Abercrombie speech Abercrombie speech ADVERTISING Governor shouldn’t blame Native Hawaiians for project hold up Governor Neil Abercrombie made several inflammatory and counterproductive statements at a recent Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce event. He blamed the Native Hawaiian organizations, which have intervened
Abercrombie speech
Governor shouldn’t blame Native Hawaiians for project hold up
Governor Neil Abercrombie made several inflammatory and counterproductive statements at a recent Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce event. He blamed the Native Hawaiian organizations, which have intervened in the Queen Kaahumanu Highway phase II widening project, for holding it up.
Federal funds will be used to widen Queen Kaahumanu Highway between Honokohau Harbor and Kona International Airport, so the Federal Highway Administration and Hawaii Department of Transportation is required to conduct Section 106 consultations (National Historic Preservation Act) when significant archaeological sites are found.
These issues could’ve been addressed earlier, if they did a supplemental environmental assessment. However, the HDOT and FHWA instead relied solely on an assessment completed in 1996. This decision is the root cause for these recent delays, not the actions of these Native Hawaiian organizations.
The widening of Queen Kaahumanu Highway between the harbor and Kona International Airport is an important infrastructure project for West Hawaii. The project stakeholders need to find common ground, so this important roadway project can finally move forward.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona
Fire safety
Dry weather creates potential fire hazard
Kona is so dry, dry, dry. I’ve been in Kona for a long time and can’t remember seeing such a potential fire hazard and threat to property. Most residents haven’t thought too deeply about this and its repercussions. Usually the sun shines, the rains come and all is good. There are a lot more residents here now than there were even 10 years ago. This is not just a potential pasture fire.
The speed with which a wildfire moved through our densely populated (for Kona) neighborhoods recently was an eye opener.
I would like to remind all of us we can help ourselves, our neighbors and our Fire Department by making sure we clean up the perimeters of our properties. Make sure your hoses are hooked up and ready to use if needed. Create a firebreak and cut overhanging branches away from your roof. Walk around your area and see if someone needs help removing their opala. Come up with a communication plan with your neighbors, sometimes the roads are closed and you will need information.
This is not a doom-and-gloom story. We can all work together to make ourselves safer and be a closer-knit community.
Susan Wakefield-David
Kailua-Kona
