Regarding the recent article, “Food fight over school lunch” (Star-Advertiser, Insight, Feb. 2): Changing what we are feeding the children in our schools is just not acceptable. Everything points to what is best for the children. We can’t afford to give them nutritional food?
How much money is being spent to hire attorneys to argue about what is going on in our government? Along with money for advertisements to campaign for president? This tab would buy the best food for the children as well as the homeless in the country.
Judy Moody
Kailua
Crime makes Waikiki dangerous for public
One of my favorite things to do to stay fit is to jog and sometimes walk through Waikiki from Ala Moana. I would start from the end of Ala Moana, jog to the zoo down Kalakaua Avenue, and back up through Kuhio Avenue.
Recently, there’s been a lot of talk about public safety in the area. Parts of Waikiki and Ala Moana are known for robberies, illegal gaming, human trafficking and assault. And almost all of this happens in areas where residents live. If you look at how Waikiki is laid out, it is split between Kuhio and Kalakaua: Kuhio, where the residents live, and Kalakaua, where our visitors stay.
I’ve stopped jogging through Ala Moana and Waikiki recently because I don’t feel safe anymore. My hope is that we start prioritizing the safety of our residents and our communities in this area.
Adrian Tam
Ala Moana
Help students transition to higher education, jobs
Senate Bill 3156 would create the Hawaii Transition Success Network. It would provide opportunities through high schools so that students with disabilities can make a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment at a competitive wage in an integrated setting.
High schools would develop transition plans for students, giving them exposure to such things as access to customized employment, soft skills, internships and apprenticeships, self-determination, independent living, financial and technology literacy, coaching through simulations and real experiences, including job fairs and higher education recruitment events.
This is a comprehensive approach to building such an infrastructure, a first in the nation.
Patricia Morrissey
Ala Moana
Ige should have had say on flights from China
Input from Gov. David Ige should have been requested (at the very least) before the final decision was made to select the airport at Honolulu for diverted flights from China.
It may be that Ige could have argued that, given Oahu’s concentrated urban population and with no immediate mainland access, it was simply too risky a challenge to bear.
Jay Pineda
Waikiki
Trump, top officials targeted Joe Biden
It was not a single phone call.
For months, President Donald Trump mobilized in secret federal government officials under his thumb to fabricate incriminating evidence against a political rival, forrmer Vice President Joseph Biden.
They included acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Ambassador Gordon Sondland, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and even Attorney General William Barr, to undermine Biden and promote Russian propaganda about the 2016 election.
The reason was not to combat supposed corruption in Ukraine but to (illegally) gain an advantage in the 2020 U.S. election. Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was a central actor in this conspiracy, but who paid Giuliani’s bills remains a mystery.
Trump began his presidency through an election aided and abetted by Russian interference. A number of his Cabinet members have had to resign because their corruption was exposed. Trump continues his corrupt and vengeful behavior to this day.
If you care about democracy you should be afraid of Donald Trump. Very afraid.
Thomas A. Wills
Kaimuki
Stadium design should amplify crowd noise
Two attributes in a new stadium design matter most: a roof over seats and amplifying acoustics.
Aloha Stadium is similar in design to CenturyLink Field in Seattle, in which the acoustics amplify crowd noise and provide that 12th-man effect. Paul Greisemer’s firm designed the Seahawks’ home stadium with a parabolic shaped metal roof covering 70% of the seats — a cantilever design — that reflects sound back down to the field. The steep bowl of seats keeps fans and fan noise close to the action.
We redesign a new stadium every 50-plus years on average. It must offer the home team as much of an advantage as possible.
Von Kaneshiro
Downtown Honolulu
Unionized workers didn’t keep rail on pace
As predicted, Mayor Kirk Caldwell warned of yet another rail delay (“Mayor Caldwell warns of another rail delay,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 31). And yet, a bill requiring the city to hire unionized workers for major construction jobs valued at least $2 million won a 7-2 approval from the Honolulu City Council (“Council OKs bill mandating union labor for city projects valued at least $2M,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 10, 2019). The rationale was so that these projects would be on time and on budget.
What a laugh. Who are they kidding? The rail project is already billions of dollars over its original budget and is running six years behind schedule. Aren’t these unionized workers working on the rail?
Lisa Adlong
Hauula
EXPRESS YOURSELF
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser welcomes all opinions. Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor.
>> Write us: We welcome letters up to 150 words, and guest columns of 500-600 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Include your name, address and daytime phone number.
>> Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Advertiser 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210 Honolulu, HI 96813
>> Contact: 529-4831 (phone), 529-4750 (fax), letters@staradvertiser.com, staradvertiser.com/editorial/submit-letter
