• Editor’s note: Old-timers might still remember the introduction from “The Shadow” radio program: “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” Jerome Freitas, a retired state Department of Transportation worker who is now better known as Da Shadow, since 2004 has been meeting with government representatives about problems he has discovered or that have been reported to him, and reporting the county’s responses.
Lihue
The parking area at the Lihue Neighborhood Center is very dim and lacks lights. Does the county have any plans to install additional lighting to improve safety and security for this area? The lowly lit parking lot is frequented by users participating in illegal and illicit activities.
The county does not have any plans to install new lighting at Lihue Neighborhood Center.
Does the county have any plans to repave the Kalapaki Beach parking lot, between Duke’s Canoe Club and JJ’s Broiler? If so, when is this work scheduled to be completed?
The county is working internally with various departments to find a solution for the area.
Islandwide
Is it legal to drink alcohol on county or state sidewalks or right-of-way?
According to HRS §281-78 Prohibitions. (a) No person shall: (1) Consume any liquor on any public highway, except as permitted in section 291-3.4; (2) Consume any liquor on any public sidewalk, including any sidewalk within a public housing project; (3) Consume any liquor on any common area of a public housing project; or (4) Possess or keep, while on any sidewalk or common area within a public housing project, any bottle, can or other receptacle containing any intoxicating liquor that has been opened, that has a broken seal, or the contents of which have been partially removed.
Kapaa
Are there any plans to improve the lighting near the Kauai Bus hub at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex?
The safety of our riders and the community is very important for the County of Kauai. With the invaluable help of Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Transportation Agency Executive Celia Mahikoa, and William Trugillo of the Parks and Recreation Department, the County of Kauai does have plans to improve all transit accommodations at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex.
The improvements will include two large transit shelters, with lighting, seating, bike racks and trash facilities. The county will also be improving access to and from the park facility to the bus stop, improving the safety of the parking/bus waiting areas for the park users, bus riders and the buses themselves. The work will be done as part of the Islandwide Bus Stop Redevelopment Project, Phase IV work. This phase of work is currently scheduled to begin in November.
••• Jerome Freitas can be reached at theshadow96751@gmail.com or 635-3528. Visit his website at http://theshadow96746.tripod.com.
