I was alarmed to see your article on a court ruling against KAHEA, one of the groups seeking to preserve Mauna Kea and prevent the construction of a huge telescope there (“TMT protest group loses court ruling,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. Opens in a new tab8) Opens in a new tab.
The state Attorney General has subpoenaed three years of KAHEA bank records, apparently to get a list of supporters and their monetary contributions.
The state also subpoenaed records from Hawaiian Airlines to obtain names of those who donated frequent flyer mileage to enable supporters to fly to Hawaii island to support the nonviolent protest there against the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT).
Sadly, Judge James Ashford seems inclined to grant the state’s subpoenas.
Senate Bill 42 would prohibit the Attorney General from investigating nonprofit organizations for exercising their rights of free speech and assembly. The bill rightly points out that such investigations can seem intimidating and retaliatory.
I hope this intimidation can be halted. Otherwise, it would appear that Trump-style government tactics of retaliation are being employed here in our islands to the detriment of the people’s interests.
John Witeck
Kamehameha Heights
Not everyone wants to vote by mail only
Recently, I received in the mail the state Office of Elections’ postcard informing Hawaii voters that beginning this year, if they wish to exercise their right to vote, they now will have to do it by mail — and that polling places will be no more.
I take no issue with the idea of making voting by mail an available option for those who may not want it. I do regard this sudden changing of the rules as an effort to force my hand in this way — and against my will.
Sorry, but if I am not able to personally place my own ballot into a ballot box, with my own hands, I will not vote.
Charles C. Cravalho
Kuakini
Sherwoods project isn’t stopping, unfortunately
Contrary to popular belief, the city has not stopped its misguided, destructive, possibly illegal project to create athletic fields and more paved parking at Waimanalo Bay Beach Park (“Sherwood Forest resolutions draw Waimanalo community criticism,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. Opens in a new tab7) Opens in a new tab.
The city continues to ignore the sentiment of a majority of the community: that work should stop at Sherwood Forest. The phase of the project funded for the final years of the mayor’s administration has been ongoing since April 2019 and, after a pause, is threatened to begin again — in, according to some sources, an expanded form.
Now the city has us waiting — almost a year later, and before the lawsuit to restrain its action is heard in court — for the bulldozers to roll again.
Dale O. Evans
Waimanalo
Can’t know if fuel tanks are ‘structurally sound’
I applaud the Star-Advertiser for keeping the Red Hill fuel tank problem visible (“Moving fuel tanks the best option,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Feb. Opens in a new tab13) Opens in a new tab.
However, a statement in the editorial, “the tanks are structurally sound today,” needs clarification, which further amplifies the problem.
These underground tanks were constructed 78 years ago using a steel-inside-concrete method that makes it impossible to monitor whether moisture is corroding the steel.
The areas most vulnerable to corrosion cannot be inspected except for small sections cut out from the inside when a tank is out of service for maintenance. Very little of the steel has actually been inspected. We really can’t know if the tanks are structurally sound today.
Relocating this strategic storage is a big task for our military, but it must be accomplished in the shorter time frame specified in Senate Bill 2774. Perhaps 10% of the $1.9 billion not being spent on the Pacific radar system can be used to protect Oahu’s precious water supply now.
Tony Hoff
Kaneohe
Taxpayers pay millions to Trump’s businesses
Maybe some don’t care that President Donald Trump extorted the president of Ukraine while delaying military aid as Ukrainian soldiers were dying in a war against Russia. They don’t see how this hurts them. But what if you learned that, in another violation of Trump’s oath of office, he took $100 million of your tax dollars to make himself wealthier? Whenever Trump plays at one of his golf courses, taxpayer money is paid to his golf-course operations. So far $100 million of your tax dollars went to Trump.
This is an impeachable offense and, unless Trump is impeached, he’ll continue looting your tax dollars. So to put halt to this, contact your representatives in Congress and ask that they start proceedings for “Impeachment II.”
The publicity from new hearings, while Trump is out distorting reality on the campaign trail, will help voters see why Trump is bad for America.
Ed Stevens
Mililani
Trump less worrisome than ‘free stuff’ Dems
The impeachment mess has unfortunately further swelled the chasm of an already divided country. Supporters of President Donald Trump are further entrenched in defense of their president. Critics of Trump are even further down (if possible) in the depths of rage against him.
Supporters feel that the impeachment attempt was simply unfair politics fueled by fake news and a selfish partisan agenda. Critics feel that an evil monster has gotten away with yet another atrocity against humanity, abetted by a completely corrupt conspiracy.
I suspect that today, with such a flood of electronic information available — much of it unverified and conflicting — that some people simply will believe the information they like.
While quite a bit of Trump supporters hold their noses when supporting him, they are much more worried about the Democratic candidates’ pitch: “I’ll give you free stuff (by forcing other people to pay for it).”
Leighton Loo
Mililani
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