• Deep aloha to the Irons family • Motorcycle safety classes
needed on Kaua‘i • Better public input process needed • Slack Key
Guitar Festival succeeds again
Deep aloha to the Irons family
I write this letter to the editor with sadness, but also with aloha in my heart.
When Andy won his first world title in 2002, I was an awkward 13-year-old girl, obsessed with surf culture and WCT standings. I was lucky enough to have a father and uncles who loved (and still love) the sport as much as I did.
When Andy won that first world title, I was absolutely elated. That Andy had not only the prowess and ability, but also the confidence, to take on Slater was unreal to me.
I followed his career with relish. Just by virtue of being from Hanalei, you felt like his successes were somehow reflective of you. And while I was never going to be a pro surfer like Andy, the determination and perseverance that he modeled made a lasting impact that remains even as I enter the throws of my adult years.
I feel privileged to have grown up in Hanalei — to have grown up in a community where everyone treats you like you are ‘ohana, where the spirit of aloha is not only cultivated, but where it endures even in times of immense sadness.
Despite this sadness, I know that Andy will live forever — in the hearts of those who loved him, in the ones that he left behind and in me: a girl who never quite out grew her awkwardness… or love of her hometown hero.
My deepest aloha goes out to the Irons family during this time.
Mari Graham, Louisville, Ky.
Motorcycle safety classes needed on Kaua‘i
I want to safely learn how to ride a motorcycle, but there’s a hitch: here on Kaua‘i there is no Motorcycle Safety Course (aka MSF Basic Ridercourse).
I checked with HDOT spokeswoman and she said that currently only MSF courses are offered on O‘ahu. They used to be offered on Maui and Big Island, but are not currently.
The course takes 10 hours in class and 14 hours on the road and teaches all the basic skills needed to ride safely — they even provide the motorcycles and gear.
Why don’t those of us on Kaua‘i deserve the opportunity to get this training?
In my attempts to find a course on Kaua‘i I found the HDOTs webpage promoting Hawai‘i Motorcycle Safety Month. Rather than show us a giant photo of Duke Aiona standing by a bike, why don’t they expand the program to cover the 58,000 of us who live on Kaua‘i who want to ride safely?
Next time we hear of a motorcycle fatality here on Kaua‘i, how can we help but wonder if offering this course could have made a difference?
John Patterson, Kapa‘a
Better public input process needed
I read in The Garden Island (both Nov. 10 and Nov. 15) that the public was invited to attend Kaua‘i County’s Drug Treatment & Community Integration meetings.
Maddeline Hirage-Nuccio of the state Department of Health was quoted in TGI on Nov. 10 saying, “ … We invite you to join in to figure out what the next steps are going to be, to find answers.”
In light of reading that, I spent a considerable amount of time to prepare written testimony with suggestions. I attended the meeting which was held at the War Memorial Convention Hall on Nov. 15.
When I was reading my testimony, facilitator Laurie Ho, there at the “Taking Care of Our ‘Ohana Is Our Kuleana” meeting, continually interrupted me, repeatedly saying, “You only have two minutes.”
Ms. Ho disrupted my “train of thought” with her constant intrusion. This was unprofessional and inconsiderate. My exasperation was even greater when several non-general public people — people of certain status/prominence in our community who were in the same “comment segment” as myself — were given full reign to speak (wala‘au) far past the two-minute limit without any relentless interruption.
I perceive this to be a case of class discrimination.
Perhaps, Ms. Ho’s perpetual disruption may have intimidated others present at the meeting to come up and speak — preventing good ideas and to “find answers” to get help for Kaua‘i residents.
I hope Kaua‘i County organizers in future meetings will engage a “facilitator” who’s more compassionate and less intimidating to the populace especially when we are invited to offer our suggestions/comments.
Lastly, it was a consensus in this meeting that Kaua‘i people want treatment centers here for their ‘ohana. Mahalo plenty to TGI for excellent coverage on this important issue!
Bonnie Bator, Anahola
Slack Key Guitar Festival succeeds again
Year after year we have had the Hawai‘i Slack Key Guitar Festival here on island. This past Sunday was the 18th annual on Kaua‘i.
I simply want to thank all who orchestrated this beautiful event. I also want to thank all of our local Kauai talent as well as everyone who came from the outer islands for our listening pleasure.
It was an extra special treat to have Patrick Landeza come all of the way from California to treat us with his talents. Again, thank you to all involved.
Cheryl Stiglmeier, Lihu‘e
