Visitors feel the aloha at Sunset on the Beach

How fortunate we feel to have experienced Sunset on the Beach on Saturday night. What a treat to hear Ho'okena, Na Leo, Na Palapalai and see the beautiful hula under the night sky. The best part of the evening, however, was seeing all of the local people who attended; those with smiles and nods to all; the girls next to us with clear voices, who sang along with their favorite Na Leo songs; those who danced hula in the area where we were sitting, looking as professional as the ones onstage; and the keiki of Hawaii—the island blend of beautiful children playing on the beach, a joy to everyone. Aloha was felt everywhere.

Sunset on the Beach is a wonderful, inclusive program. It should be a priority for funding for all to enjoy.

Shut off the air con and save lots of gas

In response to your editorial Sunday, “;Smart drivers will continue to conserve,”; I would like to share one conservation measure that has increased my gas mileage substantially. This was simply shutting off the air conditioner. On googling, I found various conflicting assessments of the effect of AC on mileage, including several that argued why one should not expect to gain by switching it off.

Being an experimentalist by training, I tried the obvious experiment on my commute to the university, in my 1997 Toyota Camry: I shut off the AC, although for comfort I opened the front left window and also cracked the rear windows an inch or so. This gave an increase in mileage of more than 20 percent. Of course, I cannot guarantee that this is a universal effect, but I am happily using my savings for other things.

’Bows coach has a winning combo

I don't want to jinx the team or anything, but the whole state should start rallying around this unit that Rainbow Warriors basketball head coach Bob Nash has put together this year. I want to be one of the first to point out the similarities between this year's squad and a team we all remember with great fondness: Nash's own “;Fabulous Five.”; Promising JC transfers and inexperienced underclassmen trying to jell together, maybe surprising this year and building toward next year? Undersized but athletic? One star player (Nash/Fleming) looking to blend in with the rest of the players to build a team?

With Brandon Adams choosing not to redshirt, the 'Bows are as deep and talented as they have been in quite a while. All that remains is the magic. Let's start early and believe—there is a chance for something very special. Let's fill the Stan Sheriff and make it happen! Go 'Bows!

Don’t let sleazy gangs ruin innocent lives

It's becoming apparent that there is a great deal of gang activity going on in Hawaii and especially on Oahu with all the latest news. Now it seems there is also retribution going on with intention to maim or kill. Shootings on freeways and drive-by shootings of teenagers standing in driveways. Not only that, but the tagging (graffiti) has become steadily worse, and that is also a sign of gang entry/activity requirements. We are beginning to look like parts of Los Angeles minus the bars on the windows.

If we don't find some way to put these guys away and break up these gangs, seniors and the young are going to suffer their muggings and most likely murders along with robberies. The ones who are recent enough immigrants to the U.S. should be deported even if they are juveniles. Send their immediate families back with them, or at the least send the gang members back to close relatives in their former countries. Hawaii does not need to be dealing with gangs with this horrible economic downturn and loss of jobs.

Invasive coqui nothing but bad news to isles

Soma Grismaijer's coqui commentary (Star-Bulletin, Nov. 16) was misleading in areas, flat wrong in others.

Her claim that coquis reduce mosquitoes is questionable. A University of Utah study found, “;No mosquitoes were found in stomachs, and termites comprised <1% of the total prey items.”; furthermore, “;prey items in frog stomachs differed among study sites suggesting that frogs are opportunistic feeders and forage on abundant prey items. ... management should focus on areas with endemic invertebrates of concern because it is these locations where e. coqui may have the greatest impact.”; coquis spread from yards into forests and will affect native insects.

Native Hawaiian ecosystems are millions of years in the making. Perhaps we should protect the more than 10,000 native Hawaiian species instead of a frog that has invaded Florida, California and Hawaii.

As for property values, a University of Hawaii economist documented the reduction of .16 percent in Big Island housing value per transaction in infested areas. This equals $22.5 million and would equate to $158 million on Oahu if coquis were to become established.

We can get used to living next to a freeway or airport, or having 5,000 calling coquis in our yards. But why would we want to, if we can prevent it?