Letters to the Editor: July 12, 2021

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Unacceptable behavior

I have lived in Kona a long time and have gotten to know many of our local people who work in the service industry here; restaurants, grocery stores, shops, etc. Lately, these friends have been sharing with me what they are going through (sometimes through tears), and I am compelled to write this letter as a plea for everyone’s kokua, especially the visitors.

My friends are being verbally abused daily (especially at restaurants on Alii Drive) by those with a sense of entitlement and invincibility. I am a witness myself. Adults throwing tantrums and berating our service workers for simply doing their jobs enforcing the mask mandates. This behavior is absolutely unacceptable. Some people visiting our island(s) seem to think they can blatantly disregard the protocols put in place for everyone’s health and safety. Really? All they have to do is wear a mask until they sit down or leave a store. How hard is that?

Jane Burton

Kailua-Kona

Why the extreme change?

I am writing this letter because I’m not sure which county office controls light signals in Kona, but I would like to know whose bright idea it was to change the timing of the left-turn signal on Henry Street to go into the Walmart parking lot. I’ve noticed recently that the turn signal only stays active to allow one or possibly two cars through (and that is only if the first car goes fast enough) before it changes to the green light requiring a yield to on coming traffic.

This is a terrible change. The left-turn lane now backs up in busy times to the point it sometimes interferes with the traffic attempting to go straight. It used to stay active for at least four or fove cars before. Why the extreme change?

Geri Strigin

Kailua-Kona

Letters policy

Letters to the editor should be 300 words or less and will be edited for style and grammar. Submit online at www.westhawaiitoday.com/?p=118321 or via email to letters@westhawaiitoday.com.