• Decriminalize marijuana • Pay for your own rescue • KIUC Board candidates forum a success • Public should be engaged in Kaua‘i’s development • Councilmembers hypocrites over plastic bag ban Decriminalize marijuana I just wanted to thank Dr. LaBedz
• Decriminalize marijuana • Pay for your own rescue • KIUC Board
candidates forum a success • Public should be engaged in Kaua‘i’s
development • Councilmembers hypocrites over plastic bag ban
Decriminalize marijuana
I just wanted to thank Dr. LaBedz for writing his recent letter “Legalize it.”
He was so right pointing out why the KPD and the prosecuting attorneys are trying to stop the decriminalizing of marijuana. It amazes me all the time and money that is wasted going after and prosecuting people for possessing or using marijuana, especially when we have such a budget deficit that we have school furloughs because we can’t afford to pay our teachers.
I urge everyone to voice their support for decriminalizing marijuana; together we can make a difference.
Andy Gorsline, Kapa‘a
Pay for your own rescue
Kaua‘i needs to charge for rescue. Period (“Visitor airlifted from Kalalau Trail,” The Garden Island, March 1; “Missing hiker airlifted from Wailua Falls,” The Garden Island, Feb. 19).
And obviously this visitor didn’t look into it. Kalalau is slipping away.
Barbara Beissert, Kilauea
KIUC Board candidates forum a success
The KIUC Candidate’s Forum was recently held at Kaua‘i Community College to share the views and opinions of the seven individuals who are running for a position on the KIUC board.
The Forum was broadcast by Hawaii Streams and can be reviewed on the Internet. It was also broadcast live by KKCR and will be replayed at a later date on Ho‘ike. The Garden Isle covered the Forum and that review is found in the Feb. 19 issue of the newspaper.
The meeting was hosted by the Associated Students of the University of Hawaii Kaua’i Community College and Apollo Kaua‘i. The students and their adviser, John Constantino, provided those attending with a striking venue, enjoyable refreshments and thoughtful comments and questions.
We gratefully acknowledge the time, effort and enthusiasm that were contributed by this energetic and talented group of KCC students.
Also, our thanks to the candidates for their time and contributions to this successful Forum and to Ann Barnes of KIUC for her support of this event.
Please review the position of the candidates and vote for Directors of KIUC by phone, Internet or mail-in ballot by March 19.
Doug Wilmore, Apollo Kaua‘i, Kilauea
Public should be engaged in Kaua‘i’s development
Myself and my sister visited Kaua‘i in February. I am yet to see anywhere that has more beautiful and diverse natural environment.
Being in Kaua‘i and having beaches and mountains nearby was just great experience, which made me reassess the priorities in life (having grown up in Tokyo, I am used to traveling for hours to go countryside to connect to the nature).
Most importantly, I was touched by incredibly warm and kind people on the island. This may be hypocritical of me to say, since I may be contributing to the increase in demand for the development (I feel guilty for wanting to visit this beautiful island for this very reason), but I was saddened to find the extent/scale of development projects going on in the South Shore.
As someone who has worked in a national park in UK before, I am aware how difficult it is to conserve the natural and cultural heritage of the area while promoting economic and social development of the area’s communities. I really do hope that the environment in Kaua‘i would be properly protected since what this island has is very unique and precious.
I lack in real understanding of the issues in the region, but I just hope for the sake of the island and the people that the development processes would be an actual processes with direct involvement of the communities to ensure they get what they want out for the island, not just driven by the outside demand.
Sayaka Maeda, Tokyo, Japan
Councilmembers hypocrites over plastic bag ban
TGI recently published an article titled, “Residents torn over plastic bag ban.” This article tells it all, the story of a dysfunctional county council. This whole plastic bag ban mess should had been decided by the people of our great cosmic island, not seven overpaid narcissists who won a popularity contest.
The County of Kaua‘i in association with the Kaua‘i Humane society supplies free plastic bags at approximately six dispensers along the beautiful pedestrian trail. It’s ironic our dogs are allowed plastic for their feces, but we can’t use plastic for groceries or food items.
Trees are used to make paper bags. I thought we originally switched to plastics because we didn’t want to destroy the rainforests.
We went 100 giant steps backward, the grocery stores are now using paper bags, 1,000 paper bags piled high, or 1,000 plastic piled high, guess which is smaller and costs less to freight?
If council is so concerned about the environment quit being hypocrites and ride a bike, walk, or bus to the next county council meeting, and donate your $500 a month car allowance toward the state budget crisis.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
