Simulate Complete Street changes

The city is planning a Complete Streets makeover of the Liliha Street and Nuuanu Avenue traffic corridors.

Prior to implementation, the city should create a two-week-long live simulation of the changes, using traffic barriers, cones and marking paint so that all community stakeholders can experience the design’s after effects first-hand before a single jackhammer is taken to concrete.

Residents, pedestrians, commuters, bicyclists and traffic engineers can observe and participate in the changes and the city can benefit from real and candid feedback.

If the city is truly for the people, it would follow my lead on this type of beta testing for all future road-change projects.

Von Kenric Kaneshiro

Downtown Honolulu

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Collecting aquarium fish a joyful hobby

It is sad that tropical marine fish collecting has been halted while the state Department of Land and Natural Resources does an environmental study (“Recreational aquarium fishing is blocked,” Star-Advertiser, April 17).

Our greatest joy in coming to Hawaii was to become members of the Salt Water Aquarium Society of Honolulu (SWASH), and to learn about keeping salt-water aquariums. We set up aquariums and obtained permits to use fine mesh nets to collect fish.

Did we wreak havoc on the fish population? No. First, it is difficult to catch fish. They swim away from nets, not into them. Second, once an aquarium has an established population, it is very bad to add new fish, since they can introduce diseases. Therefore, the number of fish collected is quite limited. Once established, the fish do well and become very tame. Hawaii is such an ideal place for this hobby.

It is discouraging that fish collecting for the home aquarist is halted, but line fishing, spear fishing and fishing with nets persists with little oversight.

Fred Harris

Kailua

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Uber more reliable than other options

I’m a business owner, and I don’t own a car. Uber is easier and cheaper than dealing with expensive, crowded parking garages downtown. When I go to Waikiki, I don’t need to fight traffic or risk a DUI.

I use Uber exclusively because I can consistently get a ride at a moment’s notice. Gone are the days of calling a taxi and waiting for 20 minutes to see if it’ll show up — that doesn’t work when I’m heading to a business meeting.

Uber’s reliability comes from its technology, large network of drivers and a pricing model that controls supply and demand.

During surge pricing periods, Uber customers have the choice to accept or decline higher rates. The key word is choice. No one’s forcing our hand.

City Council Bill 35 assumes consumers need to be protected from our own purchasing decisions, when really we just need more reliable transportation options.

Jason Cutinella

Chinatown

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Enough speeches, get rid of guns

Every time there is a shooting at one of our schools, speeches go on and on and they are all senseless. There is only one solution to this problem.

No more guns.

When are our leaders going to realize this? It’s going to happen again and again. Wake up.

Bertille Fung

Hawaii Kai

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Hold gun owner responsible, too

We need a new federal law that all gun owners must have guns locked down in a gun safe. If they are not locked down and someone — even a son — kills people as did the Santa Fe High School shooter, the owner will go to jail with the shooter.

I know gun owners who have multiple guns, but they are always locked in a safe unless they are carrying one in Arizona.

I assume they would agree with this idea. Going to school seems to be more dangerous than going to war. School shootings must be stopped.

Tom Sebas

Waikiki

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Media distorting volcano’s impact

National and world news agencies have reported on the volcanic eruption in Hawaii. However, they seem to think the entire state is threatened with the volcano.

I live on Oahu; clearly, there’s no threat here. However, I received a number of calls from family members or friends on the mainland asking me if I’m safe.

The state and visitor industry need to get the word out: The volcanic activity is only on Hawaii island. The media should show images of Waikiki and Maui and other places that are safe.

Joe Leonardo

Waialae-Kahala

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Eruption reminds us of misuse of land

Last week, Madame Pele demonstrated her majestic power.

Apparently, she is showing her displeasure at the human despoliation of her domain. For starters, how about the toxic geothermal activities near Leilani Estates, or the incessant and earth-shattering military bombings at Pohakuloa, and even the unrelenting invasion of millions of tourists, burning millions of tons of fossil fuels via planes, rental cars and helicopter joy rides?

Righteously, Pele is determined to show that she has the ultimate power to decide that such man-made disasters are not pono.

At the same time, Pele also reveals her merciful side by not — yet — exacting any human toll for their persistent transgressions. By displaying such compassionate magnanimity, Pele obviously is giving progressive homo sapiens one last chance to fulfill the mindful credo: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness).

Danny H.C. Li

Keaau, Hawaii island