• Happy with KPD’s ‘new direction’ • Privatizing FEMA • Where’s the bike path now it’s needed? • Reject Roberts Happy with KPD’s ‘new direction’ I left Kaua’i a little more than a year ago to visit my family on
• Happy with KPD’s ‘new direction’
• Privatizing FEMA
• Where’s the bike path now it’s needed?
• Reject Roberts
Happy with KPD’s ‘new direction’
I left Kaua’i a little more than a year ago to visit my family on the Mainland. I have been back for just a couple of months and must say how things have changed in a short period of time.
Your newspaper has been reporting an increase in the area of drug enforcement, which we never had before I left. The Police Blotter is filled with description of drug arrests. What a difference a year has made. This is so good for the residents of Kaua’i.
Crystal meth or “ice” is destroying our island. We should thank our police department and the chief for the aggressive action they have taken. It appears the new chief has taken a stand against ice and we should support his efforts in stopping this horrible drug.
Before I left Kaua’i, I was worried whether there would be a new direction taken by the new leader of the Kaua’i Police Department or business as usual.
Obviously, from the results, something right must have been done and a new direction set.
Mahalo to the chief and the officers of KPD for their efforts.
Privatizing FEMA
The conservative mantra is privatization. The government should do less; its duties should be reassigned to the private sector.
In April 2001, Budget Director Mitch Daniels announced the Bush administration’s goal of privatizing much of FEMA’s work. One month later, Allbaugh confirmed that FEMA would be downsized: “Many are concerned that federal disaster assistance may have evolved into an oversized entitlement program. …” he said. “Expectations of when the federal government should be involved and the degree of involvement may have ballooned beyond what is an appropriate level.”
Apparently “appropriate” means little or nothing. Privatization certainly is working well, isn’t it?
Where’s the bike path now it’s needed?
I never thought it would happen to me … I now have to drive the double extra miles on the back mountain route over to Kawaihau Road to Kapa’a because of the loss of Olohena Road.
And because of the new super high gas prices, I switch over every day in Kapa’a to use my less expensive motor-bike to drive on my many daily errands in the Wailua-Kapa’a corridor.
But now, it is clear with the predicted ultra gas prices that I will have to cast aside my motorbike and have to ride my old bicycle around Kapa’a.
A scientist friend says a bicycle can travel 1,000 times faster than a car stuck here in traffic.
But where is the bike path for our needed safe transportation? The head of the DPW needs to consider … more permits clog our highways and more bike path means less car use. Please consider what is reasonable and rational and for the common good on a long-term basis. And concrete has proven that it is a low-maintenance, ma-nade material.
Reject Roberts
John Roberts has not been transparent in revealing the records of his past statements and rulings. This is in contrast to all previous Supreme Court nominees. In addition, he and the White House attempted to hide his membership (on the steering committee!) of the secretive ultra-right Federalist Society.
What does John Roberts have to hide? Given this secrecy, let alone what we do know about his opposition to civil rights, I contend that Roberts is unqualified to sit on the Supreme Court at all — let alone to serve as Chief Justice. I urge you to reject his nomination.