• Mayor weighs in on stadium lights • Mahalo nui loa KIF • Witnessed ‘unfortunate’ things • Stay alert Mayor weighs in on stadium lights Aloha! There is concern in our community about the recently announced change in the Kaua‘i
• Mayor weighs in on stadium lights • Mahalo nui loa KIF • Witnessed ‘unfortunate’ things • Stay alert
Mayor weighs in on stadium lights
Aloha!
There is concern in our community about the recently announced change in the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation football schedule for fall 2010. It has not been an easy task and the joint decision to move KIF football games to Saturdays during the “fledgling season” was not made lightly.
The 2010 KIF schedule was discussed with the Department of Education and the KIF board at a number of meetings over the past several months. At the conclusion of these meetings it was determined that night games between September 15 and December 15 create an unreasonable risk of incurring criminal and civil fines and penalties. We jointly agreed as state and county leaders that we cannot accept this degree of risk at this time.
I know recent attention has focused on physical improvements to our stadiums to lessen the effects on birds in the hopes of restoring Friday-night football. While lighting retrofits may not have happened quickly enough for some, it is important to know that this is not a cure-all. Because of a lack of scientific evidence, the regulatory agencies are unable to guarantee the county that the shielding designs, discussed in consultation with them, will provide the necessary protection we are hoping to achieve. The county has spent thousands of hours working with these agencies since 2005, and we continue to work with them in good faith toward a goal of balancing compliance with the law and the resumption of Friday-night football.
The bottom line is that I made a solemn oath to uphold the law and am bound to do so at all times. The Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Birds Treaty Act clearly applies to our situation. Several entities on Kaua‘i have been subject to serious enforcement actions in recent months for non-compliance with these federal laws. The county is no different — we must comply or face penalties.
As a former football player myself, I understand the frustration of many and feel for our keiki and their families. However, I ask myself “what kind of role model would I be if I ignored my duties to uphold the law in this instance or any other?” It is my hope that we will come together as a community to continue to seek the best possible solutions that will serve the best interests of all.
Mahalo nui loa,
Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr., Kapa‘a
Mahalo nui loa KIF
The folks of the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, American Bird Conservancy, Center for Biological Diversity and Hui Ho‘omalu i ka ‘Aina thank the KIF and the Kaua‘i county administration for their support and effort on behalf of the Newell’s shearwater and Hawaiian petrel. The recent KIF decision to schedule their games to avoid potential harm to these threatened Hawaiian birds is an important step forward in their protection and restoration.
These birds play a vital role in the Hawaiian ecosystem and as guides for our lawai‘a. We know the changes to the KIF schedule will be an adjustment for many and we appreciate the kokua. On behalf of the birds, mahalo nui loa.
Maka‘ala Ka‘aumoana, Vice Chair, Hui Ho‘omalu i ka ‘Aina, Kilauea
Witnessed ‘unfortunate’ things
I’ve just come back from a vacation in Kaua‘i. I have been many times and it’s a beautiful island. On this trip I notice a couple of things which are unfortunate:
1) the flood lights that light the stadium field at Lihu‘e and another place I forget where, are on when there is no activity on the field. The ones at Lihu‘e blind you when you are driving west on route 50 just when you turn right off Kuhio Highway;
2) at Ke’e Beach I saw several cars which had had their windows deliberately broken by vandals, probably using a hammer.
I thought I should bring these issues to the attention of Kaua‘i residents.
Stuart Greenwood, San Diego, Calif.
Stay alert
Lies about pot make young people think they have been lied to about really dangerous drugs.
I won’t point to each lie and distortion, but when they say pot “may cause lung cancer,” they have no cases. In fact, a 2006 U.C. study of 2,000 users including those who had smoked 22,000 joints showed no increased risk of lung cancer. There was “even a suggestion of some protective effect,” said the study’s pulmonologist, Dr. Donald Taskin.
In another study in 2006, THC “completely blocked the formation of damaging (Alzheimer’s) protein clumps while major Alzheimer’s drugs only impeded it by up to 22 percent,” from The Week.
The DEA and FDA are not impartial. Employees are hired for huge salaries and consulting fees by “Big Pharma,” which also has two lobbyists for every congressman.
Question everything — truth suffers profit pressure.
Westside neighbors Syngenta Seeds recently sponsored a review of their atrazine, which University of South Florida researchers found to have 122 inaccuracies and 22 misleading statements as reported in Acres USA.
Will Wilcox, Hanalei
