Don’t weaken smoking ban

Since Nov. 16, 2006, many of us non-smokers have been able to breathe fresh air when dining out, hitting a club or visiting a mall.

It really distresses me that the Legislature is considering altering the law to allow indoor smoking privileges for bars and nightclubs.

Proponents of the change say that the smoking ban is costing bars and clubs revenue and it hurts tourism.

With visitor arrivals achieving record numbers and top nightlife locales doing well, the notion of smoke hurting business isn’t accurate.

Let’s not put the health of bar and club employees and especially their customers at risk by changing this law.

Besides lung cancer and emphysema, tobacco use increases the risk of 20-plus other cancers. We have to stomp out this bad idea like a used butt.

Matthew Derby
Hawaii Kai

Haleiwa land meant for public

What a scary concept!

The City and County of Honolulu condemned parcels of land in Haleiwa and purchased them by eminent domain in the 1970s in order to expand a regional beach park. Now the Carlisle administration is calling this 3.5 acres a "remnant and underutilized" and proposes to put it up for auction, instead of honoring the original intent of using this valuable land for public use.

This parcel is next to a very popular beach used by canoe clubs, kayakers, stand up paddlers, people who fish and those who simply want to enjoy a day at the beach. It can accommodate 80-100 cars, school buses and canoe trailers. Community members have already demonstrated their willingness and ability to help with upkeep and maintenance of this park.

Once this valuable public resource is sold to a private developer, it will be gone for good.

What public park will be sold off next?

Sue Cortes
Haleiwa

Insurance edict unconstitutional

A recent editorial cartoon depicted the Republican Party keeping birth control pills from a woman by tossing them to a Catholic Church leader (Star-Advertiser, Feb. 15).

That is not the reason for the uproar. It’s a constitutional issue.

No one is calling for a reduction in the availability of birth control for women. The issue is whether the federal government has the right to demand that companies, including faith-based nonprofit organizations, provide insurance coverage for things their beliefs oppose.

This presidential mandate, just like Obamacare, is unconstitutional and will be stopped by the courts. But that won’t stop liberals here from spreading false ideas to those who choose to be uninformed.

Matt White
Aiea

Families need autism coverage

Hawaii legislators need to get their priorities straight on which bills should be passed or rejected.

Here in Hawaii, families are suffering a great deal without having full health coverage for their loved ones who may be suffering from autism. Families use up all their life saving just to give their loved ones the full medical care they need.

Legislators are so gung ho about spending money to give themselves raises, but they give little consideration to mandating insurance coverage. Legislators need to wake up and see the issues that need to be addressed.

Michellie Albeso
Waipahu

Good memories of riding the rail

At 86, there are not too many of us left who have experienced the most pleasant ride by rail from the Ewa depot located near the sugar cane mill to the last station close to Aala Park.

Back then, rail was the only way to go to town because we didn’t have any bus service and very few people owned cars. Hiring a taxi was too expensive.

Aboard the train we had fun playing games, and the ships in Pearl Harbor were a sight to see.

Our destination during our school excursion was the Kress store for those delicious ice cream cones, which cost a nickel.

We were awed seeing those big buildings of our big city, Honolulu.

Go rail!

Ramsay Hishinuma
Aiea