Federal agency didn't hinder eco-tourists

I am puzzled by the reason Midway Phoenix offered for quitting Midway ("Midway Isle pullout hits Coast Guard, airlines," Feb. 4). I am sure the thousands of people who have visited Midway would agree that we did not feel restricted or hampered in our enjoyment of the island.

The wildlife we mingled with at close quarters, such as the Laysan albatross, certainly was not bothered by us.

Even the monk seal did not appear to be threatened by humans. On the one occasion when I observed a monk seal from near a warning sign put out by the Fish and Wildlife Service rangers, I was the only tourist within a mile of the animal. Everyone fished, dove, snorkeled, biked or walked around the island without feeling in any way restricted.

Midway Phoenix may be losing money, but certainly not because of Fish and Wildlife restricting the tourists.

True, it is a good deal financially for the tourists whose numbers have not reached the limit imposed by the government, as the cost is reasonable. Perhaps Midway Phoenix needs to do better advertising to boost the number of tourists and increase its revenue. The price certainly is not responsible for the low tourist count.

Raymond L. Chuan
Hanalei, Kauai

McDonald's targeted unfairly in Haleiwa

The drive-through at the McDonald's in Haleiwa shouldn't be an issue, but it is. Some people just won't let go of it.

As noted in your editorial ("Bills erode protection of Haleiwa's charms," Feb. 1), the conflict stems from the demolition of the old Haleiwa theater.

The Mcdonald's in Haleiwa has done an excellent job of landscaping and planning so the drive-through can't be seen from the highway.

The same folks who want to maintain the old ways out here didn't object when the largest shopping plaza on the North Shore was built. Neither do they complain about businesses that put up more signs than the law allows, nor about the tourism industry overloading the infrastructure.

So don't tell me this is about preserving the old town. This is simply a vendetta against Mcdonald's.

Stanley Nelson

[Quotables] "This may not be the best way, but it is a way to show that people of Hawaii and its high school community actually care." Corey Takehara President of the St. Louis School Japanese Club, who was part of a delegation from the Catholic high school that helped unveil a memorial Saturday in Kakaako to the students and teachers who died aboard the Japanese teaching vessel Ehime Maru one year ago. "The Department of Health got its money's worth from its television commercials." Patrick McCain President of the Hawaii Restaurant Association, on the results of a Star-Bulletin/KITV-4 poll showing that Hawaii residents favor by nearly 2-to-1 a complete ban on smoking in restaurants. McCain was referring to a series of DOH commercials pushing a smoking ban.

Animal cruelty laws are too weak

A letter to the editor Jan. 25 told of a sad experience of a man who called the Hawaiian Humane Society about a dog living in a cage that was barely bigger than the dog.

I've had similar experiences since 1972 and I learned that our wimpish animal cruelty law mentions "adequate space." When I asked how the humane society defines "adequate," I was told "if the animal can stand up and sit down."

The only hope now for this poor creature is 911. From the attorney general's office I learned that all violations shall be determined by the investigating officer. Let's hope the investigating officer is from Police Department and not the humane society.

Barbara Ikeda

Urge delegates to vote for campaign reform

The government gave Enron breaks that the energy company took, and, with unchecked greed and venality, bankrupted itself. The cost to employees and shareholders has been devastating.

We have a chance to stop big corporations from being able to buy favorable laws and regulations with huge campaign donations: The U.S. House has scheduled a vote on campaign finance reform. The vote will be close and the support of Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Patsy Mink will be crucial.

The Shays-Meehan bill would ban soft money. Corporations like Enron make enormous, unregulated contributions to political parties. This gives them leverage that most citizens can never hope to equal.

Last year, the Senate passed a bill nearly identical to the McCain-Feingold bill, so passage of the Shays-Meehan bill should ensure reform. I urge people to call and write our representatives to tell them how important we believe their votes will be to end the corrupting influence of big money.

Norrie Thompson

Cayetano snubbed local portrait artists

Gov. Cayetano has worked hard in difficult times, and during his second term he has showed strength of character.

But I am bothered that after a process of submissions he snubbed Hawaii's portrait artists and chose a New Yorker to paint his official portrait.

Our state spends money and expends effort to bring jobs to Hawaii and then, given the simple opportunity to provide a $35,000 job to a local artist, doesn't. The money surely would have been passed on to a local grocer, an art supply store, a landlord.

Do all of our local artists lack the talent to showcase the governor's mug? While the portrait commission is small, it would have been a high-profile job that could have bolstered a local career. This illustrates the disconnect between promising to deliver more jobs and the actual delivery.

I can think of a few local artists who would have been inspired choices and only hope that the governor's official portrait is more sensitive than the governor was in this matter.

Steven Maier

Cars take a beating on island roads

During the 1960s, I drove through Baja California on a bad road full of potholes. The car's alignment, steering and tires all took a beating.

Forty years later, I was driving on King Street town-bound from Dillingham. The road was bumpy, full of potholes and I was reminded of the Mexican roads.

Perhaps the city and state transportation departments have not noticed the sad conditions of our highways and roads. If more money were put into roadways rather than schemes to photograph speeders, the people of Hawaii would be happier and our cars would last longer and be safer.

Who am I?

I am just a driver whose car takes a daily beating on our not-so-super highways.

Jim Delmonte

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