DELIVERY CHANGES COULD HAVE HELPED

With the loss of mail to deliver I can't understand why the Postal Service would not consider changing the way mail is delivered rather than close post offices. One would think that having half of the mail routes delivered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the other half delivered on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday would satisfy most postal customers. This would cut out a lot of labor costs for the Postal Service.

Robert Roast | Honolulu

ALA WAI HARBOR

IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL

What a pleasant surprise!

Two years ago, and indeed four years ago as well, you were kind enough to print letters from me — speaking on behalf of many others — regarding the sad state of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, and the rather grim aspect it presented to the visitor to Honolulu, and especially to the racers arriving there after the long and grueling biannual Transpac sailing race from California.

Shortly afterward, I was privileged to spend some time at the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation with Laura Thielen and her staff, and learned that plans were already under way to remedy the situation.

In the intervening two years, a great deal has been accomplished, including a total of 248 brand new — and beautiful — slips at rows B, C, D, and F, as well as a number of other improvements. And I understand there are more improvements in the works, especially to row 700 and row 500 (which many of us know fondly as "Transpac Row").

There are many others who deserve thanks as well, including Mayor Hannemann, the state Legislature, the Transpac Honolulu Committee, all the affected yacht clubs and volunteers.

I extend my most sincere congratulations and thanks for the wonderful steps that have been taken at the Ala Wai.

Roy E. Disney | Honolulu

NUCLEAR ENERGY

IT'S TIME FOR HAWAI'I TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE

What is green, load-bearing, doesn't block up wild rivers, has no sight line problems, is quiet, does not kill the birds, and costs $250 per house per year? Right — nuclear energy! It is time Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Hawaiian Electric Co. and the state legislators start a conversation on the costs and benefits of nuclear energy. With the world's major oil fields in decline, the time to make tough decisions is now.

JoAnne Georgi | 'Ele'ele, Kaua'i

PUBLIC HOUSING

AUDIT WILL HOPEFULLY SUPPORT SOLUTIONS

The Board of the Hawai'i Public Housing Authority welcomes the planned review by the state auditor. We hope this effort will help document that years of under-funding have contributed to our public housing problems.

The state manages more than 6,000 public housing units. Most were built more than 35 years ago.

Federal funding to maintain these units has been woefully lacking, and efforts by the Lingle administration to use state funds to repair these units were severely cut by the Legislature. The results are run-down units no one is proud of.

The Hawai'i Public Housing Authority Board has recently taken critical steps to address this chronic problem. We are working with nonprofit and private organizations to turn over two of our worst buildings — Wilikina Apartments and Banyan Street Manor — to organizations that can upgrade them and manage them for the future.

We are also in the middle of selecting a firm to undertake a mixed-use development of Kuhio Park Terrace, allowing for the infusion of funds to substantially renovate this project while keeping it affordable for the next 65 years.

We hope the audit will support the board's desire to look at long-term, sustainable solutions to our public housing needs in Hawai'i.

Travis Thompson | Hawai'i Public Housing Authority Board chairman

MCMACKIN, SLUR

PEOPLE SHOULD FORGIVE, MOVE ON

It's amazing how the people and media just can't wait to pounce on someone who makes a mistake in choice of words.

Look to yourselves, though you're not in the public spotlight: How many times you should have thought twice about what your tongue shamed you, but no one but yourself felt shamed and it seemed only time healed it.

I sincerely believe coach McMackin had great humility and realized his comment was a spontaneous lack of thought before speaking.

Forgive and move on.

Dennis Lee Lawson | Kona, Hawai'i

COACH MUST BE HELD RESPONSIBLE

Polls seem to indicate the majority of us think no action should have been taken against coach Greg McMackin other than a reprimand, and most of the rest of us believe the sanctions levied were about right.

Would we still hold those opinions if he had used the "N" word three times in a press conference to criticize a group of students instead of the "F" word? I don't think so. Why the difference? I believe it's because many of us are still uneasy about treating homosexuals as equals.

Coach McMackin is the highest-paid state employee, making over a million dollars a year, not including perks, and many other state employees who make a lot less would have been dismissed for the same infraction.

This is going to be a recurring embarrassment not only for the coach, but also for the University of Hawai'i and the state. I believe coach McMackin is truly sorry for what he said, but he represents more than just himself. He should go.

Bob Griffon | Honolulu