Restore funding for marine mammals

Annually, The Marine Mammal Center treats hundreds of sick or injured marine mammals along the California coast, and cooperates with Hawaii colleagues to care for critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals.

Nationwide, marine mammal rehabilitation facilities, primarily nonprofits, are coordinated through NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and respond to more than 5,000 animals each year.

Since 2000, federal Prescott Grants have funded these organizations, sometimes largely sustaining them. Disappointingly, Prescott funding hasn’t been included in the fiscal 2013 federal budget.

Marine mammals are sentinels of ocean health and offer early indications of unhealthy ocean conditions. Prescott-funded organizations are the nation’s first responders in such cases and often provide the only surveillance for potentially dangerous public health issues.

Many legislators, including U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, have joined in asking Congress to restore Prescott funding to allow us to keep a pulse on ocean heath.

Sustaining this funding addresses the government’s obligation to these federally protected animals.

Jeff Boehm
Executive director, The Marine Mammal Center Sausalito, Calif.

TheBus not meant to carry luggage

Gayle Lanthier asks that one piece of luggage be allowed on TheBus lines that serve the airport as a convenience for local airline passengers ("TheBus should allow riders to have luggage," Star-Advertiser, Letters, April 1).

Now, as I, a layman, understand the matter, TheBus does not compete with private companies that serve the airport, such as taxi companies, Roberts Hawaii, SpeediShuttle and other shuttle companies. Those companies specialize in hauling airline passengers and their luggage, while the bus merely hauls passengers who don’t have luggage.

Large pieces of luggage can block the aisles of a crowded bus and create a potential for passenger accidents. Even small-wheeled carts can create problems on board a bus, so passengers should follow the established baggage rules.

Dexter Wong
Honolulu

Obama is example of good local talent

I totally agree with Alan R. Shoho regarding searching inward for our new University of Hawaii-Manoa chancellor ("Search inward for new UH chancellor," Star-Advertiser, Letters, April 3).

Time and again, whenever our University of Hawaii is filling a significant leadership position, final candidates have almost always come from everywhere on the mainland but not from Hawaii.

I find it hard to believe that Hawaii, with some of the best private and public schools in the nation, cannot produce candidates to be considered. Our president of the United States is a good example of homegrown leadership Hawaii can produce.

My concern with some of these out-of-state finalists is that they may not know the difference between mahalo and aloha or mauka or makai.

Harold Omori
Mililani

Murder-suicide was avoidable

Recently a very close friend and colleague of mine shot his wife and took his own life. Classified as a murder-suicide, it was called domestic violence.

This was far from the truth. This person was very much in love with his lifetime partner. Had the right laws and medications been made available, this act of mercy could have been avoided.

His health was faltering and his wife had a long-term illness. Laws need to be updated to address this scenario.

A legal document, a "living will" allows you to be unplugged from lifesaving equipment when your body fails to perform and you become brain dead. Why can’t this be done with the same competent person seeking relief from a long-term unforeseeable illness such as Alzheimer’s?

There is no quality of life in not recognizing anything or anyone in front of you.

Lloyd Faulkner Sr.
Kailua

Offer homeless a day facility, too

Shelters are great for the homeless to spend the night.However, the state needs to do more for those who are homeless simply because they can’t afford to pay their rent of mortgage.

The state should establish a day facility that will provide educational opportunities, financial counselors, showers and washers/dryers.

Let’s provide a helping hand to those people who are willing and able to work but having a difficult time due to either unemployment or poor financial management.

Claudia McCloskey
Waikiki

State lottery could help fix our roads

Regarding the March 30 photo in the Star-Advertiser of people standing in line for the Mega Lottery tickets: None of them look homeless, derelict, desperate or any specific race or minority.

They have smiles on their faces and are laughing and talking, and look like they are happy to be there. They know that if they don’t win, despite outrageous odds, at least if they lose, unlike taxes, the small amount of a ticket purchase may do some good.

Hawaii people are no different. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could use a mega lottery (which would attract tourists, too) to generate money to fix all our roads or other badly needed public services that our taxes won’t cover, that our legislators continually ignore with lame excuses while other states reap outrageous profits?

Just one lottery might fix our roads.

Bill Romerhaus
Haleiwa