Way back in the 1970s and ’80s I remember going to state Land Use Commission meetings to protest the use of Triple A-rated prime agricultural lands for housing.

Now we have the possibility of keeping some of it for our farmers right here on Oahu and on Maui (“Senators keen to buy Dole land,” Star-Advertiser, April 8). I agree with Dean Okimoto, Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong (“Let’s walk the talk on sustainability,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 24).

We need our lands for food. And while we’re at it, if we’re talking about “sustainability,” the farmlands should not include livestock. That would be an unsustainable use of water and land.

Sylvia Thompson

Makiki

Legislature failed victims of crime

Thank you, Star-Advertiser and Kevin Dayton, for letting the public know that the 2016 Legislature elected not to respond to the voices of the many victims, family members of deceased or severely injured victims, and victim organizations who submitted testimony in favor of a state constitutional amendment to establish rights for victims of crime (“Victims’ rights bill dies in Capitol,” Star-Advertiser, April 25).

If our current system of having just statutory rights has been uniformly working well, why do many victims indicate otherwise? Why have 32 other states felt the importance of giving victims’ rights the protection of their constitutions?

One of the rights to be protected is the “right to be heard.” Sadly, the public, including the hundreds of people who have been affected by crime in our state, will not have the opportunity to be heard through voting on the amendment ballot question in November.

Carol H. McNamee

Founder and board member, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Hawaii

Waialae Iki

Ala Moana park plan for nearby residents

Proposed plans for Ala Moana Park include doing away with some parking, creating a 2.9-acre exercise path, a Piikoi Street entrance for nearby residents and establishing a children’s playground (“Keep Ala Moana park locally focused,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, April 27).

It seems as though the suggestions for this “destination promenade” came from condominium developers in the Kakaako area, where a lot of these nearby residents will be located in the future.

Dennis Kohara

Kaimuki

Disabled folks need parking near water

Regarding Ala Moana Regional Park renovations, the city should consider more parking for the handicapped closer to the water. At present, the handicapped-parking stalls are in the back near the tennis courts.

If the sidewalk is widened on the ocean side, keep some handicapped stalls near the water.

Lionel Aguiar

Ewa Beach

Campus should have food for students

I disagree with the person who said that Donna Ojiri, Sodexo’s general manager of dining services at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, is ordering too much food for the campus (“Campus getting too much food,” Star-Advertiser, April 27).

It is a good thing that she orders a lot because there are students who have a meal plan and should be getting their money’s worth.

What’s going to happen if Ojiri doesn’t order enough food? That’s going to be a bigger problem than having leftovers.

A positive outcome from ordering more food is the idea of giving food to the less fortunate. Ojiri should plan on ordering a little less food than she does now, but at least have enough for the students at UH.

Sosefina Ifopo

Kalihi Valley

Include Hawaiian in voter notices

I found it interesting that nowhere on this year’s voter registration notice does it show our Hawaiian language.

It has a lot of other languages that I am unfamiliar with, but I would have recognized my own.

It is great that this notice helps other non-English speaking people to vote, but a better effort should be made to help our own people to vote.

The first step would be to have our language included.

It saddens me as a Native Hawaiian to witness the processes that systemically exclude or do not reference the native language and those who speak it.

It would be pono if the voter information card contained instructions or voter information in our native tongue.

Georgette Stevens

Nanakuli

Sidewalks should be clear of obstacles

In regards to the escalating parking ban in Lanikai, two concerns arise for those of us who enjoy having access to our public beaches:

>> If the right shoulder of the loop is an unimproved sidewalk, then why are residents allowed to put large rocks and plant trees right where pedestrians are to be walking?

Most of us who walk and ride our bikes there know the ample bike path has enough room for all of us, including the baby strollers that would not be suited for rambling over everyone’s grass.

>> It’s only fair that in all neighborhoods that don’t have concrete sidewalks with a curb, no parking be allowed in front of homes. I think that would apply to most neighborhoods on the island.

You cannot apply a law inconsistently because one neighborhood is working very hard to keep others away.

Keeping out “the great unwashed” under the guise of accommodating pedestrians is silly at best.

Tina Shaffer

Kailua