It’s better to repave highways at night

Reading Joyce Cassen’s letter to the editor painfully reminded me of what we endured during the last work on Kalanianaole Highway ("Roadwork better done at night," Star-Advertiser, March 15).

In the 1990s, my mother was suffering from cancer. We often had to shuttle her from Hawaii Kai to downtown for doctor’s appointments. Sometimes, it took 11⁄2 hours one way. She would be in pain and nauseous. Seeing her suffer through the bumpy, stop-and-go traffic was heartbreaking. Once we tried to go through Waimanalo but had to turn around because of a brush fire.

In total we were in transit for more than three hours for a half-hour doctor’s appointment.

I hope officials will consider how this road work will affect the community in general and the thousands of people who must use this vital corridor. It is not just about daytime versus nighttime construction cost.

Debora Ishihara
Hawaii Kai

Narrower lanes on H-1 can be scary

What is it like to drive the new narrow lanes on H-1 going around the sweeping curves such as at the Vineyard on/off ramp? Scary.

And what about doing that with a big truck or bus on one side? Scarier.

And what about doing that with a big truck or bus on both sides? Scariest.

Edward L. Bonomi
Waikiki

U.S. disrespects sovereignty often

I agree with Danny Li’s charge of President Barack Obama’s hypocrisy when calling for respect for international law and national sovereignty in Ukraine ("Obama hypocritical in Ukraine crisis," Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 10).

Li rightly implies that the U.S. benefited from the violation of Hawaii’s sovereignty when the kingdom was overthrown. I wish to add, however, that subsequently we have violated the sovereignty of nations many times, including most notoriously the invasion of the Philippines in 1899 and Vietnam in the 1960s.

More recently, the U.S. illegally bombed Serbia for the purpose of forcing it to accept the separation of Kosovo. It illegally invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, and used covert operations, financial support, and sometimes the threat of military intervention to overthrow the legitimate governments in Georgia, Uzbekistan, Libya, Egypt, Syria and Ukraine.

Washington is fully willing to violate international law and national sovereignty, and invokes these principles mainly as propagandistic tools against adversaries when convenient.

Oliver Lee
Aina Haina

UH sports events shouldn’t conflict

Recently we went to watch the University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team play UCLA at the Stan Sheriff Center.

What a wonderful surprise to see so many cars in the parking structure. Finally, we thought, the volleyball ‘Bows were getting the bigger crowds they well deserved.

Then we noticed that most of the crowd was making its way to the stadium to watch the baseball ‘Bows play Pepperdine. What bad timing! Instead of matches being played back to back so that people could attend both games, the two UH teams were competing against each other for fans.

Now we know one reason the Athletics Department is in a deficit: poor scheduling.

Jim and Pat Alvarez
Kailua

Welfare recipients should ‘assist’ public

Housing First?

How about jobs first?

On an island where many have two, three and even four jobs in a household to provide housing for their ohana, the government wants to provide housing first?

Give public assistance where necessary. But in the same way that a teacher is paid to teach and a firefighter is paid to put out fires, those who are paid public assistance and need it should have the job title of "public assistant." They should therefore be given the direction and opportunity to assist the public.

Homelessness will not be solved with bricks and mortar, plywood and roofing paper. It will be solved when each takes individual responsibility and when leaders take responsibility and provide options that include work first.

K. Michael Danner
Kaneohe

Save our country from illegal drugs

Recently I attended a Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America National Leadership forum.

I was very disappointed with the Obama administration. It sends a message to all states that it is OK to legalize marijuana, even through federal laws prohibit such activities.

Those who fight illegal drugs have all the peer research, including the health hazards of marijuana on our children. We spend billions of dollars a year to fight that fight, and our president and his attorney general dolittle to support that effort.The presidentswore to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the laws of this country. Hechooses not to.

Anyone who believes that this country is worth saving from illegal drugs, including marijuana, should call and volunteer at The Coalition for aDrug Free Hawaii.

John Ornellas
Lanai City, Lanai

Town hall meetings can be productive

Amid the assorted heated and controversial GMO, Kakaako and "keep the country country" town hall meetings, there do exist community meetings where just about everyone leaves happy.

I take this opportunity to thank City Councilman Ron Menor, other elected officials, and city and county personnel, all of whom did a terrific job at a March 12 meeting at Mililani Uka Elementary School, at which they explained the forthcoming, badly needed road repair project for Meheula Parkway and Anania Drive in Mililani.

Here’s to that extra Christmas present Mililanians will be able to enjoy at the end of the project.

Paul Ventura
Mililani