Village article real eye-opener
Great article about our vagrancy problem. I work in the downtown area and daily see what this issue is doing to our tourist industry. Tourists have been threatened and business owners are threatened daily.
Two issues that may need to be addressed: 1.) 911 calls may go to Hilo where dispatch may not know the area and hence the delay. 2.) Our police need some tools to address this vagrancy issue, i.e. vagrancy laws, loitering laws and other laws with teeth that will move the vagrants out.
Your second great point is the total lack of accountability with taxpayer money in KVID. I did not realize the amount of money collected with little visibility to show for it. It seems that the county government is really good at getting taxpayer money but not so good at spending it wisely.
Keep up the good coverage on vagrancy — nothing will happen without continued coverage. County council needs to step up with enforceable laws.
Jim Wolfinger
Kailua-Kona
Difficult but possible balancing act
The editor does a fine job with his columns concerning the TMT. I am committed firmly to the TMT site on Maunakea as the other countries around the world are involved who explore outer space. I believe in the first celestial navigator, Mau Piailug, who drew in the sand on his little Pacific island.
I lived in a country for three years that was bi-culture so I know it can be done. Sometimes I wonder if I am hostage to a religion and culture not my own but which I honor and respect.
Annette Green
Kailua-Kona
Memories of Virginia Isbell worth sharing
Aloha oe Virginia Isbell — 25 years later, the recollections shared by Virginia’s family bring clarity to the character and nature of this remarkable woman.
When 50 Hawaiian Homestead families moved into their brand new homes in the Panaewa Residence Lots 3 &4 (PRLU 3&4) in 1991, our joy was short-lived. We found that the contractor and DHHL had failed to comply with code and standard construction practices.
Also, subterranean termites, rusting roofs, collapsing septic tanks and houses all keyed with the same four keys were among the issues that were discovered. On top of these things, DHHL and the lender ignored our requests to make the trust at PRLU 3&4 whole.
When almost no one else would listen to our organized community, Rep. Virginia Isbell reached out to us, and helped us in more ways than we can share in this note. But in the end, she rallied her legislative cohort, and DHHL was forced to settle.
Virginia had nothing to gain by reaching out to us in Hilo, but her heart and commitment to pono made her an ally. While the original promise made by DHHL to 50 beneficiary families was broken, Virginia’s care helped to mend it. And hopefully our experience will help future beneficiaries.
Today, those houses are homes to families. Like Virginia, some of our kupuna have left us to travel a new path. But Virginia and those kupuna who have moved on always have a place of aloha with us. To Virginia’s family, mahalo for sharing her with all of us.
Ke Akua pu, a hui hou kakou.
Onaona and Kepā Maly
Hilo