• Thank you for your kokua • ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ • ‘We get what we pay for’ Thank you for your kokua This letter is a thank you and a request. The greatest act of kindness
• Thank you for your kokua • ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ • ‘We get what we pay for’
Thank you for your kokua
This letter is a thank you and a request. The greatest act of kindness I’ve ever personally witnessed happened on the Kalalau Trail, Kaua‘i, from a Hawai‘i State Parks archaeologist.
Walking back from Hanakoa Falls, my friend dropped her small bag, containing her camera, license, cash and credit card, down the very steep embankment. After a few failed attempts to reach it with a hiking pole, it had slipped down further. We marked the spot and left.
We ran into Alan Carpenter, an archeologist with the Hawaiian Park Services, who said he felt confident he could retrieve it, and to meet him at the airport two days later, where he handed it to her. After one failed attempt himself, Mr. Carpenter returned the next day after work accompanied by other kind souls who helped in retrieving it. Forever grateful for the help, we are all astounded by his and others’ willingness to help, risk their own safety, and go way out their way to help a complete stranger.
Comparing my experience hiking in several other states, I was very surprised at the lack of signage and zero ranger presence on the Kalalau Trail. How do the thousands of tourists fare each year, who don’t understand the dangers of this trail, resulting in serious, yet preventable injury?
We later took a cruise along the Coast where we learned how often they are called upon to rescue hikers. The expense of boat and helicopter rescues must be incredibly more costly to taxpayers than prevention measures like clear signage, education and staffing the trail. I strongly encourage and respectfully request that the beautiful state of Hawai‘i employ the necessary measures to improve safety for your residents and guests. Thank you.
Karen E. Black
Bloomfield, New York
‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’
Recently my niece came in and told me the Kapa‘a Business Association has now decided to charge for vendors to place tables, tents, etc. on the sidewalks for the First Saturday Of The Month Sale.
This sale has been going on for how long, free and with the town’s blessing?
She and her fellow vendors were told the fees were to offset the costs of electric, vendors bring their own battery powered lights.
To block off the streets to traffic, isn’t that counter productive?
Vendors need visitors driving by to catch their interest so they will stop. To reroute around town would block people from seeing vendors and catching an interest.
It was said the monies would be used for advertising. Not necessary as the streets are full with shoppers as it is. Reroute traffic and you might need advertising but leaving things status quo has worked for quite awhile and will continue to work if left alone.
As it stands now she, and many other vendors we spoke with, will not return if they are charged for their space. t is not worth it to them as the lack of foot traffic makes for few sales.
How would that work in the Assn.’s scheme of things?
There is an old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!!”
Ali’ilani Kanui
Kapa‘a
‘We get what we pay for’
Having lived on the mainland and moved here five years ago, a low amount zoning enforcement is not a new thing. It’s the same nationwide, as the city I lived in had zoning enforced by a handful of zoning officers. On the other hand, there a heck of a lot more police officers keeping us safe from criminals.
Vacation rentals are a concern on the North Shore, and they should be (I lived next to one when I first moved here and it is annoying). But it’s crazy that councilmen would rather waste time talking to each other to make themselves look good because no one likes the rentals, rather than do what is the obvious, put more zoning officers on the street. But I think they want the money go to other things like building more parks we can’t maintain or nice police cars.
Having put through plans to build a house recently, it’s clear to me our zoning office is understaffed. They seem to try their best but like all government offices, the time to process plans depends on the number of staff. I can assume there is only one guy to do rental enforcement.
When I see the councilmen complain about the rentals on TV, they seem to like the sound of their own voice.
It’s no wonder that they want to keep talking and searching to blame some poor government worker and probably never want to do the obvious solution and fund enforcement. We get what we pay for.
Jeremy Rockhurst
Kilauea
