Today is a particularly beautiful day in the neighborhood because Kamehameha Schools has shelved its plan to develop a shopping center on preservation land in Hawaii Kai (“Shopping center plan called off,” Star-Advertiser, June 13).

We are thankful to the land-owner for heeding the community’s concerns, starting with protecting Maunalua Bay from further development runoff. ‘Nuff said, except cheers to Councilman Stanley Chang and all those who participated in many discussions, social media campaigns, petitions and surveys of all types.

Elizabeth and Rodger Reilly
Hawaii Kai

Flower pots look like Berlin Wall

I propose that round planters occupy the (de)Occupy Honolulu areas.Bowl-shaped planters would require fewer in number, and, in my opinion, be more attractive than the cluttered square planters now in place.

I hope some of those square planters along Beretania Street will be put to use elsewhere so that the sidewalk doesn’t look like a floral Berlin Wall.

Gwen Heliker
Makiki

HCDA popular with developers

Enough of this Kakaako nonsense!

As evidenced by a recent traffic jam, Kakaako’s aging water and sewer systems were not designed to service existing condos.

Despite the popularity of Fresh Cafe, every customer knows Queen Street has no sidewalks to protect pedestrians from flooded streets, and every driver knows Kakaako has numerous potholes and sinkholes (bumper-to-bumper rush-hour traffic allows ample time to study Kakaako).

Every reader should know the Hawaii Community Development Authority does not exist to provide affordable housing to minimum-wage workers; it exists to provide profitable opportunities to property developers, none of whom care if no one uses rail because it doesn’t stop at bus transit centers.

Rico Leffanta
Honolulu

Safety sticker law not being enforced

I was driving on H-1 from Ewa to Hickam the other morning.

Along the way, I counted at least 10 vehicles with expired safety stickers.One expired last October.Maybe the state should save some money and not issue safety stickers at all.

When you renew your registration, you should be required to enclose a copy of a valid safety inspection.Thus, your vehicle will have to be inspected to renew the registration.

At safety-check time, you have to show a valid insurance card. I also read that there are too many uninsured vehicles on the road.

Another idea: Make the insurance carrier notify the state if a policy is terminated for any reason.

Joel Maimon
Ewa Beach

Sidewalk residents exempt from law?

So if my trash sits on the street for a few days I can be ticketed, but if I live on the sidewalk for years with my trash, it is allowed?

Larry Mackey
Waikiki

Glyphosate could be illness catalyst

We always are told by Monsanto that the glyphosate in Roundup that is sprayed on crops is safe and harmless to humans and animals.

There was an interesting article in the journal Entropy written by two scientists not affiliated with Monsanto — Stephanie Seneff of MIT and Anthony Semsel — who say otherwise.

Their independent research found glyphosate to be the catalyst of multiple chronic diseases and conditions that have become prevalent in westernized societies. These include autism, gastrointestinal issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea colitis and Crohn’s disease, obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, cancer, cachexia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and ALS, for openers.

If GMOs are so wonderful, how come they have been banned in 30 countries?

I guess it’s just in the contiguous United States and Hawaii that the politicians will not bite the hand that feeds them.

Hesh Goldstein
Hawaii Kai

Should we heed Dutch, Belgians?

Can we learn from others’ mistakes, or must we learn from our own (“Dutch, Belgians scrap train deals,” Star-Advertiser, June 5)?

Maedene Lum
Makiki

Maui group helps family caregivers

Thank you for drawing attention to the mounting pressures on family caregivers (“Navigating the ‘Silver Wave’,” Star-Advertiser, June 9).

While support from families is critical for seniors to remain in their homes, it comes at a great cost to caregivers, who can wind up feeling trapped — sacrificing their own security and independence.

For the past 17 years, Na Hoaloha — Neighbors Helping Neighbors has provided volunteers to give Maui’s family caregivers a break.According to one client, the sole caregiver for both her mother and grandmother: “Every week I get help.I forget my responsibilities and let my body and head take a break. And it recharges my senses and relieves my stress.”

Family caregivers, acting alone and in relative isolation, can do only so much. It’s time to make Hawaii’s growing elder-care crisis the focus of a broad-based policy discussion, with input from stakeholders throughout our community.

Gerri Shapiro
Executive director, Na Hoaloha —Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Wailuku