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Marines are capable of doing plenty

If the military can construct a road across the beach at Waimea, which almost certainly will be threatened by waves this week, then it can rig a shelter above Kamehameha Highway itself so folks on the North Shore can get their kids to school and go to work.

Perhaps the state should consider what is requested of the Marines. After all, they will do most anything they are asked.

Portia Cochran

Government doesn't deal with main problem

My family lives in Sunset Beach. I work in Haleiwa, my wife teaches at Waialua Elementary and my son goes to school at First Baptist Church, so the cut-off of traffic on Kamehameha Highway has had a big effect on our lives.

We are frustrated with how this situation has been handled. A lot of money and energy was initially spent trying to make our lives easier, first with the "green mile" and then with the makeshift walkway.

The green mile is gone, the walkway is buried in the sand and the bypass road is a waste of time and money. The problem -- the threat of rocks falling on Kamehameha Highway -- is still there.

Officials should deal with the main problem and come up with a permanent solution, fast.

Roberto Lopes
Haleiwa

Akaka did good deed for Army veteran

Sen. Daniel K. Akaka deserves praise for his assistance in getting aid for my father-in-law, who is confined at Tripler Army Medical Center. My wife's dad is an Army veteran who had wrongly received word that his medical problem may not be service-connected.

After Senator Akaka intervened, we were contacted by someone in the Veterans Administration, whom we referred to my wife's brother in Waipio. The VA is in the process of clearing all this up.

With the mass of negative press about politicians these days, what a pleasure it is to have Dan Akaka in office. We thank him for relieving some of our worries.

Jim and Cynthia Holman
Greenwood, Miss.

Quotables "In the year 2000, I would like to see leadership by all of you, and by the trust organizations, to once and for all bring our people together. Because we get lost in the word sovereignty." Robin Danner HAWAIIAN HOMESTEADER During a round-table discussion of Hawaiian leaders on the ramifications of the Rice vs. Cayetano ruling "The eighth-graders are ecstatic they accomplished what a bunch of adults didn't in 22 years." Kristen Crabtree-Jones TEACHER AT LINN-MAR MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MARION, IOWA After her class of 30 students managed to get legal ownership of a table in Iowa that belonged to King Kalakaua to be transferred back to Iolani Palace

Too many apologists for Stadium Authority

It's too bad that state Rep. Bob McDermott has become a propaganda tool for the Stadium Authority. I'm getting tired of canned letters like his, published on March 14, that sound like they were written by stadium officials or lifted from press releases.

McDermott says the Stadium Authority's $1-million budget request is legitimate because, by law, the authority must get legislative approval to spend its funds on the flea market. If that's true, who approved the money being spent on clean-up, security, traffic managers, advertising and other items since last October?

McDermott says vendors are happy with the new management, but they're not. In some cases, their income is down as much as 60 percent. Vendors call me, asking what they can do. They are forming an association, but many sellers are afraid to join because of what happened to me when I stood up to stadium management.

McDermott uses the same unsubstantiated figures the Stadium Authority has been putting out to justify its budget request while ignoring the larger issues. I started the flea market 20 years ago and won the right to operate it through competitive bidding. But I lost that right shortly after I openly supported Linda Lingle for governor. A coincidence?

Finally, what about the stadium manager entering my office after hours to search for Lingle campaign literature and then wiping off his fingerprints before leaving? McDermott may think these are acts of "good, honest, conscientious" public servants, but I don't.

Edward Medeiros
Aloha Flea Market Inc.

Parking abusers should be photographed, fined

We applaud the Honolulu Police Department for deciding to fine people for blocking intersections. Now something should be done about those who aren't qualified to park in handicapped parking spots. We have witnessed numerous people parking in these spaces. Maybe their handicap is that they are blind. The signs are plenty big enough.

Police should allow private citizens to take photos of illegally parked cars leading to fines being imposed on these law-breaking drivers. After all, many of the handicapped are veterans who have earned our respect. A parking space is a minor repayment.

David and Jo Steele

Roundabouts should be installed in Manoa

I am familiar with the Makiki roundabout because I drive that area regularly. Roundabouts are great! We definitely need more in residential neighborhoods, especialy Manoa Valley.

I nominate the five-way intersection near the Waioli Tea Room. The intersections of Lowrey and Kaaipu, and Lowrey and Woodlawn, would be other possibilities.

Manoa Road needs some measure to slow people down. Most drivers go 5-10 mph above the posted speed limit; I know because I often feel like I'm impeding traffic whenever I drive. I get tailgated regularly.

Because more speed-limit signs and flashing yellow lights don't seem to work, physical intervention -- such as roundabouts -- offer hope that drivers will slow down. Motorists who get livid should seek counseling or slow down before somebody gets killed.

R. Tabata

Hawaii's drivers are in class of their own

We have just returned home from our fifth trip to Honolulu. As always, we had a wonderful timeand want to thank the citizens of Oahu for their courteous driving.

Traffic can be a bit tough during rush hour. However, Honolulu is the only city we have been in where motorists actually know the meaning of the term "merge." And it wasn't just the private citizens. There wasn't a single time when cab drivers or bus drivers didn't extend their fullest courtesy.

Hawaii must have incidents of "road rage" and discourteous driving, but we didn't see any.

Steve and Cela Whitney
Ceres, Calif.

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