AARP fights for issues that matter

With respect to Ron Weinberg’s opinion ("AARP ignoring needs of members," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 12), it’s worth noting that about half of AARP’s nearly 150,000 members in Hawaii cite our advocacy work as an important reason to renew their memberships.

AARP believes in fighting for the issues that matter most to Hawaii’s families — such as health care and retirement security.

Our state-level advocacy has recently focused on making it easier for residents to live with independence and dignity and remain in their homes and communities for as long as they are able.

We also have a long history of supporting proposals to strengthen Social Security and opposing efforts that would undermine the retirement security of today’s older people and future generations.

These are just a few examples of the principles AARP stands for — made possible by advocacy efforts at the state Legislature and the U.S. Capitol.

Gerry Silva
State president, AARP Hawaii

DHHL hopes to improve service

Recently, I have been reading your coverage of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and especially the comments on the new draft revokable-permit program.

While we appreciate your paper’s coverage of DHHL and the improvements being undertaken to better serve our Native Hawaiian beneficiaries, I would like to clarify my intention as a commissioner approving the new draft program.

The Hawaiian Homes Commission decision in December was intended to help the department better manage trust lands that are not ready to be developed for residential use in the next 20 years.

We believe the new program will create opportunities for our beneficiaries and improve the management of underutilized lands while also creating a revenue stream that can be used to provide other benefits to our people.

This is just the start of our process. No final decision on the program will be made until our beneficiaries have had an opportunity to share their mana‘o.

We look forward to hearing from all voices in our homestead communities.

David B. Kaapu
Hawaiian Homes Commission

Red lights don’t matter on Oahu

I know I am in Honolulu as up to four cars go through their red light after my little walking man on green has turned to tell me it’s OK to walk across the street.

I know to not look at the "safe to walk" icon but at the vehicles still zooming through their red light.

I am a walker in many countries and states; Hono-lulu is the only place I walk where this happens.

I tell myself while shaking my head, "It is the culture."

I fear for the safety of the undercover cops policing the pedestrians.

I am not surprised there are so many pedestrian deaths and injuries in Hawaii.

Karen Hofstad
Petersburg, Alaska

Tourism ruining our old Hawaii

I agree with letter-writer Fred Harris regarding the loss of Ward Warehouse ("Ward Warehouse will be missed," Feb. 2).

I have been watching this evolution of Hawaii from a Hawaiian place to a mainland place since statehood. It’s not pretty. To people involved in tourism, the only thing that matters is the numbers: how many more tourists and tourist dollars we had this year compared to last. There is no concern for the negative impact that hordes of tourists have on our limited, fragile place.

Yes, tourism creates jobs and money, but we have lost too much, all for the benefit of tourists. I get the feeling that our tourism bureau and hotels have a higher priority than we do.

Will there be any Hawaiians and Hawaiiana left here in 50 years?

Bert West
Kakaako

Lee’s design still reigns at USPS

Many people in Hawaii and throughout the world will celebratethe Chinese Lunar New Year on Feb. 19 — Year of the Ram.

Inthe early ’90s, the U.S. Postal Service did a wonderful job promoting this festive celebration by commissioning the late Clarence K.M. Lee of Hono-lulu to design the stamp series. His paper-cut-designed stamps remain some of my favorite stamps as a philatelist of some 60 years. To this year, the USPS continues to produceLunar New Year stamps, since they are profitable.

Farewell andaloha oe to Clarence Lee, a Living Treasure of Hawaii who passed away onJan. 29.

Happy New Year — "Sun Nin Fai Lok!"

Lawrence M. O. Chun
Kailua

Coconut Grove still seeks action

The Coconut Grove community is awaiting changes to ineffective traffic-calming devices in Kailua.

Our request involves the removal of two center-lane traffic-calming devices and replacing them with three speed bumps strategically placed in the same area.

After many years, approval from the city Department of Transportation Services and the mayor’s office occurred in October 2013. Notification of the mayor’s approval was presented at the Kailua Neighborhood Board that month.

There have been 131 phone messages/conversations, 44 emails, 57 official letters, 16 personal meetings, the 2007 community petition and another 2013 petition with 100 percent signatures, requested by then-Mayor Peter Carlisle.

We appreciate current paving improvements being made. We need this small-scale request to Kihapai Street to improve pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular traffic safety.

Todd E. Hendricks
Kailua

Wahine hoops not appreciated?

My son and I went to the Wahine basketball game on Feb. 7, in which the Wahine beat Cal-Poly. The win gave the Wahine sole possession of first place in the Big West conference.

It was so disappointing that only about 1,100 people were in attendance. The Wahine have now won eight straight and are home this week for two games and still lead the Big West.

Why can’t there be the same support in numbers such as the case with the men’s basketball and women’s volleyball?

Coach Laura Beeman has done an awesome job with our Wahines and they deserve Hawaii’s support.

Terry Tsuhako
Mililani

False analogies aren’t helpful

Regarding Terrence Ching’s letter ("Cars cost more than rail project," Feb. 13), there needs to be some clarification on his numbers.

The whole state of Hawaii consumes less than 500 million gallons of gasoline, and even at $5/gallon, that amounts to only $2.5 billion. Oahu only accounts for 80 percent of all gasoline consumed in the state.

The $6.1 billion used of "petrol," as Mr. Ching says, is the total petroleum consumed that includes jet fuel, diesel fuel, fuel oil, bunker crude, asphalt, solvents, motor oil and other minor petroleum products.

So, some 400 million gallons of gasoline at today’s prices is less than $1.2 billion; $5 billion has nothing to do with the rail project.

Consumers need to be aware of false analogies.

Frank Young
Former chairman, state Petroleum Advisory Council