The location of the massive water leakage problem in Gentry’s subdivisions in Ewa Beach is particularly concerning because that water is being lost to the undrinkable, brackish water underlying that area (“Huge water problem soaks Ewa community,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 3).

Had the leakage occurred in Gentry’s subdivisions in Waipio in Central Oahu, the water there would percolate down to the fresh water lens or aquifer underlying that area, and would still be available for future drinking.

Underlying Oahu and the other Hawaiian Islands is the Ghyben-Herzberg lens, a pool of fresh water floating on the denser salt water, the pool commonly referred to as the aquifer.

The fresh water in the lens is deeper and purer in the middle of the island, like at Waipio, and thinner and brackish at the periphery of the island, like at Ewa Beach adjacent to the ocean.

So the leak at Ewa Beach must be stopped because we’re losing valuable, unretrievable drinking water at that location.

Ed Kuba

Kapahulu

Better to cut losses than to continue with rail

I still have friends who feel the rail project needs to be completed to Ala Moana. The reason for their misguided thinking is, “We have already spent so much money, we have to finish.”

I explained the present completion date is 2031 and the $12.5 billion price tag would probably double, and we would end up with a $25 billion white elephant.

I told them our leaders were kowtowing to the developers who will use the rail transit-oriented-development exemptions to build unaffordable housing bought by nonresidents.

I said maybe this is one of those times we need to lose money to save money.

Alas, they were not convinced.

Dale K. Yamauchi

Makakilo

Rolovich shows how to stand for a principle

I would like to applaud Nick Rolovich for standing for his beliefs (“Nick Rolovich’s lawyer calls coach’s firing ‘unjust and unlawful’,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, Oct. 20).

He was willing to give up the game he loves and the millions of dollars in compensation. He is a wonderful role model for the players he coached, showing that if you have a strong conviction, no matter what the consequence, stay the course, and don’t allow outside forces to sway your decision.

If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.

The last time I checked we still have freedom and liberty. God bless.

Richard Kawelo

Kaneohe

Coach should have put others’ welfare first

Instead of trying to justify what great a guy “Rolo” is to the players, the football program, the local community and to Washington State University, Stephen Tsai missed a great opportunity to assist Nick Rolovich in becoming a better person and great leader (“Say what you want, but Nick Rolovich stands by his belief and it costs him his job,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 19). Consider the following:

>> Rolovich had months to justify his reasons to remain unvaccinated, but it was not until Oct. 9 that he confirmed he was seeking a religious exemption.

>> Rolovich had four assistant coaches following his lead in being unvaccinated.

>> Rolovich was idolized by his assistants, players, the athletic program, the university staff and the Pac-12 conference, as well as the local community.

I understand Rolovich has the right to remain unvaccinated, but as an iconic leader and coach, he had an obligation to put the welfare of his team, his assistants, WSU, the Pac-12 conference, the state of Washington and the local community ahead of his own welfare.

Rolovich had months to ponder the consequences and ramifications of his actions to others around him. In the end, he decided to do it his way. What was the point, anyway?

Les Yoshimura

Mililani

Case stands against outrageous spending

U.S. Rep. Ed Case is being the representative of all the people. He is taking a stand against the irresponsible, outrageous spending by the progressives in the Democratic Party (“Build back better for all: Meet needs with real revenues,” Star-Advertiser, Insight, Island Voices, Oct. 17).

Where are all these trillions of dollars supposed to come from? Funding for social programs has nothing to do with infrastructure needs that have been neglected for decades.

Noel Kent needs to do a little studying to understand that this country has approached the end of its road of unlimited spending, and needs to get back to governing (“Case should be honest, register as a Republican,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 22).

Ed Case is not a Republican.

Allen Canter

Manoa

Neglect is eroding full faith and credit of U.S.

It’s a Republican meme to compare your household budget with the national debt. It’s a false analogy.

You can’t print your own money and use it to buy goods, services, investments. The federal government can, because it’s based on the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government, not on one’s personal credit rating.

Where does the faith come from? It’s a belief in the U.S.A., a trust in its collective national will and national assets, its people, as well as what we were “gifted” by our indigenous peoples.

It’s a trust that must be held not only by Americans but also abroad, in an inescapably globalized world. The 20th century, the American century, is over. We are slowly being asphyxiated by decades of benign neglect by the privileged, over centuries of our too-storied history. A Case in point is a DINO, unfortunately.

Leslie Ozawa

Kaimuki

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