Police chief treated poorly

What was the purpose of Nelson Daranciang’s article describing the personal family dispute involving Hono-lulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, his wife Katherine and her uncle ("Police chief in middle of family dispute," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 27)?

Shame on him and on his editors who allowed publication of an article that shared the personal challenges of two very outstanding public servants. 

I had hoped that when Honolulu’s two newspapers merged into the Star-Advertiser, it would maintain a standard of professional newswriting. Sadly, it did not. 

In fairness to the Kealohas, the Star-Advertiser should provide a follow-up story at the end of the lawsuit and criminal case informing your readership the outcome of the case. 

I hope that’s on the front page as well.

Charlene Abe
Honolulu 

Recycling center ripping folks off

I do my part by regularly recycling plastic and aluminum drink containers. 

Today I had an experience at the Reynolds Recycling location in Hawaii Kai that really disappointed me with the state’s recycling program.

Typically I bag 200 containers in a large black trash bag and the reward is $10 back in my pocket. To save some time, I had the attendant weigh the bag of containers instead of counting the contents and I was shocked by what he said: "You get $8.40 for this bag full, sir." 

This happened another time a few weeks ago and I figured it was a fluke. I was totally shocked by what is happening to people like me when they try to do the right thing by bringing in their recyclables. Such a rip-off. 

The state makes more money off of us for doing the right thing.

Jeffrey J. Jersets
Hawaii Kai 

Most seniors are not ‘affluent’

I wanted to comment on Kent Bennett’s grumbling about "affluent seniors" not paying their fair share to the state tax coffers ("Families will pay for affluent seniors," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 12).

Bennett assumed that all of us seniors (62-plus) are "affluent" — whatever that is to him. Unfortunately, not all of us have homes paid off. Some of us are raising grandchildren and/or are housing their adult children for various reasons. As far as those who draw both a state pension and Social 

Security, in almost every case their Social Security pension will be substantially reduced under the  windfall elimination provision. 

By the way, many of the "struggling families" take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit that those of us affluent seniors pay for from our federal taxes. 

I have paid taxes for 50 years. Enough already.

James Myers 
Kahaluu

Higher bus fare would cut riders 

What an extraordinary comment by Daniel Constancio, stating that seniors should pay full bus fares ("All adults should pay same for bus," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 8). 

If that’s Constancio’s feelings, then he is either extremely rich or, if not, I say good luck to him when he becomes a senior citizen.

I am a retired senior. I worked 50-plus years, paying every penny of taxes and Social Security that I had to. I do not have a car but do charity work and go by bus. 

If I had to pay a higher amount to ride the bus, then I could not do charity work. There must be hundreds of seniors in a similar position. 

It would be even worse for disabled and college people. 

Toby Allen
Kaimuki

Some tips for safer driving

For safety reasons, I would like to suggest:

>> When stopping for a person at a crosswalk, we should engage the "hazard warning signal" in our vehicle so the driver in the rear or in the next lane will slow down and become aware that a pedestrian, a handicapped person or a moving object is in the crosswalk.

>> At a four-way stop, a sign should be installed that reads: "Four-Way Stop, Proceed Clockwise."

Kenneth Sabog
Waipahu