HPD detective was also protector of animals
I read with interest your Jan. 14 story about the HPD museum, and especially about Chang Apana. In researching the Hawaiian Humane Society's new book about animals in Hawaii, "Poi Dogs & Popoki," we found that Apana was not only the model for Charlie Chan, but he was also the society's first humane officer.The organization's founder, Helen Kinau Wilder, and her friends "pooled their resources to pay the salary of an animal case investigator, Chang Apana, a policeman who was Wilder's first humane officer."
This early work of his may have been why he carried a whip at HPD, as Wilder also carried one in her quest to protect animals.
Pamela Burns
President, Hawaiian Humane Society
Convention estimates don't appear to add up
I read your Jan. 19 article, "Convention center hosts first meeting." While I don't doubt the figures regarding generated revenue, the amounts to be generated from the Amway Japan and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees gatherings seem disparate.With respect to Amway, 3,500 participants were expected to generate $29.5 million in tourist spending and $2.3 million in tax revenues, which works out to $8,429 per participant and $657 in taxes.
On the other hand, the AFSCME convention, with 10,000 people, will generate $1 million less ($28.8 million) and $2.2 million in taxes, translating into $2,880 per participant and $220 in taxes.
Perhaps this is correct, but if it includes air fare (of which only a small portion remains in Hawaii, i.e. landing fees, fueling, cleaning, etc.), the Amway estimate seems unrealistic.
If realistic, and this is actual money being generated in Hawaii, let's hear it for Amway.
Dr. Jack H. Scaff Jr.
Loui is being rewarded with a political plum
Charles Toguchi's Jan. 19 letter touting Rae Loui's qualifications to serve on the Public Utilities Commission was a classic example of political rhetoric.Toguchi, our governor's chief of staff and an appointee himself, is not eligible to offer a qualified or independent evaluation of the engineering qualifications of Loui.
What actual engineering projects has she has ever designed? Loui is nothing more than a politico. This is evidenced by her willingness to bring shame and disrespect to the Water Commission, its engineers and other professionals, and attorney Bill Tam -- all to please the governor, who is now rewarding her loyalty with the PUC post.
Toguchi wrote, "She has been a highly effective deputy director of the Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management." Simply not true.
The Waihole water project is a good example. The issues of water use have been running for four years thus far on the calendar of the commission. However, the announced decision is not following the scientific feasibility studies and data, is against the water code and is against the public wishes.
The decision merely supports the governor's wishes.
Juliana Zhang
Former Engineer
Water Commission
William Yap should have UH hall named after him
Just in case Porteus Hall will be renamed, I would like to suggest the name of the founding father of the University of Hawaii: William Kwai-Fong Yap. According to an elucidating article in a recent issue of the UH alumni newsletter, Kapili, Yap was the driving force and spokesman for Hawaii's parents pushing for a university.Locally born and widely traveled, he used his knowledge of the island's booming economy and the territory's financial growth to create a plan that would convert the College of Agriculture and Engineering into a university. He met with Arthur Dean, president of the college, and W.R. Farrington, chairman of the board of regents, to present his proposal.
He gathered petition signatures from individuals and influential kamaaina families. The impressiveness of the signed petitions convinced the Legislature.
Doesn't Yap deserve the honor of having a building named after him? Perhaps that would also add to racial balance and peace.
Loretta J. Wells
Sports columnist is right about 'Hall of Shame'
Dave Reardon's Jan. 9 column on the "Baseball Hall of Shame" was a grand-slam homer. Joe Jackson never got a dime from gamblers, who set the fix on the 1918 World Series. Sadly, gambler Pete Rose (whom I've personally seen annually for years at the Kentucky Derby, including '97) isn't quite as bright as Jackson.Jackson apologized, but still is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Neither is Rose.
Had he acknowledged the exhaustive findings of the Dowd investigation of his gambling, there's no question Rose would be in the hall today.
But Reardon is 100 percent correct: There are more than a few sleezes in the hall, based on their playing exploits -- not their womanizing, prejudices, addictions, stupidity, arrogance, etc., or any combination thereof.
I'm squarely with Reardon on this, as are the vast majority of fans, based on a recent Baseball Weekly poll on the topic. Go for the fences, again, Dave!
Mike Kallay
Cop involved in shooting suffers from grief, too
Much concern has been expressed about the boy who was shot at Mayor Wright Housing on New Year's Eve. One letter to the editor said he was a gentle boy with a positive demeanor.I have no knowledge of his reputation or who he is, nor do I wish to dispute that. But I do know the off-duty police officer involved in the shooting.
I was a classmate of the officer's brother. His family has produced respectable, upstanding, honest people, not to mention distinguished athletes.
Although the officer may not recollect this, he taught me how to throw a discus. I did not become a champion discus thrower, but I was appreciative of his patience and kindness.
Now that I reflect on this, I realize that he extended his aloha to me, not because I was his brother's friend, but because he was genuine.
It is disheartening that someone has died, but the officer is living with immense feelings of guilt and remorse, too.
Rusty Testutani
(Via the Internet)
Bishop Estate Archive
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