Jurors serve cause of justice

As I prepare to leave on my extended designation to the Western District of Texas to assist it with its overwhelming caseload, I wanted to sincerely thank the many thousands of dedicated men and women who have willingly served as jurors in my federal courtroom over these last 25 years.

There is no question that jury service requires a significant sacrifice. Those chosen as jurors must leave their daily work and home lives to serve for what can be weeks at a time.

I know I speak not only for myself but for every state and federal judge in Hawaii when I say how much we appreciate their sacrifice. Without them, our jurors, we could not provide one of our most important Constitutional rights: the right to a fair and impartial trial before a jury of one’s peers.

As one juror recently told me, “Judge, I never felt so empowered as a citizen or felt I participated more directly and in a more meaningful way.”

I can assure you that if you serve as a juror, you, too, will come away with that same feeling.

David Alan Ezra
Senior U.S. District judge, District of Hawaii

Inouye a friend to Forest Service

Sen. Daniel Inouye was a longtime advocate and supporter of the U.S. Forest Service’s research efforts in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.

He was instrumental in the establishment of the Pacific Southwest Research Station’s Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry and the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest on Hawaii island.

Inouye’s legacy will ensure the enduring and dynamic range of research activities throughout the region for generations to come. His leadership, innovation and dedication are greatly appreciated and will be dearly missed.

We look forward to continuing our innovative research and ongoing efforts to conserve, restore and sustain the natural resources of the Hawaiian and Pacific islands.

Alexander L. Friend
Station director, USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station Albany,  Calif.

Drug war cruel, costly, fruitless

Hope springs eternal that President Barack Obama will lend his pen to signing an executive order legalizing cannabis during the coming year.

Pot prohibition has caused needless suffering and untold hardships on tens of millions of Americans in a war waged on its own citizens.

By ending the criminal penalties for cannabis possession by adults, we will immediately save taxpayers millions in arrest, prosecution and incarceration costs.

Make better use of police time and resources by freeing them to focus on serious crimes of violence.

Regulate the legal sales of cannabis, increasing tax revenues that can be used to improve schools and infrastructure.

Make our communities safer by eliminating drug dealers, thereby keeping drugs away from children.

Deliver a devastating blow to the drug cartels that have killed thousands of innocent victims.

The drug war has dragged on for more than 40 years. Something desperately needs to be done to right the great wrongs of the past 40 years.

Andrea Tischler
Hilo

Gun violence reflects values

Our society needs to solve the problem of gun violence.

The streets of Chicago and the classrooms of Connecticut demand action beyond our expressions of outrage and compassion.

The primary action is to stop the flow of handguns and assault rifles into our communities. That’s the obvious part.

The more difficult task — the one that will take at least a full generation — is transforming our culture from violence to non-violence. From the language we use to the games we play, we have been overwhelmed by violence. Sports have become more physical, movie language more abusive, and technology has made bullying a 24/7 reality.

As a start, the institutions that have provided past foundations for safe, happy communities — family, education, religion — must wrest control from those whose dominant values are power and wealth.

We must return to respect, responsibility, honesty, fairness and compassion.

John Heidel
Kailua

Don’t permit 650-foot tower

I attended a very interesting Hawaii Community Development Authority meeting recently.

The purpose of this meeting was to select a developer for 690 Pohukaina.

The choice was between just two developers — one proposing affordable rentals and the other condos for sale, with a mix of affordable and market prices.

Personally, I have no preference.

I do, however, have many concerns about the development. I have never been so happy to hear two politicians, Scott Saiki and Carol Fukunaga, speak in favor of having more meetings at more convenient times. 

Since the vote was taken minutes later, am I to assume their concerns were ignored? I think it is safe to say that many people are concerned about the density and the height of the proposed building (650 feet).

Why the obsession with this height? It’s gross, and the sky will be the limit for future buildings.

Also, if the rail will provide transportation to and from the west, why do we need to have such high density in Kakaako at the expense of our skyline and views?

Carolyn Hong
Waialae-Iki

Lands can’t bear resort buildout

I have lived at Kawela Bay since 1978.

I have seen during this time four different owners of the Turtle Bay resort attempt massive buildout plans on what was once and should be once again, agricultural lands.

These are lands the people of Hawaii have enjoyed for generations. 

Now a new owner wants to get our City Council to approve 2,500 hotel units and 1,000 new residential units. 

I say no. The lands will not support these plans, which will affect traffic, sea life, Hawaiian burial grounds, water supplies and more.

I call upon our City Council to join me in saying no to the new owner’s supplemental environmental impact statement. It makes no sense for the people of Hawaii and its visitors.

Elizabeth Lacy
Kahuku

Nature will have the last word

Turtle Bay development expansion is once again breathing fire upon us.

These greedy dragons will take away some of the last pristine coastal areas on Oahu to build another commodity for trading on global markets, bringing more riches to the rich, paltry services jobs for a few locals, and traffic hell for everyone else.

However, it seems Nature may come to our rescue to put out those flames. Along the Windward Oahu coastal route, there are long sections fronting the ocean near sea level with frequent ocean wash onto the road for any high tide or all tides under elevated seas and swell. Now add in global sea level rise and the inevitable tsunamis and it would seem our governing bodies would not allow such an increase in traffic without first addressing the transportation quandary.

Pat Caldwell
Kailua