BEACH SAFETY

NEW 911 SIGNS ONLY AT PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY

The Jan. 17 Advertiser article about the new beach 911 signs "Need help, but don't know where you are in Hawai'i?") failed to underscore a couple of important points: Those nice, new yellow 911 signs are only located where there are public beach accesses. As the city's press release says, that's just 86 public rights of way for the entire island of O'ahu, which has more than 100 miles of coastline.

Not only that, those signs are more than a half-mile apart on parts of Kailua Beach, because that's how far apart some of our public accesses are.

Tough luck if you have a heart attack or pull a drowning victim out of the ocean along stretches of the beach that are blocked off by locked gates on private roads. You won't see any yellow 911 signs in those "private" beach areas.

The city also botched a good idea by bad placement of some signs. At the public access next to Kailuana Loop, the 911 sign isn't visible because they put it behind trees and bushes several yards back from the beach. What was the sign installation crew thinking?

If you care about dwindling beach access and public safety, please visit the Beach Access Hawaii site (www.beachaccesshawaii.org) to find out more about the statewide Groundhog Day rally on Feb. 2.

ENERGY

OCEAN COOLING SYSTEM TO BREAK GROUND SOON

It was not difficult to find the common theme in the speeches by four legislative leaders that were excerpted as commentaries in the Jan. 17 Advertiser.

Legislators should be commended for emphasizing sustainability and energy independence again and again.

Sen. Fred Hemmings cautioned that "we cannot wait until 2050 to achieve sustainability." Rep. Lynn Finnegan noted that "the opportunities for renewable energy have never been greater." House Speaker Calvin Say bemoaned Hawai'i's dependence on fossil fuels but sounded an encouraging note, saying "most of the energy we need can be created here at home." And Senate President Colleen Hanabusa harkened back to last year's speech in which she declared that "the overarching theme of the Senate is sustainability."

While some energy solutions are years away, Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning is on track to break ground next January. This zero-emissions, renewable energy system will harness the ocean's coldness to cool buildings in Downtown Honolulu.

With oil prices near $100 a barrel, it will reduce air conditioning costs by 21 percent. By cutting electric consumption, it will displace 174,000 barrels of oil annually, reduce CO2 emissions and save an estimated 400,000 gallons of fresh water. We are eager and ready to help move Hawai'i toward its goals of sustainability and energy independence.

SPORTS

UH CAN BENEFIT FROM ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS

As other letter writers have pointed out, the academic and athletic programs of the University of Hawai'i are not a zero sum game where one only benefits at the expense of the other.

There should be no doubt that the university can benefit immensely from successful athletics in more ways than just monetarily. The intangible result of the Warriors' success will manifest itself in the form of publicity leading to higher enrollment and greater awareness of university issues in general, and also state pride in a world-class institution.

If Steve Egesdal (Letters, Jan. 15) hasn't noticed, the Berkeley Bears were ranked No. 2 at one point this past season.

I don't think his implication that their success in academics is due to neglect of athletics carries any weight. I believe the Cal-Berkeley model only serves to prove that academics and athletics can share a mutually beneficial relationship where one enhances the other.

UH MUST HIRE TOMEY AS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

The University of Hawai'i's Jan. 4 letter to coach June Jones that was published in the newspaper is a classic case of "too little, too late." It pains me to see that our school has to scramble to salvage a situation that literally went from bad to worse.

Something is seriously amiss at UH. There's no playing dodge ball here. UH President David McClain has admitted that the university acted too slowly in the Jones/Frazier debacle, but clearly it is the president's responsibility to have an up-to-date and accurate understanding of the major issues at the university, whether it is academics or athletics.

To his credit, McClain has entered into a period of "on-the-job" training, as evidenced by the hiring of new coach Greg McMackin.

A second productive step would be to hire Dick Tomey as athletic director. I became very much aware of Mr. Tomey and his stellar performance during my 10 years as a member of Congress.

He has said he would consider leaving his current position to become athletic director at UH. His credentials speak for themselves and he knows the territory.

Simply stated, you don't need a search committee to figure this out. If we had Dick Tomey on board with Coach McMackin, we could avoid losing some of our letters of commitment from athletes to come to UH, and obviously we will keep some of the coaches as well.

President McClain needs individuals in place who understand college athletics. In the business community, it's called Business 101: Hire those who know more than you do.

Now is the time to change our university for the betterment of all. If only those in charge can make this same commitment.

DON'T GO TO OLD WAYS, STAY WITH WINNING WAY

I find it silly that so many want to return to the unfitting ways of the old days.

Bob Anderson (Letters, Jan. 19) wrote that he, too, wants back the name Rainbows, colorful uniforms, dancing to Hawaiian music, grass skirts — are we talking football or a dance team?

Why is everyone so quick to leave behind the winning tradition of June Jones? Coach Jones, knowing the complete environment of football inside and out, brought "winning" back to Hawai'i along with a bold, professional look that would bring respect to UH on the national stage.

Let's keep moving forward with the winning traditions of coach Jones. More importantly, has anyone asked the kids on the team if they'd like to look like colorful Rainbows or dignified Warriors ready to continue the winning battle?

Let's keep on moving on.

SMOKING LAW

BUSINESS LOUSY SINCE SMOKING BAN IN EFFECT

The Jan. 10 headline in your paper's Business section was as tarnished as the "experts" quoted in the story ("Smoke-free law not bad for business, experts say").

It appears your reporter had selective hearing at the Health Committee hearing; bar owners have been impacted severely.

Ask bar owners and they'll tell you business is lousy.

Health Department Director Chiyome Fukino provided anecdotal information citing your past headlines and their spin. Andrew Hyland, an epidemiologist from the New York-based Roswell Park Cancer Institute, provided selected information from New York's and Ireland's smoking bans.

You call these people experts?

The question was "How has it affected Hawai'i?" and their paid consultant reported on other places. Answer the question.

Our Department of Health can't get data from the Department of Taxation, or is it they don't like the numbers? What's up?

Don't tell us stories and don't waste our money telling us what a good job you are doing. Just answer the question posed. How has it affected Hawai'i?

TRIBUTE

LILINOE WONG SHARED HER WISDOM AND JOY

It isn't often that one can unabashedly extol an extremist radical. Yet last week, thousands of Native Hawaiians and friends did just that. They joined together to honor Hawaiian advocate Jalyne Lilinoe Wong.

Throngs gathered to share memories of 'Anake Lilinoe and celebrate her life as a militant believer in the strength of the Hawaiian culture and the potential of Hawai'i's keiki.

Unlike most who have worn the label "militant," Lilinoe's efforts were never marked by shrillness or bigotry. Instead, she chose to fight inequity with grace, using her great strengths: insight, tolerance and, most notably, joy.

Understanding the inestimable value of — and her responsibility to — perpetuating the wisdom of our kupuna, she dedicated herself to teaching, passing on to countless children and families her contagious delight in learning.

An unwavering proponent of 'olelo Hawai'i, one could not be in Lilinoe's presence without taking pleasure in the beauty of Hawai'i's mother tongue. It's with great pride that we can walk into her classroom at Kawaiaha'o Church School and hear keiki of all ethnicities speaking Hawaiian. She reveled in her students' ability to flourish in Hawaiian and English simultaneously.

Lilinoe Wong was extreme in her dedication to the keiki of Hawai'i. She was radical in her belief that in maintaining our individual cultures, we learn to respect and honor others. And, she militantly fought to reestablish 'olelo Hawai'i as both the spoken and academic language of her people.

Her passing on Dec. 31 leaves a great chasm in our hearts. We mourn that our keiki will no longer experience her unconditional care and love. We grieve that our friend is no longer here to brighten our days with her smile and sense of awe.

However, our grief does not overwhelm us because we know that we have been blessed. Her lessons were many. Our hope is that we have learned them well and can follow her example, becoming uncompromising advocates for Hawai'i's children and heritage. Aloha ke Akua. Aloha kekahi i kekahi. Aloha ka lahui kanaka.

Mei Jeanne Wagner and the families of Kawaiaha'o Church School