Politicians could serve a single 6-year term

While I concur with Lee Cataluna’s thought process, perhaps one 6-year term might appeal more to future candidates (“Single-term mayor could achieve proper focus,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 5).

Russell Stephen Pang

Ala Moana

Good reasons to restrict fireworks in Hawaii

Fireworks should stay restricted for many reasons.

First, they pollute the environment. Does anyone remember how thick the smoke was on New Year’s Eve before they were restricted? I could see only about 20 feet in front of me when driving home from work about midnight.

Second, the smoke makes it dangerous to drive. Third, people with breathing problems like asthma have an even harder time breathing. Fourth, toddlers and pets are frightened. Fifth, there is often property damage and firefighters’ lives are put at risk. Sixth, those of us who have to work on New Year’s Day have a hard time sleeping.

Terrence Ching

Wilhelmina Rise

National tournament for men’s volleyball

With the great success of the University of Hawaii’s men’s volleyball team last year and the preseason poll ranking our team first this year, it’s time for Hawaii fans to insist on a legitimate national championship tournament.

Letting a committee decide on a championship makes men’s volleyball an illegitimate sport in the eyes of season-ticket holders.

With four Division One conferences, the winner and runner-up in each conference would constitute an eight-team tournament, not a truncated (cut-off) arrangement decided by a mysterious NCAA committee, as we have been subjected to.

Want to give the four conference winners a first-round bye? Fine, seed the third-place team in each conference with the four runner-ups in a first-round eight-team bracket.

For years, the committee selected a fourth “at-large” member. Now they’ll pick three to join the automatic four league winners. It’s still an illegitimate and artificial NCAA shaft.

Stephen Lerman

Kapalama

Jordan Yamamoto deserves recognition

The great Jordan Yamamoto made major league baseball history in his first two starts by going seven innings in each outing, giving up no runs and only two hits per outing.

While other sports figures in Hawaii were given too much publicity, I am writing here to give this great athlete the recognition he highly deserves.

Yamamoto did this with the Miami Marlins, a decrepit team that made his accomplishment even more astounding. With an assortment of pitches — including a nasty 78 mile-per-hour changeup and his 94 mile-per-hour fastball — believe me, the sky is the limit for this young and talented Hawaii sports figure.

Dean Nagasako

Honokaa, Hawaii Island

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