KAWELA DEVELOPMENT

HAWAI'I NEEDS TO FIND AN ECONOMIC BALANCE

Mahalo to Melanie Chinen, administrator for the State Historic Preservation Division.

A state official finally challenged the Kuilima Corp. development.

We are supposed to be a government "for the people," and the people have spoken — neighborhood boards from Ko'olauloa to Wahiawa do not support this project.

Kuilima Corp.'s arrogance is outrageous! This from the people who tout their destination as the "true Hawai'i."

They have no more respect for the 'iwi of our ancestors than they do for the future of our keiki.

They got lucky with a one-of-a-kind deal 20 years ago, which should not put them above reproach from the community who will be most impacted by their development.

How can they go forward in good faith when the "will" of the people does not support this expansion?

Are we again going to give away our coastlines and way of life yet again to tourists and corporate greed? We have a moral obligation to find a balance between tourism and other economic alternatives.

'EWA

CAN WE AFFORD ALL THE PROPOSED CHANGES?

I have lived in West Loch Estates for 16 years. I have seen Fort Weaver Road go from two lanes to six lanes, and I can barely merge onto this road when it's peak traffic time.

I really hope that the developers of Ho'opili and other new developments really care about the people who actually live in this area.

I hear only talk of new roads and traffic solutions. I see no real effort to fix or prevent the problems.

I guess it's easier to build 10,000 homes than it is to build a couple of new roads.

I am not against development, but it seems like the same old story — the developers' good intentions end when all the houses are sold or all the land is gone.

I can't even imagine what 'Ewa will look like in the future.

I can't help but laugh when I hear the words "affordable housing."

I pray that the people of Hawai'i can afford all this change, not only financially, but culturally, physically and spiritually.

INTERNET

NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS' VOTING PLAN IS ABSURD

Your Island Voices by Lynne Matusow ("Internet voting system not the way to go," Jan. 11) is on target, especially this paragraph: "These new procedures are a deterrent to public participation."

Although I try to keep up with current affairs, I was unaware of this absurd and inappropriate change to use the Internet to vote for our neighborhood board. Ms. Matusow makes some very valid points for the Neighborhood Commision to consider.

This observation comes from a strong advocate of the benefits of computers in government and business who has spent his career (more than 50 years!) selling the merits of the proper use of computers and who was very pleased to see a PC, Mac, or whatever on practically every desktop before retirement a few years ago.

WHITE UNIFORMS

LOSS OF NURSING SCHOOL TRADITION IS LAMENTED

It was with sadness that I looked at the picture in The Advertiser on Jan. 9 of the new class of nurses graduating from Hawai'i Pacific University.

How do we know they are nurses? Where do they pin the school's pin?

These women miss what was once a valued tradition that I experienced when I graduated from nursing school: The white uniforms, long sleeves were required by our director of nurses, for our graduation uniform. White shoes, white hose, our caps that we earned the privilege to wear after completing our tough first six months of nursing school.

Our school's pin was pinned on our uniforms at graduation. We looked like nurses and the patients appreciated the fact.

Good luck!

GEOPOLITICS

HANSON MADE SENSE WITHOUT INTENDING TO

It's always painful to read Victor Davis Hanson's columns, but on occasion he actually makes sense, however not in the manner he intended.

In his article about the U.S. not being able to win in geopolitics (Jan. 11), he inadvertently makes the argument that because we're bogged down in Iraq we aren't able to address the other important and deadly world issues.

The only thing I can say to this overly educated, ardent supporter of the Iraq war is: Duh!

LEADERSHIP

WHAT HAS HANABUSA DONE FOR WAI'ANAE?

State Sen. Colleen Hanabusa has some nerve calling Mayor Mufi Hannemann's $2 million community benefits package for Wai'anae "insulting."

Mufi's actually done something for us in the short time he's been mayor, after all the years of nothing but "waha" from other politicians.

Except for her landlords at Ko Olina, what has Hanabusa done for the Leeward Coast? She permitted the homeless problem to worsen all the time she's been representing Wai'anae. All she did was hold meetings on the problem, while Mufi and Councilman Todd Apo have been working together for this benefits package.

I read in The Advertiser that the state has a budget surplus of at least $700 million. Come on, Colleen, 'nough negativity. Put your money where your mouth is and use some leadership to get things done for us instead of whining and complaining.

GOLF

TADD FUJIKAWA IS AN INSPIRATION FOR GOLFERS

Hawai'i has already chosen the sports news of the year — Tadd Fujikawa.

Can anyone think or even imagine any sports story that can top this?

In the world of golf, Tadd's name will be remembered for a long time. Thanks, Tadd, for taking us on a joyride! You are indeed an inspiration to many youthful golfers and to golfers of any age worldwide!

'OPALA

PUBLIC CLEARLY WANTS CURBSIDE RECYLING

I continue to be disappointed in the city administration regarding waste management.

Curbside pickup and recycling of glass, metal, plastic and paper is still missing, after unsuccessful attempts over the last several years.

In 2005, Rolloffs offered to pay the city to pick up all the recyclables, but because of a legal challenge nothing has happened.

In October 2005, Mayor Mufi Hannemann eagerly took credit for resolving the union problems, but placed blame for further delay on the former administration.

Last year, the City Council again showed its support for curbside recycling when it required the city to start some additional curbside recycling this July.

Most importantly, the people of this island clearly showed they want curbside recycling when 74.8 percent of voters approved the curbside recycling amendment to the City Charter.

What happened to the recycling pickup contract?

If that contract problem can't be resolved, send out a new request for proposals immediately.

The mayor has clear instructions to bring curbside recycling and must show the leadership he promised when elected to office.

TROOP LEVEL

DEMS SEEM TO HAVE MEMORY LAPSE ON IRAQ

I find it kind of ironic that The Advertiser, along with the new speaker of the U.S. House and the new Senate majority leader, are speaking out against President Bush's move to increase the troop level in Iraq.

This paper and all its contributing writers were getting on his case about not listening to his generals and not increasing the force strength. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Harry Reid were very vocal about demanding President Bush increase the troop level. They both went on all the news programs demanding he listen to the advice of his generals.

Now, they are threatening to remove the funding for Iraq since he announced he was taking their advice.

It would seem the Democratic Party is invested in the defeat of America in the War on Terror. They all have a collective memory lapse; they voted twice to give the authority to fight terrorists wherever they are hiding at any cost.

CENTENNIAL

UH HAS LONG HISTORY OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Your editorial "UH marks 100 years, looks to a vital future" (Jan. 11) praises University of Hawai'i-Manoa Chancellor Denise Konan for encouraging UH-Manoa faculty to have more community involvement.

We need to remind your readers that the University of Hawai'i, founded as the College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts in 1907, has a long history of community involvement, dating back to 1914 when the federal Smith-Lever Act was passed creating the Cooperative Extension Service.

As Hawai'i's land-grant university, UH-Manoa and the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), follow the three-part mission of education, research and outreach.

CTAHR's 10 extension offices and 15 research stations are the "face" of the University of Hawai'i-Manoa across the state. More than 75 CTAHR faculty are located on Hawai'i, Maui, Moloka'i, Kaua'i and O'ahu.

CTAHR extension educators, specialists, and researchers do more than agriculture; we also lead community programs such as 4-H, youth development, financial literacy, family and community leadership and community nutrition programs.

CTAHR, as part of UH-Manoa, has been providing community service for a very long time.

MEDAL OF HONOR

MILITARY HEROES EARNED BETTER NEWS COVERAGE

The Advertiser had its priorities mixed up in the Jan. 12 edition. On Pages 1 and 2 you have a huge article about Michelle Wie and her disastrous opening round at the Sony Open. On Page A3 you have a small photograph and caption about Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham being awarded the Medal Of Honor posthumously. This is only the second Medal of Honor awarded during the Iraq/Afghanistan war on terrorism. The first was awarded, again posthumously, to Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith on April 4, 2005.

The Medal of Honor is awarded by the president in the name of Congress, and is our nation's highest award for bravery on the battlefield.

While I root for Michelle and always hope she does great in the tournaments, those two guys put their lives on the line for their nation and their comrades.

Michelle should be in the sports section, and these heroes, with a large article, should be on Page 1.