Remembering Jerry Rothstein
For old-timers on the island, the name Jerry Rothstein is familiar, and for younger people, his courage is worth remembering. It is 20 years now since a traffic accident killed both him and his wife, Judy, a librarian, on Jan. 23, 2005
The late 1970s to the 1990s were the heyday of tourism proposals and development in South Kohala and North Kona. Rothstein was best known as an environmentalist who didn’t want a hotel sited right at Hapuna Beach.
With others — because the proposal was very controversial 1985 to 1988 — he mounted an election initiative. Although Rothstein was a mellow man, virtually never abrasive toward those he opposed, he was frequently labeled a radical activist and worse.
The ballot measure lost in 1988, and the majority of the pro-development votes came from the Hilo side of the island. Rothstein should be credited, however, with securing additional public beach parking spots at the adjacent Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, which then numbered 10 — not a lot more now, but better.
Most lasting was his success in the well-known PASH (Public Access Shoreline Hawaii) court case, mounted alongside the Protect Kohanaiki Ohana.
It provided that the counties must consider Hawaiian traditional practices and gathering rights when making decisions, and eventually led to a requirement for cultural impact statements.
Judy Graham
Waimea
We are in a new era
of climate change
As Los Angeles burned for days on end, scientists made an announcement that 2024 was the hottest year on record.
With temperatures rising around the globe, scientists are warning that the world has entered a dangerous new era of chaotic floods, storms and fires made worse by human-caused climate change.
The firestorms ravaging our country’s second-largest city are just the latest of extreme weather that is growing more furious as well as more unpredictable.
Wildfires are highly unusual in Southern California in January, which is supposed to be the rainy season. The same is true for cyclones in Appalachia, where hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through mountain communities in October.
Wildfires are burning hotter and moving faster. Storms are getting bigger and carrying more moisture. And soaring temperatures worldwide are leading to heat waves and drought, which can be devastating on their own.
Around the globe, extreme weather and searing heat killed thousands of people last year and displaced millions. In Europe, extreme heat contributed to at least 47,000 deaths in 2023. In the United States, heat-related deaths have doubled in recent decades.
“We’re in a new era now,” said former Vice President Al Gore, who has warned of the threats of global warming for decades. “These climate-related extreme events are increasing, both in frequency and intensity, quite rapidly.”
The question remains: When are we going to stop killing our planet from burning fossil fuels to power our homes, cars and industries?
Ron Sadler
Kihei, Maui
