Letters To The Editor
May 07, 2008 - MidWeek
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Del.icio.usThe go-go guv
Governor Lingle was pleased to know that Dan Boylan misses her as expressed in his recent column, in which he claims to have not heard much from her lately. We suggest that Mr. Boylan get out of his classroom from time to time.
Governor Lingle is among the most active governors in the country at the local, national and international level. And while she submitted a robust legislative package this year - including a major harbors modernization plan that the Democrat Transportation Committee chair called a “once-in-a-cycle (75 to 100 years) opportunity” - as well as proposals to enhance protection of our environment and natural resources and facilitate the building of affordable housing, the governor has always impressed upon her cabinet that legislation is only one of many ways to achieve great results for the people of Hawaii. She encourages us to be innovative in both substance and approach to problem solving.
Let us give you a look at part of her schedule from the week of April 19.
Monday she held a joint news conference with the assistant secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Energy to announce a $15 million public-private partnership to position Hawai’i's energy grid system to accept more renewable sources of energy, then she hosted JROTC cadets and their families at the Capitol, and did her monthly radio show in the afternoon.
Tuesday she attended a joint news conference with the deputy secretary of the U.S. Dept. of the Interior and the head of NOAA to announce the release of the draft management plan for the Papahanaumokuakea National Monument, kicked off a public meeting of energy regulators and providers at HECO to review national best practices on renewable energy, met with local Federal Highway officials about a joint project to establish an electronic system to better inform drivers of traffic situations, and teleconferenced with the director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources regarding drought mitigation.
Wednesday she met with various state departments and agencies regarding the very difficult situation of the existing Moloka’i water and sewer systems that will need to be operated as a result of Moloka’i Ranch’s shutdown. Later that day she met with officials from Hawaiian Air and the Airports Division regarding the discontinuation of passenger service by Aloha Airlines and ATA, and to develop contingency plans in case Aloha decided to cease its cargo operations, which has now become a reality.
Thursday she had lunch at Washington Place with 60 first-grade students, and met with a similar number of fifth-graders at the Capitol later that afternoon. She finished the day as the keynote speaker before more than 1,000 attendees at the Military Appreciation Kick-Off at the USS Missouri.
Friday the governor delivered a major speech on the current and future state of the economy at the Hawai’i Economic Association annual conference, which was carried live via the Internet.
Well, you get the idea.
Even if Mr. Boylan can’t make it to these events, surely, as a columnist and political commentator, he must read the papers, watch the news and surf the Internet. Many of the events the governor participated in were prominent stories in the news and in the governor’s e-newsletter. Some were web-streamed on the governor’s website, not to mention the ongoing news coverage of legislation the governor has signed into law or vetoed.
Barry Fukunaga, Chief of Staff
Linda Smith, Senior Advisor - Policy
Lenny Klompus, Senior Advisor - Communications
Death to disco
What on Earth is MidWeek doing publishing a story on a program for kids called “Baby Loves Disco”? Disco is the vilest form of American music ever invented - I dare say the only one - and to introduce young minds (and young musical tastes) to this god-awful stuff is a sin.
Darren Choi
Makiki
Taking on powers
I give Bob Jones credit for taking on the powers that be. One week he’s criticizing the “mys- terious” judging at Merrie Monarch, the next he’s taking on HPD and Chief Correa for their “code of silence.” Keep up the good fight, Mr. Jones.
Arthur Matsuda
Pearl City
Let voters decide
Thank you to Jerry Coffee for his column “Let The Voters Decide On Rail.” To me it looks like Mayor Hannemann is building a monument to himself. I suspect it will be named for him one day.
Janice K. Mills
Honolulu
As the neighbor of a rude jerk who runs his leaf blower at 7 a.m. on weekend mornings, among other times, thanks for The Other Coast cartoon, showing a woman on the phone talking with a guy in the yard with a leaf blower: “It’s the airport - they can’t hear the jets over the noise of your leaf blower.”
I know the feeling.
May Rae
Kaimuki
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