• KIUC and its $40 million plan • In praise of Wilcox Memorial Hospital • Follow the stop signs by Chiefess • No on charter provisions for sections 7.03, 23.02
KIUC and its $40 million plan
Heard about KIUC’s 40 million dollar solar plan? The one that will yield an astounding, and I say that facetiously, 6 percent of our island’s power?
One must question when will we, the co-op, will see a return on our 40 million dollars? When will this project pay for itself? The simple answer is our grand kids will be paying for this $40 million expenditure well into their senior years.
A 40-inch flat panel TV consumes about 280 watts when on.
An LED 40-inch flat panel TV consumes 88 watts when on. Cost about 500 dollars.
A standard electric water heater for a family consumes about 5,500 watts 24/7.
An electric tankless water heater consumes 9,500 watts on demand. Cost about 500 dollars.
Implementing these two simple changes cost a family about a 1,000 dollars and would cut their electric bills by 25 percent.
Let’s do some simple math. There are approximately 25 thousand KIUC accounts: 25,000 x 1,000 = 25 million dollars.
Give every account holder a 1,000.00 voucher for the LED TV and tankless water heater of their choice, they get a 25 percent energy savings which amounts to a 25 percent energy savings for the entire island.
Forty million dollars for 6 percent more power vs. 25 million dollars for a 25 percent power savings (which essentially amounts to 25 percent more power vs. 6 percent more power).
I respectfully suggest KIUC Board Members need to “go back to school” and stop their usual reckless, thoughtless spending of our money.
Rate increase coming soon …
Chris Schaefer
Kapa‘a
In praise of Wilcox Memorial Hospital
First of all, I want to express my heartfelt thank you and deepest gratitude to the doctors and nurses in the E.R. for saving my life in the month of April 2012. I had suffered a major pulmonary embolism “blood clots” all over both sides of my lungs. The doctor said it was a miracle that I was still alive. They gave me a drug that would either dissolve the clots or I would simply die.
Obviously I made it. I will never forget the male nurse who kept reassuring me by saying “not on my watch” over and over again and the kind, compassionate female nurse that sent healing energy throughout my body with her touch and calming voice. My heart beat came down dramatically.
I called my 22-year-old son in L.A. and told him what was happening. He immediately got on the first flight out to Kaua‘i and stayed by my side in the hospital room for five days. I spent the first evening in the Intensive Care Unit and was treated extremely well the doctor who looked after me showed me x-rays of the clots in my lungs and took the time to explain everything in detail and answered all our questions.
He’s a great and the entire staff the whole time I was there. From the administrators to the doctors and nurses and all these friendly, caring workers who brought my food and cleaned my room. Everyone that my son and I came in contact with was wonderful, kind, compassionate, caring and went the extra mile to make sure I was well taken care of for the entire duration of my stay.
One administrator promised to bring us a big sunrise papaya from her garden and sure enough the next day she brought it. Once again a million mahalos to everyone that took such great care of me and my son. I love you all and I will never ever forget you as long as I live.
Vasken Tchapraste
Kapa‘a
Follow the stop signs by Chiefess
As a buyer for construction materials for PMRF, I travel to Home Depot at least three times a week.
Since the new stop signs were installed at the intersection by Chiefess, I have seen at least seven cars blow right through the stop signs! Even with the warning signs (that are too far away)! People don’t even slow down!
The Traffic Department should paint in BIG LETTERS “STOP AHEAD” in white traffic paint on the roadway! I think that people are so used to just driving through the area that the stop signs aren’t registering in drivers minds! One day a child will be injured and lawsuits will be filed and since the city will be liable lets get it fixed before it happens again!
Jon Hare
Kekaha
No on charter provisions for sections 7.03, 23.02
Voters are being asked to vote on a number of charter provisions in the county election. Two of these proposals have no place in a good democratically run government.
“Section 7.03 – The Mayor’s Compensation” should be voted NO. The salary commission, who are personally appointed by the mayor, should not be the persons who are then the same people who determine the mayor’s salary. That power should rest with the county council who are the elected representatives of the people, not political appointees.
Similarly, “Section 23.02 (H) County Board and Commission Member Terms” should be voted NO. The same small group of people should not be making the decisions affecting our government. That responsibility should be spread to as wide a group of our citizens as possible. Over time, different views and opinions will lead to a healthier local government.
Fred Wells
Kapa‘a
