Culture war waged on news providers
For years, Republicans and Democrats have come together in a bipartisan investment to provide public media with $445 million annually, most of which directly supports free, non-commercial, locally run PBS television stations and National Public Radio stations across the country.
Such funding amounts to approximately 1/100th of 1 percent of the nation’s budget, or about $1.35 per citizen per year.
An accurately informed public is essential to a free and ordered society in which critical thinking rather than impulsive and misguided emotions rule the day. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting serves that goal by assisting local communities in providing free and proven-effective educational programming, which not only informs but enriches our life experience.
Our current administration and certain influential congressional leaders are waging culture war on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This essential public service must not falter because of ego-driven, self-serving interests whose very existence is dependent on an uninformed public.
Edward H. Schulman
Kailua-Kona
Road designs baffling
The left turn lane for Captain Cook Road has finally driven me to complain about the shortsightedness of the road engineers. When they designed the upgrade to the Napoopoo intersection, why didn’t they put in right turn lanes on all sides of the intersection?
Why didn’t they make the road wide enough to include a middle turn lane for people turning in and out of the businesses, and then turn the middle turn lane into a left turn lane for Captain Cook Road?
In fact, there should be a middle turn lane all along Mamalahoa Highway from the Kuakini Highway branch off in Honalo to Kealia. Ever since the light at Laaloa on Kuakini was installed, north-bound traffic is usually backed from that intersection to Lako Street. While these issues taken singly appear to be not much to complain about, there is an economic impact.
West Hawaii pays close to the highest fuel prices in the state. Every instance where we don’t get to where we are going in the most efficient way possible, it’s money being burned away and it’s bad for the environment.
Pamela Hinch
Kahauloa