Pulling together
The devastation in Puerto Rico and in Florida from the recent hurricanes is tremendous, and it is encouraging to see that citizens, Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are willing to pull together in what will undoubtedly be a long and arduous recovery process.
I don’t know these areas of the country myself, but I have listened to the federal government responses thus far, and I’m encouraged to see that we will not have to experience a “made for TV” paper towel recovery plan that was characteristic of the former administration.
Maybe our friends and relatives on the mainland might want to reconsider who best represents our better angels as we begin voting in 2022.
Mary Hudak
Hilo
Too much vaping
Youth vaping is a large problem that is affecting the children of today. Even just at Hilo High School, there’s more than enough evidence to see the problem and the effects it has on the student population.
Throughout the school day, during any break you can usually find kids vaping, often in groups behind the school or in bathroom stalls. These groups of students are often in extremely close proximity to one another and sometimes in areas of low ventilation.
These groups can be at risk since the smoke that vapes release can cause a whole slew of problems like sustained shortness of breath and bronchitis, even if you’re not the one actually vaping.
You may think the risks would dissuade kids, but they don’t, and many people end up being pressured by friends or peers … and it spreads from person to person almost like how a infection spreads.
Most people know that vaping can be harmful, even many who choose to indulge in it, but it has become such a big part of teen culture that many can feel pressured to join in, even if they normally wouldn’t due to friends or peers.
I don’t think that I can find a good solution for this problem. Nothing I can do or say will truly fix it. All I can think to do is ask those who may see this to spread the word, and if you happen to be that vaping youth, think about yourself and those around you.
Vaping doesn’t make you look cool or help you fit in, it will just get you in trouble and make you sick.
Christian Hernandez
Hilo High School student
Keaukaha road idea
Transportation in Hawaii is essential for all of its citizens in their day-to-day life. But what happens when the road isn’t up to standards?
With the roads in Keaukaha being all messed up, it has caused an unimaginable amount of wasted time, jobs lost and late days for all of its citizens living in Keaukaha. And as time continues, the road has only gotten worse, and in the process is making the traffic even more bothersome.
I believe that the traffic in Keaukaha is becoming worse and worse as the County of Hawaii does a very poor job of maintaining the road’s stability, and it shows from the start of school in 2021, where the bus from Keaukaha wouldn’t arrive at Hilo High School until 8 a.m, or sometimes even later, due to how bad the traffic was when the road was all busted up.
As for someone who only lives with his mother and his sister, it gets very hard for my mother to keep us in a home, especially when her only way to work is obscured by traffic.
I am writing this letter in hopes that the county will take my advice on how things could be fixed here in Keaukaha by simply changing the time of construction later into the evening, somewhere around 6 p.m. to 10 pm. It could solve a lot of the issues of early morning traffic.
Like a car, you need to take care of it to keep it maintained and running smoothly, but if you don’t take care of the small issues that it has, it will slowly begin to run its course and begin to die out until it’s damaged beyond repair. That’s what will happen to the roads if the county doesn’t do anything about it soon.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Julian F. Garcia
Hilo High School student
