I am very concerned that Spectrum will be relegating Olelo stations to higher- numbered stations, making them irrelevant in the daily news of our state (“Public access TV backers decry channels’ move,” Star- Advertiser, Feb. 1).
We in Hawaii should be proud of our public access network, which has been recognized as far superior to most states. If the state does not act, we will no longer have channels 54, 49 and others to document our neighborhood board meetings, community meetings and other activities of our ohana.
As a longtime Olelo producer, I protest this move and ask the governor and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to intervene. This is what happens when mainland companies invade our aina.
Marilyn B. Lee
Mililani
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Is NextEra looking to return to isles?
U.S. Rep. Colleen Hana- busa, in her recent campaign finance filing, received maximum donations of $6,000 each from NextEra executives Jim Robo and Eric Gleason.
That’s curious, since I thought NextEra moved on to other acquisitions after the state Public Utilities Commission rejected its attempt to purchase Hawaiian Electric in 2016.
Could it be they think that a Hanabusa governorship would be more friendly to another attempt at such a transaction by installing a more merger-friendly PUC?
Say what you will about Gov. David Ige’s perceived weaknesses, but he did show some considerable spine in consistently opposing a merger that would have hurt Hawaii’s consumers and curtailed our state’s leadership in pursuing a goal of 100 percent renewable energy.
I would like to think that anyone running to replace him could show the same resolve. Unfortunately, the campaign contributions suggest otherwise.
John Cheever
Kalani Valley
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HI-EMA should have first acted
The worst part of the false ballistic missile alert was the long time it took for the all-clear. Waiting to get permission to issue the all-clear when the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency had the means to use it was folly.
One equivalent is not using the fire extinguisher in a senior colleague’s open office when there’s a small fire in your wastebasket. You look all over for that colleague while the fire spreads, get permission, run back and put out a big fire.
A sensible person puts out the fire, then asks permission if that is needed.
Pearl Johnson
Kaneohe
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Pass DACA, then tackle other issues
I was hopeful that President Donald Trump’s proposal to provide the DACA recipients (dreamers) a path to citizenship would produce the key to unlock the political gridlock, the culprit behind the demise of previous efforts to find a bipartisan solution to this issue.
But my hopes evaporated quickly when the president also demanded the following: $25 billion for his border wall, discontinuing the diversity visa lottery program and restricting the scope of chain migration to spouses and minor children only.
Trump’s action led many to believe that his proposal is nothing but another piece of red meat for his ardent followers to chew on. After all, Trump rode to power on the wings of racism and white populism.
The other issues raised by Trump should be debated separately. Congress should pass a bipartisan DACA-only bill so that this divisive issue, which has tormented America’s conscience for so long, will be laid to rest.
Rod B. Catiggay
Mililani
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DACA optics bad for White House
Can the White House afford these future optics? By Feb. 8, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is taken off the table to get a clean budget bill and keep the government funded. No DACA, no wall. Anyway, President Donald Trump promised Mexico would pay for his wall. No peso, no penny. The treasury secretary announces the government will run out of money earlier due to the tax cuts and Congress must raise the debt ceiling earlier or shut down anyway.
Come March, Trump orders the deportation of DACA dreamers. Worldwide news reports show U.S. government agents escorting dreamers to airports or across the borders, or arresting them.
Where will 800,000 dreamers go? The U.S creates a mass exodus of “political” refugees. It is our time to join those “s***hole” countries that create such massive exodus and chaos.
It’s a rainy day. Is the Statue of Liberty weeping for the late Great America?
Joyce Matsuo
Kalihi
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Some defendants may jump bail
Regarding your editorial (“Bail system treats accused unfairly,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Feb. 5): You provided very interesting information. However, you did not provide the percentage of defendants who did not report for trial and pretrial hearings after posting bail. What is that magic number?
There may be many people not making better choices when it comes to the law.
Franklin Yang
Kailua
