First the City Council wanted to pay for a church building (“Support for church funding eases,” Star-Advertiser, April 28).

Then it wanted to displace the state Agriculture Department and build a Korean center (“Concerns raised over Korean center,” Star-Advertiser, May 9).

Now it gives each Council member $2 million in pork barrel money, with very vague language about how it should be spent (“Council budget has $20M in homeless aid,” Star-Advertiser, June 2).

With only a few months to Election Day, brace yourselves for brochures with boasts about showy projects in the districts.

Larry Meacham

Wahiawa

Anderson so blatant in violating rules

It’s so disgusting how Andy Anderson can build a second story on his Haleiwa Beach House restaurant without permits, and without getting a large daily fine until he shuts down completely or deals with the wastewater system (“Ex-lawmaker told to close eatery due to sewage spill,” Star-Advertiser, June 3).

And his use of city park land for parking? Charge him.

Sylvia Thompson

Makiki

Political cartoon too shameful to excuse

Anything goes in political attacks, as our country’s long history has shown. But the editorial cartoon you selected for publication on June 3 is too scurrilous, garish and shameful to excuse. It paints one presidential candidate — actually a fond mother and grandmother — as a blithe child killer (dressed in a red Mao suit, no less), and another — thoughtful and incisive on the campaign trail — as a mindless beast. Worse, in doing so it heartlessly takes advantage of a family’s and a city’s pain.

I can only urge your editors to use some common human judgment in the future.

Celia B. Diamond

Kailua

Pro Bowl in Florida will lack aloha spirit

The Pro Bowl started becoming less of a game when it started taking place a week before the Super Bowl, making any Super Bowl team players ineligible.

The game is no longer played with a competitive edge, since players do not want to risk their careers to possible injury.

Football has become a business. The good old days of team spirit and players being rewarded with a trip to Hawaii as a way to say thanks for their above-average play are long gone. These days players are paid well enough to afford Hawaiian vacations any time in the off-season.

It’s all about the money, and even though Hawaii is where most of us would prefer to have the Pro Bowl, the buck proceeds to Orlando with all the bells and whistles, except the aloha spirit.

James “Kimo” Rosen

Kapaa, Kauai

Mahalo for article about Boy Scouts

Thank you so much for the excellent article by Rob Shikina on the Boy Scouts’ service to the community on Memorial Day (“Salute to the fallen,” Star-Advertiser, May 30).

Having spent many years in an active Scouting family here in Hawaii, I have a great appreciation for this annual “good turn.”

I know it brings out the best in these Scouts because this service helps them understand the importance of this day.

Shikina’s portrayal of the Scouts was both positive and respectful. Thanks.

Susie Clairmont

Mililani

UH commencement deserved coverage

The University of Hawaii at Manoa held its largest commencement ever on May 14.

I was astonished the next day to see no Star-Advertiser front-page pictures or articles on the graduation ceremony for the largest and best university in Hawaii, and not even any article except on one graduate student.

That article only barely covered keynote speakers and the moving presentation of an honorary degree to Nainoa Thompson.

No mention of undergraduate keynote speaker U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz’s important charge to graduates: “Live to promise!” Parents and students found no mention of their joyous occasion.

Every year since 2012 the number of graduates has increased, with 1,890 undergraduates registering for this commencement.

Isn’t this significant accomplishment important enough for Honolulu’s major paper to cover?

Carolyn Stephenson

Associate professor, University of Hawaii-Manoa

Rail project taking us to the cleaners

The June 2 article, “Swiss finish world’s longest tunnel,” reported that the rail tunnel is 35 miles long, at a maximum depth of 1.4 miles, cost $12 billion, was built on time and on budget, with a capacity of 260 freight trains and 65 passenger trains per day.

It should be apparent to all how badly our politicians, rail advocates and big business are taking us to the cleaners. We are being had, big time.

James Burkholder

Waipahu

Rail gives another dubious ranking

As a neighbor islander, I am somewhat insulated from the rail debacle on Oahu.

However, as a Hawaii resident I cannot help but feel embarrassed by the rising costs and delays that seem to characterize this project.

The 20-mile project had an initial cost estimate of $4.6 billion, but now may cost up to $10 billion to finish.

Contrast the recently completed high-speed rail line from Tokyo to Hokkaido. It spans 513 miles, had to tunnel under the ocean for part of the route, and had a construction cost of $4.85 billion. The trains travel at speeds up to 160 mph.

Honolulu can again post a dubious ranking, this time for having one of the most expensive, slowest-to-construct, low-speed rail systems in the world.

Nolan Ahn

Lihue, Kauai