Thank you so much for the plastic bag article (“Environmentalist angry at sight of plastic bags,” Star-Advertiser, July 7).

I am one of those who thought the law was a feeble attempt at actually banning plastic bags because of what it didn’t ban, but I was still fairly stunned when I went into a Tamura’s Sunday and thick plastic bags stuffed with groceries were filling carts.

When I asked about the plastic bag ban the clerk said, “But these are re-useable plastic bags.” I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. The whole point of the law is getting rid of plastic, not making it last longer.

The thick plastic will still end up in our oceans and in sea creatures, and if we eat fish, it will end up in us. What a sham that the City Council compromised on this bill to make it easier on grocery stores and plastic bag companies.

We can’t continue compromising regarding the health of our oceans.

Kim Osborn Mullen
Kailua

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Pick up rubbish and find a trash can

As I was walking down Smith Street, I saw a plastic bag floating in the air. A mynah bird made a beeline for it, took it in its beak and brought it down. It was almost as if the bird knew we were already days past the plastic bag ban.

In honor of the bird and partly because I was close to Nuuanu Stream, I picked up three plastic bags on Nimitz, which I don’t normally do with bare hands. It was a full 21⁄2 blocks before I found a city trash can in which to deposit them.

So here is what you do with something you no longer want while you are out: Ball it up and put in a pocket or your bag or keep it in your hot, sweaty hand until you find a trash can.

Even the mynahs know.

Ann Beeson
Chinatown

Crack down on illegal immigration

Outlaw sanctuary cities. A 32-year-old woman is dead today because cities refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities (“Feds criticize ‘sanctuary’ city for slaying at pier,” Star-Advertiser, July 7).

Any state with cities that act as sanctuaries should lose federal funding. Any illegal immigrant who is deported and comes back to this country should face a minimum five-year federal prison sentence. The reason our country’s immigration policy is such a mess is because of lack of enforcement and lenient legal and judicial systems.

Our health care and education systems are overloaded due to people who do not legally belong here. The anchor-baby privilege, which allows any child born on American soil to automatically become an American citizen, should be rescinded. They and their parents automatically earn benefits because of this rule. At least one parent should be an American citizen for the child to be an American citizen. This will discourage those who come to the U.S solely to have children.

James Roller
Mililani

Trump has a point on immigration

There appears to be a lot of politically correct hoopla about Donald Trump’s statements against Mexican immigration. Yet the Star-Advertiser reported a fatal random shooting of a young woman in San Francisco and the conviction of a Mexican immigrant in a meth importing scheme on Maui in its local news in its Saturday paper (“Feds criticize ‘sanctuary’ city for slaying at pier,” Star-Advertiser, July 7; “Meth charge nets 17-year sentence and deportation,” Star-Advertiser, July 4).

Both perpetrators were illegal immigrants who had prior deportations. It may be “The Donald” has a valid point that is being put aside by PC pressure.

Bill Comerford
Kalani Iki

Ala Moana Park should stay as it is

We are responding to David Shapiro’s column about Ala Moana Beach Park (“Octogenarian wants mayor to leave beach park alone,” Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, July 5).

Like so many regulars, we have been enjoying this precious treasure for several decades. On behalf of all the regulars that we have spoken to recently, we are asking Mayor Kirk Caldwell to just leave well enough alone.

The only item that needs improving at Ala Moana Beach Park is the rutted roadway. As for the rest, especially advice from New York(!) — thanks, but no thanks!

Marion and Giv Cornfield
Hawaii Kai

Housing for the rich is the new normal

Instead of busting up homeless carts with sledgehammers and taking pictures of homeless camps that embarrass the people, offer a safe and clean place for them to set up camp. The present situation is untenable and intolerable for all.

There isn’t enough affordable housing in Hawaii, just lots of luxury condos for the wealthy of the world but not so much for local people. All of this is the new normal.

Andrew Kachiroubas
Moiliili

Keep homeless moving with bikes

Here are some ideas for local homeless people who want to remain on the street. Give them bicycles with padlocks so they can bike to their storage lockers so that they won’t have to stay in one place guarding their stuff; bike to a covered, secure place to sleep at night; bike to the nearest public restroom; bike to fast-food restaurants to use donated coupons; bike to day-labor locations; and bike to the beach to swim.

Kent Bennett
Kamehameha Heights