Letters 2-27-14

Kudos to volunteers who make Kona a beautiful place

Kudos to volunteers who make Kona a beautiful place

I wonder how many people in our community have noticed the beautiful art work (mural) that hangs on the former airport terminal building wall which is situated on Kuakini Highway at the bottom of Makala Boulevard? This art work was done by Terri Hanson from British Columbia who wanted to give back to our community. It’s a picture of Puu Oo with two nene. I’ve been given to understand other pictures she painted are also located at the beach parks in Kahaluu, Laaloa and Waiohinu.

The intent of this letter to the editor is to let the public know about the volunteers who quietly “give back” to the community. The Makaeo Walking/Jogging Path is another good example. The transformation of that area has come about because volunteers have adopted sections, working with little recognition to make that area the beautiful garden it is becoming. Ka‘u High School shop students have built beautiful picnic tables that can be found at various parks on the west side of this island. Hooray for these unsung heroes who give of their time and are not fully recognized and thanked.

Betty De Roy

Kailua-Kona

State too slow in battling little fire ant

The article about the little fire ants in your Feb. 11 paper tells us that our state representatives are about 14 years behind schedule. The last paragraph in the article quotes a concerned person saying: “the wheels of government turns slowly.” That statement should be considered as “The understatement of the century.” Our state is crawling with invasive species but there is no emergency funding set aside to combat these pests as soon as they are identified.

The inaction, aka slow action, of our state is equivalent to erecting a statue similar to the Statue of Liberty welcoming all of the invasive species of the world to the perfect climate for proliferation.

Why does it take 15 years before someone introduces a bill (HB 2469) to provide funds to curtail the fire ant, when the threat has been known the whole time? Was there an incentive to allow the ants to spread and become a formidable enemy that would provide another long-term position for another political appointee? Maybe it is because after 15 years, someone finally sat on a little fire ant and got bitten where it counts.

Leningrad Elarionoff

Waimea

On ramps for intersection with traffic signal?

The writer who wrote the letter published on Feb. 25 who wanted “on ramps” at the intersection of Nani Kailua Drive and Queen Kaahumanu Highway apparently could not see the four-way traffic signal that stops all traffic from both streets and even has turning arrows for the Queen Kaahumanu Highway traffic. If one does not have the driving skills to enter an intersection from a side street with a stop light, a turning arrow and turn lanes, then one should not be driving.

Sue Garrod

Kailua-Kona