LETTERS for April 1 issue
LINGLE’S POWER GRAB
Gov. Linda Lingle wanted an $80 million Constitutional Convention to get rid of collective bargaining in this state, but it was voted down. On June 1, she demanded 36 furlough days for all state workers. HSTA took her to court, won, and then talked her down to 17.
HSTA has taken Lingle to court again for not participating in good faith bargaining. It is nice to see that the Department of Education, Board of Education and HSTA came to a new agreement on how to get rid of Lingle’s Furlough Fridays.
Lingle sent her proposal to the newspapers, willing to fill furloughs only if the state votes on a constitutional amendment giving the power to the governor to appoint the superintendent. This is a power grab. If you notice, there is about a $30 million difference between the negotiated deal and Lingle’s proposal.
Linda Lingle only wants to pay the most essential workers. The education governor does not want security in our high schools, vice principals, cafeteria workers and school nurses on campus? Linda Lingle does not value public education! You would think her administration would value education, since it did not pass the fifth grade assessment.
This deal is a win for Hawaii, but Lingle has the power to not release money. I think the legislature should one-up Lingle and allow a constitutional amendment, so we can vote against the governor’s ability to not release funds. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
JUSTIN HUGHEY, Teacher, Maui
HALE KAU KAU APPRECIATES DONATION
At a time when unwavering support by the community is essential to continuing our mission of feeding the homebound and less fortunate of South Maui, we would like to say mahalo. On Feb. 25, we gave a presentation to the Lahaina Rotary Club regarding the Hale Kau Kau Program. After our presentation, the Lahaina Rotary Club presented us with a check for $500. This was very unexpected and very much appreciated!
Hale Kau Kau, now in its 18th year, is a nonprofit meal program for the homebound and less fortunate of South Maui. A service of St. Theresa Church in Kihei, Hale Kau Kau provides a warm, nutritious evening meal 365 days a year with the help of volunteers who generously give of their time and cooking talents. Anyone who comes to their doors hungry is fed — no questions asked. At this time, we feed between 80 and 110 men, women and children onsite and deliver approximately 60 meals to the homebound elderly and disabled, with these numbers increasing due to the economy. In addition, emergency food boxes are provided to families in crisis.
Funding for the Hale Kau Kau program is provided by the community, businesses, local government and individuals. As always, we are thankful for all the continuing support we receive in spite of the current economic climate. The help Hale Kau Kau has received from the Lahaina Rotary Club is but one example of the outstanding support Hale Kau Kau receives. Mahalo nui loa to them and to all Maui supporters!
DONNA MOSES, MARIE THOMAS, Hale Kau Kau Volunteers and Advisory Board Members
JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST FOIE GRAS
NFG (No Foie Gras) of Maui will take banning sale of foie gras to the streets.
We invite your readers to join our rally on Saturday, April 10, from 5:45 to 8 p.m. on Lahainaluna Road, where we will put our Constitutional/First Amendment rights to work and let Maui know how truly cruel foie gras is.
We do have undercover work from our group, and thus we can indeed prove how inhumane foie gras is to birds.
We also have statements from veterinary doctors attesting that force-feeding ducks is cruel. Vets attest to the pain and agony of a swollen liver — 12 times its natural size — really is to the ducks.
Fern Duvall, Hawaii state biologist, agrees with the fact that force-feeding is cruel.
The restaurants we are targeting to start a Maui County ban on this cruel to animals product are seven in number.
For more information on volunteering to make changes in Maui to be more humane to gentle ducks, call Barbara Steinberg at 879-0025 or visit www.banfoiegras.com.
BARBARA STEINBERG, Kihei
A MESSAGE FOR VEGANS
As a healthy, old omnivore, I find it rather annoying when some self-righteous “Vegan” slams me and other meat lovers for our delight in grinding down on a thick, juicy, Moooo rare Prime Porterhouse Steak.
And why-oh-why must you Vegans always find an opportunity to “announce” your dietary preferences for all to hear, such as on flights to and from the Mainland?
Sat next to several lawn-clipping enthusiasts over the years, and who, to the person, just had to tell me, in such a self righteous manner, “Oh, I’m a veterinarian.” Or, I just can’t eat this chicken because I’m a vegetarian and on and on… to nauseousness!
Quite frankly, neither I nor 99.968 percent of the normal population gives a rare prime rib what you care to eat. Hey Vegans, look at it this way. I’m helping your buddy, AL GORE, with his bogus global warming farce by eating as many methane-producing animals as I possibly can!
RON BOUDREAUX, Lahaina
GOP WHINING ABOUT ITS FORMER TACTICS
Poor John Boehner! So bitterly you wept as you bemoaned the Democrats ramming health care through Congress. And so pitifully, you sob, that they’ve violated the will of the American people!
But you see, John, I have an attention span, so I remember the past eight years, when both Congress and the entire Bush Administration were doing both of those every minute, and you were loving it! Typical Republican hypocrisy…
J. ANDREW SMITH, Via E-mail
WHO WILL FIX ROAD AT HONOLUA BAY?
I’d really like to thank Les Potts for his years of hard work and vigilance at Honolua Bay and surrounding areas. We’re coming from the same heart, but there are misunderstandings within his March 11, 2010 letter.
I’m not suggesting a simple paving of the surfers’ access road — the road must be designed in a way to tilt and direct the runoff toward the sediment retention basin. I wasn’t referring to a detention basin, but the sediment retention basin.
At Lipoa Point, the terraces and infield roads are well designed in order to direct the runoff to the sediment retention basin. All sediment retention basins are designed to handle overflows. For example, look at the ones in Honokowai and Kahana. They’re two different designs but function in the same way, made to overflow. The purpose is to separate the silt/sediments from spilling onto reef. The Honolua sediment retention basin is really efficient, and I have yet to see it overflow.
As far as a paved road attracting more tourists, I went there yesterday, and the road was so packed. The surfers’ access area reef is a barren substrate with nothing to step on. It no longer has corals or algae and almost no animal or plant life. There are just as many tourists as surfers on the access road. In fact, the surfers and whales are the tourist attraction at Honolua in the winter.
So, this remains a problem… and who will pay to have it addressed?
ISAO NAKAGAWA, Napili