SAND REPLACEMENT

CAN CRUSHED GLASS SATISFY CONCRETE NEED?

In response to the Aug. 19 article, "Sand sources nearly spent," I recall reading somewhere that discarded/recycled glass bottles were being crushed and processed to replicate the consistency of beach sand. If this is indeed possible, the concrete companies should consider this as an alternative to the imported mined sand from Canada.

With all the imported glass bottle beverages already being shipped to Hawai'i, this would be a more sustainable alternative.

TRANSIT

SYSTEM SHOULD SERVE BOTH VISITORS, RESIDENTS

Last week, as I was sitting in traffic trying to get into Waikiki, I had the opportunity to read the article in the Aug. 16 Advertiser titled "UH crunch coming," which detailed the traffic and parking nightmare that affects Manoa, Mo'ili'ili and Kaimuki each fall when 20,000 University of Hawai'i-Manoa students return to class.

As I crept from one stoplight to the next, I thought about the equal or greater number of workers who spend hours each day commuting into Waikiki, only to pay a significant portion of their earnings to park their vehicles.

At the corner of Kalakaua and Kapi'olani, I overheard a carload of visitors bemoaning the fact that this wasn't exactly their idea of paradise and that their daily commute in Chicago was much pleasanter. And I thought about how many local residents never go to Waikiki because of the terrible traffic and parking.

And then I thought about being whisked from the airport to downtown on quiet, modern transit systems in virtually all European destinations, and even in sprawling U.S. cities like San Francisco and Atlanta. And I thought about how it would be decades (if ever) before UH students and faculty and Waikiki, Pearl Harbor and airport workers and visitors see any real change in their commutes.

Wake up, city officials. Can Honolulu really be planning to build a transit system that doesn't go to where so many people live, work and play? If we are going to spend $5 billion, whatever the technology, the damn thing had better serve the needs of residents and visitors alike — right from the start. Otherwise, don't waste my money.

HANNEMANN LEADING CITY INTO A FISCAL ABYSS

Johanna Ferge (Letters, Aug. 20) believes traffic accidents and subsequent delays will be a thing of the past once fixed rail is here.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but even the city's own study has shown that fixed rail will have no measurable impact on freeway traffic.

Yes, the mayor has cleaned the beaches of homeless, but it was left to the state to build and provide shelters to the displaced.

The mayor has strong convictions, some say stubbornness, in his belief that fixed rail is the only way to go.

His refusal to even consider less-costly, more-flexible alternatives is where the arrogance label is earned.

We all have beliefs and convictions. It is the refusal to even consider that your personal beliefs and convictions may not be the only answer to a problem that will lead this city into a fiscal abyss.

We have a precedent — Bush and Iraq.

HOMELESS

STORY WAS A DISSERVICE TO MICRONESIANS HERE

As pastor of a Chuukese United Church of Christ congregation, I feel that you did a disservice to our community by publicizing a preliminary report on homeless shelters written by Michael Ullman ("Micronesians fill Hawai'i shelters," July 8).

I hope that The Honolulu Advertiser in the future will allow community leaders enough time to comment on the report (which was not done) and to let you know whether the report accurately reflects what is happening in our community.

How about giving the Micronesian community headline stories that show how hardworking we are despite the language barriers and being the newest immigrant group to Hawai'i? We can provide you with success stories.

Micronesians deserve fair media coverage that tells the truth about the compact relationship between the U.S. and our governments.

Micronesians underwent 67 atomic and nuclear bombings in our backyard, and our people continue to suffer from cancers and strange illnesses. That is one of the primary reasons we come to Hawai'i.

Perhaps our people gave up too much to the strategic military needs of the U.S. in exchange for the indignities we suffer and for heavy recruitment of our young people to fight, die and become disabled in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We call for media justice for our communities.

COMPETITION

CAUSE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHOLE FOODS

I was surprised by Whole Foods' expression of sadness at learning a few Kahala Mall tenants will be kicked out ("Whole Foods sad to learn tenants are leaving," Aug. 13).

If it cares so much, why don't they put their stores in places where they don't hurt local businesses? Why do they persist in putting in a store at the Ward site, where scores of 'iwi kupuna have been found?

There's reason to be concerned about this company coming to Hawai'i. According to an AP news report last week, Federal Trade Commission court documents show details about Whole Foods' strategy to eliminate competition. These include plans to buy their main competitor, Wild Oats, and then close a good chunk of their stores. They even have the gall to negotiate with suppliers to drive up costs for Wal-Mart.

The FTC worries that stores in competitive markets would close and consumers would face high prices. Our celebration of Whole Foods' arrival to Hawai'i may be short-lived.

GOVERNMENT

CITY SHOWS IT CAN WORK WITH PRIVATE SECTOR

Last month, it was revealed that the state may lose 15 acres of prime Kapolei land because it apparently didn't read the fine print of its contract with Campbell Estate.

This month, the city announces it's working with Kapolei Property Development Co., a subsidiary of the James Campbell Co. LLC, to speed up $172 million of road projects around the Kapolei area, of which the taxpayer contribution is zero dollars.

From Sunset on the Beach, to Waimea Valley, to this announcement, the city has shown an ability to work successfully with the private industry.

Too bad the state administration does not seem able to do as well. It's even more ironic since Lingle-Aiona folks fancy themselves as the champions of small (and large) businesses.

TYRANNY

MORE THAN BRIDGES COLLAPSING IN AMERICA

When did American citizens lose their voices? Since taking office, our esteemed leader has successfully run our country and its people into the ground by defying our Constitution, breaking laws and withholding vital information while waging an imaginary war on enemies like terror.

Last I checked, terror didn't have an army, a leader or even a soul. How can a group of men wage a war (without congressional approval) on an idea?

What's most important about all this tyranny is that nothing will be done. All the war crimes, congressional defiance and slaughter of innocent lives will go unpunished.

President Bush and his cronies will continue to line their deep pockets with blood money of these innocent lives and our beloved soldiers. All this while breeding more terrorists — people who now have a unified concentrated sensation of vengeful hatred for every living American.

We need to come together as a country and eliminate the threat — Bush and the GOP.

What more needs to happen for an impeachment? What is happening to our beloved country? There's more than just our bridges collapsing before our eyes.

Bring our people home before there's no one left to defend our once-great country.

FORMER NAMES

OLD HABITS HARD TO BREAK FOR MANY OF US

It sounds a bit picky, I know, coming from someone who still says he shops at Holiday Mart, but I noticed Will Hoover referred to "Admissions Day " in an Aug. 18 story.

Not anymore, not since the Legislature passed and then- Gov. Ben Cayetano signed an act making it "Statehood Day," in 2001 I believe.

Well, gotta go now. There's a show at HIC and I need to catch the HRT bus.

RENTERS

HOUSING ISSUE REQUIRES CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

The story "Renters fear cost of limiting growth" (Page One, Aug. 20) made the false assumption that building affordable housing and limiting development are mutually exclusive.

Since only one question in the survey specifically mentioned affordable housing, it cannot be assumed those surveyed are not concerned about its scarcity.

If one question had been rewritten to read "Should land-use and permitting rules be more strict in order to require the inclusion of affordable housing in all new developments," respondents might have answered differently.

Hawai'i's isolation requires thoughtful planning to protect our unique and fragile environment. Is it reasonable to require a developer who replaces affordable housing with a luxury development to defray a portion of the profits by including replacement affordable units in the development plan?

Have we considered the impact and implications on our communities when high-priced units with a sizeable percentage of out-of-state owners replace affordable units, occupied by Hawai'i residents?

Creative solutions are needed to provide both affordable housing and protect undeveloped land. Homelessness in Hawai'i will continue to rise should we ignore this problem.