• Install lights near crosswalks • Entrepreneurs have paved the way • Move forward for women’s safety • Mahalo to KKCR and others • Trash Install lights near crosswalks While traveling on Nawiliwili Road between Kukui Grove Center and Burger
• Install lights near crosswalks • Entrepreneurs have paved the way • Move forward for women’s safety • Mahalo to KKCR and others • Trash
Install lights near crosswalks
While traveling on Nawiliwili Road between Kukui Grove Center and Burger King on a recent Saturday night, there was a crosswalk with some teens that were crossing in it.
One driving on the road in that area can hardly see people in the crosswalk until one drives about 25 yards near the crosswalk. It would be only then one will see silhouettes in the crosswalk.
There are approximately three crosswalk on Nawiliwili Road in that area near Kukui Grove Center and they are all dark. Why don’t they place lights at the crosswalks?
Howard Tolbe
‘Ele‘ele
Entrepreneurs have paved the way
President Obama’s recent stump speeches have pounded on the concept of individual business achievement, stating baldly that no one can succeed without big government, even things like roads and bridges. In response, candidate Romney has offered reminders of many individual American entrepreneurs who have built huge companies from scratch, now employing thousands.
Many of us are very familiar with the accomplishments of individuals like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, to name just two. Few appreciate the full impact of Henry Ford’s vision and tenacity. In an era when only the very wealthiest could afford an automobile, Ford’s vision was to mass produce automobiles at much lower costs so that ordinary people could afford them. Almost as revolutionary, he wanted to raise the wages of his workers so that they, too, could afford to buy the cars they made.
There were many challenges. There were some paved streets in cities, mostly cobblestones, and virtually no paved roads anywhere else in the country. There were few bridges, so streams had to be forded. Most of the roads were two rut tracks created by horse drawn wagons and coaches. Henry Ford’s autos had to be simple to keep costs low, they had to be tough to survive really rough terrain and they had to be agile to actually travel on that terrain.
Henry Ford went bankrupt several times trying to develop a workable design. He kept trying. He also worked on concepts for mass production, which paid off later in productivity.
This all came together as the Model T. The first cars needed improvements in their suspension, but when the bugs were worked out, the cars started to sell by the thousands. Henry Ford had no trouble recruiting workers because he offered wages of $5 a day, double the industry average.
The rest is history. With thousands of Model T’s swarming the rough and muddy “roads,” local and state governments started to develop the infrastructure so prized by President Obama. Would be competitors studied Henry Ford’s success. They realized they had to offer even better cars at reasonable prices in order to compete. They did, and a new vital industry was born, eventually offering all kinds of choices. Further, Ford’s mass production techniques were adopted by other industries, and one might say a second industrial revolution was born.
John Love
Kapa‘a
Move forward for women’s safety
In 1994, the first Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was signed into law to address the urgent need to create services for women who were victims of domestic or sexual violence.
Since then, each time this law has been re-authorized, lawmakers have focused on ways to strengthen VAWA to provide a wider array of victim services and to hold offenders accountable, until now, in 2012.
For the first time in 18 years, there are now steps being taken to weaken the lifesaving protection this law establishes.
The YWCA Associations across the state of Hawai‘i join together to voice our opposition to the House of Representatives’ version of the VAWA bill that was recently passed.
It is our strong position that putting any woman’s life at risk is unacceptable, especially when she is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault.
The author(s) of the House VAWA bill, H.R. 4970, removed specific protective provisions and added others that could potently increase the danger for a woman who comes forward for help.
For example, for immigrant women in abusive relationships who seek help, the House version would allow contact with the batterer, thus alerting the batterer that the woman is seeking assistance.
Supporters of the bill believe these provisions are necessary to ensure that these women are “real victims” and aren’t “abusers” of the law. We cannot return to an antiquated way of thinking where we question whether women in these situations are “real victims.” We applaud our two U.S. Representatives, Mazie Hirono and Colleen Hanabusa, for their courageous vote against this bill.
Their actions reflect the understanding that limiting services for any victim of domestic or sexual violence is wrong.
In contrast to the House’s bill, the strengthening provision included in the VAWA re-authorization that was passed by the Senate this year (S.1925) addressed serious pukas in victim services and offender accountability for three populations: immigrant women, Native American/Alaskan women and LGBT women. We thank Hawai‘i Senators Akaka and Inouye for voting in support of the Senate VAWA bill.
We urge our state’s elected officials to continue to put the safety and well-being of every woman first and reject attempts to undermine lawful protection that has been established for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
We also urge each of you to contact elected officials across the nation — to voice your support that all women who find themselves in situations of domestic violence and sexual assault remain safe under the law.
YWCA of Hawai‘i Island – Jeanine Atebara, CEO, Jennifer Tanouye, President, Board of Directors
YWCA of Kaua‘i – Renae Hamilton, Executive Director, Angela Anderson, President, Board of Directors
YWCA of Oahu – Kimberly Miyazawa Frank, CEO, Lissa Guild Eveleth, Chair, Board of Directors
Mahalo to KKCR and others
Just before/or on Christmas 2011, the Hui Maka‘ainana O Makana (a nonprofit Ha‘ena family-based organization) found our work trailer in Ha‘ena State Park was broken into.
We lost two Echo chainsaws, a Honda 2000 generator and an Echo weedwacker. It was a devastating set back for our small organization.
We would like to thank Kaua‘i Community Radio for publicizing our loss/theft and reward.
The response was immediate. We would like to thank Mr. Richard King of Waipake, who generously, donated a replacement generator.
Also, we would like to thank the Hanalei Fire Station, Wesley Haraguchi, Dwight Morishige, Charles and Diane Spencer and Sam and Susan Mahuiki for all their kokua.
To the thieves who stole our equipment, that was a selfish act and our ancestors know who you are.
Presley Wann, President for Hui Maka‘ainana O Makana
Kapa‘a
Trash
Everyone keeps writing letters about all the trash on Kaua‘i beaches.
We, the people, are responsible for all the trash.
If you care about the ‘aina just pick up your trash, and if you don’t care about the ‘aina, pick up your trash anyway.
Wendy Pellegrino
Lihu‘e
