This is my fourth year buying school supplies for my niece attending public school. Like always, this is sheer madness!

Why doesn’t the state Department of Education facilitate the bulk purchase of required school supplies for all the students? It could stop the madness and save time and money for all concerned.

There are 32 items on this year’s list of required school supplies for sixth graders. It begins with antibacterial wipes and athletic shoes for PE and ends with 200-count facial tissues and two Ziploc gallon bags. In between is a list of other “must-have” supplies: four Staedtler eraser pencils, two boxes of Crayola colored pencils and six black Sharpie markers. Why specific brands? Won’t generic do?

I’m still hunting for one 1-inch roll of transparent Scotch tape, 24 No. 2 sharpened pencils and a Post-it note that is exactly 1-1/2 inches by 2 inches.

Bonnie Oppermann

Kakaako

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Decision made on Natatorium

For almost 40 years, the Waikiki Natatorium has been closed and left to decay. It seems like at least once every week there is a letter to the editor suggesting what to do with it.

There is a wise saying: “Not to decide is to decide.” By not choosing to do something — anything! — positive to repair, rebuild or tear down this eyesore, we, the people of Oahu through our legislators, are choosing to have a derelict, wasted safety hazard along our otherwise beautiful Waikiki Beach.

You’re never going to please all of the people, so can lawmakers at least decide to follow through with something? By not deciding, they are deciding.

Ann Allred

Laie

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City making ADU progress

It was a great article on small home trends, but it missed the big story by stating, “Most of 344 preliminary applications for ADU permits have been denied by the city” (“Think tiny,” Star-Advertiser, Insight, July 30).

In reality, out of 1,856 ADU (accessory dwelling unit) ‘’pre-check” forms submitted, only 354 (19 percent) were denied, with the vast majority approved. Most denials were for lack of sewer capacity, which will increase in many areas when current major wastewater improvement projects are completed.

Of 427 building permit applications received, 211 ADU permits have been issued, with 31 more approved to be issued. 160 permits are under review, and all permits have been issued within the 60 days required by City Council. No ADU building permits have been denied after pre-check form approval.

The ADU program is less than two years old and the incentives ordinance was signed just a year ago. Honolulu’s ADU program is successful and growing.

Harrison Rue

Transit-oriented development program administrator

City and County of Honolulu

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Use pump for basement leak

Water is a persistent enemy. Given enough time, any basement located near the water level will eventually leak.

Remediation can involve elaborate reconstruction in a quixotic quest for a permanent solution, but a common solution is a simple sump pump. The airport already has a sump pump (“Planning fix for airport basement leak will cost $500K,” Star-Advertiser, July 31). Your reporter did not mention any problems with the sump pump.

The $500,000 may pinpoint the current source of the leak but will provide no assurance that a new leak will not develop a few feet away. This seems to be a purely intellectual exercise or the beginning of a totally unneeded basement reconstruction project.

Your reporter should have demanded a better explanation. Surely the money can be better spent.

John Keiser

Makiki

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Teach children crosswalk safety

We don’t need a law to curb crosswalk injuries and fatalities. Instead, have our Department of Education require our school students take and pass a crosswalk and pedestrian safety class.

A videotape showing real-life crosswalk situations with lots of student interactions combined with good teaching is far superior to a new law.

Some folks walk in parking lots like they’re Moses crossing the Red Sea (there’s no law forbidding such stupidity). I’m optimistic that focused education, not another law, is a first resort. A similar video could be made for seniors and their caregiving adult children.

Maine has a required course for their high schoolers covering outdoor survival, perhaps indicating that the state doesn’t have resources to go look for lost hikers.

Alan Matsuda

Hawaii Kai