Cluster concerns
Mayor Harry Kim needs to put a lockdown on Hawaii Island to further prevent the spread of COVID-19.
He has always stressed that he must protect public safety, but failing to put further restrictions will eventually overwhelm our health care system.
His statement that “No lockdown would have prevented those cases,” adding that while the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home cluster is tragic, it is largely self-contained and doesn’t threaten the greater Hawaii Island community.
My daughter had to quarantine because her mother is employed at Yukio Okutsu and was COVID-19 positive. At least 20 employees were COVID-19 positive so far, and every one of those employees lives with their families. Some live in multi-generation households that exceed 10 people.
The possibility of the Yukio Okutsu cluster threatening our island is tremendous, and we must do everything possible to protect public health and safety.
Jerald Satake
Hilo
Burn the waste
So, where are we gonna put our trash when Kona gets full? I asked our mayor’s office if we could do trash-to-energy, like on Oahu. I was told we don’t make enough trash to make it work.
So, here’s an idea: We already have a sorting station in Hilo. Let’s use it to separate the burnables.
Instead of sending five full trash trucks the 90 miles to Kona, we only send two, and the other three take the combustibles 5 miles to Pepeekeo and mix it with the wood chips and make electricity.
The dump lasts longer, the trees last longer and we get off oil-burning, not to mention all the jobs for our kids — welders, mechanics, operators, truck drivers, instrument techs, lumberjacks, even scientists and boat captains.
That’s right, every year a boat and diver and professor go off the power plant’s coast and document the fish and coral in the area. Guess what? After several decades, there’s been no coral damage and plenty fish.
So stop complaining, and get on the renewable energy bandwagon.
Anthony Guiteras
Papaikou
It’s about respect
Why wear a mask?
There is only one reason to wear a mask: Respect for kupuna.
Whether a veteran who fought for the freedoms that we enjoy every day, or the family and friends who raised us to be contributing members of society — we owe them. Period.
Wear a mask.
Robin Van Cleave
Kurtistown
