Amemiya would be great choice

University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman’s inclusion of Keith Amemiya as a candidate for athletics director is a bold statement that the university is sincere in putting its athletics department’s house in order.

Amemiya is a vibrant hybrid leader, born of the private sector and well versed in the university’s hierarchy. He has demonstrated his innovative spirit in changing the traditions of Hawaii high school sports, making them more inclusive and financially sound. There is a creative passion in Amemiya that I pray the University of Hawaii embraces.

UH’s revolving door has included some very fine athletics directors who couldn’t quite put all the pieces together. Amemiya has the toughness to face the spectrum of dramas, and the temperament to engender financial and fan support, statewide, for our Rainbow Warriors.

Stadium should be UH operation

When we go to the University of Hawaii football games, the main and most important product that we as loyal UH fans watch, support, cheer and pay for is the UH football team itself.

Any new stadium that is built must be owned, operated and controlled by UH.

Money earned from football tickets and parking, plus a percentage of advertising, signage and concession sales, could be used to pay for costs such as electricity and clean up.

They play. We help pay. Go, Bows!

‘Off limits’ idea is very troubling

Your recent editorial about the dangers of Hanauma Bay brings up at least one troubling idea — making some of the bay off limits ("More safeguards for Hanauma Bay," Star-Advertiser, Our View, March 17).

To see state Rep. Gene Ward, one of the few Republicans in the Legislature, tacitly support this "nanny-state" idea is even more troubling ("Do more to stop fatalities at bay," Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 20).

I have been diving and snorkeling in Hanauma Bay for more than 40 years now and regularly go to the outer limits of the bay, sometimes beyond it as well. The two most recent fatalities were apparently far out in the bay, much farther out than most casual snorkelers go.

I am as sorry for the loss of life as anyone, but how far should society go to protect people from themselves?

Should we ban all water sports that can’t be overseen by a lifeguard within a few hundred feet of shore?

People need to gain a sense of responsibility for their own actions and not expect the government to save them whenever they put their lives at risk.

Older visitors tired of traffic

A group of nine visitors from upper-midwestern states have been coming to Hawaii for several winter months for numerous years.

We got so disturbed by the heavy traffic in and around Honolulu, which takes up a lot of vacation time, that we have decided not to return to Hawaii again. We are getting older and do not have the patience to get caught in traffic jams throughout the day and night.

We don’t know where we will be spending next year, but for sure it will not be Hawaii, which we have enjoyed for so many years.

We bid aloha to our many local friends we have here.

Cyclists a danger in Chinatown

Pedestrians are in danger daily by cyclists on sidewalks in Chinatown. This has been a problem for years and nothing gets done.

Police officers in Chinatown need to walk the streets and get exercise. By doing so, they could hand out brochures on the rules and also get to know the locals and possibly learn information about illegal things going on in the area.

One cannot rely on new recruits who stand on the corner of Hotel and Bethel Streets because they just socialize and laugh with one another and are only interested in citing cars.

Cycle shop owners should hand out brochures on rules regarding this area.

Pedestrians deserve to be able to walk safely.

Crosswalks also need signals

A recent accident on Kapahulu Avenue involving a pedestrian being hit by a vehicle while in a crosswalk highlighted the need for traffic control devices at crosswalks.

Without traffic control devices, drivers routinely drive right through crosswalks.

Having a pedestrian suddenly in front of a driver is an atypical event. The pedestrian is being directed to cross at a crosswalk, thinking that it is a safe place to cross.

Without traffic control devices, the pedestrian would be safer to look both ways and cross whenever it is truly safe, rather than having a false sense of security at a crosswalk.

Place traffic control devices at all crosswalks, or eliminate the crosswalk.

Have the train end at Aala Park

It was good to see the latest letter that recommends early termination of rail ("Cut losses now on rail system," Star-Advertiser, March 20).

My vote goes for putting the end station at Aala Park, offering a short walk for downtown commuters and ample space for a bus terminal to other destinations.

The increased foot traffic would aid the economy in Honolulu’s urban core and likely pressure the city to implement policies that would revitalize the area.

Let’s have a shorter project, now back on the original budget, with no need to tear up downtown or block harbor views with elevated rail.

And maybe some of that rail tax money no longer needed to support the construction industry or Kakaako speculators could actually go toward providing services to the poor and homeless.

A rail destination change would be a good deal. Honolulu would trade something we don’t need for something we do.

Kudos to prisons for policy change

This letter is to convey our heartfelt gratitude for an enormous change that has occurred.

Hawaii’s prisons have eliminated the practice of canceling scheduled visitation hours because of insufficient staffing. This change not only has made our prison system more humane, but will result in budget savings to the state of Hawaii over the long haul because increased visitations have been shown to decrease criminality and recidivism among inmates.

This change is particularly beneficial to the families and loved ones of those behind bars who are coping with the daily challenges of living with mental illness, and of course to these inmates themselves.

We applaud all of those who have worked to make this change, and we are hopeful that the change is permanent.