Letters to the Editor
Help protect tourism by fighting youth crime
Now that the tourist influx is back to help our economy, let us remember that crime can quickly deter our visitors from visiting our Islands.
Crime Stopper Patrols: Good job. Call them buggers in when you see a crime.
With spring and summer coming up, we have to establish viable outlets for our youth, such as places for skateboarding, roller-blading, bicycling and kite-flying.
As I read the Advertiser Police Beat, I shake my head in disgust. We live on a beautiful island with aloha all around, yet we are allowing certain numbers of our neighbors to ruin our island's special aloha.
Parents, legislators, local business leaders: Let's get involved and stay involved in keeping Hawai'i safe and attractive for ourselves and future generations and also for our precious visitors, who take first impressions of our home back to the Mainland and points beyond.
Efrem Williams
Arrogant Democrats are picking our pockets
The arrogant Democratic Party has shown the citizens of Hawai'i it is not able to control spending and must now extend the long arm of government deeper into our pockets.
We might have to pay $10 per person to pay for long-term care for the elderly. We might pay more in taxes for choosing to have a couple of drinks at dinner. Traffic cameras are on the lookout to pick our pockets on various roadways. The hurricane "fund" is now officially a tax since it will be used to balance a bloated state budget. The government is condemning private land all over the island.
The size and scope of government are way too large, and we must vote those who continue to spend our hard-earned money out of office in November.
The threat of shutting down essential services comes on an annual basis, and we never hear a word about eliminating higher-paying, and less-productive, administrative positions.
We cannot sustain the out-of-control spending. Change must come this election year.
Robert Thurston
Hale'iwa
Fresh Start program provides second chance
On Feb. 5, I entered the Fresh Start Inc., a structured, supportive, living-skills program, on my own initiative. I was seeking a better alternative than living on my own or returning to the streets.
Immediately, I could tell that my choice to enter the program was a right one. After my screening and intake were complete, I was set up with a room in a very comfortable apartment. Having come directly from OCCC, I had no food, money or clothes, and the program quickly addressed the need for food and clothing. The environment eliminates the immediate need for money, so that was no longer my main concern. I was assisted immediately by the program director's wife, Norma Jean Barker, and I submitted my application for state aid.
As other issues were raised again, my request for assistance in addressing each issue was met with a kind and concerned attitude. Because of this, I have been able to enter my transitional phase of recovery from drug use with a smile on my face.
I have been able to speak with program director Ron Barker on many occasions (as busy as he is) concerning matters directly related to my being here at Fresh Start. During these conversations, I have witnessed Mr. Barker's deep concern for all the individual residents in the Fresh Start program. Mr. Barker's concerns for his clients I feel are real and unyielding.
The Fresh Start program allows an individual who is serious about getting his life back in order and re-entering the community an excellent chance to address and change many aspects of his life.
I deeply appreciate the opportunity to enter the Fresh Start program, and it is my hope that this letter will shine an encouraging light on anyone reading it.
Myron C. Lathan
Democrats are ones who are out of touch
It's not surprising that Democratic machine politician Brian Schatz would state in his March 18 letter that the Republican Party is out of touch on campaign reform. As an employee of one of the largest public relations firms in town, I would expect him to put a Democratic "spin" on this issue.
But first he has to have the guts to publicly condemn the practice of busing felons and parolees into the Makiki-Tantalus neighborhood to do sign-waving for Democratic candidates. Only when he finds the courage to do that can he speak with any moral authority about campaign reform.
And I say this not just as a Republican but as the father of a 9-year-old daughter who is dropped off from her special-educational needs school every day just across the street from where his Democratic machine brought in felons and parolees to do their sign-waving a few weeks ago.
To Mr. Schatz, Mr. Harris and the Democratic Party: By your silence, you give your consent.
And if any representative of the Democratic Party has a problem with anything I've said, I'd be happy to meet them anytime and share my concerns.
Phil Meyers
Golf in Hawai'i brings out real aloha spirit
I hope this letter will say some of the things I ought to have told the Advertiser reporter when he interviewed me at Bayview about golfing in Hawai'i.
During the last 10 years, I have been playing golf at various locations in Hawai'i. Since I have failed to acquire proficiency, my play has been mostly confined to the shorter courses, such as Hawai'i Kai Executive and Bayview. From everyone I have encountered on the golf course — clubhouse personnel, cartboys, groundskeepers, other players (especially my playing partners) — I have experienced nothing but the real aloha spirit.
John P. Taylor
'Hawai'i Calls' is back, this time on Internet
For your information, "The Hawai'i Calls Show," which started broadcasting in 1935 from the Moana Hotel on Waikiki Beach, has returned and is now being broadcast online.
As you may remember, this was the most popular show for ex-patriates in Hawai'i history, the forerunner of the Hawai'i Visitors Bureau and the longest-running radio show for years, with over 600 stations and the Armed Forces Radio broadcasting Hawaiian music and the sounds of Hawai'i around the world.
I am sure your readers would be pleased to hear about this, and we would of course be happy to hear their remarks and suggestions.
Don McDiarmid Jr.
Chairman, "Hawai'i Calls"
Effective bottle bill would help consumers
While I support recycling efforts along with Pearl Johnson and the League of Women Voters, as expressed in a March 15 letter, my experience makes me significantly less enthusiastic than they are regarding HB 1256.
The bottle industry may fight the initial implementation, but the beverage distributors are the main reason the laws are never repealed. The low rate of container return has meant millions of dollars in revenue to them, even after handling fees are paid at return points. Stores are only required to accept containers they sold, and small stores are not required to accept any, although they all charge the deposit. Apparently, many people don't find it worth the trouble to chase down a site, and those nickels add up.
An effective bill would accommodate consumers by making it reasonable to get their deposits back, recognize the additional burden placed on return points, ensure the material is actually recycled and not just discarded by a different source, and use unclaimed deposits to fund other recycling efforts.
Anything less would just be another fleecing of consumers and, as Ms. Johnson pointed out, it will be in place for a very long time.
Steven Newell
Officeholders should keep their commitments
I completely agree with Lee Cataluna's March 15 column, "98 days was a bit soon, no?"
I believe it is responsible to ask any officeholder to resign his position if he decides to seek a different elected office. Is it realistic to expect someone to perform the full duties of his current office while looking ahead to another position? If someone is going to run for a different office, it is only logical that his concentration will be doing whatever is necessary to get elected to the new office. The reality is that someone will be shortchanged in the process, and that will be the constituents and taxpayers.
I do not believe for one second that someone can serve two masters. We get enough double talk, smoke and mirrors and outright lies from politicians. It would be refreshing if just once we got some straight talk.
John Stewart
Mililani
Two Good Samaritans helped out with tire
Two wonderful people came to my rescue on March 6 when I discovered I had a flat at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.
As I was trying to figure how I would change my tire, Todd came to my aid, and later John. To make matters worse, the spare was very low, and they had to take the tire to a service station. They wouldn't accept anything from me.
Todd and John, you are truly wonderful, sincere and honest guys. And Todd, please extend a "Happy First Birthday" to your little boy. God bless you all.
Dorothy Mitsumura
State should invest more in public schools
I am a student at Pearl City High School, and I just wanted to say that the state of Hawai'i should invest more in public school education.
We need more qualified schoolteachers because some of the teachers we have now don't really enjoy teaching. They're only doing it for the money.
I believe the state of Hawai'i should invest more in public schools and not cut school funding.
Thomas Iinuma
Waipahu
Commentary ridiculing school ignored the facts
Regarding Walt Novak's March 10 commentary, "A good bulletin board keeps 'nats' away": Mr. Novak ridiculed the accreditation process and belittled efforts that involved the community, parents, staff and students in school improvement at Wai'anae Intermediate School.
Wai'anae Intermediate School compiled a self-study report that was reviewed by a Western Association of Schools and Colleges visiting committee. This committee was composed of a chairperson from California and five educators from the Department of Education, in this case three principals, a teacher and an educational specialist. The committee spent three and a half days at Wai'anae Intermediate School verifying the contents of the accreditation report.
The committee met with all focus groups, a student group, parents and community members, representatives of the classified staff and a Leeward District specialist. Committee members visited classrooms and examined student work. They talked to students during recesses and ate lunch with them in the cafeteria.
The visiting committee gave the school a report of their findings and recommendations. Nothing in the committee's report surprised the school staff. In fact, the report was positive and encouraging. The committee's recommendations were also cited by the school's focus groups as areas to improve.
Discipline is one area, among others, that the school's focus groups recognized as needing improvement. Interestingly enough, America's Choice (a new school program) is already having a positive impact on discipline at Wai'anae Intermediate. America's Choice emphasizes standards-based learning, literacy via the 25 Books Campaign, Writers and Readers Workshop, and Rituals and Routines, which enhance classroom management.
Is everything perfect at Wai'anae Intermediate School? By no means. However, the administration, faculty, staff, parents, the community and students are prepared to make Wai'anae Intermediate a school that reflects its vision, mission, philosophy and expected schoolwide learning results.
Mr. Novak, as a colleague, I invite you to be part of the solution at our school. If you choose not to be part of the solution, why do you remain at Wai'anae Intermediate School?
Faye Shaver-Simons
Teacher/accreditation coordinator
