Phased reviews are not needed

After the state Supreme Court ruled that the state Historic Preservation Division had improperly agreed to a phased review of the rail transit project, the archaeological inventory survey was quickly finished.

This proved to many of us in the historic preservation community that the phased review was merely convenient for the developer and did not meet the phasing requirement of federal regulations.

The administration’s bill to write phased review into Hawaii law is a classic case of overreaching. Let’s not put developer convenience ahead of Hawaiian history and burials.

Thomas Dye
Chinatown

Traffic gridlock in H-1’s future

The recent Sunday lane-closures for construction on the H-1 freeway, specifically at the Pearl City/Wai- pahu viaduct, serve as a harbinger of things to come once the planned afternoon zipper lane is implemented and deployed.

Those two eastbound lanes closed for construction will be the same lanes closed for the zipper lane. Currently described as a traffic snarl by the Department of Transportation, it will soon become a routine and additional afternoon eastbound traffic nightmare for those who live out west.

This IS a result of a half-century long, failed master-plan to isolate Oahu’s poor and working-class on the once dying and now dead agriculture lands of Central Oahu and the Ewa plain. What once were sprawling pineapple and swaying sugarcane fields have since been replaced by suburbia — Cracker Jack box-like tract homes, stuffed onto zero-lots like sardines in a can.

Meanwhile, development methodically continues out west, a promise of worsening traffic gridlock.

Mel McKeague
Kapolei

Bars not reason for recent crime

The article blaming late-night spots for a crime surge is only a witch hunt to get rid of the bars in the area ("Late-night spots blamed for Ala Moana crime surge," Star-Advertiser, April 5).

There hasn’t been any new bar construction in years, so there are no new bars in the area. While the bar names may have changed, they are still located in the same buildings that have been there for many years, even decades.

Before Walmart was built, there were a lot more bars in the area without a big crime problem.

This area is designated mixed residential and commercial, not just a residential area. People in the area have always wanted to thin out the commercial bar establishments and are trying to use the recent crimes as an excuse to get more support from the city and liquor commission.

Thinning out the bars will not stop crime. The residents should instead try to work with the police to make the area safer.

Stan Sano
Makiki

UH needs better administrators

Now it’s the University of Hawaii Board of Regents wantonly misusing funds to procure the questionable services of outside attorneys.

Add this episode to the unwarranted salaries and perks bestowed on a head librarian, athletic director, chancellor and president.

UH has sunk to a new level of hire education. For the well-being of the institution, it’s time to oust these "best and brightest" and replace them with people of integrity and leadership.

Joe Young
Downtown Honolulu

DOE should provide supplies

Why are teachers paying for school supplies out of their own pocket? It boggles the mind that no one seems to be asking this very important and obvious question.Instead, everyone is jumping on the bandwagon to fix the symptoms of a possibly significant problem.

A teacher tax credit bill has been proposed and there are various classroom donation programs, which may be good ideas but do not address the problem directly. What are our taxes for? Or are teachers not adequately using the state Department of Education procurement system?

Are our elected representatives underfunding our classrooms? If so, the better way is for our elected officials to manage our tax dollars better so that our schools are adequately funded. If teachers are not using the state DOE procurement system adequately, then the system should be improved or teachers educated better on how to get supplies from the DOE.

Leighton Loo
Maunalani Heights

Not all evidence upholds GMOs

The GMO (genetically modified organism) companies have been putting out TV and radio ads to convince the public that glyphosate weedkiller and GMO foods are safe and do not harm the environment.

But scientific studies are showing that glyphosate does not break down in the soil and contributes to the risk of superweeds and new forms of bacteria, for which stronger chemicals are needed. And the presence of a pesticide within a plant’s genes causes an increase in irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive problems.

It’s the GMO, stupid. How much longer do we have to consume unlabeled GMO soy, corn and papaya in all its deceptive packaging before we realize we have been duped by both chemical and food companies into sacrificing our health?

It’s time for Hawaii to label GMO.

Elaine Kam
Aina Koa

Marriage always 1 man, 1 woman

The God of the Bible who formed us in our mothers’ wombs ordained marriage as a covenant for one man and one woman at the beginning of creation.

He designed marriage and no one has the right to change it.

You can relabel same-sex marriage as equality in marriage, but the meaning is still the same — homosexual marriage.

The government or state may win the battle of homosexual marriage in the courts, but for the Christian, marriage will always be "heterosexual" — one man and one woman, nothing else.

Melvin Partido Sr.
Pearl City

Undersea cable is poor option

The proposed undersea power cable is an example of crony capitalism at its finest.

The fact that the state Public Utilities Commission would allow Hawaiian Electric Co. to raise electricity rates to pay for the project, estimated at over $5 billion, does not get much press, but it should.

Is that free-market capitalism?With ratepayers footing the bill, what is the incentive to keep costs minimized? Just the fluctuating price of copper could send the cost through the roof.

The larger question is whether Oahu should plug into neighbor islands at all. Honolulu has hundreds of acres of empty rooftops available for solar panels, and doing that would be cheaper and easier to maintain than an undersea cable.

Please aloha Maui Nui, look to your island for electrical power and oppose this clear example of crony capitalism. No to the cable.

Simon Russell
Haiku, Maui