• Close to the heart • Sympathy and respect • Swap Safeway sites • Clean energy transformation Close to the heart I was very happy to read in The Garden Island on Friday the story “Mayor: Drug treatment to be
• Close to the heart • Sympathy and respect • Swap Safeway sites • Clean energy transformation
Close to the heart
I was very happy to read in The Garden Island on Friday the story “Mayor: Drug treatment to be sited in December 2010.”
Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. has decided to make a greater commitment to a residential, adolescent, drug treatment facility on the island, by informing the community that a site will be announced by the end of December 2010.
The issue of the need for a therapeutic facility on our island, and for our children, is a very sensitive issue for most families in the community.
There are many who are grieving the loss of family members to alcohol and drug abuse, others who have been adversely affect, and others still struggling, one day at a time, with concerns of their children’s safety and well-being. The lineage of effects to alcohol and drug abuse is now into the third and fourth generation of some families.
The date of a site announcement falls just after the coming Nov. 4 mayoral election. Our community is hurting, and in need of a site to be announced as soon as possible, and groundbreaking to take place, and in order that our community may possibly gain a sense of new hope during such difficult times.
This very critical issue of a residential, adolescent, drug treatment facility, with heartbreaking statistics insisting immediate action, cannot be a matter proper to keep close to the vest, but a matter to keep close to the heart.
Deborah Morel, Kapa’a
Sympathy and respect
I wish to apologize to Mr. Littleton (“Don’t label people,” Letters, June 30) and to any other person who may have taken offense with my misuse of the term “ADA people” in my June 28 letter, “Cars are here to stay.”
I have the greatest sympathy and respect for any person with a disability and though I incorrectly used the words “ADA people” I was simply trying to convey the message that other means of transportation are available other than the bus for all citizens and should be explored.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
Swap Safeway sites
Regarding Safeway’s plan to build a new store in Lihu‘e, I echo the thoughts of both Rolf Bieber and Gini Stoddard in that the site across from Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School is the wrong place.
Much better would be the corn growing field mauka of Kaumuali‘i Highway at its intersection with Nawiliwili Road. This same field also would allow for a four-way intersection at Kalepa Street. (Stoplights currently exist along the highway at both of these intersections.) The old cane haul road at the southwest end of the farm site could also serve as an entry and exit point.
I am sure that corn, especially the hybrid type that is always planted, will grow just as well across from the school as it presently does across from Burger King, Macy’s and Dynasty Court.
Let’s hope that the Planning Commission will confer with Safeway and the owners of both properties to consider swapping sites.
William Null, Kapa‘a
Clean energy transformation
In response to “Officials push for green collar jobs” (July 1, 2010), while I understand the challenge to write an article on an issue as complex as the clean energy economy and its focus on green jobs, I thought the article missed the gist of my presentation. A copy of my presentation is posted on the Kauai Planning & Action Alliance’s website (www.kauainetwork.org).
Throughout the article were snippets in quotes which did not fully convey and may have inadvertently misstated what was actually said. For example, when I used the term “energy junkies” it was in the context that we really needed to broaden outreach to include all sectors of community, not just preach to the choir which I described as the “energy junkies.” And, I use that term in an endearing way as these are the clean energy advocates I can count on to be involved and who already understand the importance of a clean energy economy. But in order for a clean energy transformation to occur the reach has to be far beyond the choir and immediate congregation.
In my presentation I reference the essay “The Death of Environmentalism” and the book that resulted from that essay, “Break Through.” I bring these two references up because both are provocative in pointing out that the stakes are too high to continue with a business as usual scenario and environmentalism alone will not save the planet. However, reframing issues to engage larger stakeholder groups can lead to greater buy-in and participation demonstrating a good solution has many benefits.
A Hawai‘i clean energy economy transformation is both technical and social engineering at its best. And, unless we can gain confidence in this long-term strategy to include a broad base of Hawai‘i residents and businesses a transformation will be difficult to bring to fruition.
Rep. Hermina Morita, D-14th District
Chair, House Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection
