Bring back Aila to lead DLNR

Most of us are relieved: The gruesome Carleton Ching hearings are over (Nomination withdrawn," Star-Advertiser, March 19).

"Doing the Ige" did not work this time and the governor finally withdrew his nomination. Hopefully he can redeem the situation by bringing back the well-respected and capable William Aila.

State Sen. Laura Thielen was outstanding in handling the hearings and we all learned much and respected the process.

Ching’s experience and talents can be put to greater use in another capacity within the Ige administration.

Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock
Chinatown

Ariyoshi era had a dark side

Mahalo for your article focusing on the legacy of Hansen’s Disease patients who struggled to save Hale Mohalu as their sanctuary ("New affordable housing honors patients’ legacy," Star-Advertiser, March 18).

They had long suffered at the hands of government, from monarchy to statehood. Those patients are now honored with much-needed affordable housing.

However, missing from this news article was a focus on the state’s legacy under Gov. George Ariyoshi.

The state allowed Hale Mohalu to be neglected and fall into disrepair, leading to a decision to demolish it in 1983. There were no plans for the site at that time, but with expediency and total lack of respect for its charges, the state destroyed what patients considered their sanctuary.

The decision to evict patients in a pre-dawn raid and then bulldoze structures was made under Ariyoshi’s watch. Such insensitivity by government leadership should be a reminder to present decision-makers of the legacy they leave.

Maile Goo
Niu Valley

Hawaii missing legal pot benefits

Why is marijuana illegal in Hawaii? It’s safer than alcohol.

Don’t legislators represent the people who elected them? According to a poll of Hawaii voters by QMark Research in 2014, 66 percent of respondents said they endorsed legalizing cannabis.

Colorado took in $76 million in marijuana related fees and taxes in 2014.Significant portions of marijuana sales went to tourists.

Colorado is also reporting 10,000 new marijuana-related jobs.

Couldn’t Hawaii benefit from an increase in revenue and job opportunities?

Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C. have all made marijuana legal. What is Hawaii waiting for? Let’s be leaders, not followers.

It’s time to legalize and regulate marijuana like alcohol.

Store clerks ask if you’ve got an ID. Dealers just ask if you’ve got money.

Russ Wichman
Hawaiian Acres, Hawaii island

Bag ban will be hazard to health

People use plastic bags for dry and wet garbage.

Banning plastic bags on July 1 to please ill-advised environmental groups will cause people to become careless with garbage.

Public service announcement and getting media programs at Oahu schools to craft creative video messages to educate the public are better ideas.

Plastic bags in a landfill for 100 years do not bother me. What bothers me is garbage in dumpsters attracting vermin, disrupting our island community’s health. Filth from dumpster and garbage bins can include pathogens like Yersinia pestis, E. coli, salmonella, shigella, vibrio, campylobacter, cyclospora and staphylococcus. All because garbage will be carelessly thrown about for lack of plastic bags.

Michael Anthony Akin
Ewa Beach

Why is Martin a rail booster?

Honolulu City Councilman Ernie Martin is currently pushing for a rail tax surcharge extension.

This raises the question of why the Windward-North Shore district representative is promoting a project that none of his constituents will use.

Does he have higher political aspirations that require being in the favor of unions?

Why is he taking trips to the mainland on behalf of the highly questionable project?

The one real answer we know is that the people he represents are clearly not his main concern.

Alan Poh
Kaaawa