Elephants don’t need lots of room

David Hancocks states that elephants require tons of space to roam, thus our zoo’s new habitat is inadequate ("Elephants need room to roam," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 25).

I played a primary role in the habitat’s design, and am confident that the Honolulu Zoo’s new elephant exhibit is sufficiently large to meet their physical and psychological needs.

Quality of space is much more important than quantity. Well-meaning critics often state that elephants in the wild walk miles and miles each day. Wild elephants do so because they have to in order to find sufficient food and drinking water. If food and water is readily available, they are content to stay in a very small area. More important, it is incumbent for modern zoos to provide psychological enrichment to keep the animals’ minds and bodies active. This can be accomplished at our zoo.

We know these magnificent animals deserve a new home and, thanks to the support of our community, they are getting one. In conjunction with that, we look forward to joining the ranks of the zoos that reproduce the species.

Don’t let rail run off the track

Los Angeles, the car capital of the U.S., is planning 12 major transit projects to ease traffic congestion and create jobs with rail transit as the centerpiece. China is moving ahead with nationwide rail plans to help its growing economy.

Meanwhile, our little state can’t get its act together on a rail project that has been approved by Honolulu voters, will create 10,000 jobs, and is backed by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, whose successful track record of bringing home federal money to benefit Honolulu is legendary. Now Gov. Linda Lingle has thrown a project-stopping monkey wrench into his plans with her indecision on the rail EIS.

We are in serious danger of repeating the mistake of the 1990s, when the City Council did an about-face on rail and killed it. That must not be allowed to happen again.

School board not necessary

Do we really need a state Board of Education?

The two primary things the board does is appoint the superintendent of education and set policy.

The superintendent could be a Cabinet position appointed by the governor with the approval of the Senate. To avoid a purely political appointment, academic credentials could be established.

The superintendent and assistant superintendents, with advice from principals, could establish policy.

Intersection must be fixed

A tragedy is waiting to happen at Ahua and Kilihau streets. At present the following conditions exist: damage to cars from unseen potholes under standing water, the rusting of cars driving through salt water, potential accidents from people making U-turns in lieu of traveling thru the flooded street and handicapped people not being able to cross at the intersection.

Apparently, something is being done to correct the flooding during high tide, but the other dangers can and need to be corrected now.

Must the public wait for the next mayor to correct this age-old problem?

Kailua worries predate Target

Star-Advertiser writer Vicki Viotti asks Mitch D’Olier, president and CEO of Kaneohe Ranch, "What was the threshold that Target crossed" that resulted in community opposition. He answers, "I’d love to know" (Star-Advertiser, Aug. 27).

We answer as current residents of Kailua where our family has lived continuously since 1929, and as participants in the 2003 survey and the 2004 community planning process.

From our perspective, the threshold was crossed and the tipping point reached before Target even entered the picture. In the last five years, Kaneohe Ranch has developed a new Longs and parking garage; Pier 1 and California Pizza Kitchen; the current construction of a 32,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market plus 8,000 square feet of retail space; and 151 Hekili Street — 19,000 square feet of retail and office space at one of the busiest intersections in Kailua across from the proposed Target.

We call on Kaneohe Ranch to take a time out and commission an independent assessment of the impacts of its redevelopment on the quality of life in Kailua and the community values defined in the 2004 Community Plan. Because, as he notes, "the real customers are Kailua residents."