Is North Shore shuttle in future?
I would like to thank JoAnn Yukimura and John G. Rita Sr. for their opposing views on Ms. Yukimura’s handling of our hurricane resources during Hurricane Iniki. It has been my experience when statements are this far apart, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
I am not writing to critique this issue, just as I don’t want to talk about scandals at KPD during the mid-nineties or the sorry state of our county parks during Lenny Rapozo’s tenure as parks director. I also am not going to write about why Derek Kamakani is publicly in favor of the ill-advised proposed dairy in Mahaulepu or why Mel Rapozo acts like a bully sometimes and JoAnn tends to micromanage. These are all questions I would like to know the answer to, but I leave it up to the candidates for mayor to respond.
What I would like to know is what plans the current count leaders have for rebuilding the North Shore area north of Hanalei. Are they going to restrict the unmanageable flow of traffic in and out of Ke‘e Beach and work on a shuttle system so that we all, tourists and residents alike, can once again enjoy all the beauty our island has to offer?
Now is the time to show leadership, and I for one will be watching closely.
Allan B. White, Hanapepe
An open letter to Big Island Mayor Harry Kim
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from the danger of lava and gases.
There are also hundreds of pets who may be either stranded in their homes with fire and lava close by, or dumped off on the Hawaii Humane Society, which will have no choice but to kill them quickly because they are not organized for large intakes of animals.
Dick Green of the ASPCA has contacted KARES and Aloha Animal Advocates and animal-welfare organizations. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of supplies and people power can be deployed.
But the Hawaii Humane Society is resisting any help, even though it is urgently needed. How many animals will die because of this, because the HIHS is unwilling to work alongside the ASPCA?
The ASPCA can deploy people and supplies to care for all of the animals caught in this natural disaster. They can handle pets and livestock.
All it would take for this to happen is for Mayor Harry Kim to accept their offer. Mayor Kim can be reached at Harry.Kim@hawaiicounty.gov or at the mayor’s office: 961-8211.
And you could also contact Talmage Magno at civildefense@hawaiicounty.gov.
Imagine being stuck in a house surrounded by lava and no one coming to help you.
This is happening right now.
Dennis Chaquette, Keaau, Hawaii
The NFL draft and the real world of jobs
The most exciting event of the professional football off-season is the NFL draft. the 2018 NFL draft recently took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
I was excited for this draft since my favorite team the Buffalo Bills had two first-round picks! I was going crazy because there was a quarterback named Rosen with the first initial of J. for Josh that the Bills were said to be interested in.
Imagine my favorite team drafting a quarterback named Rosen! Oy! I never bought a football jersey before, however this would be the jersey of jerseys for me! My dream did not transpire, my team drafted another Josh, another great quarterback from Wyoming by the name of Josh Allen.
The draft is fascinating to watch. The team that had the worst win-loss record the previous season gets to draft first and hopefully gets a great player to increase their odds of doing better, from there teams can trade up or down for positions or players, which makes for a fun watch if your an NFL junkie.
If the real world of commerce was like the NFL, the high school with the worst academic record would get the chance to draft the best teachers, and be able to improve from then on.Teachers who graduated at the top of their classes and those whom had great student-teacher referrals and references would be allowed higher salaries. Great teachers would have agents that would negotiate multi-mullion-dollar contracts for them.
All professions should be given the same hype and thrill as the NFL. It would be exciting for a McDonald’s manager draft competing for a huge contract on TV! Fathom resident doctors competing in a draft, or the best medical student being drafted to a needy hospital?
The real world of academics and vocations needs to follow suit in the footsteps of the NFL draft. Only then will teachers and others be paid what they are truly worth.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapaa
