Hats off to folks at Roosevelt

As a parent of a teenager enrolled at Roosevelt High School, to say Tuesday’s incident was stressful would be a serious understatement ("Gunfire begins harrowing day," Star-Adver- tiser, Jan. 29).

This unfortunately was a situation where an officer was forced to make a split-second, potentially life-changing decision and, as a result, a minor was injured and a student body left to question what was taking place.

Hats off to the staff of Roosevelt High School for handling the situation like true professionals. It was apparent that their emergency action plan was well organized and executed. The officers on the scene were great and handled the situation accordingly.

Fortunately, I did receive the communication from the school and was able to pick up my son when the all-clear was given. I am sad that a minor was injured; however, I am grateful there were no more serious injuries.

Jay Park
Makiki

Responders did their jobs well

I commend the actions of Roosevelt High School administrators, faculty and students in response to Tuesday’s incident on campus.

As a resident of Kalawa-hine Streamside, a Hawaiian homestead community that borders Roosevelt, I regularly pass the campus. Many of our homestead children attend Roosevelt.

The school’s actions during this emergency brought the proper responders to the scene (police, fire and EMS), issued email alerts to concerned parents, and prevented the situation from expanding by placing the campus in lockdown.

This confirms my belief that parents and caregivers can go on with the day after dropping their children off at any public school with the knowledge that administrators, faculty and staff are trained, drilled and care for the safety and the security of our most precious resource.

Richard Soo
Retired captain, Honolulu Fire Department, and former Department of Education safety and security officer

HCDA not living up to mandate

Thank you for running the commentary, "HCDA represents developers, not community," which gives voice to many of us in the community as to how the Hawaii Community Development Authority is making decisions and conducting itself (Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 29).

While no one disputes that Kakaako should be developed, nor can everyone be expected to agree, it should be done in a much more transparent, thoughtful and strategic manner than is now being done by the HCDA.

Our politicians, community leaders and HCDA itself would do well to acquaint themselves with William H. Whyte’s iconic works on the planning of urban and public spaces. For Whyte, urban spaces were "priceless," and the city street a "river of life" where we come together. Whyte advocated that urban public spaces are best built "from the bottom up, not from top down." HCDA is proceeding with little apparent concern for meaningful community input.

Douglas Miki
Kuliouou Valley

Executive order the way to rule?

The record seems fairly clear: President Barack Obama has invoked the use of his power to pen executive orders on fewer occasions than his predecessors at this point in their respective administrations.

But history does not reflect the bold declaration we heard during this year’s State of the Union address. In matters requiring legislative action, is our chief executive really going to ignore our Congress? Even if the perception that partisanship is consuming and stymying congressional action is true, the president’s threat to use executive orders in lieu of dialogue, compromise and deference is disturbing.

It is reason to give us all pause as we ponder government of the people, by the people, for the people.

John Hansen
Waipahu

Give voters more power

For more than four decades I have watched politicians in Hawaii ignore the wishes of the citizens who live here.

Instead, they give preference to special interests and money at the expense of the people, who lack the ability to enact changes and hold their elected representatives responsible and accountable.

It is time to once again bring forward the issue that the politicians in Hawaii fear most — giving power to the people through initiative, referendum and recall. This issue failed to make it on the ballot several decades ago. Now is the time to put it on the ballot. To deny the people a voice in their government through these choices is tyrannical.

David Leatherman
St. Louis Heights