FALLEN SOLDIERS

HONORED FOR SERVICE, DUTY, THEIR SACRIFICE

April 16 was a special day in Hawai'i, a day of remembrance for Hawai'i-based military personnel who lost their lives while on military duty in Iraq and Afghanistan between March 2006 and February 2007.

In a joint session of the Hawai'i Senate and House of Representatives, a Hawai'i Medal of Honor was presented to the families of 66 fallen military men and women.

The Hawai'i Medal of Honor, enacted in 2005, is an expression of Hawai'i's gratitude and aloha for those who gave their lives courageously for our country. It is also a reminder of the meaning of pledging allegiance to our country.

Duty was taught to me by my mother and father, who served during World War II in the Navy and Air Force, respectively.

After the war, my parents continued to serve others through the Elks Club and other community organizations.

My parents taught me that we're part of something greater than ourselves and that a sense of duty or responsibility goes beyond our families to our community, our state, our nation and our world.

The men and women we honored lost their lives while fulfilling their duty.

As we recognized their commitment, we affirmed the meaning of duty to our country.

POLITICAL SIGNS

CAMPAIGN CLUTTER MUST BE CURBED IN HAWAI'I

Once again, efforts to protect Hawai'i's neighborhoods from the eyesore and safety hazards created by political campaign signs have stalled at the State Capitol. The legislation would have eliminated large campaign banners and billboards and also prevented high-traffic intersections from being cluttered with dozens of distracting signs.

These restrictions consistently have been upheld in state and federal courts and have successfully eliminated excessive campaign sign pollution in numerous other communities across America.

House Bill 1832 passed the House of Representatives with only four dissenting votes, but it was halted in the Senate Judiciary Committee by a small number of lawmakers.

That's too bad for the people of Hawai'i. Research shows that 70 percent of our residents say campaigns signs should be controlled. The highest percentage of those who want relief live in low-income neighborhoods, where some candidates consistently disrespect residents by unleashing a flood of campaign clutter seldom seen in upscale neighborhoods.

It is past time for self-serving lawmakers to stop protecting their own interests by denying that a problem exists.

They will have a chance to do the right thing again next year, when we revive the effort to protect the visual environment of Hawai'i from the blight of excessive campaign signs.

GASOLINE PRICES

MEANINGFUL TAX RELIEF CAN BE ENACTED IN 2007

You published a letter on April 10 from Bob Maynard, president and CEO of Aloha Petroleum, in which he made a public commitment to passing on to consumers any tax relief provided by the Legislature. I applaud Mr. Maynard for his promise, and call upon Hawai'i's other oil companies to take the same stand.

The Senate recently passed a floor amendment that I requested to an existing House bill to revive the general excise-tax exemption on the sale of gasoline.

That successful amendment has allowed the Legislature to resume debate on an important way to help our residents cope with the rising cost of gasoline. Hawai'i's families deserve relief from high gas prices, and they deserve it now.

That is why I am also pressing for greater transparency in determining how Hawai'i gasoline prices are set. I have given strong support to proposed legislation that will fully fund the Public Utilities Commission in monitoring oil companies' pricing policies. This will also enable the commission to keep track of whether any tax savings realized by the petroleum industry are being passed on to consumers. Further, I will soon convene an informational briefing on the PUC's efforts to date to put those monitoring efforts into action.

If other oil executives join Mr. Maynard in his promise to pass on the savings provided by an exemption from the general excise tax, I believe we can convince the House to pass a meaningful tax-relief measure. Let's all make a commitment to help Hawai'i consumers.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

PUT YOUR MAKEUP ON BEFORE DRIVING TO WORK

I just wanted to say mahalo to "Ms. put on your make-up while driving."

I was walking my dog at 6:45 a.m. April 13 when she almost hit us while we were crossing, in the crosswalk, at Kukula and Managers Drive in Waikele.

The lady was so busy checking herself in her rearview mirror that she ran right through the crosswalk while we were crossing.

Luckily, we were able to get out of the way before we became a Friday the 13th casualty.

Because she never saw us, she never even stopped when I yelled "Thanks for stopping for us."

With all the hype about pedestrian injuries, it's apparent that at least one person on O'ahu just doesn't care.

How about putting that make-up on before you get behind the wheel of your Toyota SUV?

ENVIRONMENT

WE HAVE DUTY TO CARE FOR ISLAND'S RESOURCES

As stewards during our short time here on these islands, it is imperative that we take care of our resources.

To advise or speculate that dumping larger and larger amounts of sewage into our shorelines will have no impact on us is foolish and stingy. We have the technology and know- how to do better, and cost should not be the first concern.

To those who oppose secondary sewage treatment, I ask these questions:

Would you send your children or grandchildren into these waters to play or fish?

Are you so shortsighted to believe that pouring foul liquid into our shores will not affect us all?

We have the technology to treat the waste we produce. To argue against these solutions is naive and stingy.

MANY FOND MEMORIES FROM DON HO'S SHOW

My mother died in 1982, and my father died in 2000.

In 1968, during the Vietnam War, my family and I went to meet my father, who was then a Marine Corps major, in Hawai'i.

He was in the Islands on R&R from his third tour in Vietnam. One night, my parents went to the Don Ho show.

When they came back, they were happier than I had ever seen them. Years later, they talked about Don Ho as though seeing him was the high point of their lives.

From time to time, when I would hear that Don Ho was still alive, it was as though part of my parents' spirit was still alive.

With his passing, like many others I am sure, I feel a real loss.

VIETNAM SERVICEMEN WILL NEVER FORGET HO

Don Ho will always be remembered by Vietnam-era servicemen.

He always had a special area down front in his shows for servicemen, and thanked them for their service when many others disrespected them. Thank you, Don.

A FABULOUS NIGHT OF SONGS REMEMBERED

I will miss Don Ho. Not for the many shows in Waikiki he put on night after night or the promotion of Hawai'i that he produced day in and day out, but for one magical night I remember at Honey's Tavern in Kane'ohe, where it all started, long before most of you reading this were born.

My sound engineer, Bob Lang, and I were at Honey's to record Don's first record album, on the HULA Records label. The album was to be called "A Taste of Honey's," and the place was packed with Don's friends and family, with Nani and Kui Lee and Don's mother, Honey, and father, Jimmy, in the front row.

The recording started with one of Don's all-time favorites, "Pupu a 'o 'Ewa," and within 10 seconds every single person in the audience was singing along at the top of their lungs. For us, trying to record, it was a disaster. For the crowd, it was the beginning of the greatest party ever held.

As the publisher of Kui Lee's "I'll Remember You," it was fabulous to hear Kui sing his own beautiful song but, it was even more so when Don joined in, and so the evening went.

An album to remember? Well, no, as the noise level and sing-along crowd destroyed all the tracks but four. Later we put them out on a little extended -play record with some great art work by Harry Lyons of a mean-looking bee with a big stinger, wiping honey off his lips, a real collector's item now. And that, my aikane, was the beginning of Don Ho's recording career.

FORMER SERVICEMAN REMEMBERS DON HO

It was August 1969, and I was on R&R from my combat tour with the First Cavalry in Vietnam.

On our first night in Honolulu, my wife and I went to see Don Ho's show.

In the middle of the act, he saluted all those in the audience who were members of the armed forces fighting in Vietnam he asked us all to stand, and then led the audience in a standing ovation. It was the only warmth and gratitude most of us would ever experience from our fellow citizens in response to our sacrifice and service.

When I returned to my division in Phouc Vinh, I was told by all who had seen Don in Hawai'i that he did the same thing every night.

We mourn the passing of a fine entertainer and a friend to the men in uniform who chose to stand and be counted.

We stand to salute you, Don. We haven't forgotten.

HO INSTILLED THE MAGIC OF THE ISLANDS IN OTHERS

Way back in the '60s, our family watched a television special about Hawai'i with Don Ho as the emcee.

I do not remember much about the show except for the magic on that screen.

I knew from that moment forward, Hawai'i was the best place I could ever be in.

At the end of boot camp in 1970, I received orders for Pearl Harbor. I thought I had received a ticket to heaven.

The night before I left for my first combat tour in Vietnam, I attended the Don Ho show in Waikiki. I was determined to see in person the the man who had instilled the magic of the Islands in my heart.

I am still a resident of these Islands. The spirit of these lands was transferred by Don Ho into my heart many years ago, and that magic and spirit is still there every day.

I will forever be grateful for that television show, as it led me to the land that I love and will forever call home.

Mahalo, Mr. Ho, for taking the time to share with the world the specialness that is our home. The true land of aloha, thanks to people like you.