Letters: Old Honolulu Stadium could rise again for UH; Thanks to those who protect Ala Moana Park; Implement ‘no right turn on red’

Old Honolulu Stadium could rise again for UH

The article about Hawaii Bowl television ratings was telling; we are in a new era of sports viewing where fewer people attend games (“Hawaii Bowl television ratings double from last year,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 28). That said, the old Honolulu Stadium (capacity 25,000) would have proved adequate to host University of Hawaii Rainbow Warrior football games. With that I offer two proposals for a stadium alternative that would increase student attendance at games.

Option 1: Gentrify the Varsity Circle area out to Puck’s Alley to construct a stadium there complete with parking structures. Option 2 would be Honolulu Stadium 2.0 at the original site in Moiliili. A football-only configuration would consume a smaller footprint and allow for more vertical parking structures. Students could easily walk over in Option 1, and a bus bridge would work for Option 2.

Honolulu also would have a good reason to extend the rail toward UH, as was the original intent.

Von Kenric Kaneshiro

Downtown Honolulu

We need to implement ‘no right turn on red’

What ever happened to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s legislation, “No right turn on red”? I had two near-misses in cars turning right while I was in the crosswalk.

Michael Augusta

McCully-Moiliili

New trees will enhance Magic Island experience

Kudos to the City and County’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC) for the new tree plantings on Magic Island at Ala Moana Regional Park. As these new additions grow in, supported by the new irrigation system, we will have a truly green park that people will enjoy visiting.

On the other hand, DDC has allowed five dead coconut palms on the ewa side of Magic Island to remain for over a year — and there’s been a new dead palm added in the last few months. There’s also a lone dead palm on the Diamond Head side of Magic Island. Why these weren’t taken care of when contractors removed five dead palms earlier in the year is a good question.

Richard Criley

Honolulu

Thanks to those who protect Ala Moana Park

I just want to thank all the hui and other groups of people who are leading the “leave Ala Moana Regional Park alone” movement. I have lived here for more than 30 years and Ala Moana Regional Park is, and always will be, “the people’s park.”

Upgrade the park itself — don’t bring in unwanted venues. Love the land.

Bill Fuson

Ala Moana

Let homeless live next to ACLU, state Capitol

The ACLU and homeless advocates wanted the city to stop the homeless sweeps over the holidays (“City rejects ACLU’s plea to stop sweeps,” Star- Advertiser, Dec. 28).

Why? If homeless don’t want to be bothered, then do not camp on sidewalks. They should pitch their tents out of sight if they have to. Or, even better, camp in the yards or in front of the condos of the ACLU and other advocates; I’m sure they won’t mind.

Even better, as I have said before, we have great facilities for the homeless to camp on the grassy area of the state Capitol and around the city offices on King Street.

We cannot force homeless to take housing, but we can and should push them to stay off public sidewalks and along major roads. The ACLU can invite the homeless to camp by it or at government facilities. Then perhaps it won’t be bothered.

Clifton T. Johnson

Ala Moana

Fight climate change with carbon dividend act

In this time of hyper-partisanship and frightening reports about climate change, there’s good news.

Two Florida congressmen, one Republican, Carlos Curbelo, and one Democrat, Ted Deutch, started the House Climate Solutions Caucus in 2016. In two years, membership reached 45 Republicans and 45 Democrats. While some lost their seats last election, the caucus continues.

Last January, five Republicans and five Democrats introduced the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.

This bill proposes real solutions. And the very best news? U.S. Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) just started the first Senate Climate Solutions Caucus.

In this time of turmoil and division, Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate are working together to address climate change. Write them letters of support for working together.

Ask Hawaii’s U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, and U.S. Reps. Ed Case and Tulsi Gabbard, to support them, too.

Diana L. Van De Car

Volcano

Fixing Medicare fees depends on Congress

Since 1992 Medicare has determined physician payments using RBRVS (resource-based relative value scale). This fee schedule led to massive cuts in surgical fees and has been adopted by nearly all non-Medicare health insurance payers as well.

In 1997, the sustainable growth rate formula was applied to Medicare fees in an attempt to control costs. It and other factors have basically frozen physician reimbursements for the past 22 years. In the meantime physician overhead costs have gone up.

Poor physician pay, many years in the making, is one of the causes of the physician shortage in Hawaii. Physician pay is determined by Medicare and can only be fixed by Congress.

Contact your senator and representative to address this problem before it’s too late.

Rhoads E. Stevens, M.D.

Hawaii Kai

Public gets little for ‘ohana zone’ money

I realize the $30 million earmarked by the Legislature for homelessness is a flexible project designed to meet a variety of needs, but all I see in your front-page coverage of the latest “ohana” is a bunch of makeshift tents and plastic lawn chairs set up in an open field — and not too many of them, either (“A place to call home,” Star-Advertiser, Dec. 30).

I notice you call these tents “personal space compartments.” Someone in your newsroom must have a good sense of humor, but who would ever want to live in one of these “compartments?”

Is this all the taxpayers are getting for their money?

Action is long overdue, but the Legislature obviously thinks camping is the solution.

Edward D. Lasky

Hawaii Kai

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