Illegal fireworks coming again
Just read the article in The Garden Island about purchasing legal fireworks at Pacific Fireworks pop-up by purchasing a permit. That’s great for legal and safe fireworks, but if you’re into the real-illegal stuff, you might to check out the small side street off Ka‘ana Street and Unahe Street here in Lihu‘e.
In past years, we have seen war-zone explosions which sent dangerous fragments raining down on nearby homes without regard for the danger lurking in the fragments, which, fortunately, haven’t started burning down a home or two.
Contacted local authorities a couple of years ago with boxes of spent fragments. Got the feeling that not much would become of my complaint, and to this date nothing has. So I’m expecting a huge illegal show again this year.
Richard Vals, Lihu‘e
Can’t find N95 masks on Kaua‘i
I am working on Kaua‘i for January and February. With the latest science telling us the standard face masks now available are almost useless to protect against the highly transmissible omicron variant, I tried to buy a small supply of the N95 or KN95 masks.
None of the major drug stores, the Wilcox or Kaiser pharmacies, Safeway, Home Depot or Costco had any. It would be nice if Kaua‘i County could be proactive and assure there is a supply on the island.
I did find some on Amazon, but delivery will take two weeks. The pessimist in me tells me I will eventually find out they are “delayed,” not available, or on back order!
Mahalo
The Rev. Pete Wright, Kekaha
Worried about large lands purchases
I just read Mark Zuckerberg is buying more of our lands.
People of Kaua‘i, we need to learn by history how the rich bought up other places, forcing the local people off their land.
98% of Lana‘i is owned by Larry Ellison, so where does that leave the local people? Oh yeah, on 2% of their own land (ha, ha).
Zuckerberg, STOP trying to take over the ownership of our lands. And to our local government, you should be aware of this and protect our lands or be replaced, whether you local or not.
Ramon Garza, Kekaha
They have some masks at AIRGAS IN LIHUE
Thank you Ramon for expressing this concern… We also need to assure Kauai people have legal access to the beaches by these big land purchases. Is there written legal documents that clarifies beach access laws.
Mr. Garza joins the crying chorus of those who have zero personal investment in the matter but much complaint. How about you start a fund raiser and make an offer to Mark Zuckerberg to buy back that land?
Patrick H Flores, Nampa, Id
Amazon has N95 & KN95 masks & less expensive than the local stores.
Be careful of what you say Richard they may burn your house down………
Tooindependent watch your language. I was born and raised on Kauai, live on Kaana Street and TOTALLY AGREE with Richard Vals. We have pets that are shaking with fear every New Year and Independence Day holiday. Those idiots who set off these illegal fireworks start a week early, and don’t stop until their fireworks are used up. They have no respect for anyone else living in the area who have to put up with deafening explosions, falling debris, and heightened air pollution. And yes, KPD could care less and it’s time they start doing their jobs. Thanks, for letting me vent.
Ramon, do some research. The land Zuckerberg has bought was Jimmy Pflueger’s whose family owned it since Kingdom times. This has no effect on the ownership of land by locals. It’s simply a transfer from one wealthy person to another. Frankly, I much prefer Zuckerberg to the former owner. Zuckerberg has given many millions of dollars to our state for jobs and affordable housing.
Sorry Ramon, but I disagree. Better for Zuckerberg and his wife to own it (like Bette Midler) than have it developed and the island turned into Oahu.
You’re absolutely right Rev. Pete! Even many of the so-called experts are now saying that the cloth masks we’re all wearing do next to nothing. One expert even said on national TV that all the cloth masks we’re wearing are nothing more than “decorations” that do nothing to stop the spread of the virus! I don’t think N95 masks for everyone are the answer. Everyone in the world will get Covid eventually, but the good news is that even if everyone gets Covid almost no healthy people will die any more. The only people who need to wear N95 masks are those with Heart Disease, Cancer, and other life-threatening diseases and deficiencies, but they can still get the virus by touching something etc. The rest of us, who are healthy, need to just relax and get Covid as soon as possible so we can build up the much superior “Natural Immunity” as a society. The shots they’re calling “vaccines” seem like a disappointing attempt that isn’t accomplishing much? With them, “herd” immunity seems farther away than ever, and that’s the case in the 80% to 100% vaccinated Countries where everyone was mandated and complied to take the shot! They’re no better off today than some Countries that only have 10% to 15% vaccinated! Some other Countries couldn’t get the shot, so they had to focus on treatment rather than vaccination, and some are close to reaching Herd immunity naturally in many of their provinces! Over 20 people in my extended family have had Covid 19, and thankfully it was a typical flu or cold experience for all of us. Thank goodness Omicron is even less of a threat than Covid 19 was. It’s getting better!
CONSIDERING AFFORDIBLE HOUSING IS VIRTUALLY NON-EXISTENT I can’t help but wonder how many affordable homes the county could have provided on 110 acres of land wich was sold for only $17 million
Or $154,000 per acre
Thatʻs undeveloped land… add a few million or maybe double that figure for roads and infrastructure
Mr. Garza. It’s either Zuk or a big developer. So far I don’t see Zuk destroying our island. As for Lanai, I believe before Ellison, it belonged to Murdock. Before that, I think Dole with Castle &Cook. Whoever owns it, they’ve always provided all the jobs on the island. Have you ever been over there? I don’t hear the Lanaians complaining.
Small Minded: Do we really want to have developers build a multitude of new houses? That means more traffic, more people, more strain on our over-taxed infrastructure. The charm of Kauai is that it is not Oahu. We are still semi-rural and I think most of us want to keep it that way. I am OK with Zuck and other of his ilk buying and holding large swaths of land because it keeps it undeveloped. The reason housing prices are high is that Kauai is a desirable place to live, like Aspen, Carmel and other resort destinations. That is not going to change anytime soon. So the less new development, the fewer people and the less traffic on the roads, the better.
I am so happy to see Kaana and Unahe Streets getting called out. Finally. I have reported two homemade bombs going off within the last two months in that direction. YES, since October. But what? Has it stopped? No. How is this not caught, year after year. Right behind the police station, I’m told a cop lives on the same street, and not like this is Waipahu or Ewa Beach, you can pretty much pinpoint where it’s coming from.
DUH, thank you. Someone was listening. New Year’s Eve illegal fireworks on Kaana/Unahe Streets, although still loud, ended earlier and I only heard sporadic pops and no loud “bombs” today, New Years 2022. Good job and Happy New Year!