Keeping our island safe in emergencies

The recent natural disasters in Samoa, the Philippines and elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region have brought us closer together and reminded us, once again, of the need to be prepared for emergencies. I deeply appreciate the generosity and eagerness of so many to help our neighbors. 

We must not forget that we, in Hawaii, are also vulnerable to tsunamis, and that we need to be ready. Makai portions of East Oahu neighborhoods such as Portlock, Hawaii Kai, Kahala and Waikiki are among those that could be especially at risk. Following is some very important information from our Department of Emergency Management that everyone should be aware of.

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Energy Reform

Today, everyone wants to be environmentally friendly and ‘green.’  Nearly every commercial these days has another company touting its environmental credentials.  The government is no different.  The difficulty in crafting environmental legislation, however, is making sensible choices and avoiding money give-aways.

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New Sidewalk Patrol focuses on Waikiki

I’m very pleased to announce our new Community Sidewalk Patrol, a program that will enlist the aid of volunteers to help the City repair its sidewalks.

The program’s first focus is Waikiki, due to its heavy pedestrian traffic. During the work week, City personnel will survey the sidewalks and spray paint areas determined to be potential trip hazards needing repairs. The volunteers, supervised by City personnel, will follow with an application of a quick-drying concrete patch to alleviate the problem.

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The Tipping Point

When providing educational sessions to “Unlimited Support” clients of Hawaii Kai Computer Guy, I often compare the emergence of the Internet to the Industrial Revolution. This period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries saw major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining and transportation, and had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions in Europe, North America and eventually the world. The onset marked a major turning point in human society; almost every aspect of daily life was eventually influenced in some way.

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Reforming Healthcare

The President has correctly diagnosed the need for major healthcare reform in our country.  The problem is that the prescription being offered by the majority in Congress is worse than the disease.

Healthcare costs have been rising faster than inflation for several years.  These costs consume an ever-increasing portion of all family and business budgets, including the City government’s budget.  Indeed, the city and state governments face an increasingly difficult time balancing the budget because of the rapid escalating cost of healthcare coverage.  When I entered the City Council I was struck that even when the city saw an increase in tax revenues, almost the entire increase was consumed by increasing healthcare costs.

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Weighing Student Privacy Against School Safety

If you were to draw up a list of the most worrisome safety issues facing public schools in Hawai‘i, trying to tackle the long-standing problem of illegal drugs and alcohol would rank right near the top.

Illegal drugs have no rightful place anywhere in our state.

They have even less of a place in our schools, where drugs and alcohol can severely impair academic performance while leading to class disruption, violence and other such irresponsible behaviors as skipping classes or failing to complete assignments.

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Rallying community around recycling

Saint Louis School has big hopes for a new effort to renew enthusiasm for recycling in East Oahu communities.

The student athletes and coaches will be at the forefront of an issue that has been in the state’s public eye for a long time.

On Saturday, August 22, they will be working with alumni and other volunteers on a community service project that provides cash incentives for East Oahu residents to recycle.

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Why We Need to Ship Waste

Every community in America has to find a way to take out its trash. The particular problem for us in Hawaii is that we lack a place to put all of our trash.

Oahu currently has only one landfill that takes all of our community’s municipal solid waste. This landfill, Waimanalo Gulch, located in West Oahu has been, and continues to be, the subject of enormous controversy. Several years ago, the City pledged to close Waimanalo Gulch, but has not followed through on the pledge.

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Making Yourself Recession-Proof

The news reminds us daily of the unfortunate economic situation that our country and state are in. In the midst of this downturn, there are many things we can do for ourselves to increase our successes in our personal and professional lives. This way we can make ourselves as recession-proof as possible and thrive in good and bad times.

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It's Winnin' Time

For the Rainbow baseball team, it's as simple as that. Win as many games as possible, for as long as possible, and see what happens from there.

Anything is feasible. Ask Fresno State. After all, the Bulldogs kept winning games last year and they ended up national champs.

I'm not saying Hawaii has the kind of team to win the NCAA title, but the Rainbows should be good enough to play deep into the Western Athletic Conference tournament, which began May 21 at Murakami Stadium.

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