Some family members
aren't parties in lawsuit

Recent reports by the media including your newspaper ( "Deputy fire chief: Crash came 'out of the blue,'" July 23), about the lawsuit filed by the two families of the two police officers killed in a 1995 helicopter accident, have brought renewed attention to that tragic event. We have received a number of comments and questions regarding the lawsuit.

Therefore, we -- the mother and sisters of HPD Officer Bryant Bayne -- feel compelled to say publicly that we are not, nor ever do we ever want to be, parties to this lawsuit.

Irene Bayne
Sharie Bayne-Agcaoili
Tracy Bayne-Robello

Critics of whale sanctuary
don't understand concept

The letter by William King (Aug. 1) points out one of the needs for the humpback whale sanctuary. Obviously, there continues to be a large amount of misinformation in the community concerning what the sanctuary does and does not do.

Fishing is not regulated or even monitored by the sanctuary program. The sanctuary does not restrict access to certain areas, nor does it convey title or ownership of the ocean to the federal government.

I strongly recommend that people still confused about the sanctuary program read our environmental impact statement, as it goes over all of these concerns and issues.

Allen Tom
On-site Liaison
Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale
National Marine Sanctuary

Iz was a great musician,
humanitarian and teacher

I have read but never commented on the letters to the editor -- until I saw the one written by Alan Austin ("Iz tribute went overboard and maybe wasn't deserved," Letters, Aug. 12).

What justified Israel Kamakawiwoole's "ascension to cult status of near mythical proportion" was his ability to communicate through his music to an island people. He showed that, despite his size, he had the ability to conquer unimaginable tasks of recording and performing.

This "high school dropout and former drug addict" not only turned his life around with lots of help from family and friends, but sought to help others as well. He was regarded as a role model, telling kids wherever he went not to use drugs and not to join gangs.

People knew he spoke from experience, and they listened. He spoke from the heart.

Israel also taught us one other lesson: People shouldn't wait until someone passes on to tell them how much they are loved.

Bill Van Osdol
FM 100 Morning Jam/KCCN FM 100
(Via the Internet)

Task force is a ruse
that will lead to ruin

As someone who recently moved out of Hawaii and back to the mainland for low taxes, great pay and better opportunities, news of the state Economic Revitalization Task Force made me laugh! College-educated, white-collar professionals like me will continue to flee Hawaii and its joke-economy until real, radical reforms are made.

Ben Cayetano and his cronies are only using the task force to put forth the appearance that they're doing something. The sad reality is they know if they keep Hawaii's people uneducated, poor and reliant on government handouts and make-busy union work, no one will wise up and see what's really going on.

Hawaii will be the first state in history to go bankrupt. When that happens, Ben and his rich task-force friends will be long gone -- fat, happy and watching the carnage from afar.

Audrey Klein
Spokane, Wash.
(Via the Internet)

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