Pigeon problem a private dispute

Sarah Zoellick’s excellent article (plus photos) on the pigeon-droppings situation presented all sides of the story ("Pigeon droppings land neighbors in legislative scrape," Star-Advertiser, April 11).

I agree with Sen. Sam Slom that the Legislature shouldn’t be involved in the finer tuning of this issue. Our state Health Department needs more support and power to do its best by both young and old in Hawaii.

Wasn’t the problem solved at the Honolulu Zoo when the pigeons became a nuisance to the visiting public?

Whenever there is the potential of losing revenue, a solution is met.

Unfortunately, in these personal cases, little will probably happen.

I’d like to think the Health Department could handle this problem, along with cooperation from our Hawaiian Humane Society.

Cherry Jeong
Kailua

Degraded reefs bad for tourism

The health of Hawaii’s reefs are important not only to the marine ecosystem but to the well-being of the tourist industry.

In the past, we traveled from Australia to Kauai for holidays, sometimes twice a year. We flew on Hawaiian Airlines from Sydney, rented a car, leased a cottage in Hanalei, shopped and ate in restaurants. We spent up to $10,000 a year in Hawaii.We advised our friends to come to Kauai for a great experience.

Not any more.

Over the years, we snorkeled Anini, Tunnels and Ke‘e, and watched them become more and more degraded.

We decided that we didn’t want to witness the sad death of the Kauai reefs again. Thailand was our destination last year.This June we will be snorkeling in the Cook Islands.

We hope that the tourist industry, the local community and governments on all levels will back efforts to find the causes and restore the reefs.

Norman K. Sanders
Ocean Shores, New South Wales, Australia

Pesticide causing butterfly deaths?

"The growing of plants exerts an ennobling influence on all races of mankind."

That statement, from "The Urantia Book," while not subject to scientific verification, has a certain ring of truth about it. If we have any doubts, all we have to do is ask the producers of "Roundup Ready" GMO crops at Monsanto, and they will reassure us it is true.

The migration of millions of monarch butterflies from all over North America to the same 30-some acres in Central America each year is one of the wonders of the natural world. Unfortunately, according to a recent news report, it may be coming to an end. This past year the nuptial celebration covered only two or three acres, instead of the usual 30-plus.

Monarchs eat milkweed. Roundpp kills milkweed. Maybe "The Urantia Book" is wrong.

Bill Brundage
Kurtistown, Hawaii

Beware when keiki on balcony

On April 14, a 4-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital after plummeting from the fourth floor of an apartment building in Kapolei ("Boy survives fall from apartment," Star-Advertiser, April 15).

I’m sure I’m not the only one asking: Why wasn’t this child better supervised?

This was the second time a toddler plunged from a residence in less than a week.

Parenting is a skill that supposedly comes naturally. In reality, no one is perfect. The instant you lose track of your youngster, the danger rate climbs. Sorrow and grief consumes the hearts of these parents.

Fortunately, we all can pitch in to keep an extra set of eyes on our keiki to prevent horrific incidents like these from happening again.

Sydnee Macagone
Aiea

Theft of decal rude, pointless

We have lived at our residence for 13 years and, for the first time, our vehicle safety check decal was stolen. Someone sawed off the entire plate.

Individuals who perform such acts should stop and think about how much it will cost hard-working individuals like us to replace it.

If people are unable to afford safety check decals, maybe they should find other means of transportation and give up their vehicles.

Stealing the decals is useless, because once reported, the decals are no longer valid, and the individuals who stole them will always be looking over their shoulder, should they be pulled over for any traffic violation.

Theresa E. Perreira
Honolulu