I have worked in the medical field for 22 years. I understand what Hawaii Medical Service Association is doing regarding internal medicine doctors ordering imaging exams (“Not what the doctor ordered,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 24).

There are some doctors who are ignorant about imaging. They order incorrect or frivolous studies. I know of a doctor who ordered an MRI of the knee for degenerative joint disease. Knee radiography is the correct test. Another ordered a knee X-ray for septic arthritis. Diagnosis involves aspiration of the synovial fluid, which is then analyzed. Radiography does not image infections.

HMSA needs to be careful if it denies a test for a patient with certain risk factors. If the patient suffers a myocardial infarction because a cardiac stress test was denied, HMSA could be looking at a lawsuit and/or paying more for acute care.

Imaging departments, internal medicine doctors and HMSA should collaborate and set guidelines. It’s all in the best interest of the patient.

Robert K. Soberano

Moiliili

Maui could become Hawaii’s bread basket

I was born and raised in Keawe Camp while my grandparents, father, uncles and aunties worked for Pioneer Mill Sugar Co.

Now that the end of the sugar era is just around the corner with the announcement by Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar’s shutdown by the end of 2016, I believe the possibility of a whole new and positive era for Maui is before us.

I respectfully submit these ideas for the landowners to consider:

>> Subdivide the majority of the 36,000 acres of sugar land into small 5-, 10-, 50- and 100-acre lots for farming.

>> Give first preference to HC&S sugar workers who want to acquire a farm lot. Second preference should be given to full-time Maui residents.

>> To help the wage earners acquire a farm lot, a five-year lease with an option to purchase should be offered.

With the abundance of water, sunshine, fertile soil and committed workers, the future for small farming on Maui looks very promising — promising enough for Hawaii to look forward to the day when Maui will become the bread basket of Hawaii.

William T. Kinaka

Wailuku, Maui

Consider appointing Kahele’s son to Senate

Many across this state are mourning the passing of state Sen. Gil Kahele (“State senator, ‘epitome of aloha,’ dies,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27). He was one of the kindest souls who always had time to share his aloha. A loving husband, father, grandfather and friend.

Democratic Party officials and Gov. David Ige should seriously consider appointing Kahele’s son, Kai Kahele, to the vacant Senate seat. Kai Kahele is a pilot for Hawaiian Airlines and possesses many of the same qualities of his late father.

Kai coordinated all of his father’s campaigns, working side by side with all of his dad’s supporters. Kai Kahele would be the perfect choice to carry on Gil Kahele’s legacy.

Aloha ke akua, Gil. We love you and your ohana and miss you.

Danny Kaleikini

Kahala

Linda Wong

Makiki

Solar and wind can’t always be relied on

In response to Hawaiian Electric Co.’s proposal to increase low-cost, coal-fired electric energy purchases from AES Hawaii by about 5 percent, the Sierra Club and Blue Planet Foundation made the following statements: “HECO continues to make shortsighted decisions …” and, “What does this say about our society if we are limiting solar energy and increasing coal use?” (“Isle groups blast HECO for wanting more juice from coal,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27).

Peak electric loads on Oahu occur about 30 minutes after sunset during evenings with light wind conditions.

The H-POWER municipal waste power plant provides about 7 percent of that essential on-peak capacity. Wind and solar-energy suppliers cannot provide any of that required dependable on-peak generating capacity.

AES provides about 18 percent of that essential peak load generating capacity at less than one third the cost of solar and wind-energy suppliers.

I would appreciate it if the Sierra Club or Blue Planet would give examples of low-cost renewable energy systems that would keep the lights on during rainy days and HECO’s evening peak.

Alan S. Lloyd

Kailua

It was great to hear Ige give attention to Kalihi

Mahalo to Gov. David Ige for giving Kalihi the attention it deserves in his State of the State speech.

Kalihi is that hard-working mother who sacrifices for her children, never caring about wealth or beauty, but wanting to see her children prepared for better things.

Kalihi is a gateway: a gateway for newcomers and immigrants of all backgrounds learning what being American is about. A gateway for tourists headed for Waikiki. A gateway of opportunity, for those who have a dream.

Kalihi has become a doormat and dumping ground for people and facilities that no one wanted. Like that sacrificial mother, she takes all. Despite these sacrifices, Kalihi has not been rewarded and the infrastructure deteriorates. Still, her people wait patiently.

To quote Ige: “This Kalihi 21st Century initiative truly gives us the opportunity to do community planning the right way. No one deserves this more than the people of Kalihi.”

I hope that vision for a revitalized Kalihi will recognize her true beauty.

Dennis Arakaki

Kalihi

FROM THE FORUM

“Islands vulnerable despite Kauai facility” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 25:

>> Missile defense is largely just welfare to defense companies. Russia can easily overwhelm it and the countries we are moving to use it against have zero reasons to use missiles against us. Shipping containers are much better delivery mechanisms.

>> Yup, just label it “Fireworks” and it’ll pass right through inspection.

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“Skate park needs repairs, users say” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 25:

>> This is a special section of the park that is designed for kids to skateboard. While some people may not like skateboards or the children who ride them, they are a viable outlet for kids who would otherwise be out causing mischief. Since we built it, we need to maintain it. Perhaps some of these kids’ parents and even the kids themselves can step up to the plate and take care of this place.

>> The park needs to be repaired, but I agree with other posters that the park users have to wear proper safety gear.

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“Rail operations will raise taxes 9%, officials say” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 26:

>> The state should have voted no to the general excise tax surcharge for rail. Then the mayor would have been “forced” to raise property taxes to build the rail. And that would have guaranteed he is not mayor in 2017.

>> Finally, someone has decided it was time to let us all know that there will be no end to the burden this joke of a system is going to put on us. The rail is going to bankrupt this state.

>> Who is the genius that thinks property taxes should increase to fund out-of-control rail operation costs? If anything, gasoline taxes should increase. Don’t we need to incentivize people to ride the mall train? Why stiff every single homeowner on the island when the tax should be on people that actually commute to work every day? Further, they should slap downtown entry fees and other toll-road fees on drivers. Why do I have to pay for the geniuses who decided to live 35 miles from their work? Oh, so they could afford that nice backyard? I swear, our politicians are by far the most incompetent in the world.

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“Suitors courting Pro Bowl to play on foreign turf” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 26:

>> Good. Let ’em have it. The Pro Bowl is just a bunch of overpaid prima donnas dogging it for their paid vacay with the real game a week away.

>> We pay over $5 million for them to come here and we get $2.8 million back in tax revenues? If the only ones benefiting are in the tourist industry, let them pay for it.

>> Gov. David Ige and the Hawaii Tourism Authority need to step up and bring the Pro Bowl back to Hawaii. They’re the keys to this terrific sporting event.

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“Plans to expand whale sanctuary scrapped” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27:

>> The whales are making a good comeback already. What was proposed would have made too great a footprint.

>>The rules we have are not enough to sustain the ocean as it is today. The ocean needs help.

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“New sports authority would oversee all events” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 27:

>> This proposal comes about every so many years. Someone wants to be a sports czar for Hawaii.

>> This would be a use of funds obtained from visitors to promote activities intended to bring in more visitors. That seems reasonable.

>> Why can’t the Hawaii Tourism Authority handle the job? Because they can’t do what they are supposed to do and now we want to create another agency? A paid coordinator? Just another position to collect free money.

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“UH baseball team picked to finish 7th in Big West” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 28:

>> Why Coach Mike Trapasso is never under the same scrutiny as other UH coaches I don’t know. His teams are usually mediocre in performance and standings, but his job security is always automatic, year after year.

>> Terrible results and a boring brand of baseball. Hawaii fans deserve better.