Navy plan is ‘great’
Navy plan is ‘great’
The Green Party of Hawaii would like to weigh in on the controversy over the Navy’s proposal to cover the historic runway on Pearl Harbor’s Ford Island with solar panels.
The plan has been criticized recently by preservationists and others. The Pacific Aviation Museum’s executive director, Kenneth DeHoff, called the plan “an atrocity.”
In fact, an earlier and similar plan to install solar panels on the Navy’s old Ewa Field runways at Barbers Point was canceled after an outcry by historic preservationists.
While the Green Party recognizes the significance of the Ford Island runway and respects historical concerns, we applaud the Navy for this innovative step toward merging the past with the future, and we do not feel the solar panels would degrade the memory of World War II and other events on Ford Island.
It really is an ingenious move. As time marches on we cannot afford to set aside every historical site in Hawaii, and here the Navy is both honoring the history of Ford Island runway by designing the solar panel array to preserve the look of the original runway, while showcasing the Navy’s commitment to 21st century sustainable energy solutions. I think it’s great.
Mark Van Doren
Co-Chair Green Party
of Hawaii
Kurtistown
Working for keiki
Educators in Keaau, Ka‘u and Pahoa are, and have always been, innovators in education. We have the highest numbers of charter schools to prove it, along with many accomplishments throughout ALL of our schools. We’ve been rewarded for our pioneering spirit over and over again.
Recently, the bulk of the educational conversation around Hawaii watercoolers and Board of Education meetings has been directed toward all things wrong with the Race to the Top initiatives. I see daily the enormous amount of work that is required by these initiatives and how it causes extreme anxiety among classroom teachers and students.
I see the anguish as more accountability is required to demonstrate what it is we all are doing, and then demonstrating this in a data-driven manner. It is extremely hard work, but our teachers and students are doing it.
We question: Why this Race to the Top way for teacher and student evaluation, and why that Race to the Top way to innovate educational change? … Educators in Keaau, Ka‘u and Pahoa are innovative education professionals who demand three things:
1) What’s best for our students;
2) What’s best for our profession;
3) What’s best for our community.
Let’s look beyond all the negative rhetoric and look back at what we’ve done right for our kids. I encourage everyone to celebrate the successes of this school year. Every stakeholder has had a tough time making it this past school year, but we’re all still here persevering and working towards what is best for our keiki.
Evette Tampos
Hilo
Take a broader view
Regarding the coral signatures on Queen Kaahumanu Highway: I had the great honor of being invited to become an associate member of the Waimea Hawaiian Civic Club in 1973 by Elaine Flores, then president. We hiked many places and historic sites, including the altar on the King’s Trail near Anaeho‘omalu. This is where the annual transition of the Makahiki once took place, with an entourage from the north meeting with an entourage from the south to make offerings in the celebration of this time of year.
There were about six people, including the revered Edith Kanaka‘ole and her husband. This area is known for the large petroglyph beds from older and ancient times. Mrs. Kanaka‘ole commented on the white coral writings by saying, “It is interesting that this area still inspires signature.”
This has stayed with me and is what I think of every time I see new additions. This is a wise and cosmic view that needs to be considered.
Sharon Hayden
Hawi