Make Keohokalole Highway project top roadway priority
Ane Keohokalole Highway Phase III should be top transportation project for Hawaii County in North Kona. This segment will connect Hina-Lani Street to Kaminani Drive, so we’ll be able to drive from Henry Street to Kona Palisades without having to use Mamalahoa or Queen Kaahumanu highways.
This will help address chronic traffic circulation issues prevalent in this area. It’s frustrating to see the horrible traffic congestion on Highway 190, especially in the mornings and afternoon at the Hina-Lani Street intersection. The intersection at Kaiminani Drive and Queen Kaahumanu Highway is another traffic congestion hotspot. Both of these issues will be addressed if the county proceeds with Phase III of Ane Keohokalole Highway.
There has been some discussion about resurrecting the Alii Parkway project in light of the completion of the Alii Drive extension (Mamalahoa Highway bypass) instead of proceeding with Ane Keohokalole Highway. I strongly believe this would be a huge mistake. Hawaii County has spent decades and untold millions of dollars to construct this road with nothing to show for it. I highly doubt the lingering archaeological issues will ever be resolved, especially with the renewed focus on preserving sensitive Native Hawaiian archaeological sites.
The Hawaii DOT has started preliminary planing to widen Queen Kaahumanu Highway extension (from Henry Street) and Kuakini Highway past Kamehameha III Road, which should adequately address the ongoing congestion issues in this area.
I hope Mayor Kim’s administration decides to proceed with Ane Keohokalole Highway Phase III instead of Alii Parkway. The latter project divided the community when the county tried to proceed around 13 years ago. Ane Keohokalole Highway Phase III is a better choice for the community.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona
DOE strategy pure folly
The article on the Hawaii DOE’s “new approach” to retaining qualified teachers who are vested in our local community would be laughable if not so tragic. Their idea to outsource our children’s education to foreign teachers, presumably because they would cost less, shows the DOE is totally out of touch with reality.
Better pay and benefits is the only answer. My daughter, who graduated from high school here, went to college on Oahu and got her master’s at UH moved to San Diego to teach. Why? Well, she makes twice as much in base pay plus gets 100 percent medical and a better pension. Hawaii just lost a terrific teacher because it is too cheap to pay what a good teacher is worth.
Another friend of ours who has been teaching here for two years is going back to the mainland because she is not getting paid enough to live here. The state of Hawaii must pay better wages and benefits to encourage our local kids to remain here and see teaching as a valued occupation. Millions of dollars could be raised for education by taxing multi-million dollar vacation homes and resorts. The idea that these multi-millionaires would not come here because we raised their taxes a few percentage points is idiotic. Where are they going to go? Mexico, with the drug lords?
An educated population benefits everyone. The DOE needs to get real on what it takes to retain quality teachers.
Joseph Appleton
Waimea
Helpers appreciated
Mahalo to individuals, groups and businesses who generously stepped up to help our effort to feed blood donors after our donation.
We warmly appreciate you. It does take a village
Melanie Carr and Janice Onaka
Kona