Building purchase lacks traffic data

The commentary opposing the state’s proposed purchase of the Alii Place building mostly consisted of a detailed review of H-1 traffic congestion ostensibly caused by state workers living west of Aloha Stadium ("With traffic choking H-1, state should move to Kapolei," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 15).

Has there ever been a study on how many state workers actually commute from West Oahu to their offices in Honolulu?

The adjoining article favoring the purchase of the downtown building is properly approached from an economic standpoint ("The office tower would be a sound investment," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 15).

I support development of West Oahu, including the construction of state office facilities, but until we develop accurate statistics on where state employees currently reside and commute to their present offices, a decision on purchasing Alii Place should not be based on its possible effect on the current H-1 traffic situation.

Robert Engelbardt
Kailua

Improve beach park but keep it local

A majority of local sentiment says leave Ala Moana Beach Park open space for everyone. "Open space" versus "How to make money off park lands" needs to be put to rest.

Improvements are needed, such as maintaining bathrooms and shower stalls, more free parking, and wide walking paths so strollers, Segways and bicycles can also use the pathways. I envision a park with good lighting and security to accommodate evening and early morning walks.

If any structure is to go up, it could be a small police substation like in Waikiki and downtown so it is visible, with easy and quick access for people to get help.

The best thing the city could do for all taxpayers and visitors is to keep this park as a place to enjoy green open space, with healthy trees helping to keep the air clean and provide shade for picnickers.

Lucky are the rich who can provide open space on their own estates. How about the rest of us, who also deserve some relaxing breaks in life — sun, ocean, sand and park all combined in one, because this is Hawaii?

Lena Tanaka
Hawaii Kai

Preserve access to beaches and parks

What doesn’t Mayor Kirk Caldwell understand about the words "beach" and "park?"

He should have taken note of the overwhelmingly negative public response to his suggestions that "Our Ala Moana Beach Park" have more concessions, as well as the public’s suspicion that he wants to use the park for revenue and playgrounds for tourists or rich owners of nearby condos.

Now in response to the homeless issue at Kuhio Beach Park pavilions, he is considering converting more of them into commercial enterprises to reclaim the public beach space.

This does not make sense. We want to preserve our access to our beautiful beaches and parks as open spaces freely visible and accessible to local residents and visitors.

Malia Flynn
Maunalani Heights

Let’s come together about Mauna Kea

The Mauna Kea controversy fills me with sadness. I can’t help but view it through the truth that Hawaii was stolen from its people a little over a century ago.

Yet don’t many kanaka maoli start their events with prayers to "God" or "Lord" or Jesus, rather than to Kane or Ku or Lono?

Either way, there’s a strong belief in both cultures in the divine creation of the heavens — whose stars have been so friendly to Hawaiian voyagers old and new.

So why should exploration of that amazing reality be seen as a desecration, rather than part of a search for greater understanding and appreciation of the universe we find ourselves in?

Isn’t there a way we can come together to construct that telescope without it being seen as detracting from Hawaiian values but, rather, of allowing us to voyage not just by the stars, but to the stars?

Kelly Pomeroy
Kamuela, Hawaii

Desire to be cool drives e-cig habit

Anybody who has ever taken up smoking knows that the motivation wasn’t the good taste or wonderful smell, or because you wanted an addicting habit. It was because you wanted to be "cool" and fit in with other kids.

Kids in their formative years have that need, which is why most smokers start in their teens. That’s also why young people are drawn to e-cigs.

The Hawaii Tobacco Quitline says that cigarettes contain thousands of chemicals. A Star-Advertiser article said that e-cigarettes, "which deliver the nicotine but not the dangerous tar and other chemicals, are likely to be far less harmful than traditional cigarettes" ("More teens using e-cigs," Star-Advertiser, April 17).

Nicotine availability should be denied to those under 18, but history shows this is difficult to enforce. The question is: If our young people are determined to try being "cool" in this way, would you rather have them use tobacco or e-cigs?

Jim Wolery
Kaneohe

HECO and NextEra execs made sense

I’m a perennial skeptic, and I must admit I walked into the Hawaiian Electric Industries/ NextEra open house at Pearl City High School with a negative attitude toward the prospective merger.

I had a lot of questions, but both Hawaiian Electric and NextEra representatives addressed them all well, in ways that made sense to me.

The public entrusts the Public Utilities Commission commissioners — and certainly not the shareholders, whose interests may be diametrically opposed to the public’s — to make the final decision on behalf of our best interests, so I’ll be interested to hear more from them.

In the meantime, I walked out of the open house with a much more positive impression of the merger. The lesson here is to keep an open mind. And that applies to everything — the Thirty Meter Telescope comes to mind.

Karin Lynn
McCully-Moiliili