I belong to a Mililani church with a preschool that is experiencing an increase in homeless people in the area.

They come onto our property to sleep, wash their clothes, go to the bathroom and seek food and clothing.

We also had a recent break-in that we believe is related to our homeless situation.

The homeless we are now seeing choose not to seek or accept a longer- term solution to their situation. On many occasions, they have become confrontational, if we do not cater to their demands.

This raises both security and safety issues, especially when they arrive unexpectedly during preschool hours.

We continue seeking the city’s assistance for a resolution with our situation. However, we have been advised that a homeless individual cannot be forced to accept outside help. The only alternative left seems to be formal legal action for trespassing, which is heartbreaking, given our commitment as a church and preschool to serve our community.

John Toillion

Mililani

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Use guppies in mosquito fight

Is there a low-tech, simple fix for Hawaii island’s dengue fever disaster declaration (“Emergency declared over dengue out-break affecting the Big Island,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 9)?

Wouldn’t it be feasible for the state to distribute free bags of mosquito fish, aka guppies? Property owners could throw them into standing-water areas and have them feed on the larvae/pupa of these infectious carriers of Zika and dengue.

Byron “Jiro” Kaneshiro

Wahiawa

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Let locals decide energy future

It’s disappointing that Hawaiian Electric’s chief financial officer calls his company “an extremely weak team … on its corporate knees” (“HEI exec called utility ‘weak,’ emails reveal,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 2).

This is not justification to give up and put the people’s energy needs in the hands of a mainland company with a poor track record.

We’ve heard this narrative before, that we are a helpless, weak island, dependent on a “white knight” from the mainland to rescue us from our own incompetence. This, despite Hawaii’s energy leadership, including putting rooftop solar on many of our houses and instituting the nation’s first statewide, 100 percent renewable energy goal.

NextEra has a dismal solar-energy record in Florida and a record of reliance on dangerous nuclear power.

Those of us who have lived here long enough know that mainland solutions just don’t apply to our island culture and environment. How about showing some respect for the hardworking people who make Hawaii home? We want self-determination over our own energy future.

Doorae Shin

Kaimuki

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Ethanol causes engine damage

Ethanol has plagued Hawaii consumers for more than a decade. With the mandate removed, Hawaii suppliers use lame excuses to refuse to remove ethanol from our gasoline.

Power equipment owners, boaters and motor vehicles have paid tens of millions of dollars for repairs caused by ethanol.

There is a simple solution to this problem. Our legislators could pass a law allowing no more than 1 percent ethanol in our gasoline. Ethanol reduces gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, which means ethanol is causing consumers to use an extra 45 million gallons a year. This damage should not continue.

Frank Young

Kakaako

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House Bill 1640 serves two goals

This past week the House Committee on Housing passed House Bill 1640 with amendments. The bill now moves to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

This bill would offer stipends to unemployed individuals enrolled with government job-training programs, and create an insurance program for landlords who lease to Section 8 tenants.

The stipend would allow those individuals to learn skills for their careers.

Meanwhile, the insurance policy would not only protect landlords from property damage, but offer an incentive to lease their rentals to Section 8 tenants.

With affordable housing and homelessness being a main part of Gov. David Ige’s State of the State address, it is important for the House to pass HB 1640.

I commend state Reps. Calvin Say and Marcus Oshiro for their tireless work on this important measure in support of the governor’s vision.

David Maicach

Kapahulu