Slow down, it's not worth someone's life
I live right on Kalihi Street, but it might as well be designated Kalihi Freeway. It bothers me that some drivers forget that they are driving past schools where young children often cross the street without an adult. Some forget that our parents and grandparents like to take walks, just as much as I like to jog to stay healthy. Some of us are in a rush, too, but we give extra time getting to our destination.
This is as irritating as a vehicle creeping over a marked crosswalk, preventing pedestrians from crossing. Also, what is so important that a driver has to defy the speed limit? I sure hope not everyone is going through labor. For an island state that touts its "aloha spirit," there is no aloha for pedestrians.
For those who do stop for us, mahalo. You get a shaka from me.
Gary Garo
Honolulu
Rapist treated better than burglar
Once again I question our justice system. I saw on the news the parole hearing of John Freudenburg, the "Manoa rapist" who terrorized the community with a string of crimes consisting of rape, sodomy and burglary, and who also confessed to these crimes (
Star-Bulletin, Jan. 26).
My brother Shaun Rodrigues is serving a 12 out of 20-year sentence for a home invasion robbery he did not commit.
My question is: Who decides which inmates are more of a threat to others, e.g. the public or the parole board? I watched as this man was led into the parole hearing room uncuffed. Yet my brother had to sit there shackled and handcuffed as if he were a physical threat to the members of the board and anyone within his reach. He did not commit the crime he was convicted of, yet was made to look as though he was some kind of animal that needed to be restrained. Yet Mr. Freudenburg came in to his hearing with some sense of freedom, at least more of that feeling, than Shaun did.
Again I am left baffled.
Kelly H. Rodrigues
Honolulu
Tell lawmakers you care about noise
The people of Hawaii are bombarded daily by unnecessary noise from a variety of sources. Noise from illegal loud mufflers on all types of vehicles, aircraft vectored at low altitudes over homes and schools, backup beepers, car alarms, construction, leaf blowers, roosters -- we have it all, and a lot of it is unnecessary.
Most unnecessary noise involves an inconsiderate few making life miserable for the vast silent majority.
Recently our new Legislature introduced more than 20 bills that attempt to reduce unnecessary noise by strengthening our noise laws, and in at least one case, introducing new law. In the next few days, this legislation will be debated, amended, culled, and hopefully some of it will be passed.
Now is the time for all concerned citizens to tell your representatives and senators what noise bothers you. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Get off the couch and on your computer and send an e-mail to your elected officials. They need your input to make informed decisions.
You can find out who your lawmakers are and get their e-mail addresses at www.Capitol.Hawaii.gov. You can get additional information and join a blog at www.CitizensAgainstNoise.org.
Cliff Montgomery
Citizens Against Noise
Honolulu
Kukui might not be best use of funds
Regarding
Saturday's editorial, "State should not delay consideration of Kukui financing": For $55 million, you could get developers to build at least 1,000 new units somewhere else ... more, if you can provide them the land, which both the state and the city have much of, and in very desirable locations (such as Nuuanu and Moilili). Also, the state's current stock of subsidized housing needs a ton of repairs, easily more than this amount. I have no problem fixing this problem, just a question about prioritizing that amount of money.
Ricky Cassiday
Honolulu
Do Dems care about poor, or just power?
What is happening? Is the world turning upside-down? Our Republican governor proposes to abolish our super-regressive excise tax on food (
Star-Bulletin, Jan. 19)? The Democratic legislators apparently oppose this major benefit for the poor? Is this the Democratic Party that has earned the reputation of "champion for the poor"? Or is this a Hawaii Democratic ohana -- only interested in taking care of each other and retaining control?
John Cort
Pahoa, Hawaii