I cringe when I see a group of people purposely standing unprotected next to a busy street with cars whizzing close by. They are not just innocently standing there, but are intentionally trying to distract the drivers by yelling and waving cardboard posters and cloth banners.

To make matters worse, some of them even bring children to stand alongside. Then, of course, there are the politicians participating in this tradition, seemingly oblivious to the damage surrounding them caused by previous distracted drivers.

It would only take a minor incident to happen before a car crashes through the crowd. When I am driving by these people, I need to consciously focus on my driving and ignore them.

Rodney Sato

Mililani

Why did bus driver drive while sick?

It’s time for some quick investigative reporting that should be really easy. We would like to know why the bus driver kept working for a week when he felt sick (“Honolulu city bus driver worked 5 days with COVID-19 symptoms before testing positive,” Star- Advertiser, June 29). That requires knowing TheBus’ policy on sick leave during the pandemic.

Was he out of sick leave and would lose pay if he called in sick? Does the company discourage use of sick leave (my employer periodically started leaning on people who called in sick more than a few times)? Was he proud of a perfect attendance record and simply wanted to keep it up?

There are too many unknowns for us to make an informed decision on this subject.

Bob Gould

Kaneohe

I care about your health, so I wear a mask

I wear my mask as a courtesy to you. I choose to reduce the risk that some disease I may have could assault you. I feel fine, actually, thank you. But I may be asymptomatic. I just don’t know. But, I care about you, so I’ll put up with this inconvenience until the medical powers that be tell me better.

And you? Where is your mask?

Tom Mitrano

Kaimuki

Keep B&Bs closed to protect neighborhoods

Mahalo for keeping the B&Bs closed (“Oahu vacation rental restrictions remain as other counties ease up,” Star-Advertiser, June 28)!

I think that most people in Honolulu would love to keep most tourists out, but we do feel for those in the tourist industry. We appreciate the precautions that are going to be taken once the quarantine is lifted.

However, bringing tourists from all over the world where the COVID-19 pandemic might be worse then ever, into the hearts of our neighborhoods, is just too much. Not only will they be in our little neighborhood parks and playgrounds and stores, but they will be next door and on the sidewalks.

No, that is really not a good idea. Many B&B owners are absentees and don’t take the risk themselves. Please don’t let tourists be inserted into our neighborhoods.

Gretchen Gould

Kaneohe

Might need to open classroom windows

Much has been made about air-conditioning all public school classrooms; however, recent studies have shown that open-air rooms reduce the transmission ability of coronavirus particles.

Perhaps we have to just open the classroom windows for the next couple of years?

Von Kaneshiro

Downtown Honolulu

Economic diversity victim of whiners

Lee Cataluna’s columns on diversifying the economy, as well as other commentaries and numerous letters, make me laugh. They must not be paying attention. It has become virtually impossible to do anything here. Is that not obvious?

The entire island mentality supports those who whine and complain and couldn’t care less about those trying to work or do anything good.

Need I mention some? The Thirty Meter Telescope, wind farms, Sherwood Forest, homeless centers, affordable housing in Kailua, and on and on.

Coupled with impossible building permits and unionized labor kicking and screaming, what idiot would ever want to do business in this environment? None that are sane.

I admire and celebrate those who have the tenacity to try anything here, and Mayor Kirk Caldwell for his persistence, but until we have leaders even more bold than he, fighting for progress and my vote, I shall be unmotivated and sleeping.

Ryan Routh

Kaaawa

Court refuses to give justice to Kollin Elderts

My heart was pained when I heard that the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case about the killing of Kollin Elderts. An unarmed person of color is shot and killed by a federal agent licensed to carry a gun. But apparently in the federal court system, no crime was committed.

There is no justice for black or brown people in the U.S. I attended some of the court hearings for this case and saw lawyers argue about technicalities, and judges toss out condescending instructions. I wanted to jump up and yell, “A man has been killed here!”

But the federal judges take care of their own. Kollin Elderts is dead. That agent is free to carry his gun and threaten others.

Recent mass outrage about the killings of people of color by white officers show that the only recourse available to us is to take to the streets. Say his name: Kollin Elderts. He is one of ours. No justice. No peace.

Merle Pak

Kaneohe

Kailua housing project lacks adequate parking

I have to laugh every time I read an article or editorial about the proposed Kawainui Street affordable apartments project (“More low-cost housing for Kailua, isles,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, July 1).

Seventy-three units with 53 parking stalls? Since when have you seen anybody living in low-, moderate- or high- income-level housing not have a car? Everybody has a car.

If you have six people living in a one-bedroom apartment, you have six cars. Drive around, count how many cars are parked in front of every home, since everybody uses their garage for living space. Even the homeless have cars. Most are even living in them.

This project is in the most congested part of Kailua. To not provide parking for at least one car per unit, much less two parking spots per unit, is ridiculous. And what about visitor parking?

Marie Manning

Kailua

EXPRESS YOURSELF

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser welcomes all opinions. Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor.

>> Write us: We welcome letters up to 150 words, and guest columns of 500-600 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Include your name, address and daytime phone number.

>> Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Advertiser 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210 Honolulu, HI 96813

>> Contact: 529-4831 (phone), 529-4750 (fax), letters@staradvertiser.com, staradvertiser.com/editorial/submit-letter