Letters to the Editor

Kahuku belongs on front page

James Lutte’s letter criticized the Star-Advertiser for putting the Kahuku’s football story on the front page ("Kahuku isn’t the biggest story," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 10). I believe that it is exactly where it should be. It is not only a sad story of a great team’s unfortunate elimination from the state championship but a story of a community and team that took the circumstances with dignity.

I played for Iolani’s Father Bray more than 55 years ago. Kahuku was our co-school back then when the OIA had no money. He passed our equipment and uniforms to them and we held a scrimmage every year. Thus Kahuku’s red and black uniforms and the nickname still carries on.

The communities, the coaches and the school have done a great job raising these young men.

Krugman wrong about spending

Nothing has brought a smile to my face more than seeing Paul Krugman’s column next to the article regarding Japan ("Obama must see past the focus hocus pocus," "Japan sun setting?," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 7). With Krugman spewing his solution to the nation’s financial problems as increasing spending and debt, the article on Japan reveals that that country’s attempt to do just that over the past 15 years has brought about deflation, increasing unemployment and national debt, and a lowered standard of living. With President Barack Obama endorsing Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s plan to buy long-term Treasury securities, $600 billion more will be pumped into the economy, resulting in a decreasing value of the dollar, higher commodity prices and, for Hawaii, higher electric bills, higher gasoline costs and higher food prices, with a drop in visitors because of the increased cost for jet fuel.

Rail’s cost is a state issue

In contrast with outgoing Gov. Linda Lingle, Gov.-elect Neil Abercrombie has already announced that he will not consider the financial implications of Honolulu’s pending rail project once the pending environmental impact statement is ready for his review. And why should he fret over a problem that affects only 80 percent of those who live in the state he’ll soon lead? After all, train costs are technically the city’s problem.

What will our new mayor, Peter Carlisle, do when facing an honest assessment of the enormous fiscal potholes that deepen in every American city that owns a similar system? Will Carlisle bounce the costs to the future? Argue for big tax increases? Or will he nix the whole thing? Hang on to your wallets, Hawaii!

Close rental loopholes

The city Department of Planning and Permitting can fix vacation rental regulations by enforcing the law and not allowing illegal operators to interpret the regulations to suit themselves.

A good example is the 30-day rule, in which a vacation rental operator who does not have a conditional use permit rents a room or house for a few days to only one client — saying in the contract that the client can have the rest of the days of the month for an additional fee. The illegal operator says: "I’m renting my place for a month and therefore I am legal."

This is not the intent of the law. The DPP can fix vacation rental regulations by fixing this loophole.

Key questions not answered in Clayborne Conley tragedy

The headlines relating to the extensive coverage of the tragedy of Clayborne Conley and the people whose lives he took raise all sorts of questions ("Red flags missed," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 7).

Since it is generally accepted that medication is the primary tool for managing severe brain diseases, why was Conley, who had a history of violence, not monitored much more frequently for medication compliance? With a history of violence, how was he able to obtain a gun? Are there serious flaws in our gun laws that should be corrected?

Why, when his friends became aware of his bizarre behavior, were they not able to convey this to the professionals ostensibly overseeing Conley’s conditional discharge from Hawaii State Hospital? Is there something seriously wrong with the whole apparatus — the police, the Adult Mental Health Division of the state Department of Health, the courts and the State Hospital — that affects the lives of people with severe brain diseases? Is there a lack of adequate communication among all of these entities? All of these questions need to be addressed if the state is serious about resolving this major and persistent problem.