• Safeway unsafe • Ag subdivisions • Prosecute these crimes Safeway unsafe Urbanizing the “Garden Island” in yet another ill-conceived and unsafe way inches closer to reality, as written in “New Safeway construction set soon” (The Garden Island, June 26).
• Safeway unsafe • Ag subdivisions • Prosecute these crimes
Safeway unsafe
Urbanizing the “Garden Island” in yet another ill-conceived and unsafe way inches closer to reality, as written in “New Safeway construction set soon” (The Garden Island, June 26).
As an employee of Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School (directly across Nuhou Street from approved project) and father of school-age children, I’ve objected to a great deal of this project design from its inception by testimony to the county Planning Commission and public statements in opposition.
If you can imagine, for example, CKMS at the Waipouli Resort location across from the existing Safeway shopping complex on the Eastside, then you may come to your own conclusions as to its safety for students among others.
Two roadway access points are designed at the project, one at Nuhou and Kaneka streets (a proposed roundabout) and the other directly across from the school’s bus terminal. Safeway project managers and their representatives and the Planning Commission ignored the planning director’s report on a recommendation to remove the latter due to traffic volume and child pedestrian safety.
In 2008, I asked the Planning Commission and project managers in the interest of these young people’s well-being to please find alternatives for automobile traffic off Nuhou Street away from the school. I requested no vehicular access at any point adjacent to the school. They refused. Their answer to mitigate safety: a roundabout, a road-imbedded flashing light crosswalk, shrubs.
Anyone who is familiar with Nuhou Street knows that road is already at maximum capacity. Safeway’s project proposal will simply make it worse. Current “safety” measures are merely window dressing.
If the responsible parties (parents; school officials; land owners; project owner, designer, attorney and public relations exec; planning commission members and director) can rationalize to minimize child safety, it is a sad day. I, for one, cannot tolerate it and will continue to object.
Additionally, well-planned communities do not put liquor across the street from a school, a YMCA and an elderly home.
I’d hate to write this column saying I told you so in the wake of an irreversible tragedy.
Rolf Bieber, Kapa‘a
Ag subdivisions
The recent Planning Commission approval of a large house in a North Shore subdivision was appropriate (“A palace for the potash king,” The Garden Island, June 14).
We have to remember that the subdivsion’s initial purpose when it received subdivision approval was primarily for large gentlemen farm housing. There was no hidden agenda in the original application. The original subdivision application included a condition of minimal agricultural requirements to skate around the law. Again, the intent of the subdivision was for large gentlemen farm housing!
There was no undue pressure on the commissioners when the project was approved. The applicant had the right to get the approval.
There are many existing ag subdivisions approved for the very same purpose. We can’t do anything to reverse what happened. But, if you object, then you must pay attention to new ag subdivision approvals and appropriately voice yourself.
Ron Agor, Lihu‘e
Prosecute these crimes
Virtually every serious violent offender has a history of animal abuse in their past, and since there’s no way to know which animal abuser is going to continue on to commit violent human crimes, they should all be taken that seriously. Many studies show that those who abuse animals for no obvious reason, are “budding psychopaths”. They have no empathy and only see the world as what it’s going to do for them.
In mid-September of 2009, a young man was acquitted of animal cruelty charges in the death of a pet cat. Apparently there was a witness to the fact that the man swerved out of his lane of traffic and across the road for the purpose of running over the cat as it sat on the shoulder of the road. The man then picked up the cat, put it in a bucket in his truck and when he got home, threw the bucket and cat into the trash.
The man was acquitted, even though there was apparently a witness to the crime. Many of us are still shaking our heads over this case.
We know that dog neglect cases on Kaua‘i, and other animal abuse cases, even those leading to the gruesome death of the animals (cock fighting and dog fighting), are not treated seriously by either the police department or the Prosecutor.
We also know that no reputable professional will deny the link between animal cruelty and abuse of family members. So why does it appear that our police department and Prosecutor don’t feel that these crimes deserve their attention? Do they understand that the abuse of an animal is a red flag for other forms of abuse?
This state has resisted protecting animals against cruelty, while seeming to invest significant resources into preventing abuse of family members. Why don’t we shift the focus to include aggressively protecting animals, making sure that they aren’t harmed, and that abusers never “graduate” to hurting human beings?
Are we going to prosecute these crimes? If we won’t do it for the animals, surely we can do it for the children.
Pat Tingley, Wailua Houselots
