Land-use rulings reflect legal intent

I am not a lawyer, but common sense tells me if the courts continue to rule in favor of groups such as the Sierra Club and Earthjustice, then there has to be merit in the rulings ("David Callies," Star-Advertiser, Name in the News, Jan. 11).

Perhaps if the developers and government offices that are being sued would follow the intent as well as the letter of the law, there would be fewer lawsuits and perhaps more appropriate community-based development.

Kathleen M. Pahinui
Waialua

Past zoning rulings not cast in stone

We on the North Shore are heartened by recent Star-Advertiser editorials, letters and commentaries, including Cynthia Oi’s column "When problems dismissed, resort’s review means little" (Under the Sun, Dec. 13), and "Still time to save Kawela Bay" (Our View, Dec. 26).

We know that many value the rural nature, coastal beauty and spectacular surf of our famous North Shore and do not want more concrete, fewer trees,three more traffic lights and untold more cars on the road.

Unfortunately, the developer, Replay Resorts Inc., perceives a right to continue with the zoning granted in 1986. There should be no assumption of past zoning at this time, in a new environmental reality vastly different from 1986.Clearly, the Hawaii Supreme Court felt that a new EIS requires new decisions be made.

No replay of 1986!

Sally Cole
Sunset Beach

North Shore always bedeviled by traffic

As a local, it pains me to see commuters from as far away as Laie bottleneck on Kahekili Highway heading for the H-3 or Likelike Highway.

I think to myself, wouldn’t it be wonderful for them to earn a living close to home, cut back on traffic, and spend more time with family?

While the focus of the Turtle Bay development is on traffic issues from Haleiwa to Pupukea, we are overlooking the critical need for jobs.And while this basic economic need may seem irrelevant to some (the proposed plan calls for 758 new resort jobs and 443 off-site jobs), it is vital to many others who remain silent.

We shouldn’t have to move to the mainland for jobs. Traffic issues on the North Shore have been ongoing for years.Why blame Turtle Bay?Let’s focus on resolving the problem, not suppressing the economic future of our people.

Danna Holck
Vice president and general manager, Turtle Bay Resort

Teachers borrow sick days for work

The article on teacher absenteeism, while suggesting a number of influencing factors, fails to mention perhaps the most important reason that teachers take days off: to get school work done ("Isle teachers miss 17 days on average," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 13).

District-level decisions are made each year that place more and more duties and demands on teachers; school-level decisions are made that leave teachers with more and more students, less and less preparation time.

Many of us are up at 4 o’clock each morning and work six to seven days per week to get our work done, yet this is still not enough time to adequately administer to the needs of 180 or more students who fill an average high school teacher’s roster. Consequently, we borrow sick days to stay home and grade papers, prepare lessons, correspond with parents, fulfill data obligations, etc.

Andy Jones
McCully

Huge debt puts future of U.S. at risk

The national government is $16 trillionin debt, and growing. The number is astounding. The sustained failures in good governance that have delivered us such crushing debt is equally as profound.Regardless of how it has come to pass, the debt is ours to pay.The path to recovery will require another "greatest generation" phenomena.The economic sacrifice that will have to sweep the country as we regain control of spending so future generations can enjoy the blessings of liberty will require all of us to sacrifice — especially those of us who enjoy the benefits of government largesse.National spending simply must be curtailed.

As a nation we rallied to get us through a very real threat to our country’s survival during World War II. Will we rally now to get us through an equally dangerous threat to our country’s survival?

John Hansen
Waipahu

Container recycling has many benefits

Since the inception of the HI-5 program, billions of empty beverage containers have been recycled. Without it, these containers would have ended up occupying large areas of our landfill.

The HI-5 program also has created numerous jobs during this economic downturn.

For those choosing not to participate in the program, the homeless or beverage container pickers ensure the empty containers are redeemed and recycled. Someone is able to benefit monetarily from redemption while supporting the economy and environment. Furthermore, the HI-5 program provides financial assistance to the curbside program on Oahu and on the neighbor islands to operate Certified Redemption Centers.

The HI-5 staff is not only responsible for the day-to-day operations of HI-5, but a multitude of other programs, including the Hawaii Glass Advance Disposal Fee and the Hawaii Electronic Waste Program.

In order to run a successful program, support from the state Department of Health’s administration and state lawmakers is crucial.

Shirley Yeung
Honolulu