North Kohala shows why land fund needed
Voters twice voted in favor of the 2 percent land fund but some of our elected officials seem to think that they were elected to impose their will on the people rather than to serve the people. Notably our former and present mayor.
Another example of elected officials seeming to have corporate interest ahead of their constituents’ interest is reflected in councilman Aaron Chung’s statement in the West Hawaii Today article on the Kaupulehu development where Maile David and Karen Eoff pushed for an amendment that would put the commitment to public access by the developer in writing.
The law says all they had to do was submit a status report. “What assurances do you have that you guys won’t be leveraged for more conditions?” Chung asked the developers. Kohala Councilman Tim Richards agreed.
When thinking about this, know that shoreline access has been cut off there for 20 years because of this development. The same article says public access is currently limited to cultural practitioners and groups by invitation only. By invitation only is a designation for a private country club, not public access.
They put a chain across the 4-WD path down to the beach 20 years ago and have not provided any access until now. I fear it will end up being another bad joke like the beach access at all of these developments for the super wealthy and the luxury hotels all along the coast. The DLNR put a gate to close off Keauwaiki, vehicle access to Keei is lost. Donuchi is gated off by the Kamehameha estate, the Ulua fishing spots at Pine Trees have been gated, and access to places in North Kohala are lost as wealthy people move there and deny shoreline access to locals just because they can.
Yes, I believe we need to keep the 2 percent land fund and improve the maintenance fund for present and future generations.
Leslie Iijima
Waikoloa
Getting to the goat issues
It is so neat to see the goats alongside the road with young ones playing and chasing each other around.
It is not so cool to see a dead one in the middle of the road; makes one feel sad. Lately, in my neighborhood, the goats are now playing in front of my house running up and down the street till their hearts are content. They are eating my ti leaf plants until their hearts are content and stripping the bark of my plants as fast as their little mouths can go.
Our HOA leaders are on it and work with authorities to catch and move them. At some point the goats will be displaced. If your neighborhood is experiencing the same issues with the goats I suggest you do what our HOA leadership did. They got into touch with our council members, who were very helpful, and now we have traps set up in key locations.
I do not know the exact catch tally but it is a large number to me. It is good to know that there is a sense of community and that our neighborhood is taking the civil and humane approach to removing the goat herd. I live on the lower end of Kaiminani Drive on the south side. The goat herd is just to south of my subdivision and is pretty large at this point.
Scott Whipple
Kailua-Kona
Creagan’s ban plum crazy
I’m a former smoker now with COPD. I know the dangers and effects, and I advise everyone I know or meet that cigarette use is bad and will shorten your life.
Don’t start.
But Richard Creagan’s proposal to make cigarette sales illegal in Hawaii is the worst idea I have heard in almost 50 years of following Hawaii legislation.
About 15 percent of Hawaii residents are addicted to cigarettes. Nicotine addiction is stronger than heroin addiction. Imagine one out of six of your fellow citizens being forced to go cold turkey overnight.
When has this ever worked? What are the obvious and foreseeable results (think alcohol prohibition 100 years ago)?
I’m old. Young people get it: Smoking is bad for you. It will shorten your life and make it less enjoyable. Trying to criminalize their behavior on top of that is likely to do more harm than good.
Bad idea.
Joel Aycock
Hawaiian Acres