• Equal opportunities for students • ‘Trash for thought’ • Stadium lights • State’s largest solar project in Kapa‘a • Mel Rapozo’s chutzpah Equal opportunities for students I am a Kaua‘i High School student and I had a surgery for
• Equal opportunities for students •
‘Trash for thought’ • Stadium lights
• State’s largest solar project in Kapa‘a
• Mel Rapozo’s chutzpah
Equal opportunities for students
I am a Kaua‘i High School student and I had a surgery for a condition called Pecpus Excavatum, which I was born with.
I had the surgery when I was in 7th grade, in witch a bar was placed in my chest because my chest was caving inwards. This condition caused my heart to be pushed to the left side of my chest up against my shoulder.
After the surgery, I could not play spots for one year. I had to fly to Honolulu every month to do check up. It was very hard for my mom and me to fly up every month because the airfare is very expensive.
The doctors removed the surgical bar last year, and the pain was less than when it was put it in.
The reason I am writing this story is to make teachers and coaches aware of what students experience outside of school.
It is my hope that students receive equal opportunity in the class and on the field because most students have some sort of condition, whether physically or emotionally, that we deal with outside school.
Brycen Hiranaka, Lihu‘e
‘Trash for thought’
May our elected officials be applauded at their efforts to curb destructive practices such as the ban on plastic bags.
A point to consider, however, is those awful green bags that are sold without regulation called garbage bags. You know, the big green ones sold in different thicknesses. How long do these bags take to break down, and do they follow under the same laws? Are they given a special place in the laws banning containment devices? They seem to be more durable and must contain at least ten times the amount of basically the same material.
While we see our currencies devalue daily, should we keep selling our resources using the same formulas? Wasting valuable steps towards a good final outcome for the betterment of our lives and for our environment is not manifesting the desired outcome in either case.
A good place to start would be in the area of supply. Like money, when the supply dwindles the problems aren’t from excess, but from the lack thereof.
Maybe the businesses involved in bringing goods that end up in the dump should chime in and instead of giving back they should be taking back?
Food and trash for thought.
Alan Farley, Kilauea
Stadium lights
The shearwater birds in relation to the stadium lights are a much heated debate on Kaua‘i and the reason high schools can no longer play night games.
I know the birds are attracted to the lights, but there may be alternatives like replacing the light fixtures that will deter the birds from flying in to them.
The reason I bring this issue up is because I am a football player for Kaua‘i High School, speaking from personal experience.
Last year playing in the Saturday sun was an epic change for the high school students on Kaua‘i. There were various reports of students who had heat strokes and had to go to the hospital from over heating.
Having games on Saturday is also hard to manage because traditionally, students use Saturdays for homework projects and family time.
Also, less people attend the games on Saturday because they too do not want to sit in the blazing sun for 3-6 hours if you consider varsity and the junior varsity games.
Due to the lack of fans in the stands, the players are not as motivated to compete.
I know protecting the native birds is important, but I think we should continue to look into finding a better solution to this problem.
Rolland Peahu, Lihu‘e
State’s largest solar project in Kapa‘a
Well, I hope Hawai‘i residents are as unhappy as I am about the government giving our tax dollars to fund a money maker for Mr. Bosshard.
He could have funded it himself. Only under Obama’s reign could a millionaire now be on the dole. It doesn’t make sense.
Calvin Santos, Kalaheo
Mel Rapozo’s chutzpah
Mahalo Nui Loa Councilman Rapozo for your chutzpah to review the plastic bag ban and to introduce an amendment exempting food service establishments.
May I suggest amending it for farmers markets and supermarkets too. I say put it to the vote of the people and bring back plastic altogether, this ban was insane, replacing plastic with paper. Paper is actually more polluting than paper, read the study at www.savetheplasticbag.com.
If plastic and paper had both been banned in the recent bill co-authored by Tim Bynum and Lani Kawahara that would had been a different story, but replacing plastic with paper is 100 giant steps backwards. On top of that the paper bags have to have printed on them with polluting inks that are biodegradable.
Did you know Walmart’s alleged cloth bags are made of plastic in China, read the label.
Our council adopts bills, then amends bills. They run in circles accomplishing nothing. In fact if they did nothing, it would be better than what they do now.
I still cannot get over County Council members making over $1,000 per meeting and accomplishing nothing.
In fact if they accomplish nothing it would be better than what they do now.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
