What’s blowing in the smoke from the recent brush fires at Pohakuloa?

Pohakuloa has been bombed for 70 years with a wide variety of weapons.

There is depleted uranium (DU) in the Pohakuloa Training Area — the amount never adequately studied despite repeated requests. No one knows where all the DU is located or how much is there. DU in oxide form is extremely dangerous when inhaled and can cause cancers, birth defects and genetic damage. Other toxins from various munitions fired at Pohakuloa are also a concern.

Is anyone doing downwind fire air monitoring? There are at least 57 present and former military sites on Hawaii island involving more than 250,000 acres that contain unexploded ordnance and/or military toxins. The military is good at making a mess but poor in cleaning up.

Hawaii’s children deserve better.

Jim Albertini

Kurtistown

Don’t waste money on missile defense

Recent letters to the Star-Advertiser have urged the building of an anti-missile system in Hawaii to save us from a North Korean attack.

Apparently, North Korea’s nuclear saber-rattling is evoking a measure of hysteria among our good citizens.

Yes, the dangers of catastrophic nuclear war are very real, but our opponents would likely be China and/or Russia. In that kind of total war, there is no safety for anybody in Hawaii (or anybody on this planet.)

So instead of spending billions to build a useless anti-missile system, let’s invest in building understanding and trust between ourselves and the Chinese and Russians through creative peaceful means. Let’s work together on common problems like climate change.

Of course, this does not mean not criticizing Moscow and Beijing when we disagree with their human rights or foreign policies.

Noel J. Kent

Manoa

HTA poor negotiator over NFL Pro Bowl

Donald Trump keeps reminding us that our government does not know how to negotiate.

Now our Hawaii Tourism Authority is proving that to be true yet again.

March 31 was the agreed-to deadline by both sides regarding the next Pro Bowl game being played here. The state allowed the NFL to waste two more months to shake down everyone for more concessions.

This, after 35 years in Hawaii. After giving the NFL way too many tax breaks. After allowing a private event on the beach serving alcohol, while no one else could do the same. When the players association keeps stating they want to play here.

We should tell the NFL owners, enough already. To get a two-month extension, they should have to give us something in return. Fewer tax credits, more games, etc. Or they can take their game elsewhere and watch it completely disappear.

TV ratings are down and headed lower. Players would not show up and fans would follow. Life would continue without the game. The NFL would be the loser.

John Waring

Kailua

Hawaii needs its own Cancer Center

I agree with the March 30 article, “Everyone stands to benefit from UH Cancer Center,” written by Beadie Kanahele Dawson and Don Murphy.

One point to emphasize is that the University of Hawaii Cancer Center is conducting research on cancers that have more prevalence in our diverse ethnic community. If we don’t undertake these studies relating to Hawaii’s cultural diversity, we can’t expect that other cancer centers in the U.S. will.

On average, approximately 17 Hawaii residents each day receive the dreaded news that they have been diagnosed with cancer. Hawaii’s failure to support funding for the UHCC would be an embarrassment and a message to the nation and world that Hawaii is not interested in joining President Barack Obama’s recently announced bold initiative to find a cure for cancer, for those presently battling cancer and for those who will be diagnosed in the future.

Bernard Lum

Nuuanu

Psychiatric services can be improved

We thank the Star-Advertiser for the editorial, “Psychotropic drugs: Improve access to psychiatric care,” (Star-Advertiser, Our View, March 22).

We wholeheartedly agree that telemedicine and team-based behavioral health/primary care integration have significant potential to improve access to psychiatric medications and other evidence-based psychological treatments, which also are in high need; while maintaining and improving upon existing standards. Furthermore:

>> Hawaii law allows equivalent reimbursement for telemedicine-delivered psychiatric services.

>> There are examples of how involving trainees in telepsychiatry services and collaborative care models can significantly grow the rural/neighbor island workforce.

>> More information about project ECHO, a valuable healthcare community resource, can be found at http://www.ahec. hawaii.edu/project-echo/.

Certainly, the care system needs to do much more, not only to solve workforce supply and distribution problems, but also to provide mental health- related prevention and early intervention (e.g., eliminating poverty, improving maternal-child health, optimizing K-12 education, etc.).

Anthony P. S. Guerrero, M.D.

Punchbowl (on behalf of 15 other health professionals)

Rail tax extension didn’t do much good

The rail tax was extended just three months ago, but already that’s not enough?

I agree with those who say end the rail at the Middle Street bus depot until someone can administer this job without bankrupting the taxpayers.

And save Honolulu’s beauty.

Suzanne Ramos

Downtown Honolulu