‘A juvenile act’
‘A juvenile act’
After 22 years, I thought that some members of the lower Puna community would have learned that defacing public road signs is a juvenile act.
We here in Puna are well aware of the health and impacts of geothermal. However, this does not justify the immature action of some members of our community. As a former president of Leilani Community Association, I find it hard to understand why defacing public property is a way of protesting. Apparently, these folks think that defacing public property as a means of protest is somehow going to make Hawaii County shut down Puna Geothermal Venture. Sorry, that’s not happening. If anything, it gives the supporters of PGV the impression that the protesters have no respect for the community they live in.
I understand the impacts that PGV caused. I know first-hand. I lived here in Leilani with my wife since 1990 and experienced the June 12, 1991, blowout. My house was just 2,700 feet from the well that blew out. My wife and I both suffered health effects from that experience. Now, after two decades of geothermal operation, HELCO wants to add more geothermal energy.
Now that the Puna health study draft report has been released, it seems that there are those who decided that the health study group did not demand that they shut down the PGV plant. The Puna health study group was not formed to stop geothermal development, but to develop a health and safety plan to protect the community that surrounds PGV, and to find monitoring programs to further protect the community in the future.
So, now that it seems the outcome of this report was not what was expected, some members of our community decided to deface stop signs. I cannot comprehend how defacing stop signs will help stop development of geothermal in Puna. All they have done is make Puna unsightly, and it distracts from the true beauty of our ‘aina.
Alfred B Dettweiler
Pahoa
Cats are problem
I’m sure you all have been awakened by a barking dog at some point in your life. It gets frustrating, irritating and causes neighbor issues. But has anyone ever wondered why these dogs bark so much, especially at night? ROAMING CATS!
We know cats are nocturnal. Dogs are in their own yards, whether tied or fenced. It’s the cats that aren’t. They are trespassing and disturbing our sleep. They are trespassing, setting off the alarm of the neighborhood dogs! They leave their “calling card” — defecating in our garden/yard/driveway, and scent-marking — and it stinks. They are getting into our trash and some even have their kittens.
Next time you’re awakened by those barking dogs, remember it’s really your neighborhood cat roaming at night. You may say a dog is being a dog by barking at the cat, and the cat is being a cat because cats roam, but the difference is the dog is on its own property. It’s the cat that’s trespassing!
Cats need to be confined to their property as dogs are, or at least keep them in at night so we can sleep. Majority of these cats have homes; feral cats won’t be so close to people and dogs. Again, it’s the pet owner who is at fault, so what do we do about our inconsiderate neighbor with the cat?
Leatrice Venard
Hilo