Kailua-Kona
Building codes
Create an alternative
I have been following the discussion that is open to comment through Dec. 28 of this year.
I believe that off-the grid homes and nonair conditioned homes should be exempt from special insulation rules.
When the County of Mendocino, Calif., was evicting people from their noncode homes in the 1970s, a group called United Stand got the county to establish a less stringent code called Class K, which is still in effect, and allowed alternatives to the UBC, which is really set up to protect the banks and home purchasers from shoddy work. Buying a Class K home is the same as writing “as is” on the deed and has allowed thousands of poor people to keep their homes. The basic health and safety issues are still addressed, such as spacing between wood stoves and combustible walls.
This is the time to lower the cost of basic home construction, not a time to increase it.
Dean Cail
Pahoa
Court sentence
Amazing jurisprudence
This comment refers to the Dec. 21 article describing the eight-month sentence given to the driver involved in a deadly crash in May 2010.
The driver pleaded guilty to three illegal acts: driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident causing death and failure to have no-fault auto insurance. Amazing. Eight months for taking a human life while under the influence. Amazing.
Let’s put this in to perspective: The human being who had his life taken by an illegal driver lost the use of maybe 20 to 30 years of life. The illegal driver loses eight months of freedom, while incarcerated.
Now a comment on the deputy prosecutor, public defender and Circuit Court judge: It appears the honest law-abiding public would be better served if the prosecutor and public defender swapped places. From what the article stated, the public defender is even going to try and get the eight-month sentence reduced.
And really, judge, eight months — for a life?
Folks, keep in mind that the prosecutors, public defenders and judges are all taxpayer funded. Does that make you feel good?
I urge everyone who uses the public roads to exercise extreme caution, because if you get into a traffic collision with an illegal driver, you, your family or your friends may be left with nothing but a real empty bitterness.
Robert Brogan
Kailua-Kona
Music
Keep it down, please
So there we were: beautiful sunset, good drinks, good food, lovely sound of the waves. We were happy as clams.
Then the music started. It made your chest pound; it was that loud.
No doubt some folks like the music. But, please, not so loud. Restaurant managers, please ask your bands to lower the volume.
Not everyone wants music this loud. Sometimes (really, quite often), less is more.
Ronald Shelden
Kailua-Kona