Thomas Square needs friends

Mahalo to Stephan Jost for seeing the possibilities of Thomas Square ("Let’s find a way to restore grandeur of Thomas Square," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 23).

As a University of Hawaii-Manoa student, I sat mesmerized at the feet of Jimi Hendrix, who played his magic guitar there. We danced and enjoyed the space as it should be used.

Now only shadowy figures, hiding from the public, frequent the Square. I mourn the neglected plants and poorly tended grass. My only company is some lone sleeper under a nearby tree.

Jost envisions Thomas Square as it could be, as it should be, with its fountain playing, sunlit and clean, a green attraction that complements the Honolulu Museum, the Linekona Art School and Blaisdell Concert Hall. Instead of the eyesore of tents and garbage, we invite the keiki, kupuna and visitors to enjoy a centrally located beauty spot. We need a Friends of Thomas Square to advocate for a brighter future — not just for a few sidewalk dwellers, but for all of us.

Flora Ling
Kakaako

Deficits risking country’s future

I wanted to thank Alan Poepoe for simply asking, "How will the government ever repay its debt when spending is nearly 50 percent higher than its income?"("Biggest challenge is to reduce debt," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 22). I want to echo that sentiment, and I believe almost half the country feels the same way.

I simply don’t understand how responsible adults can support continuing deficits that are destroying our country and way of life.

James York
Hawaii Kai

Attack on record was off the mark

I have often served as "of counsel" to law firms representing private landowners attempting to assert or defend their constitutional private property rights. Is this what David Frankel means by "paid advocate for developers" ("Callies outside legal mainstream," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 19)?

Moreover, during the period between what he wrongly describes as efforts to saveSandy Beach — which was never ever threatened by development — and the PASH case on Hawaiian rights (in which I had no part), I also counseled, litigated or served as expert witness for the Hono-lulu Department of Planning, the Kauai charter revision commission, the state Office of Planning, the state Land Use Commission and the NAACP.

As for Turtle Bay, if the landowner does need subdivision plat approval, two of four county planning directors have opined that preliminary approval is not discretionary but mandatory and, of course, as Frankel should have recalled from law school, final plat approval is never discretionary.

Now, which of us is not accurate?

David Callies
Wilhelmina Rise

Minimum wage isn’t without cost

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s argument to raise the minimum wage fails to accurately describe why companies hire people.They operate to create profit.The cost of doing business has to be less than what the owner or chief executive officer defines as enough profit to justify the time and overhead costs.

Unlike the government, businesses can’t spend more than they make or have expenses that exceed a reasonable profit to keep the busi- ness open.So, if the governor is successful in raising the minimum wage, companies will hire fewer employees or reduce the hours of current employees to keep within their overhead margins.

Businesses can’t just increase the price of products and expect to stay in business, because people will migrate to products that cost less — probably provided by a competitor who has fewer employees.

It’s a bad idea to raise the minimum wage, and the governor should talk with businesses to see for himself the negative impact.

Larry Kanzler
Kapaa

Eddie Sherman was very special

I first met Eddie Sherman when I worked at KGU radio.

In 1957, Henry J. Kaiser built a new station, KHVH. I was one of the original announcers hired.

Eddie’s first wife, Peggy Ryan, welcomed me to spend weekends at their house on Lilipuna Road across from Coconut Island.One Sunday while I was still asleep, Eddie awakened me: "Kaiser is coming. He wants to party."

Soon a Cadillac caravan arrived. The cars towed Jet Ski boats and carried cases of booze.

We played football with a pineapple on the sand bar near Sherman’s house. Besides Henry J., the players included pianist-comedian Victor Borge and Hugh O’Brian, TV’s "Wyatt Earp." Plus the DeCastro Sisters whose "Teach Me Tonight," was a huge hit.

Yes,Eddie Sherman was special in many ways.They don’t make them like that anymore.

Ron Jacobs
Kaneohe