Makapuu Point could use a bus stop

Regarding the state's plans outlined in "Remaking Makapuu Point" (Star-Bulletin, July 28): all well and good. But what about a bus stop? It's pretty dangerous walking all the way up from Sea Life Park, because there's little or no sidewalk along the route. If we could take the bus there, then maybe fewer people would have to drive.

Court system should go easy on jurors

How do you get a fair jury trial from unhappy jurors? Read on. From the time you get a letter stating that you are a prospective juror and you are to report to Circuit Court on a certain date, you will receive the following discouraging information:

To improve the jury selection process and to keep jurors wanting to serve, I would like to suggest the following:

Admobile is a good member of community

This is in response to the Outdoor Circle's July 15 letter to the editor, "Next ugliness target: billboards on wheels." As we all know, Hawaii is a difficult economic environment, and businesses need all the help they can get to survive. Admobile Hawaii strives to create positive and affordable advertising solutions for our customers and community.

We support renewable energy. The Admobile truck uses Pacific Biodiesel, a clean-burning, biodegradable alternative fuel produced in Hawaii.

We enforce stringent content standards. You'll never find tobacco, adult entertainment or political campaign ads on our vehicles.

We are locally owned and operated, and certainly community-minded. Hawaii is our home. We reserve approximately 20 percent of our ad space for charitable organizations to use for free.

We appreciate all feedback on our product. This is how we can make the Admobile even better for Hawaii's businesses and community.

'B-Plus' plan makes college attainable

I agree with Cecilia Graybeal's July 26 letter to the editor, "Higher ed doesn't have to be out of reach." Education is the key to improving one's life and collectively, our communities. Unfortunately, many young people are held back by the thought that no matter how hard they try in school, college is not an economic reality for them.

College tuition is on the rise and will continue to increase at the University of Hawaii for at least the next five years. Because of this, my colleagues and I created a new opportunity, called the "B-Plus Scholarship Program," for low-income, ambitious young public school graduates. The B-Plus Scholarship Program was funded at $1.5 million over the next two years to provide full scholarships at any campus of the UH system for eligible individuals. The B-Plus Scholarship Program will benefit public high school graduates who have a cumulative grade point averages of 3.0 or better and are considered low income according to the Hawaii Department of Education's guidelines for students qualifying for the free and reduced lunch program.

I, too, believe that "with hard work and determination, the goal of higher education should be readily achieved by those who really want it."

Support our troops -- bring them home

I am appalled by the ongoing carnage in Iraq. More than 1,500 of our soldiers have died and thousands more wounded. More than 30,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed.

The best way to support our troops is to withdraw them from Iraq as soon as possible and bring them home to their families. I feel for the families who have lost relatives and loved ones there.

I salute the sacrifice of these soldiers. But I cannot concur with the media's and government's claim that they "died for our freedom." I fear they are casualties of our government's misguided, deceitful and reckless war. We will not be more secure or free, no matter how many of our youth die in Iraq. In fact, the war on terror threatens our freedom; witness the insidious provisions of the so-called Patriot Act.

Indiscriminate slaughter, whether by suicidal bombings or sophisticated air strikes, only expands the cycle of hatred and revenge. We must end this war and bring our soldiers home.

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