Motorcycling just embarrassing
When I was 10 years old we would ride our bikes around the neighborhood with long skinny balloons tired to the frame so the spokes would hit them and – putt – putt – putt – it would sound like we were motorized!
At 10 we thought that was really cool! What is the excuse for this bunch who are not 10 but near my age now — over 60 — who travel down Alii Drive on their loud, obnoxious motorcycles blasting out the most objectionable noise pollution possible.
Recently there was a ship in and it appeared many of the passengers on the street were not Americans. What an embarrassment as this bunch of overage, overweight, role-playing characters with pony tails coming off their balding heads came down the street.
Of course, no one missed it because of the gawd awful noise. I have looked up the state law and the so-called “mufflers” on these “hogs” (what an appropriate name in more ways than one) are illegal. I know many cities on the mainland enforce this noise pollution law strictly.
I think it might be time for a bit of grown up enforcement in Kailua-Kona on Alii Drive!
Bill Johnston
Kailua-Kona
Truth behind Airbnb ads
I see a lot of anti Airbnb spots lately on TV about all these mainland investors buying up houses and renting them out and sending all the big profits to the mainland.Who dreams these falsehoods?
True, there are many short-term vacation rentals here but most are owned by local people trying to make ends meet. When you see these ads, usually during the news, you may notice the fine print at the bottom saying “paid for by the Pacific Resource Partnership.” In case you don’t know, they are another name for Hawaii’s construction unions. They want to run the little guy out so the demand for more expensive hotels will justify building them by guess who — mainland and foreign investors using union labor who will send all the profits to everywhere in the world besides Hawaii.
James Duke
Honaunau