Kudos for reporting on memorial fun run

I was impressed to see that the Star-Advertiser published the results of the Lanikai Bikepath 8K from July 6, sponsored by the Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club.

This was the 10th anniversary in memory of our son Daniel Levey, who fell in a hiking accident the day prior to running the Lanikai fun run, July 21, 2003.

It is comforting to us, Daniel’s family, that the Star-Advertiser has taken such a comprehensive approach of reporting sporting events around the islands.

Joyce Cassen
Aina Haina

Let public have say on archery range

Assuming that the wise ban on archery at Kapiolani Park was still in effect, I and other tennis players at the Diamond Head Tennis Center were horrified to see on last Tuesday afternoon archers shooting arrows using high-powered bows.

Before we could alert the police, they had departed, much to the delight of three very terrified karate students who were in harm’s way of errant arrows.

Why has the city not kept in place the signs and yellow tape clearly indicating that the range is closed?

The lives of tennis players were endangered often years ago, and park employees and many residents of La Pietra townhouses were concerned.

Certainly the mayor and the head of the city’s parks department are not trying to reopen the range, especially without a public hearing.

Peter Millard
Diamond Head

Let homeless use sheltered camp

Recently, much has been said about the homeless and how to deal with the situation.

The mayor wants to use his Housing First plan and give apartments to the homeless.

The city will never have enough money to house all the homeless in this type of program.

Why isn’t the city considering a sheltered camp facility?

The area could have a covered roof area for tents.

Community kitchens, showers, bathrooms and a laundry area could be provided.

This community camping area could serve to get more of the homeless off the streets.

A community camp area would give the homeless a better alternative than living on the sidewalks and park areas.

In this way, the city may provide help for a larger number of people than the few who will get apartments under the Housing First plan.

Vicky Walker
Waikiki

Bombings of Israel need more attention

As my sister sat in an Israeli bomb shelter with sirens screaming above her, I opened my morning paper to find no mention of Hamas’ attacks against Israel.

I gave you the benefit of the doubt and went online but found no ongoing reporting of Hamas’ escalating violence against Israeli civilians.

In a 24-hour period, more than 130 rockets were fired into Israeli cities. Highly populated cities such as Tel Aviv are being subjected to frequent and ongoing missile attacks. Millions of Israelis are being told to stay close to bomb shelters, since the missile warning gives only 15-60 seconds of warning before impact.

The holy city of Jerusalem is under fire.

If terrorist attacks on innocent civilians are not news, I don’t know what is.

Please help keep your readers informed on the continuous terrorist attacks so that they can understand the reasons for any subsequent Israeli attempts to prevent Hamas from launching any further missile attacks once and for all.

Eliana Halevi
Kailua

Court ruling did not cripple anything

If Nancy Grekin is truly "embarrassed to live in a country that in the 21st century condemns birth control," she should certainly relocate ("Hobby Lobby ruling a travesty," Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 11).

I, for one, would be willing to help her pack.

Those less moved by demagoguery, though, might want to note that neither Hobby Lobby nor the Supreme Court decision even came close to condemning personal choice over birth control.

It spoke to only four out of 20 forms of birth control that are considered as methods that terminate a fertilized egg or embryo. The other 16 methods would continue to be covered by the employer.

Further, it doesn’t even remotely make those four methods unavailable. It simply says the employer shouldn’t be required to pay for them.

They would still be available — at minimal or no cost — through other avenues, such as Planned Parenthood.

That’s hardly an emasculation of the Affordable Care Act, Roe v. Wade or anything else.

When and how did the concept of personal responsibility become so ridiculed?

Jim Wolery
Kaneohe

Barriers at Laniakea are doing their job

I agree with other letter writers regarding barriers at Laniakea.

Traffic has returned to normal since they went up.

Before the barriers, it would be a 45-minute drive to Haleiwa; now it’s back to 15 minutes.

With people parking on the highway in either direction, they are doing what everyone did before — waiting for a break in traffic instead of using one area as an ad-hoc crosswalk.

If you are driving on the North Shore between Haleiwa and Sunset Beach, I ask as a resident who drives this several times a day: Please don’t stop for someone wanting to cross the road.

Let them wait until there is a break in traffic, like all the surfers and fishermen did for years.

Leave the barriers up. They work.

Tina Jensen
Waialua