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PRINT MORE NEWS ON HEROES, LESS ON WIE

I have written before, and probably will continue as I don't agree with your policies.

You pretty much are the only newspaper to read here as I don't consider your competition a competitor at all. That being said, it does get old that you continually offer front-page articles about wealthy teenage golfer Michelle Wie.

It is news when she breathes. I have a son in the war (again) who is only several years older. Why can't we get to read more front-page articles about our heroes who are fighting for the freedom of everyone's golf swings?

Our sons and daughters are being sent to war while their civilian lives get put on hold, and we really should balance our priorities.

IRONMAN

LOCAL QUALIFIER WILL REPRESENT HAWAI'I WELL

This Sunday, the Ironman World Championship in Kona will bring men and women from all over the globe and place them center stage in the truest test of physical and mental endurance imaginable. The intense emotions that prevail at the Ironman force us to re-examine our own potential and expose the purity of the human spirit and what a person will endure to achieve a task.

Janell Petalaver is one of the local qualifiers who has risen to the challenge of Ironman. Janell has competed in triathlons for some time, and has a record of finishing high on the leader board.

Janell is a physical trainer at 24 Hour Fitness in Hawai'i Kai. When she's not working, she trains rigorously. All of O'ahu is proud to be a part of her next journey. It will be a magical moment for her supporters when she crosses the finish line.

I am proud to know we have individuals like Janell representing Hawai'i at the Ironman World Championship in Kona. Good luck to all our local qualifiers and Godspeed.

EARTHQUAKE

EMERGENCY BECAME MORE THAN IT REALLY WAS

Having lived both in San Francisco and Honolulu, I found Sunday's event an eye opener with how this state deals with emergencies. I'm disgusted that everything came to a screeching halt by an earthquake that caused no major damage to O'ahu. The power didn't go off, it was shut off. And it wasn't restored for 12 hours.

The poor people who were trying to fly in or out of our airports were stranded for much of the day. Shouldn't the airport have had its power restored immediately after it was determined there was no damage? The Hono-lulu Advertiser's Web site had "earthquake photos" that turned out to be fender-benders and police officers directing traffic because of the power outage, not the earthquake.

Are we really so desperate to make the event more than it was? What happens if there's really a catastrophic event?

GOVERNOR WAS CALM, REASSURING ON SUNDAY

Like most people, I spent this past Sunday glued to my radio for updates on the aftermath of the earthquakes that shook our Islands.

And I must say, I was so proud of our governor. She handled herself so well during this event. Her articulate and calm updates on the radio provided great relief to those of us who were frightened and unnerved. She was quick to take action and presented the situation accurately and frequently to the public.

WAR ON TERROR

U.S. SHOULD ADMIT IT WAS WRONG OVER IRAQ

Gordon Oswald's letter (Oct. 12) on how many "normal people" support the troops and the "war on terror" stirred me up.

He even had the nerve to mention 9/11 and insinuate that by invading Iraq we somehow vindicated those who died in 9/11.

Mr. Oswald seems to buy into the rhetoric that we must "stay the course," even though the course has never been defined and we invaded a country based on at least eight lies that have all been proven false. Does it matter to him that Iraq and 9/11 are not connected?

Supporting the troops does not mean you follow blindly while people continue to die over lies. We have lost nearly 3,000 brave troops and the Iraqis have lost thousands more because we chose to destabilize the region based on lies.

Does he care that the real perpetrators of 9/11 are still free, and insurgents from miles around are gravitating to Iraq to take shots at the thousands of American troops that our president put there because of his personal vendetta against Saddam Hussein?

It takes courage to admit you are wrong, and that is something the Bush administration will never do.

'AINA HAINA

SAFETY CONCERNS HAVE TO BE HANDLED BETTER

I am glad that the director of the Department of Planning and Permitting says the city is not ignoring the 'Aina Haina community's safety concerns about Mr. Kent Untermann's proposed cluster housing development (Letters, Oct. 12). However, it's hard to tell when the DPP can't find a way to attend community meetings.

Communication is one-way: from the community to the department. We are in the dark until a decision is announced. It is frustrating wondering if our concerns are being heard and if they are being taken seriously, and wondering how the department will evaluate conflicting technical reports on the stability of the soil.

A better way to deal with these safety concerns must be found so that other communities need not face the fear and frustration our residents are going through.

EXTRADITION

OUR DELEGATION SHOULD HAVE HELPED CHAPMAN

A "beeg" auwe to our congressional team for not being the ones to come forward to help Duane "Dog" Chapman's current extradition problems with the Mexican government.

It took 29 out-of-state Republican congressmen to contact Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to ask her to deny the extradition of Chapman as well as his son, Leland, and Tim Chapman. All of them are fine citizens of this 50th state and have contributed so much to Hawai'i on a daily basis.

Their A&E series "Dog The Bounty Hunter" shows the aloha spirit and showcases the beauty as well as the culture of Hawai'i on a weekly basis to the world.

Shame on you guys for not coming up to bat for one of our own "bruddahs."

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

TEACHER DRUG TESTS CALLED 'UTTERLY STUPID'

State Sen. Norman Sakamoto's suggestion about wanting to drug-test teachers is ridiculous.

Yes, drugs are a huge problem in society today. But, it doesn't affect just the middle or the lower class. It's done by people of all different backgrounds, with different occupations. Why single out the teachers? Why not make it mandatory for all state employees? And this would include anyone who serves in the legislative field — including senators who think of wonderful ideas like drug-testing our educators.

What's fair or unfair for one group of workers should be fair or unfair for everyone else. Senator Sakamoto, if you want to make a difference, lead by example: start by drug-testing yourself and your colleagues. Want-ing to test our teachers because of a bad choice one of them made is utterly stupid.

DOE MUST CARE ABOUT PROTECTION OF CHILDREN

In light of Leilehua High School teacher Lee Anzai's arrest for selling "ice" and his admitted use of this drug, I am shocked and surprised that the state Department of Education does not require mandatory drug tests.

Drug tests are so commonplace that I assumed teachers were drug-tested.

It disturbs me that the DOE appears to be more concerned with the privacy of their teachers than ensuring our children are not exposed to drug users. Every organization, regardless of size, will always have a few bad apples. DOE spokesman Greg Knudsen would have you believe that Lee Anzai's situation is an isolated incident and that we should not cast all teachers "under some cloud of suspicion based on this one case." According to Knudsen, the DOE employs 20,000 to 30,000 individuals, of which 13,000 are teachers. I'm sure if you shook that tree, there would probably be more than just one bad apple that falls out of it.

TRAINING AREAS

LOSS OF MILITARY UNITS BRINGS CONSEQUENCES

The people of Hawai'i need to make up their minds whether they want the military here or not. And, if they do, what branches.

It is ludicrous for the state's congressional delegation to fight to station troops here to help the economy, while other factions, such as Earthjustice, fight to have them stationed elsewhere. It is unfair and dangerous to make the military a political pawn.

Training is crucial to survival in combat. If only Navy and Air Force units are desired, then that's what the congressional delegation should try to get.

However, this state will also have to give up what comes with having Army and Marine combat units here. I remember after Vietnam when the military was told to "cut the fat," particularly bloated headquarters, so the Army cut USARPAC. There was a lot of crying and gnashing of teeth because of job losses, etc.

There are choices: move combat units elsewhere, offer alternative locations that provide adequate training areas, accept the status quo. Whatever is decided, accept the consequences.