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FAMILY FUN
ALOHA STADIUM BAN ON ALCOHOL IS WORTH IT
The Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawai'i supports Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona and UH interim President David McClain endorsing a ban on alcohol sales at UH football games.
Hawai'i loves Warrior football and other collegiate-level sports because they are competitive and entertaining, and we admire our young athletes as good role models. While most adults who drink at games are responsible, the few who become rowdy and disrespectful are usually associated with problem or underage drinking. Alcohol is still the most abused substance by youth and adults.
By banning alcohol at Aloha Stadium, we become good role models for our children, prevent negative alcohol-related behaviors and preserve our sporting events as wholesome family entertainment.
Alan ShinnExecutive director, Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawai'i
RASH
THANKS FOR WARNING ABOUT MANGO SAP PERIL
Thank you for Zenaida Serrano's Aug. 26 article "Blame sap for rash from mango."
In July, my 2-year-old daughter played in a basket that my grandfather had put just-picked mangoes in. Her reaction was immediate and intense. Head-to-toe hives, swelling and heat in the worst areas.
Her pediatrician prescribed over-the-counter remedies like hydrocortisone 1 percent, Aveeno oatmeal baths and regular doses of children's Benadryl. None of these remedies worked or seemed to relieve my poor daughter of her obvious discomfort and pain. He then prescribed a stronger and prescription-strength type of medicine called Atarax (stronger than benadryl). This medication was to be taken every six hours, but it seemed to only help her for three of those six hours (it would only start to work after about two hours from dosage, then wear off before it was time to take the next dose).
Her hives went on for more than two weeks. I wish now that I had taken pictures of her so that I could warn other parents of the unknown danger.
While at the doctor's office during this time, we ran into a woman and her granddaughter, who had a rash very similar to my daughter's. The grandmother had no clue as to what had triggered it. When I told her it was mango sap that made my daughter react, a light went on in her head. She realized that they had picked mangoes, too.
My daughter loves to eat mangoes, but I know now to make sure that she doesn't come into contact with any of the sap. This entails washing my hands, knife, chopping board or any utensils that have come into contact with unpeeled mangoes.
I hope no one else has to go through what she went through, so thank you again for making the public aware of the dangers of mango sap.
Carianne AbaraHonolulu
GAS CAP
WHOLESALERS WILL PLAY INTO CONSUMERS' FEARS
Unfortunately, the shortsightedness of numerous citizens and some in the state government are calling for the repeal of the gas cap, having no idea if it will work.
A lot of people are justifiably concerned that there will be an increase in gas prices once the gas cap is implemented, and that may well be true, in the short term. The gas wholesalers are going to immediately gouge Hawai'i residents in the hopes that the shock of price increases will force the governor to suspend the gas cap. The governor, in her wisdom, has seen fit to outline several red lines that, if they occur, will give her the ammunition to repeal the gas-cap bill. Now the oil companies know exactly what to do.
Gas prices cannot go up forever, and will eventually stabilize, and most likely will go down in the coming winter months when demand goes down. At that time, without a gas cap, prices will go down in the Mainland, but not in Hawai'i, and history supports this claim.
If you believe the gas companies will now adjust their prices, you're living in dreamland because the gas companies know the local populace will pay the price; what choice do we have? When the bottle bill was finally implemented, the naysayers were out in force, calling for a repeal, saying it wouldn't work due to some initial problems. It is working and millions of bottles and cans are being recycled.
Give the gas-cap bill a chance, six months to a year, and if it doesn't work, then other alternatives can be examined.
Craig Meyers'Aiea
SPORTS HISTORY
LITTLE LEAGUE VICTORY HAS TO RANK AT THE TOP
It can't get any better. All Hawai'i salutes the 'Ewa Beach Little League players for winning the Little League World Series.
To be on the world stage and perform as they did and become the first from Hawai'i to accomplish what no other Hawai'i Little League team has done is monumental. There is no question that all of Hawai'i was glued to the TV on both Saturday and Sunday. How proud we are; words can't describe how wonderfully our boys performed even when it seemed that opportunity had passed them by so early in the game.
In Hawai'i's gloried sporting history on the national and world level, what these 11- and 12-year-olds accomplished has to rank at the top.
It is said that many times in life, we do not get a second chance, but these youngsters made the best of their second and third chances. They never quit. No question this game was the best in many years and they had to beat a very worthy opponent.
Tom SugitaPearl City
'EWA BEACH
PLAYERS' DISCIPLINE, LOVE SHOWED THROUGH
'Ewa Beach Little League team: You are the best, not only in your athletic skills, but with your attitude and respect for the game and the other players. Your coaches' and parents' behavior made Hawai'i proud, too. (None of those horror stories about some Little League adults.)
Your discipline with caring love showed the most when you boys all removed your caps before you shook hands with your opponents at the end of the games. No other team showed that much respect and sportsmanship.
Thanks for giving us all wonderful memories, and may you all continue to grow and enjoy new friendships that athletics brings.
Helen HigaHonolulu
FINITE LAND
OVERDEVELOPMENT IS THREATENING LIFESTYLE
This is in response to Lee Cataluna's Aug. 26 column, "No more rampant tourism." Thank you, Lee, for taking what I've thought in my head for years now and putting it in writing and publishing for the world to see. You read my mind!
Our government and business leaders need to consider that this is an island, not a large continent where you can have millions of people, and, as you said, Lee, "more doesn't work." "The salesmen and moneymakers promise and entice and sell the very things that are in short supply now: tranquility, solitude, an easy, gentle lifestyle."
We are the people whose families have lived here for decades, whose hands have cared for the 'aina and who pay the high price of living in our homes. Why are we not the priority in making sure we enjoy the lifestyle of these Islands?
Summer LeePearl City
TRIVIAL
SPORTS NEWS DOESN'T BELONG ON FRONT PAGE
Lately I have been very disappointed to see so many large sports pictures and articles taking up room on the front page of The Advertiser. Why are they not confined to the sports section?
There are so many other topics, along with some investigative reporting on serious and important issues, that would be newsworthy and appropriate for front-page news.
If, in fact, that is what the readers want, I think we are in real trouble and it would be no wonder our American condition goes from bad to worse.
Caroll HanHonolulu
HOT LANES
SLATER'S ALL WET ABOUT HIS PAY-AS-YOU-DRIVE PROPOSAL
Cliff Slater would have you believe that those of us favoring a rail transit solution are deceiving the public. He accuses us of spin, deception and obfuscation. Readers beware: It's the other way around.
Every "fact" that Slater presents can be refuted; every statistic can be countered. Consider:
I agree that rail transit will not eliminate congestion, but it will stabilize congestion at current levels. Recent projections show that commute times over the next 25 years will double and in some cases triple. Rail offers a fast and convenient alternative. If your commute time doubles to four hours a day, will you consider taking the rail and cutting your lost time in half?
Tollroad News reported back in December that the Tampa project is a disaster, the executive director of the project has been fired and that the state is considering closing down the expressway authority. But beyond that, there is one glaring question. Why is there no other elevated HOT lane highway in the world?
Has Slater's proposal really been thought out? Aside from questionable construction costs, there are serious social equity concerns. Remember, a HOT lane is a pay-to-use toll road. Will the cost of using the HOT lane discriminate against our low-income households? Will all the communities between Kapolei and downtown be discriminated against because there will be no access ramps for these communities to use?
Slater's proposal is to build an expensive, pay-to-use two-lane freeway for buses and wealthy solo drivers. A rail option, on the other hand, benefits anyone who desires an alternative to the lengthy daily commute.
So, who's fooling whom?
Gary OkinoCity Council member
PLACE TO PLAY
A THOUSAND KEIKI NEED YOUR HELP
They play in the streets. They play in the ditches. And they play in the elevators. One thousand children. Don't they deserve better?
More than 1,000 keiki under the age of 13 live in Kuhio Park Terrace and Kuhio Homes Public Housing — a development with the lowest median income of any community in the state of Hawai'i. These keiki have no playground or safe place to play.
More than half the residents are Samoan, 14 percent are Native Hawaiian and 19 percent are recent immigrants from Micronesia. Nearly half have limited English skills. Among the languages spoken in the community are Chuukese, Marshallese, Vietnamese, Laotian, Samoan and English.
To many people reading this, it sounds like the prelude to just another story about an at-risk, underserved community facing crime, drug use and other social and economic challenges. For any other community, maybe that would be the end of the story.
But last year, the Good Beginnings Alliance Partnership for Hawai'i's Keiki — an innovative initiative to work with communities to ensure their children are safe, healthy and ready to succeed — met with the boards of the resident associations to convene a communitywide talk- story. "Talk Story for the Littlest Keiki" was held in four languages with more than 400 parents and youths taking part.
Through this initiative, the lack of play areas for children and toddlers was identified as the greatest need for their community. Their comments underscored the importance of play and its impact on healthy, physical and emotional development, learning and safety.
The residents of Kuhio Park Terrace and Kuhio Homes were empowered by this process and the opportunity to contribute to a dialogue that would positively impact the future of their keiki. It's not about entitlements. They recognize that solutions to their community's problems reside within their community.
Although the Kuhio Community Playground will be built by the residents of this development, fundraising is critical to ensure that this dream comes true. They have relied on the generosity of their community partners — Aloha United Way, the Good Beginnings Alliance, Parents and Children Together, the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawai'i, and Island Recreation — to aid them in this process. In the past year, key donors have stepped forward in support of this community-built playground: HMSA, the Atherton Family Foundation, the Cooke Foundation and NFL Charities. The resident associations have held eight major events to raise money, including car washes, plate lunch sales and door-to-door collections.
Unfortunately, after all their hard work, this community is still short the necessary funds.
We ask the greater O'ahu community to please join our campaign to build a playground for the 1,000 keiki living at Kuhio Park Terrace and Kuhio Homes.
We're building a community, one brick at a time, but it really does take a village (or island). Let's be sure that the ending to this story is a happy one.
Liz ChunExecutive director, Good Beginnings Alliance
