Kaneohe not that farto travel from Kailua

"City grapples with cutbacks" (Star-Advertiser, Aug. 23) points out that with the proposed closure of the Kailua/Enchanted Lakes Satellite City Hall, Kailua residents would need to go all the way to Kaneohe to conduct business.

The city added driver license renewals to Windward City Shopping Center, which now offers a full-service satellite, and it’s just six miles from Enchanted Lakes. Windward residents can do business at this satellite without having to drive 14 miles into town.

Looking at the number of transactions handled, Enchanted Lakes averages 16 customers per hour. Compare this with other satellites: Ala Moana handles 58 transactions per hour; Kalihi, 57 per hour; Pearlridge, 78 per hour.

We can better use the Enchanted Lake staff at our full-service sites and decrease wait time for more of the public.

We studied this carefully and believe it is the fiscally prudent thing to do.

Sheri Kajiwara
Director, Honolulu Department of Customer Services

Evidence shows Deedy overreacted

For almost four weeks, I sat in the gallery of the Christopher Deedy trial.

Deedy’s family/supporters sat on one side of the court; Kollin Keali‘i Elderts’ ohana sat on the other side. The benches and families were separated not only by an aisle, but by a great divide in society between those seeking justice for Elderts and those seeking Deedy’s acquittal for Elderts’ death.

During the trial, we watched a young man’s life being snatched away in six minutes of video. Frame by frame, we witnessed the escalation of events leading to a conclusion we already knew. Over and over, the scenes were replayed but not everyone in the room felt remorse or sadness or anger at the stolen life and loss of this young Hawaiian man’s precious life.

Deedy’s life is not more precious than Elderts’ life. His over-reaction to a verbal exchange that had already fizzled out shows that the level of perceived threat did not warrant his use of deadly force.

Kiti Kahalelauniu Bartel
Makiki

Dobelle still up to his old tricks

Congratulations to our old friend, Evan Dobelle, for once again duping his employer ("Ex-UH president under scrutiny again," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 20).

Westfield State University in Massachusetts, where Dobelle is currently president, has found out the hard way that issuing him a credit card is like giving a drunk the keys to the wine cellar.

I salute Mr. Dobelle’s talent for enjoying life at the expense of others. Anybody else would resign his post in shame. Not Dobelle. And why should he?

Maybe there’s another pot of gold in his future, like the one for $3.8 million the University of Hawaii paid to make him disappear.

Ted Pizzino
Manoa

Teach tourists about other turtle sites

A possible way to deter or distract from the attraction of Laniakea (no, it is not called Turtle Beach): No longer allow promotion of "Turtle Beach" but let us spread the news of turtle beaches.

Have a sign at the Haleiwa By-pass entrances with arrows pointing into Haleiwa town, saying: "Turtle beaches, turtle sighting areas."

Both Haleiwa and Alii beach parks boast plenty of parking spaces and wonderful beaches spread out for a mile. These beach parks could have cool turtle-shaped signs saying "turtle sighting area(s)."

The turtles are there daily. These are safe areas with all the facilities and great shopping, shave ice and eateries to enjoy, all within the same area.

Plus, once most people get into historic Haleiwa, they will take a quick look at a turtle then get distracted with all that Haleiwa has to offer.

They could add signs to Kaiaka Park, Sharks Cove, too. Win-win.

Mari Hartman
Sunset Beach

Best idea is to shift highway mauka

Mahalo to Marcel Honore for his objective article on the Laniakea Beach traffic issue.

I deal with the traffic there every week and believe that any solution will draw sharp criticism. But, closing off the 1,000-foot parking stretch would also affect thousands of local surfers, fishermen and families who currently enjoy that beach.

Understandably, those wanting to see the precious honu will just simply park alongside the narrow highway hundreds of yards further from the closed stretch. The traffic problem would not be mitigated one bit.

Has anyone thought about safety issues resulting from visitors having to walk much farther along the busy highway?

Intellectually, it seems the least of the evils would be to shift the highway 40 feet mauka, and convert the existing highway stretch to parking, much like at Sunset. Same traffic, a bit smoother, and no folks crossing the highway.

Jim "Kimo" Kennedy
Ewa Beach

Common Core plan comes with dangers

As the Common Core program goes into full swing here, parents might want to be cautioned of the dangers that come with it.

The program goes far beyond a set of state standards for math and English literature. It is, instead, an entire reinvention of education for our keiki. It is designed to lead children away from classical literature and toward proficiency in reading and comprehension of technical manuals.

Common Core monitors your kids’ personal mannerisms, attitudes and behaviors, and shares that information with private corporations, without his, her or your consent.

The good news, however, is that the tide is turning, as at least 16 legislatures across the nation that had previously adapted Common Core are now rejecting it. If Hawaii follows, and with a little imagination, it could lead to a true renaissance in public education in our state.

Richard Morse
Makiki