The world COVID-19 count is spreading at lightning speed. Hawaii’s count is soaring higher every day. I feel so helpless waiting to hear what our governor’s plan is to cope with this rising problem. I keep hearing that Fourth of July gatherings were the cause of COVID-19 clusters. As everyone knows, the real reason why COVID-19 is not under control is because people are not getting vaccinated.

It will be a new world we live in for a long time, dealing with COVID-19. Since we cannot force unvaccinated people to get vaccinated, we should start the total mask mandate again in Hawaii. Do something now, not later, and find other ways to combat the spreading of COVID-19. What is our governor waiting for?

Bob Naka

Mililani

Follow CDC’s advice on school mask-wearing

As my wise Greek island mother used to say: “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”

In your editorial (“Keep school rules clear, with masks,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, July 14), you acknowledged that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC said that vaccinated people in schools — adult staff and students alike — do not need to wear masks.

Yet the editorial urges Hawaii public schools to reject that science-based advice. I thought we were supposed to “follow the science.” At least that was the view expressed by your newspaper and many in the media when former President Donald Trump was accused of not doing so.

We should keep policy clear and consistent — with rare exceptions, if any — and follow the science.

To do otherwise is irresponsible and reprehensible.

Michael Kappos

Waikiki

Victorino wrong to push injection-well case

Just how many times can Mayor Michael Victorino and his Corporation Counsel Moana Lutey lose the same injection-well case, with county taxpayer money, while falsely claiming “environmental stewardship” (“Judge requires permit for Lahaina wastewater wells,” Star-Advertiser, July 17)?

The County Council, led by Council member Kelly Takaya King, had previously voted to settle the case to the benefit of the county, but Victorino and Lutey rebuffed the will of the people.

When will it end? When will we have a mayor with clean mana who is pono?

Christopher P. Fishkin

Kihei, Maui

Inspect vehicles to stop excessive noise

This is in response to the letters by Ryan Routh (“Too much noise can ruin life in paradise,” Star-Advertiser, July 8) and Mike McCormack (“Let’s work to curb noise ruining neighborhoods,” Star-Advertiser, July 14).

I am with you guys: All this noise has gotten out of control in recent months. We have cars that make more noise than move, mopeds that are noisier than what they are worth.

We need the laws that govern car inspections to change and include a noise check if they are above the decibel level limits for Oahu.

I, for one, will be sending letters to our state representatives and City Council members to do something.

Luis Salinas

Aiea

Wendy’s should pay its workers more

A 2020 Department of Labor and Industrial Relations report states that the medium salary of a worker in food preparation and serving is $14.82 an hour. This is not a livable wage.

The Wendy’s restaurant in Kailua shamelessly displays a banner advertising jobs at $12 an hour.

Recently Wendy’s announced that it expected a significant increase in free cash flow. The company decided to reward its shareholders with a 11% increase in its regular quarterly cash dividend and to increase its existing share repurchase authorization by $50 million. It made no mention of improving its employee compensation and benefit plan.

Wendy’s has no reservations about exploiting low-income workers who would have no choice but to endure long commutes because it does not pay them enough to rent a home in Kailua.

I encourage Wendy’s employees and the unemployed to seek work with Kailua employers who value them.

Leonard Lepine

Kailua

Haiku Stairs deserves to be preserved for all

Preserve Haiku Stairs, please!

I have been waiting years to legally climb the Haiku Stairs. This is a unique, healthy activity that cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the world. With investments in so many areas of Oahu, preserving this outdoor experience for future generations should be a priority of the City Council.

With respect to those living in the area, and concerns for rescues that have occurred without proper management: Like other popular outdoor island activities, many of these issues can be dealt with positively when those who care most are part of the process for developing solutions.

Richard Marshall

Pearl City

City has no answers on Ala Moana dogs

We appreciate Kokua Line columnist Christine Donnelly publishing a reader’s concerns about dogs at Ala Moana Regional Park in violation of park rules (“Kokua Line: Are dogs allowed at Ala Moana park or not?,” Star-Advertiser, July 16). She asked Nathan Serota of the city’s Parks Department for his comments. Unfortunately, his response was a typical bureaucratic tap dance, pointing the finger of blame at everyone except the Parks Department.

We want answers and not a bunch of fancy words. How is the Parks Department going to correct this problem?

Glenn Young

Aina Haina

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