You reported that the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) received proposals from as many as three private entities to partner with the city to complete the rail project (“Public-private partnership bids are accepted for Honolulu’s rail project,” Star-Advertiser, July 24). But you also reported that rail officials say they won’t release the names of the bidders or any details about the proposals until after the contract is awarded. Really? I don’t buy the excuse that state procurement laws prohibit disclosure.

Billion-dollar decisions are being made behind closed doors by people who have a track record of making extremely poor decisions. The HART board might actually get some useful feedback from the public. In fact, why isn’t formal public feedback a requirement prior to awarding the contract?

Richard Manetta

Wilhelmina Rise

Bars are prime sources of coronavirus spread

Close the bars. Again and again, both on the mainland and in Hawaii, we see virus clusters flaring up and being traced back to bars. Along with gyms, these are the most common sources of mass infection from public interaction.

Restaurants have built-in spacing and can operate carefully. But bars encourage crowding, close conversation (due to noise), and disinhibition. How is this a tough call? Close the bars.

Robert Robinson

Kailua

Give Japanese tourists top priority in Hawaii

If the state is going to bring back tourists, let the Japanese in first. They love Hawaii, follow the rules, and spend a lot of money. Everybody else can wait.

Eric Terashima

Hilo

Give new term for those who won’t wear masks

With too many of us still failing or refusing to wear masks, it is time to introduce a new term: CVIP ( Covid Very Irresponsible Person).

If we can get the term widely understood and used, just saying to someone, ” Hey, brah, don’t be a CVIP,” hopefully will encourage mask wearing.

We need to work together to get everyone to behave responsibly and wear masks.

Bill Quinlan

Velzyland

If we’re safe in N.Y., why not in Hawaii?

My wife and I are residents of Hawaii. When the COVID-19 lockdown began in March, we were in New York. We have been waiting to return to Hawaii and schedule surgery with my doctor here. The 14-day quarantine is inhibiting our return. Yes, if a test with negative results can be obtained within 72 hours of arrival, then the quarantine could be waived. However, it is not possible to find a facility in New York that can test and return results in time to meet the 72 hours, including the travel time from New York.

In New York we can go to supermarkets, drug and hardware stores, restaurants and Costco. Why should we return to our home in Hawaii and be imprisoned?

John Faris

Waikiki

Mail-in voting has long history, and is safe

Americans have been voting by mail since the Civil War. President Donald Trump voted by mail in the 2020 Florida primary. Nearly 1 in 4 Americans voted by mail in the 2016 election.

As far as voter fraud is concerned, the conservative Heritage Foundation found 14 cases of attempted mail fraud out of roughly 15.5 million ballots cast in Oregon since that state started conducting elections by mail in 1998. As far as family members influencing other family voters, they always have and will always try.

How the vote is delivered, in person or by mail, won’t change that. There are multiple safeguards making voting by mail as safe or safer than going to a voting booth.

Teresa Todd

Manoa

No need for Kahuku to alter moniker, mascot

Kudos to Tanoai Reed for his concern and support for his beloved alma mater, the Kahuku Red Raiders (“Kahuku nickname stirs emotions in rival petitions,” Star-Advertiser, July 20). One has to wonder, though: Why is it now that a school’s longtime moniker and mascot could provoke so much controversy as to even suggest a rebrand of each?

I can fully understand that if a new school was in the market for a moniker and mascot. Any of those proposed choices would probably be subjected to intense scrutiny. But this is not the case. This matter is not one of those things. Let things be. Let Red Raider history, tradition, culture and pride prevail!

David K. Alama Jr.

Waianae

Gabbard would have been better than Biden

It was clear the moment that Donald Trump won the election in 2016 that he did not expect to win; he had no transition team. He was so unprepared that many of the mundane but important appointments went unfilled for months, even years. Trump meant to build his brand, that’s all. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was America’s best hope of replacing President Trump with an ethical, moral and thoughtful person. Now we have the least able person in the Democratic party heading our ticket and the resonating message is: Wait your turn.

George Macklin

Kailua-Kona

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