Care for kupuna during disasters

Our islands are vulnerable to natural disasters and emergencies that can happen at anytime.

Asa 20-year Waikiki resident and longtime caregiver to our kupuna and individuals with disabilities, I’d like to encourage all of us to take a few minutes to check in on our neighbors during the present threat of Tropical Storm Ana, oranytime a warning alarm is sounded.

By doing so, together, we can helpour neighbors with physical limitations cope, feelprotected and be better prepared. Being proactive in caring for our aging population and each otherkeeps all of Hawaii’s residents safer.

Janet M. Grace
Waikiki

Aiona’s religion not an issue

James B. Young’s fear about James "Duke" Aiona and his religion ("Will Aiona mix religion, politics?" Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 14) reminded me of some people’s concern that John F. Kennedy was Catholic when he ran for president.

Kennedy responded, "I believe in an America that is officially neither Catho-lic, Protestant, nor Jewish … where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials."

I don’t recall an instance where Kennedy imposed his religious views on the country andI don’t think Aiona would either.

We don’t discriminate against candidates running for president because of their race.Hopefully, we won’t discriminate against candidates because of their religion.

If Young is really concerned about Aiona, all he has to do is consider that the Democrats have an overwhelming majorityin the Legislature.

Peter Junker
Waikiki

Support ConAm on preschool

Hawaii is the only state with a Constitution prohibiting funding of non-government preschools.

Article X of the state Constitution, written in 1978, was to prevent state funding of private educational institutions. Since then there has been no effect on private nonprofit preschools until recently when it was recognized that preschools are educational.

Voting "Yes" on Question 4 on Nov. 4 is supported by those wanting to improve our educational system. The opposition’s arguments are fanning fears with misinformation insinuating that public funding will allow sectarian instruction or that private nonprofit schools will have untrained teachers and no accountability.

They say that Hawaii can’t afford the estimated $125 million to fund public preschools that operate during the regular state Department of Education schedule.

However, a public/private partnership estimated to cost only $48 million will operate throughout the whole year and workday.

To benefit Hawaii’s educational system, voters need to vote "Yes" on 4.

Cheryl Campbell
Kailua

HECO needs to adapt soon

At the recent gubernatorial candidate debate on energy, 200 business, environmental and government attendees ranked "restructure Hawaiian Electric" as their main policy goal.

Other voices duplicate this call:the state Department of Business & Economic Development, the state Public Utilities Commission and the Star-Advertiser editorial board ("Core changes needed at HEI," Our View, Oct. 13).

HECO halted photovoltaic hook-ups over a year ago, leaving 4,500 residents stranded. Why? Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s report disclosed rooftop PV can reduce utilities earnings by up to 15 percent.So HECO slammed on the brakes, using "grid instability" as its excuse.

Commercially available energy storage can allow HECO to accept and manage more renewable energy power now. Alternatively, residential-sized battery systems coupled with PV soon can deliver and store adequate power for homes, enabling residents to leave HECO and the grid.

HECO can be part of the solution, trading in its old fossil-fuel plan for a Tesla model. Its decision will determine if it can survive.

Rep. Cynthia Thielen
District 50 (Kailua, Kaneohe)

Restrict flights from West Africa

Not restricting flights from West Africa defies common sense.

The federal government has the right — and, in this case, the obligation — to ban all flights from the Ebola-infected counties and cancel visas from those countries. About 70 percent of the American people support such a ban.

It is the first step inpreventing the spread of the deadly disease in this country. Health care personnel and the military are willing and able to go into those countries and try tocontrol its spread.

James York
Iwilei