Recently I went to a sunset dinner at Ala Moana Beach Park, and the scent and sounds of the park were so beautiful. Children swimming and splashing in the water, paddleboarders gliding in the calm waters, a Japanese bridal couple taking advantage of the ocean and setting sun. The sweet ocean breeze mixed with the smells of teriyaki steaks, hamburgers and hot dogs.

Eagerly I ran to the rest-room to wash my hands, imagining what delicious meal awaited me. Then wham, bang, auwe, the stench in the bathroom just killed my appetite.

Slowly walking back, I was disgusted — why can’t our beach restrooms and playground parks be clean?

Solution: People who have to do hours of community service should maintain the beach restrooms.

Have these people be responsible to clean, de-odorize and scrub or paint over the graffiti on the bathroom walls. Clean and deodorize the bathrooms three times a day.

Let us smell the wonderful Pacific Ocean again without the stench of our beach park restrooms.

Gary Tokuda

Aiea

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Ala Wai golf plan all about money

Regarding the proposed Topgolf Hawaii project at the Ala Wai Golf Course (“Hopes for Ala Wai driving range,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, May 5):

Yes, this tricksy-techno innovation of microchipped balls will no doubt add to the subsequently noted quadrupling of gross revenues. But it will be done at the cost of a further plundering of green open space, so unfortunately typical of the ongoing overdevelopment so disfiguring to our beautifully situated city — and this for a range only recently renovated.

The Golden Rule here has quite simply been subverted into, “He who has the gold, rules.”

John W. Conner

Waikiki

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Evidence mounts against Trump

Well, good news. Finally we have proof that President Donald Trump is guilty, at least of collusion, and very likely obstruction of justice as well. How do we know?

Trump’s own personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, told us so, making the statement that the president cannot be indicted.

Of course, it goes without saying that an innocent person does not worry about being indicted.

Indicted for being honest? Only the guilty feel relief from believing that he cannot be indicted for his crimes.

And if that were not proof enough, one need only review the many paranoid and obsessive comments Trump has made of late, all overtly designed to provide smoke screens to obscure and delay and ultimately sabotage the Mueller investigation, which is inexorably rooting out the truth behind Trump’s dealings with the Russians, as well as the Saudis and other Middle Eastern nations’ representatives.

It is all there. Real facts are real, not fake. Trump knows it, and so do his family and his equally unpatriotic allies in Congress who have chosen to put party above country.

Now, does any of this smell like treason?

Michael Mills

Ewa Beach

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Let veterans protect schools

It’s obvious we have a problem with our society. It’s our failure as parents of this generation of children, who are so disconnected from love, compassion and value for human life that they can go on a killing spree in their own schools.

Until we can figure out how to establish love and compassion in our kids again, can we not immediately utilize one of the most valuable resources we have to stop this?

I’m talking about our military veterans. Rather than train a teacher who has no experience engaging a shooter, bomber, domestic or foreign terrorist, why not use our veterans for that? Let them secure our schools’ perimeters.

If I was a student today I would be reassured knowing my school was being protected by an American veteran trained to combat terror.

At the same time, we would be doing a service for our veterans, giving them an opportunity to transition back into civilian life while providing role models to our youth and creating a much-needed appreciation for our military.

Teoni Black

Kaneohe

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New buildings won’t fix schools

Wait a minute. I’m shocked at the thought process in the letter, “Hawaii needs modern schools” (Star-Advertiser, May 16).

It left me wondering: If I put you in a new suit, will it make you smarter? If I put you in the best car, will it make you a better driver? I guess new buildings makes what goes on inside effortless, and tradition means nothing.

How about the teachers inside the classroom? I guess they teach better if the school is new. Just look at the past. Many of the great people of the past did not need new schools to accomplish great things.

Robert Short

Kailua