Secondary treatment costly, unnecessary
The EPA is threatening to revoke the waivers from full secondary treatment that the city's Honouliuli and Sand Island sewage treatment plants have operated under for many years without any detectable harm to the environment or human health. If this happens the city will be forced to spend more than $1 billion to alter the plants. This money will come from you and me in the form of greatly increased water/sewage bills and a decrease in money available to address Hawaii's real problems such as solid waste, traffic congestion, or even the sewage collection system.
I urge my fellow Oahu residents to contact the EPA and express their opposition to the revocation of the waivers and not waste our money on a project that will have no benefit at all.
Philip Moravcik
Honolulu
Roads get bumpy again soon after repaving
The article in Thursday's Star-Bulletin regarding the condition of our roads came at a timely moment as Goodale Avenue in Waialua was recently repaved. This was accomplished less than a month ago and the road is already bumpy. In fact there were bumps in many areas just days after work completion. It won't be long until it is back to its former condition.
We continue to see comments from various city spokespersons and spinmasters about how well of a job they are doing on our roadways. I invite the mayor and his crew of yes men to ride this road and then evaluate the effectiveness of their repairs and if our tax dollars are being well spent.
Bill Nelson
Haleiwa
Bike riders appreciate any accommodations
It is 2.4 miles from my apartment on the corner of Walina Street and Ala Wai Boulevard in Waikiki to my office downtown. During evening rush hour it can take 45 minutes to get home, if I drive. I wanted to bicycle to work but I realized I would be taking my life in my hands if I rode down Ala Moana Boulevard. Once I found out there was an excellent bike path though Ala Moana Beach Park, I have biked to work every day. I save money, reduce the amount of oil imported to the state, reduce my carbon footprint and get exercise.
Riding to work in the morning, there is a bike lane on Ala Wai Boulevard. For my commute home, there is no bike lane headed into Waikiki once McCully Avenue crosses Ala Wai. So I ride on the wide sidewalk along the Ala Wai Canal. Where the sidewalk along the canal is closed to accommodate the temporary sewer line, I cross the street and ride on the narrow sidewalk, not ideal but I am careful.
I was riding my bike home last Friday evening, when a police officer gave me a warning for riding on the sidewalk. He informed me that a ticket would be $55. So what do I do now? I have never heard of a pedestrian being hit by a bicyclist in Honolulu but I have heard of many bicyclists being hit by cars. I think it is probably cheaper to pay an occasional ticket to than to pay medical bills.
I would like to ask the residents of Waikiki to be more understanding of bicyclists until the sewer line is repaired and I would like to ask elected officials make more accommodations for bicyclists. If this island is seriously interested in being "sustainable," more accommodations must be made for bicyclists.
Jeff Zimpfer
Honolulu
Minister fought on behalf of others
I was saddened to learn that Rev. Frank Chong had died during the past weekend (
Star-Bulletin, March 13). I met Frank just as I joined the Life Foundation in 1992 always found him to be generous with his time and advice and full of great political knowledge. He led the Waikiki Health Center into the fight against AIDS in the early years of the epidemic and was a good friend and a supportive ally in that cause.
He cared about people in the old-fashioned way and will be universally missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. May he rest in well-deserved peace.
Paul Groesbeck
Executive director
Life Foundation
Honolulu
Pro-rail voices ignored in transit story
Monday evening I attended a transit community update meeting at Kapolei Middle School. There were about 75 area residents in attendance and most of us were strongly in favor of the city's rail transit program. As someone who has lived here and worked on behalf of my community for more than 30 years and as a neighborhood board member, I think I'm highly qualified to say that my neighbors and I are always enthusiastic and grateful to receive updates on the progress of this badly needed project. We shared that enthusiasm with Mayor Mufi Hannemann and several times throughout the meeting responded to him with cheers and applause.
Imagine my surprise to read the Star-Bulletin's coverage. There wasn't a single positive quote from community folks about this, no mention of our pleas to the mayor for traffic relief, not even a hint that we here in Kapolei and other West Oahu communities want rail transit and we want it now. Please let your readers know that there is more than one side to the story. Next time around, we'd appreciate coverage of our viewpoints too.
Maeda Timson
Kapolei
Doffing hats will help students keep cool
Regarding the hot classrooms at Campbell High School: Of course students need fans or air conditioning, something to cool the classrooms down. I noted in the picture in Wednesday's Star-Bulletin that the student is wearing a baseball cap. The kids should be alerted to take their caps off in the hot rooms, it would help a bit to keep cool while they're waiting for some relief from the Department of Education and the Legislature.
Frank Luke
Honolulu