GOVERNOR'S TRIPS

LINGLE SHOULD STAY HERE, FOCUS ON ISSUES

Wouldn't it be a great idea if our elected governor would stay at home and do her job? I would appreciate her attention to the various problems facing our state — rather than watching her many trips, which appear to be for self-aggrandizement and the furtherance of her personal political ambition.

I find it offensive that as a representative of Hawai'i she is planning on spending more time away campaigning for Sen. John McCain.

Please, Linda, focus on your work in Hawai'i — you have not done what you were elected to do.

HUNGER

TOO MUCH FOOD GOES TO WASTE DAILY IN ISLES

Food prices are rising even faster than the cost of gasoline. Food banks are running short of food and begging for help, while we continue to waste more and more food.

Supermarkets discard their ready-to-eat products at the end of each day and their packaged products if they have any blemishes on them.

Restaurants and cafeterias dispose of all food to the garbage cans that isn't used during the day.

We waste tremendous amounts of food in our daily lives, even as our waistlines get larger and larger. More and more of our kids and adults are overweight as we consume more and waste more.

We don't need to look to the starving populations of the world; we have plenty of families in need of food here.

What we don't have is an organized efficient system for the collection and distribution of the discarded food. Why can't the supermarkets work together, and have trucks collect the food that would be discarded and bring it to food banks throughout the state? Why can't the governor's office assign a person to champion this effort?

Why can't we show that we are a caring people when it comes to our needy, and demand that perceived "waste" be recycled to eatable nutrition?

FARMERS

TOUGH CONTROLS ARE IN IMPORTANT AG LANDS BILL

The Advertiser's editorial position on the Important Agricultural Lands bill fails to recognize two major issues.

The first is that it has been 30 years since the people of Hawai'i amended the state Constitution to mandate the conservation of productive agricultural lands.

If we wait until we get the perfect bill, with no compromise among the stakeholders, farmers will become a dying breed in Hawai'i.

Little has been done in the past 30 years to get our best lands growing food and renewable energy fuel sources. Look at what is happening around the world in terms of food shortages and starvation. The time to get our agricultural lands producing again was yesterday, not in another 30 years.

The second point is that the regulatory controls in this bill are extensive, and they are tough. There is no free ride for urban development.

The bill does not provide for automatic reclassification of the 15 percent to urban, rural or conservation.

In addition, a party other than the landowner may petition the state for a contested case hearing, which is open and evidentiary. The Land Use Commission has the discretion to grant or deny in both instances.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Maui County Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, the dean of the University of Hawai'i-Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and the state Department of Agriculture and the Land Use Research Foundation testified on behalf of the bill.

GOV. LINGLE SHOULD SIGN AG LANDS MEASURE

In the last three years as a small-business owner and consultant, I believe that I've loyally and ethically served the best interests of my clients. Whether it was lobbying for a trade association or advocating for seniors, the political strategy was always the same: "Don't let great be the evil of good."

Senate Bill 2646 — the Important Agricultural Lands bill — deserves the governor's signature.

It may not be great, but it is good — for the entire state — because it will ensure that the agricultural industry flourishes in Hawai'i. As the world struggles with a food crisis and Hawai'i looks deeply at our own sustainability, this bill provides peace of mind that agricultural lands will be preserved.

Concerns about a giveaway to landowners is an excessively simple diagnosis about one weakness in the legislation, but it does not justify killing the bill and postponing a solution for another one, two or even five years. I don't think we have the time or political will to wait for "great." SB 2646 is good enough. The governor should sign the bill and let our farmers focus on feeding the state.

TRANSPORTATION

SKATEBOARDER TICKETED, LOSES MEANS OF TRAVEL

Last week as I was skateboarding home in Honolulu, I was stopped by police, given a fine, and had my skateboard taken from me "as evidence."

When I asked the officer why she had to take away my only means of transportation, she said, "Get a bike." I had to walk home, and was told that I can't get my board back for a month.

In a city plagued by overcrowding, traffic, rising gas prices and a fragile ecosystem, why is it not only illegal — but how is it not encouraged — to find alternate means of transportation?

I'm proud that I choose to skateboard rather than drive. Not only am I decreasing pollution, traffic and oil dependence, I'm engaging in healthy physical activity.

I accept that skateboarding on private grounds and doing tricks that endanger people aren't allowed. But how is a mature adult (I'm 30) skateboarding down a residential street a threat? I assure you that many drivers pose much more danger.

As for the officer's snide remark about a "getting a bike" - why would a bike would be OK, but not a skateboard? And what grounds did police have for taking my board?

I am ashamed to live in a city where physical activity and environmentally friendly transportation is considered a crime.

DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE

ENTHUSIASTIC REVIEW FOR 'THE PRODUCERS'

We are so fortunate to have a really professional theater in Honolulu — Diamond Head Theatre. We have been season ticket holders for many years and not once disappointed.

However, with the production of "The Producers," DHT hit another level of professional — from backstage crews, stage sets, costuming, actors and actresses, dancing, and great musicians in the pit.

We saw this performed in London and never thought that we would see another production on that level. Well, DHT hit that level with this show.

As a professional musician with the Honolulu Symphony for 26 years, I feel I can give five stars to "The Producers." May we see many more.