Shame on HELCO
Shame on HELCO
Let me get this straight. HELCO believes our middle class and poor are paying to operate its old and inefficient plants. Too bad HEI management prefers to give away the lion’s share of their profits to shareholders instead of spending those funds to upgrade its grid, which would reduce operating costs for all of us.
Why does HEI have the highest rate of giving away its profits to shareholders, compared to the entire U.S. electric power industry? I think HEI management has long favored their investors’ interests over Hawaii’s customers and our economy.
Public Utilities Commission, please don’t buy their argument that high rates are beyond their control. Hold them accountable for how they use their profits.
Elaine S Munro
Hilo
Russia vs. Ukraine
Over 20,000 Russian soldiers were killed defending Crimea from German invaders in 1941, and gratitude to Russia runs deep among the Russian-speaking people of the region. The people of western Ukraine have no such loyalties, and many are hoping that they will be able to join the NATO military alliance.
Relinquishing control of the Crimean ports to NATO is strategically unthinkable from a Russian perspective, and should it surprise anyone that Russia needs to prevent this from happening? What would the U.S. do if one day Southern California voted to secede from the U.S. and join an alliance with Mexico? Would the U.S. be willing to abandon San Diego naval facilities to control of another country?
John Lockwood
Volcano
This isn’t Honolulu
All the recent rain feels like the heavens crying for the trees lost to the near-total clear-cutting of “Panaewa highway” (Highway 11) medial strip. Will someone take responsibility for this desecration?
The medial strip forest, what’s left of it, blocks the sight and sound of traffic on the other side and in this way acts as a buffer to help drivers stay calmer and cleans the air on this busy four-lane highway access to/from Hilo. (And people used to eat the avocado and mango trees that have been eliminated.)
Please, please, please stop the senseless slaughter and “Honolulu-ifying” of Panaewa rainforest.
Mary Miho Finley
Volcano