Ala Wai spill not the only source of kaka
I have noticed that the Sierra Club has harshly criticized the city for the emergency diversion of sewage to the Ala Wai Canal. Sierra Club Hawaii director Jeff Mikulina has once again trotted before the cameras to state the obvious.
A Star-Bulletin editorial pompously demands the city to come up with "contingency plans" for such events, without, of course, suggesting what those might be. Perhaps launching poop into space with a special fleet of rockets kept handy at City Hall?
Did someone bother to ask either of them exactly what the city should be doing with the millions of gallons of sewage while emergency repairs are under way? Did they offer any constructive suggestions on what can be done today, not what the city should have done years ago? The Sierra Club and the Star-Bulletin only add to the unwanted flow of waste, while the mayor and city workers labor around the clock to fix the real problem.
John Matias
Mililani
What happened at treatment plant?
Since people were not showering more, using the toilet more, washing their dishes more, or their teeth or clothes during the substantial epic deluge, how could there possibly be overflow
of the sewage treatment plant on Kauai, when they should have a gate valve that separates sewage from the rest of the treated water? That could have safely sent nonsewage water out to sea, since nature would have done that anyway.
Are those in charge ... in charge? I'm not sure. In fact, due to the unkindly rains, there were fewer people on island doing what they do with water.
Jay Trennoche
Kapaa, Kauai
Immigrants, tourists ruining the aina
In response to your April 6 story
"Top-rated Kailua beach now disappoints": The only way to stop any further destruction to the aina is to stop any more tourists and immigrant settlers from the mainland United States, Europe and Asia from migrating to Hawaii. The life blood of Hawaii is the aina. There is no foreign religion, government, tourist or immigrant settler more precious than the aina o Hawaii nei. Hawaii is still alive, but for how long?
The last flood was a warning and that warning is: Love it or leave it.
Eric Po'ohina
Kailua
Democrats should be getting a little nervous
There is nothing wrong with making campaign contributions to an out-of-state candidate. However, the Democratic Party of Hawaii traded contributions with a mainland candidate. That exchange of contributions is a violation of federal campaign laws. That is what is wrong.
The chairman of the Maine Democratic Party resigned because of this exchange. But his counterpart in the Democratic Party of Hawaii has shrugged it off as a "mistake" and has taken no responsibility for the party's actions.
With the filing of a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission, there will be a full investigation by the FEC. And that is something the Democratic Party of Hawaii will not be able to shrug off.
Herman Robinson
Aiea
Protect the vulnerable from others' smoke
As a member of the tobacco-control community, I am acutely aware of the health risks connected with secondhand smoke. My husband and I take extra measures to protect our toddler from tobacco smoke anyway, but the fact that she is asthmatic makes it an even more serious priority.
We walk the longer way to deliver her to day care to avoid a crowded smoke-break area. We cross the street when we see that we will cross paths with smokers. Friends and family know that they cannot smoke anywhere near our daughter.
Despite these measures, our daughter is exposed to some form of secondhand smoke every day. It's difficult to pass a building without running into a cloud of smoke in Hawaii.
The situation is one that begs for better protection from secondhand smoke in our state. There is no sense arguing with those addicted to tobacco; it's going to require public policy to clean up this health hazard.
Barbra Pleadwell
Tobacco-Free Oahu
Honolulu
Let's work together for everyone's benefit
It's never akamai to generalize about the homeless. For example, some have hit mental, physical or financial rock bottom, while some simply can't afford to pay rent even while gainfully employed. In our democratic society, however, even Americans who are homeless can register to vote.
Let's work toward constructive, sustainable solutions for the benefit of all Hawaii. Let's focus on providing access to housing and employment for our deserving citizens of today and providing access to quality education for our citizens of tomorrow. And let's keep the good of the whole in mind when we vote in November.
Kristi Sue-Ako
Kakaako