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Guy Morgan’s letter about hurricanes and electric cars shows a bias against electric vehicles and a lack of knowledge (“EVs won’t be useful after a hurricane,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 2).
People who are fortunate and smart enough to have photovoltaic systems at home can keep their electric cars charged at no cost and will have mobility when gasoline-powered cars are out of fuel because of a lack of power to run pumps at gas stations, as people in Florida learned during Hurricane Ian.
Even when there was power, the stations were out of gas, so cars could not be filled, while EVs could still charge at charging stations.
Home PV systems can withstand winds of 120 miles per hour. With batteries, they will be running long after the grid is down and will be islands of light in the darkness, and charging cars.
Robert Gould
Kaneohe
Ige should streamline process to build stadium
Congratulations to David Shapiro for his column regarding the stadium (“Ige gets it right on new Aloha Stadium in his final days,” Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, Oct. 2).
State Sen. Glenn Wakai seems more interested in advancing his agenda, whatever that may be, than in building the stadium. Ditto for the Department of Accounting and General Services and the Stadium Authority. Wakai asked why Gov. David Ige waited until now to propose his plan. Perhaps it was because the completion date was extended to 2027.
A lot of hands in the process of a $400 million procurement will be looking for a handout, sometimes under the table. For the sake of our football team and community, I hope Ige has a well-defined plan to streamline the process and reduce the number of hands looking for a piece of the pie.
We don’t need another rail fiasco. Our citizens deserve better.
Clifford Toyama
Moanalua
Expanded UH stadium on campus a better deal
It is time for our University of Hawaii leadership team, state government leaders and the Legislature to begin thinking outside the box when it comes to building a new stadium for our beloved UH football program.
For around $40 million, the on-campus Ching Athletics Complex will have a 17,000 seating capacity. How much more would it cost to expand the seating to 25,000, improve access off the H-1 freeway in both directions, add two levels to the parking structure and finally upgrade on-campus concessions, lockers and weight rooms? Likely less than the $350 million allocated to build a new Aloha Stadium, which we know will cost significantly more.
We already have the stadium we need. The leftover funds could be dedicated to building badly needed affordable housing at the Halawa site.
Tom Canute
Hanapepe, Kauai
Electricity bills go up even if usage goes down
I got just my September electric bill from Hawaiian Electric (HECO). Wow. I needed to investigate the steady rise over the last 12 months.
Here’s what I found, comparing September 2021 to September 2022: My usage in 2021 compared to 2022 decreased (I was trying to conserve) by 9%. My bill from HECO had risen by 59%. Bear with me. Here is where it gets put into perspective.
Let’s say HECO sells me apples instead of kilowatt hours. In 2021 I bought 10 apples for $10; $1 per apple. Fine. Fast forward to today. HECO sells me only nine apples (approximately 9%, rounded) because I decreased my need for apples between 2021 and 2022. But now it charges me $15.90 (a 59% increase).
Still with me? I paid $1 per apple in 2021. This year I paid $1.77 per apple ($15.90 divided by 9 = $1.77). Same “one” apple (usage) but paying 77% more. Think about it. The numbers don’t lie.
HECO can spin an explanation (fuel cost, inflation, whatever) any way it wants. But bottom line, a 77% rise in your bill for the exact same usage over 12 calendar months.
Check your bills, people. Something doesn’t add up. Pun intended.
Joey Ayres
Kaimuki
Hawaii needs uniform gun-carry regulations
Intentions are good and clarity is required in regards to rules concerning issuance of permits allowing citizens to carry a gun in public.
However, having each county adopt different rules will create misunderstanding for citizens as they travel between islands (“Draft law bans firearms at many sites on Oahu,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 30).
Will the courts be burdened with deciding which county rules are legal?
How will visitors to Hawaii react?
Should the state attorney general coordinate and help to formulate rules that are accepted and enforced in a similar manner throughout the state?
Will citizens be required to pass different exams in each county to carry a firearm?
Leonard Leong
Manoa
Renewal and hope in a time of reflection
We walk around in the pool of our mistakes, doubts and fears. The sound of the shofar blowing awakens our perceptions and ideas as we stand in a puddle of deep reflection. The pool of reflection glistens at our feet, sparkling with the hope of who we wish to be.
As we approach the Day of Atonement, these internal pieces start moving back into place. We slowly, ever so slowly, begin to look at our lives in a new way. How can we fit the pieces of ourselves into new patterns and change who we are?
The shofar blasts again as nightfall settles on Yom Kippur. It is the signal for our final completion. On this sacred day, our souls have been cleansed, twisted, turned and pressed into the purest of human forms.
Sandra Z. Armstrong
Kailua
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