Agbayani's efforts are sincere

Your April 22 editorial involving Amy Agbayani's "arm-twisting" for Sen. Clayton Hee's recent fund-raiser was really over the top.

Anyone who knows Amy knows that she is one of the most generous people in town when it comes to her personal support of people and causes she believes in.

Moreover, she's the kind of strong but independent Democrat who's not afraid to ally herself with high-profile Republicans like Kitty Lagareta or Lingle judiciary nominee, Ted Hong, when she shares their position.

If she was too zealous in promoting Hee's fund-raiser, this is forgivable. But when people like Lagareta call her actions "ugly," it's more damning to their character than Amy's. These attacks are taking partisanship to a new low!

Make preschool free for all Hawaii children

Every child in Hawaii is entitled to a free education beginning at age 5 or 6 (kindergarten). However, more than one-third of beginning kindergartners are not ready to succeed in school. Free universal high-quality preschool is needed to prepare children for formal schooling.

PATCH (People Attentive to Children) found that out of 31,035 preschool-age children in Hawaii, 15,248 come from low-income families and only 17,223 were enrolled in preschool. Today, the average annual cost for preschool is $6,200, which half of our preschool-age children can't even afford.

Research has found that for every $1 spent on high-quality early education programs, society saves $7 in future costs of crime control, delinquency, lost taxes, special education, welfare benefits and in other areas (Ounce of Prevention Fund, 2003).

I hope our policy makers will take into account the benefits of having free universal high-quality early childhood education for all children, and soon there won't be more than one-third of children not ready for kindergarten, but 100 percent of children ready for school and reading by third grade!

Wahine softball offers great entertainment

It's great to see University of Hawaii Wahine softball finally back on TV. Just as Wahine volleyball is colorful and exciting, so is Wahine softball.

I may tend to get drowsy watching baseball but never with girls' softball. Too often people pass by TV softball thinking that the girls' games might be monotonous. That is a mistake.

The next time Wahine softball is on TV I suggest you watch. You will see the remarkable transformation of seemingly frail, fragile and lovely young women become fierce, intense competitive players bringing into play all the elements of good and exciting sports action.

Housing market claims another family

I would like to extend my thanks to the 14 individuals who signed the April 25 letter regarding housing and the environment, for their efforts to end the housing crisis while respecting the environment.

As much as I hate to see uncontrolled sprawl, it is difficult to keep my convictions with my back against the wall. We are currently caught up in the housing situation because the window of opportunity to purchase a home after we sold ours has closed. We have lost numerous offers due to being outbid by mainland buyers and investors and now, a year later, we can no longer afford a home that would be considered a step up from the simple starter home we sold.

I hope the efforts of those letter writers will not fall upon deaf ears. Something needs to be done, and I am willing to help.

Raze more buildings to open up Waikiki

While we're in this knock-down, dig-up, demolish mode, let's demolish everything makai of Kalakaua Avenue, which will include the Halekulani Hotel, the Sheraton, the Royal Hawaiian, the Outrigger and the Moana Surfrider, to become much like any other resort in this world, with a road and promenade adjacent to the ocean.

Kalakaua Avenue will join with Kalia Road and run in front of, instead of behind, the hotels, so pedestrians and sunbathers alike can enjoy full views of the ocean.

We've got it backwards here, much like many other hindsight debacles, passed on from one mayoral regime to the next. It's just incredible -- with $800 trash containers and $1,000 a tree, and multiply that by 85 -- how our money is squandered right under own noses.

Lord knows how many generations it will take to get it right, if ever. There's an old phrase, "If it works, don't fix it," so we can assume with confidence that we'll be fixing things forever and ever. Amen.

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