McDonald’s Mac Attack
Every workday, Monday through Friday, during the peak morning, noon and afternoon traffic hours, the cars in the two lanes going northbound and southbound that are turning into the Lihu‘e McDonalds parking lot are obstructing the flow of traffic, hazardous and dangerous.
The cars turning into McDonald’s are blocking the crosswalk, sticking out into the roadway, blocking and stopping the flow of traffic, causing cars to back up at least 10 deep
McDonalds is responsible for creating this traffic obstruction and hazard, and must be required to resolve this problem.
Pepe Trask, Anahola
In the face of omicron, Mayor needs to take action again
Drs. Char and Berreman, Mayor Kawakami,
With this sudden omicron surge, it seems we’re back in the position of trying to buy time and protect the more medically fragile neighbor islands.
I’m sure you remember a year ago when we were told by the state to lift all restrictions. The case they made was that “it was virtually all community spread” and so restrictions made no sense.
Yet, that was a falsehood. At that time Kaua‘i had virtually no community spread and under 1% of the state’s cases. Maui had little community spread and under 2% of the state’s cases.
Under considerable pressure, Kaua‘i’s leadership held the line, temporarily opted out, and had virtually no significant community spread for many more months. Maui opened up and before long had 18% of the state’s cases, and overloaded, stressed hospitals.
It’s deja vu all over again.
If we truly prioritize citizen safety, I hope the neighbor islands, with the smallest medical safety margins, will immediately implement their own post-travel testing protocols, and do everything they can to prevent traveling residents and visitors from spreading omicron to family, friends, and into their communities.
On Thursday, Hawai‘i reported more than 1,500 cases, almost 10 times the state’s 7-day average a couple weeks ago. O‘ahu’s test positivity rate is now 15%.
On Wednesday, Kaua’i reported 17 cases, 11 of which were travel-related and test positivity of 2.7%.
So Kaua’i, and the other neighbor islands, once again has the opportunity to meaningfully protect their citizenry by taking additional steps to slow the introduction of community spread and flatten the curve.
It is time for the neighbor islands to once again act wisely and preemptively.
Steve O’Neal, Princeville
