Activities needed
I’m a Hilo High School student. Do you remember all the fun activities Hilo used to have? Such as Hilo Lanes on Kinoole Street? Or do you remember going down to the beach such as Richardson Ocean Park or 4-Mile and always having people bring their paddling boards down and letting the kids use it for the day?
When I was a little girl, I remember all those good times, but recently, Hilo hasn’t had as many fun things to do. I think Hilo could change not only the way it looks, but by the way we treat each other.
If Hilo had more community activities, it could help solve some of its issues and maybe it can actually save a person’s life.
In Hawaii, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds and it’s the 10th-leading cause of death among adults. During the period from 2010-14, Hawaii County had 952 suicide attempts and 180 suicides.
Think about what I just said: If Hilo has more activities and things to do, then maybe kids will stop getting depressed and sad about how their life is. Not everyone’s life is the same, and not everyone had a great childhood. But as of now, we could make a difference. We could change a kid’s life.
Instead of kids jumping off buildings, we want kids jumping on trampolines. Instead of having kids cutting themselves, we want them cutting out the negative people. Instead of kids overdosing, we want kids overdosing on laughter, love and excitement. If we start now, we could actually make a huge difference.
Tarissa Williams
Hilo
Cesspool upgrades
Regarding the $1.75 billion cost to replace cesspools statewide: Giant wastewater treatment plants? Thousands of homeowners forced to pay sewage dues for decades to come?
Politicians and bureaucrats need to get their mind out of the sewer pipe and implement cheaper, faster and cleaner ways to deal with the “cess-poop” crisis.
Composting toilets and gray-water systems!
Until some real leadership with guts moves to solve this problem quickly and effectively, just remember every time you go swimming in Puako, Kailua-Kona town, Hilo or Kapoho what’s gonna be floating along with you.
Shawn James Leavey
Honokaa