Clear debris to avoid stream flooding

Now that the hurricane season is upon us, it would be prudent for the state and county governments to clear out all storm drain canals to avoid clogging and damage to surrounding areas.

Especially troubling is the overgrown vegetation in the drainage canals at the Halawa highway interchange. The amount of growth is substantial and could present hazards to overpasses downstream if the canals clog and spill over.

Prevention of property damage, injury and death should be a priority of our governments. Paying for proper maintenance is preferable to paying for damage claims from preventable disasters.

John Tamashiro

Pearl City

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An apology for electing Trump

Dear world: As an American, I wish to apologize for the mistake of our country in electing Donald Trump, who has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris agreement on climate change.

I am sorry that his short-sightedness and misguided nationalism will be further endangering your children and grandchildren. For what it is worth, please know that this president does not represent the will of most Americans. Hopefully we can be friends again someday.

Kurt Lemon

Kailua

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Nation in danger of falling into ruin

Covfefe? Covfefe?

The leader of the free world tweets in the very early morning hours of May 31: “Despite the constant negative press covfefe.”

Shouldn’t he be taking the time to try to understand how this government that he leads actually works, rather than tweeting?

If President Donald Trump were a big-league manager, I could see him trying to pressure the umps to, say, narrow the strike zone for a batter in his lineup so that he could draw walks.

He’d be tossed from the game, maybe banned from baseball.

If Trump were the commissioner of baseball, I could see him favoring one team, say the Cincinnati Reds, over all others, because of secret investments he had in the Reds. He’d be fired by the owners before he ruined baseball.

We the people, we the owners, should fire this new commissioner of ours before he totally ruins our nation.

Jim Howard

Manoa

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Protect funding for global education

The White House just released a budget that includes extreme, unprecedented cuts to foreign aid. Congress must say no.

Here is just one of the many things on the chopping block: the chance for millions of children to achieve their simple dream of — and their right to — an education.

With a staggering 263 million children and youth out of school globally, White House officials respond by eliminating the main source of funding for education. This is outrageous and nonsensical. What is for them a forgettable line-item in their massive budget is the future for millions of people, who just want a chance to go to school.

Jacqui Skill

Lahaina

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Parking rates can’t go to build rail

“Parking rates might be raised to fund rail” (Star-Advertiser, May 30) misleads the public in thinking that the city proposes to raise rates for rail construction. That is not true, nor is it allowed by law.

City parking revenues go into the highway fund, currently used for bus operations.

When rail is completed, scheduled for 2025, highway funds can be used for operating Honolulu’s multimodal integrated bus and rail transit network.

The city commissioned a parking study to update parking strategies islandwide. For Chinatown and Waikiki, we focused on how to make more parking available at all times for residents and businesses.

The existing low-priced metered parking in these areas discourages turnover of stalls and allows users to park for long periods of time, including whole evening eight-hour work shifts. As a result, businesses lose potential customers while residents lose stalls for themselves and guests.

Jon Nouchi

Deputy Director

Department of Transportation Services

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President stands up for immigration laws

My wife, being Filipina, had to immigrate through the legal process, and it wasn’t easy, but she did it. After homeschooling our nine kids, she herself went back to school, graduated as a nurse, then went for her master’s — all legally.

Those who fight this president’s views on legal immigration need to have their heads examined. These are laws that have already been in effect but never enforced until a president with guts took a stand.

In essence, what his opponents are standing up for is against the law. I support this president who stands up and makes decisions. So should you.

John Day

Kaneohe

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Make Waialae Ave. safe for bicyclists

Many times daily, up to seven drivers use Waialae Avenue as a parking lot when McDonald’s drive-through lane is full.

Frustrated drivers caught behind the pop-up traffic jam lurch and speed to the left to go straight through. It’s dangerous.

People on bicycles are forced to the left lane to mix with frustrated drivers before moving right to the bike lane starting at Palolo Ave. It’s dangerous.

McDonald’s should keep its promise to prevent tie-ups via signage and customer education (“Drive-thru eatery says it’s trying to avoid traffic jams,” Star-Advertiser, Kokua Line, Nov. 26, 2014). It should send staff out to direct drivers to the parking lot, and be a safe place to go.

The police and the city should enforce the laws for safe streets.

Drivers: Is your convenience really more important than the safety of others? McDonald’s has a place to park.

Let’s all work for safe streets.

Chad Taniguchi

Hawaii Bicycling League