; all one could hear was music and laughter.
While the adults bid on lucky drawings and silent auction items, the kids made hats and trinkets giving them to members of the community. Five local bands volunteered their time for one truly special evening.
It was amazing to see a group of people that didn’t necessarily know each other come together to honor a family and a cause. You could feel the magic in the air.
We want to thank Kilauea and Kaua‘i for letting us be a part of a very special night. We are honored to be able to live here.
Craig and Lisa Maas, Kilauea
