Upgrades not needed at Sand Island, Honouliuli

There are no known negative environmental impacts in Hawaii's real ocean that are known to be related to the sewage discharges off Sand Island or Ewa Beach (Honouliuli outfall). Nor are there any known problems to human health caused by these outfall discharges. Both plants therefore meet the highest possible standard, and increasing treatment costs to the secondary level would be tantamount to pouring money down a black hole. Years of research document these conclusions.

The money that does need to be spent is on the crumbing infrastructure on land. Preventing future sewage spills on Oahu should be the No. 1 priority. Obeying the law for the sake of the law makes sense only when the law makes sense. Secondary treatment for Oahu's deep outfalls at Sand Island & Honouliuli just doesn't make sense.

Expanding solar use will save billions

In response to your Jan. 6 editorial (”;Gasoline tax hike might be unpopular but sensible choice”;), I beg to differ with your zeal to suggest we raise taxes. In hard times, tax increases should be our last policy choice - not first.

Instead of raising taxes, let's wean ourselves off of fossil fuel with incentives for putting “;solar on every roof,”; a slogan growing in popularity here at the Capitol.

After three decades of trying and only one-third of our residents putting solar on their roofs, we need to duplicate and offer incentives to programs like Hawaiian Electric's Pay-as-You-Save program where a resident gets a free solar system installed on the roof and pays for it from savings generated. The difference between monthly electric bills and what the solar system saves then becomes the monthly payment to HECO for the solar system. If HECO doesn't expand this program, we need to offer low-interest loan guarantees to make sure that solar is on every roof in by 2020. My office will introduce legislation for both of these options.

Solar on every house in Hawaii means savings of $1 billion annually, and it's our quickest route to doable and renewable energy. No tax increase can do that.

Actor was mainstay of popular TV show

Harry Endo, the actor who played a forensic scientist on the long-running TV show “;Hawaii Five-0,”; died at the age of 87 on Friday afternoon. Family members say he suffered a stroke and died at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Endo was best known as the character “;Che Fong.”; He was one of the original cast members in 1968, and he was the third and longest-running Che Fong. Two others played him previously. Endo took over the role from “;Blind Tiger”; onward, taking part in 111 episodes.

Endo's daughter Leslie Baker says her father was born in Colorado but spent much of his life in Hawaii, where he worked for a local bank. While doing a commercial for the bank, he was approached to play the role of Che Fong. During the “;Five-0”; run, he played a bit part in the 1977 pilot “;Code Name: Diamond Head”; (which also featured Zulu/Kono).

After the show ended in 1980, Endo played a few roles in local productions: two episodes of “;Magnum P.I.”; (1985, 1988); a crossover episode of “;Murder, She Wrote”; that was filmed here in Hawaii (1986); and a turn in one episode of “;Jake and the Fatman”; (1990).

Endo retired from show business after 1990, but Unko Harry lives on nightly in “;Hawaii Five-0”; reruns!

Quit making excuses for allowing fireworks

Bombs went off again Friday and Saturday night in Kailua. New Year's Eve was over a week ago - so when is it going to stop? We've been terrorized by illegal bombs and aerial fireworks since Halloween by childish, inconsiderate morons somewhere in the vicinity of Kaipii and Kaha Streets.

Why won't the immediate neighbors call the police and help put an end to this reckless behavior? We've called the cops, but without an exact location they won't even investigate. The police say it's too difficult to catch these criminals. Suggestion: Try rolling down your car windows and look up in the sky when you hear loud BOOMS!

But it seems the police aren't making any real effort to apprehend these scofflaws. When two employees of a fireworks operation were recently caught selling illegal fireworks, why wasn't the entire business shut down? One of the lawbreakers was the owner's son. How many other companies could continue to operate unabated after being cited for illegal activities taking place on the premises?

Mr. Mayor and Gov. Lingle, do something! Stop making excuses for inaction. If our lawmakers don't have the guts to institute a ban on fireworks, let's put the issue on a ballot and have the public vote on it. Enough is enough already.

Go vegetarian and enjoy a better life

I found yesterday's article about teenagers choosing a vegetarian lifestyle interesting. I've been a vegetarian since 1975, a vegan since 1990 and have been doing a weekly radio show since 1981 on the subject. At 70, I suffer from no illnesses, take no medications, I'm still playing two hours of half-court basketball a week, racquetball, swim, hike, do martial arts and a variety of cardio and weight exercises. If I can do it, anyone can do it!