Roundabout needed
So sad to read about a fatal motorcycle-car crash on Highway 11 right at the entrance to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Tribune-Herald, April 20).
HVNP has recently announced a revised park entrance plan that includes a new roundabout inside the toll booth gates. This will certainly be a nice feature, but it will be located in a low-speed, relatively safe area.
Far more valuable would be a roundabout on Highway 11 at the T-intersection where vehicles turn off Highway 11 to enter the side road that leads to the HVNP toll gates. The safety of roundabouts is well-documented as they necessarily require a reduced speed limit and essentially minimize, or eliminate, the danger of turning and crossing conflicts that can so easily result in serious injury or death.
For local drivers and for the thousands of visitors who are driving unfamiliar rental cars and negotiating an unfamiliar park entrance, perhaps at night or in fog or rain, the predictability of a slower speed roundabout would be a most-welcomed safety improvement.
Ron Reilly
Volcano Village
Horrified and confused
Dear Hawaii legislators: What is going on in Honolulu? Have you lost your minds?
I own a small restaurant, Bamboo, in Hawi on the Big Island. Last year, I received Restaurant Revitalization Funds from the federal government.
I was told: Spend that money! Keep all of your employees working! Build outdoor dining for COVID! Make repairs! Spend that money! Keep your people working!
Recently, I learned that the state of Hawaii wants $78,000 of that money that I spent according to the marching orders. Seventy-eight thousand dollars.
I have a one-horse, free-standing restaurant that is woman-owned. Women and veterans were given priority by the federal government, and we were not told we would be paying taxes a year later. Had I known, I would have saved that money.
The state has given me three business days to come up with a huge sum. Any later, and interest and penalties accrue.
I run a restaurant, not a goldmine. I make a profit of 30 cents on a hamburger. Maybe I can sell 250,000 hamburgers in three days?
Seriously, what am I supposed to do? Sell my house in three days? Take out a loan for $78,000 in three days? Close the business to get this money? What?
This is a direct attack on the same woman- and veteran-owned restaurants that Joe Biden was trying to help. Why are you doing this to us? What do you want me to do? I am mystified by this attack. And horrified. And confused. And very, very, scared.
Joan Channon
Owner, Bamboo Restaurant
Hawi
Chickens aplenty
I was happy to read the letter regarding the benefits of feral chickens and have something to add.
The Waimea Nature Park, Ulu La‘au, located in Waimea, is overrun with chickens of all sizes. There are many young ones right now, and they are very easy to catch. If you have the space, would like to raise chickens for eggs or food, or want to increase your existing population, we have plenty to share.
Feral hens that live off bugs and plants lay the best eggs!
Cheryl Langton
Waimea Outdoor Circle
‘Lazy journalists’
If you must add to the ignorance of the mask discussion, please take the time to publish your own drivel.
Reprinting the right-wing Republican stupidity from the Detroit News cheapens the discussion and shows what lazy journalists you are.
John Abplanalp
Pahoa