Don’t ignore plan for North Shore

The good news is the proposed sale of the Haleiwa Regional Park mauka was deferred by the City Council Budget Committee. The bad news is the proposed sale of public park land made traction with no proper acknowledgment of the North Shore Sustainable Communities Plan.

A substantial amount of resources was spent to engage the community and business alike in the development of this plan, which was approved by the Council and the mayor just last year. This plan clearly documents that there is a shortage of community-based parks in the North Shore area and that the subject 3.4 acres should be improved as "Haleiwa Beach Park Mauka" to meet the needs of the community.

Oahu’s sustainable and development plans ultimately shape our communities and the process includes public interest and involvement. Our lawmakers need to uphold the integrity of these plans as well as avoid action that erodes the standard of good planning principles.

Elizabeth Reilly
Livable Hawaii Kai Hui

GMO proponents distort the facts

Mark Phillipson argues genetically engineered foods have been proven safe, accuses industry critics of "fear mongering," and wants facts ("Experts agree that GM foods are safe," Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 12).

These are facts:

» No GMO foods have been government safety tested. Your health depends on Monsanto’s scientists.

» Because industry vehemently opposes labeling, which would allow consumer choice and tracking, neither they nor you know the health consequences of consuming their products.

» Most GMO crops are engineered to tolerate applications of herbicide, to sell more Roundup. The result: Herbicide use has increased by hundreds of millions of pounds.

» Use of herbicide-resistant GMO crops have caused herbicide-resistant weeds to infest millions of acres of U.S. farmland.

» Contamination of non-GMO crops by GMO crops has caused billions of dollars in documented economic harm to non-GMO farmers.

The biotech industry thrives on consumer ignorance and campaign contributions. Labeling is key.

Paul H. Achitoff
Earthjustice

Catholics unfairly hounded by critics

I object to the letter, "Some Catholics ignore own sins" (Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 7). Aren’t sins really between those so-called sinners and their God? Are we now to go to the government instead of our priests to hear our confessions? Furthermore, I resent the belief that Catholics care less about their children than outsiders. Of course we cared and still care; after all, whose children were being abused?

While media and those outside the church were going ballistic, Catholics were quietly working within the church to remove those abusers. Why do non-Catholics act as though it is only within the Catholic Church where abuse is taking place?

Lastly, Catholics were bused into Honolulu to participate in the demostration against the government’s birth control mandate because it was their religious and constitutional right. Stop hounding people for exercising their rights.

Ethel Conboy

Kailua

A blessedly quiet Fourth on Kauai

Did Independence Day really happen this year?

For the first year since I can remember on Kauai, I was not bothered by smoke and excessive noise from fireworks.

I don’t know if it’s the economy or if people have become more considerate of their neighbors, or possibly that I am being more tolerant myself.

Nonetheless, this past Fourth of July was the quietest I can recall. I hopeNew Year’s Eve can live up to the same standard.

James "Kimo" Rosen
Kapaa, Kauai

Ads prove Cayetano can stop rail transit

Wednesday’s televised debate between the top three mayoral candidates had both Mayor Peter Carlisle and Kirk Caldwell saying that Ben Cayetano could not stop rail at this point.

If that is the case, why has Pacific Resource Partnership spent more than $500,000 so far to stop Cayetano before he can stop rail? Also, the Imua Rail and Operating Engineers groups apparently do not share Carlisle’s and Caldwell’s opinion, as they, too, are spending thousands to promote rail, even though rail is not on the ballot.

Pam Smith
Ewa Beach

Romney, Cayetano don’t offer solutions

Somewhat belatedly I have come to the conclusion that Mitt Romney and Ben Cayetano are like two peas in a pod.

Both know what they are against and are vociferous in their opposition. Romney opposes the Affordable Care Act for the nation and Cayetano opposes a separated fixed-guideway rail system for Honolulu.

Both say they have a fix for the problem, but neither are willing or able to provide us with a detailed, comprehensive understanding of the "fix" they have in mind.

Informed voters deserve better from these two agents of change.

Jerome Comcowich
Kailua

Donovan served UH athletics well

We are longtime fans of University of Hawaii athletics who cheer for UH student-athletes at dozens of games each year. And we are fans of Jim Donovan. UH made an excellent choice when they hired him as athletic director.

No matter what happens with the current situation, we will remain Jim Donovan fans. He is a good man who has always kept the best interests of the university and its student-athletes at the forefront.

Ann and Kevin Williams
Hawaii Kai