Letters to the Editor: 7-29-16

Kim administration wasn’t pro-West Hawaii

I have to agree with Steve Arnett’s letter on July 25. As I best remember, former mayor Kim was not a fan of the west side of the island. But he did like the moneys it generated.

The joke (at that time) was, I’m driving over to Hilo to enjoy the roads I mostly paid for. At the same time, it just seemed that he had the County Council in his pocket. They just seem to vote in lockstep with what the east side asked for in his reign as mayor.

After Kim termed out and mayor Kenoi took charge, as well as changes in the council, things did change for the better. Healing of the rift happened at that time.

When the projects now started on the west side are finished that will be it for the next four years under Harry’s administration. Harry Kim, Wally Lau, Peter Hoffmann, are in my age group, wore out so to speak.

I only met Shannon McMandless once and she seem to have her act together for a young lady, she’s local and of the younger generation, worth looking at.

A vote for Harry may be a step back for the west side given his past history.

Get out and vote people!

Richard Beeson

Kailua-Kona

Pictures promote animal cruelty

I have been very upset over your recent pictures showing cruelty to animals. Your cover picture of the rodeo in which a small calf was being roped was horrible! You could see the look of fear on the poor animal’s face. After being violently roped around the neck, the calf is then thrown to the ground and its legs are tied! Your front page picture just promotes cruelty to animals.

My other concern is the pictures you show on a regular basis of large marlin hanging upside down on the pier after they have been hooked in the mouth and killed — many times after hours of painful struggle. Those gigantic and magnificent fish belong in the ocean swimming free! Most civilized people have come to realize that killing big game for “fun” is barbaric and cruel (lions, elephants, etc.), it’s about time we consider big-game fishing in the same negative light. I know this is a taboo subject in Kona — home of the Billfish Tournament — but the time has come to eliminate big-game fishing just like we have eliminated big-game hunting.

Seeing those magnificent marlin hanging dead on a pier, often with blood dripping out of their mouths, is horrible! Please quit promoting this cruel practice by publishing the pictures of the “proud” fishermen standing next to the magnificent creature they just killed for “fun.”

William Harlan

Kailua-Kona

Enough with letting rigs sit

Here we go again. About two months ago an abandoned vehicle was left on the side of the road between Mauna Lani Resort and the Waikoloa Resort for close to a month. Now there is another vehicle which appears to have been in an accident, lots of rear end damage.

How long is this eyesore going to sit and be stripped of parts before it is removed, two more months? What kind of picture does this paint for residents and tourists on Hawaii? County roads department, it doesn’t look like you are doing the job you are being paid for.

Bubba Rogers

Mauna Lani Resort