Visitors don’t mind paying their fair share
I think that the suggestion to make visitors pay to visit our beaches is a wonderful idea. My goodness, not too long ago the county put lifeguards at Kua Bay beach. Parking there is free and it is very popular. The county also has lifeguards at Kahaluu Beach as well as White Sands Beach. Again, parking is free. We as taxpayers are paying to staff these lifeguard stations. Just think, having visitors pay for parking would give jobs to our locals to patrol the parking lots and collect fees. It seems to work for Hapuna Beach where visitors pay to park and just look at how packed the parking lot is. Visitors don’t mind paying their fair share. The visitors pay at the parking lot on the corner of Alii and Hualalai and is generally full with visitors. They pay for convenience because they could park at Coconut Grove, but then they would have farther to walk to get to the restaurants in the center of town. Maybe some people do not mind spending their tax dollars to funds these areas. Many of us would rather have the visitors help out with expenses so our tax money can be put to better use elsewhere. This would benefit us all including visitors. This great idea also sends an aloha message to our residents, the taxpayers.
Elizabeth Purse
Waimea
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Not to worry
Mikie Kerr’s confusing rant of unsupported allegations and questions in the Feb. 16 issue of WHT is reminiscent of the complaints about the damage to the buggy whip industry being caused by the switch to motorized vehicles in the early 20th century.
Two-stroke engines with their climate-damaging emissions are long outdated today. Modern electric motors are more efficient, cheaper to run, and much quieter.
Of course, we all will miss that loud putt-putt of the two-stroke just like we miss old Dobbin who pulled our buggy long ago. Never mind that he required food, water, a vet, a farrier, and he littered the roads with foul and unsanitary excretions.
It’s true that you can’t get loyalty or even friendship from a motor, but some things are lost when technology shifts to a better paradigm.
John Sucke
Waimea
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What’s the difference?
The owners of one property do not want a gate at Kaiolu Drive along Alii Drive in Kona. They are saying “public access has been grandfathered in” due to many years of use by surfers. Now let’s go to Hilo with the Papaikou Mill Beach trail, which has also been used for years by the general public. It has a gate that is closed during certain times not allowing the general public through, but it is not “grandfathered in.” What is the difference? Is “grandpa” only good on the west side and not the east side of the island or is there more to the story that the public does not get to see, you know, like money?
Teresa Tagon
Keauhou
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Walker is going to be the greatest
Jordan Walker was the 21st pick of the first round in the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft. Walker is a 6 feet, 6 inch tall, weighing 235 pound third baseman for the storied St. Louis Cardinals. He’s only 19 and is extremely personable and humble in interviews. I only wish great things for him.
Harold Reynolds, who is my favorite sports broadcaster said, Walker is extremely athletic for his size and could hit to the opposite field at a young age which is hard to do. Jordan looked up to Hall of Famer Chipper Jones and wants to be better than Chipper. Knowing this kid has a bright brain on him, this will happen which is really scary.
Having played only one professional season in the minors and jumped to low A level, Walker cards are going for several thousands. That’s unheard of in my mind and I only see Walker becoming one of the greatest to play the game of baseball. Enough said!
Dean Nagasako
Waimea
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No more war
No war with Russia or China. The U.S. doesn’t own the world. The increasing U.S. military tensions with Russia over Ukraine, and with China over Taiwan is just nuts. Most U.S. corporate media are fanning the flames of war hysteria. At the core of the problem is the U.S. distorted view of itself as the Global Big Dog — the “exceptional” nation that owns the world. The U.S. believes it has the right to be the global empire that dictates to all other nations, and the mass media, with few exceptions, polishes that false image.
We need a world of global cooperation not military confrontation and domination. We have enough major human problems to deal with — a global pandemic, rapidly increasing climate crises – intense storms, wild-fires, drought, rising sea levels, rising temperatures, etc. Not to mention global hunger and a growing addiction problem. Just in the past year more than 100,000 people in the US died from drug overdoses. That is horrifying but the worst US addiction is the nation’s addiction to war. Over the past few decades, millions have been killed, injured, or made refugees from US wars and regime change operations.
The major US drug dealer is the Military-Industrial Media Complex – made up of the arms makers, bi-partisan lawmakers, and the mass media (with CIA and retired military talking head pundits) that weave the yarn of the need for war and more war. The spin is about “freedom and democracy,” but the reality is profits for the weapons makers and US global domination. America is in desperate need of a 12-step program to end its addiction to war.
Jim Albertini
President Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education
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Kumu Hou at Waikoloa maintains jobs, creates community opportunities
For 10 years, I’ve served as the director of golf for the Waikoloa Beach Resort. As such, I was disappointed to read the recent letter to the editor from Jamie Reno, suggesting that Kumu Hou at Waikoloa would hurt our workforce and would not benefit our greater community. Reno’s claims are inaccurate, and I’m happy to share why a decades-long golfer like myself strongly supports the project.
First, the alteration of the golf course did not permanently eliminate any existing positions. Our workforce remains an invaluable part of our community, and the re-imagined 27-hole golf experience simultaneously preserved employment opportunities and the integrity of the additional open space throughout Waikoloa. Additionally, timeshare guests are 350% more likely to play golf, ensuring the course’s viability.
Second, Kumu Hou will foster meaningful opportunities for our community. The project will ensure the creation of no less than 140 affordable workforce rental housing units for island residents. The Kohala Coast needs affordable housing, and I’m energized by the Waikoloa Land Company’s commitment to creating housing opportunities when they’ve already fulfilled their affordable housing commitments. The Waikoloa Land Company’s commitment to community is also evident in their support of The Waikoloa Foundation. A portion of each timeshare sale will be set aside to fund a $45 million endowment for The foundation, ensuring its stewardship efforts can continue in perpetuity. During the holiday season, I had the honor of supporting The foundation’s food drive for The Food Basket, providing 700 pounds of food to hungry families across the island, during a time when half of our island’s population was in great need. Kumu Hou will allow the foundation to expand upon work like this for years to come. More developers should follow Waikoloa Land Company’s lead, creating regenerative solutions with the community at heart.
Kevin Ginoza
Waikoloa
Letters policy
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Editor
West Hawaii Today
PO Box 789
Kailua-Kona, HI 96745