Firefighters save the day over and over again

I want to give a shout-out to the Honolulu Fire Department and Chief Manny Neves. There they were — three firefighters — on the front page of the Star-Advertiser (Dec. 26), clearing fallen tree branches off the Pali Highway on Christmas Day.

Let’s see: When they’re not cleaning up toxic spills, extricating people in vehicle wrecks with the “jaws of life,” operating the fireboat for problems on the water, or responding to medical emergencies on the streets (especially among our homeless population), or even holding seminars to preach fire sprinklers, they are fighting brush fires on hillsides, in high-rise condos and office buildings, and reminding people of fire safety over and over again.

Did I leave anything out?

Next week they’ll be responding to all the crazy fireworks that have somehow landed inside someone’s locked, non-accessible back yard.

It’s like the old line from “Ghostbusters”: Who ya gonna call? The Honolulu Fire Department, of course.

Chip Davey

Downtown Honolulu

Public should speak out against lenient judges

I want to thank Anne Miller of Kaneohe for her letter, “Public can offer views on judge’s performance” (Star-Advertiser, Dec. 25).

I was not aware we were able to give our opinions on a judge’s performance. This information should be made widely known. I have clipped her letter to the March page in my calendar so I can remind myself to go to the website and register my displeasure with Judge Fa’auuga To’oto’o’s lenient sentencing. I will inform my co-workers and friends how to do the same.

I firmly believe our judges are the reason our crime rates are rising and the criminals more violent. The revolving door on our court system needs to stop spinning.

I would like to add how to navigate to the page when you do go to www.courts.state.hi.us. Click the dropdown menu for “Courts,” then scroll to “Judicial Selection Commission.” Once there, you have to scroll about halfway down to find the list of judges requesting another term.

Patricia Ebel Smith

Waianae

Adopt automatic voter registration in Hawaii

I want Hawaii to be a progressive state that promotes the participation of all eligible voters. Sometimes, just one vote can decide the outcome of an election. The move to vote by mail (VBM) statewide next year will give people who have found it difficult to vote a chance to participate in our democracy. Adopting VBM has made the state of Oregon a national leader in voter turnout.

Legislators also could enact automatic voter registration (AVR) to make VBM work better by improving the accuracy of our voter rolls and saving individuals and the state time and money.

Expanding the participation of eligible voters energizes our democracy. Elected officials depend on their constituents to communicate their needs and concerns before, during and after an election. We need more people from all walks of life to take an interest in our elections to make sure that government truly works for the people.

Please check your voter registration details at https://olvr.hawaii.gov.

Caroline Kunitake

Makiki

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