Letters to the Editor
'EXTREME MAKEOVER'
AKANAS THANK ALL WHO HELPED ON NEW HOME
Thank you from the bottom of my heart and from my family to all our neighbors and community, to Brookfield Homes and to all the volunteers who made the "Extreme Makeover" project possible and for sacrificing their time and resources to make a difference in the lives of the children and families of Hawai'i.
God bless you for your dedication to making the world a better place.
Keiki O Ka 'Aina's mission is to build strong communities by building strong families. We do this by teaching families that education and early literacy is critical and by equipping parents with necessary parenting skills so that their families can thrive in Hawai'i.
Our free programs for parents and children serve more than 2,000 each year at 40 community locations on O'ahu and Maui.
This extreme blessing has given Keiki O Ka 'Aina the footing it needs to help generations of families who can benefit from our programs.
We are so grateful and will pay this gift forward. The Hawai'i "Extreme Makeover" was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us and will not affect just one family but will have an immediate impact on thousands of parents and children. Me ke aloha pumehana.
Momi AkanaExecutive director, Keiki O Ka 'Aina Family Learning Centers
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS
ARMY OUTLINES ITS PLAN ON DEPLETED URANIUM
I am writing to reaffirm the U.S. Army's commitment to the people of Hawai'i as we seek to address concerns regarding the presence of depleted uranium. Key to this effort is our desire to ensure an open and collaborative approach.
Since the summer 2005 discovery of DU residue from spotting rounds fired at Schofield Barracks during the early 1960s, the Army has engaged the Hawai'i Department of Health and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and requested that the Army Corps of Engineers complete a preliminary review of archival data. Consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is under way.
The Army has a four-point plan to address DU:
While extensive work on DU has already been completed by top researchers, much remains to be learned. We are fully committed to the collaborative work ahead.
Addison D. Davis IVDeputy assistant secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health)
HIKING
STATE SHOULD MAINTAIN KALALAU TRAIL PROPERLY
I respectfully disagree with Ms. Cataluna regarding her opposition to the Department of Land and Natural Resources improving the trail to Kalalau Valley.
While paving the trail isn't required, making it safe enough to complete the hike is necessary. If a hiker were to slide off the trail because of dangerously poor footing and die, the trail would be closed indefinitely.
If the state constructs a trail and publishes its route on DLNR-issued maps, then the state should take the responsibility to maintain the trail so hikers can enjoy it safely, without risk of injury or loss of life.
The reward for completing the Kalalau hike is not only the spectacular views, but also the satisfaction of having endured one of the most strenuous hikes in Hawai'i. It shouldn't be from having defeated death by taking unnecessary risks, which can definitely be there on this deteriorating trail.
Ralph GermannHonolulu
SECURITY
TSA INSPECTORS SHOULD BE VIGILANT, ALSO POLITE
Airport and airline security is essential — there is no question about that. But TSA inspectors must be polite and respectful while being vigilant.
My wife and I went through Honolulu International Airport security on June 30 and hit a temporary TSA agent imported from the East Coast.
She found lip gloss in my wife's purse and a half-tube of toothpaste in my camera bag. She went ballistic and addressed us as idiots who didn't know "the rules."
She jerked my wife's purse away from her and loudly berated the local X-ray technician who had let that lip gloss pass.
We need thorough screening, but we also need respect for passengers and use of common sense. Nobody said boo about the glass pump-spray bottle of nitroglycerin and alcohol (for a potential angina attack) I had in my pocket that day and all other days I've travelled interisland and on the Mainland the past six years of vigilance.
Bob JonesHonolulu
THEATER
REVIEW OF 'ANTIGONE' MISSED PLAY'S MESSAGE
Joseph Rozmiarek's review of "Antigone" missed the message of this poignant play entirely.
It was not so much about the sometimes simplistic altruistic struggle of martyrs, but the complexity of what ingredients go into the making of a dictator.
I can't think of a more important time for us as Americans to better understand this issue as we struggle with our own leadership's abuse of power.
Not repeating the mistakes of the past requires a willingness to look at the complexities of problems, not just for simple answers of good and bad, right and wrong.
How easy it is to just call the villain the villain without understanding how the citizenry and circumstance contribute to their rise to power.
The artists who bring this story to life so skillfully and passionately deserved a more intelligent review of their important work.
Karen KieferKailua
TRANSIT ROUTE
SALT LAKE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE GREATER GOOD
In your July 1 Focus section article on the Hot Seat session, Steve Doyle referred to the Salt Lake Boulevard transit alignment as the "political Cachola route."
Contrary to his opinion, my support of Salt Lake Boulevard was not political. In all of my years at the Legislature and the City Council, I've always looked at ways to save taxpayer money. My approach to the transit project was no different.
For Mr. Doyle and others, consider the following reasons why Salt Lake Boulevard as the first segment is the better choice:
Delaying the airport alignment for a future phase will allow the state and the city to plan and build the transit system and station closer to passenger terminals.
For these reasons, Salt Lake Boulevard is the right choice to make for the greater good.
ROMY M. CACHOLACouncilmember, Council District 7
