Only decisive actions preventing addiction will create a brighter future for oncoming generations.

Locker searches, trained dogs and drug testing in schools are preventive measures that will help.

HFD

MANY HELPED IN EFFORT TO FIGHT WAIALUA FIRE

The Honolulu Fire Department spent a long week fighting the Waialua wildfire, and over the last few days I have read how people questioned our performance.

This dynamic fire evolved daily, and was fueled by dry and windy conditions, which created havoc and dangerous conditions for firefighters and threatened nearby homes. In the end, residential areas were protected, the fire was contained and injuries were minimized.

This was accomplished through the efforts of numerous agencies, including the Board of Water Supply, Department of Budget and Fiscal Services, Department of Emergency Management, Department of Facility Maintenance, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Transportation Services, Honolulu Police Department, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Hawaii Air National Guard, state Civil Defense, federal Fire Department, U.S. Marines, American Red Cross, Hawaiian Electric Co., Hawaiian Telcom, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, and The Salvation Army.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Chief of Police Boisse Correa, Maj. Gen. Robert Lee and numerous citizens provided moral support. Thank you to those who provided refreshments and words of support.

Lastly, this fire caused disruptions to people's daily routine and stretched the HFD's resources.

On behalf of the men and women of the HFD, thank you for your patience and understanding. This incident taxed our skills and knowledge. More importantly, the mitigation efforts displayed our spirit, dedication and fortitude.

HARBOR FIXES

UNREASONABLE TO ASK BOATERS TO PAY MORE

Naturally, the new chairwoman of the Department of Land and Natural Resources wants to stop all the so-called bickering by boaters.

We have suggested for more than 20 years that the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation:

1. Stop raiding the boating special fund for other non-boating activities.

2. Implement the changes recommended in two state audits. Has anyone read them?

3. Return more than $30 million used to support non-boating activities like DOCARE.

4. Cut out the fat and streamline the more than 500 pages of boating rules. One third of all boating funds pay for overhead.

6. Stop the practice of making the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor pay for the operations of other harbors in the state.

Ala Wai tenants have already paid for a first-class marina two or three times over. Roy Disney, Transpac and the boating community are the victims here. It is unreasonable to ask them to pay more.

ROAD COURTESY

HOW TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF CARS, ONTO BICYCLES

A letter on Aug. 4 complained about bicycle traffic during rush hour.

If drivers showed a little more courtesy and were willing to share the road, more people might actually get on their bikes and out of their cars.

Impatient and intolerant drivers should realize that every bike on the road is one less car. Fewer cars mean faster travel for all, whether during rush hour or any other time of day.

REMEMBRANCE

RALPH ONZUKA: FRIEND AND DEDICATED TEACHER

"Ralph Onzuka is dead." As these words slipped through Mae's lips at our Tai Chi group breakfast, memories and feelings bubbled up in me of a dear friend and dedicated teacher of many moons ago — now lost to our Wai'anae community.

He was advisor, staff and teacher. There were boundaries of protocol, lessons taught and learned, processes followed. But there were large bridges of friendship, trust and respect for the dignity of one another across that distinction between teacher and student.

He was the kind of teacher who, I hope, will never go out of style.

Mr. Onzuka was committed to the development of good-thinking citizens. He taught me to be humane, considerate and true to righteousness. Aloha no.

FISA

INOUYE SHOULD EXPLAIN HIS VOTE ON SB 1927

On Aug. 3, the U.S. Senate passed Senate Bill 1927, which broadens the Bush administration's ability to eavesdrop on American citizens without the oversight of the FISA court.

Although there are provisions to modernize the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, it's not appropriate for Congress to allow the executive branch to gather personal information on U.S. citizens without due process.

Even more ludicrous is that the Senate voted to give additional power to discredited Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to carry out such eavesdropping.

Regardless of political party, and I think both parties are at fault this time, the citizens of this country are entitled to the constitutional protections as stated in the Fourth Amendment.

Why then does our senior senator decide to vote for such a bill? We, the residents of Hawai'i, deserve an answer from Sen. Daniel Inouye.

WAR

ISN'T IT TIME TO BRING TROOPS BACK FROM IRAQ?

We join with you in sorrow for the loss of the soldiers of the 2nd Battalion from Schofield Barracks.

Our hearts and thoughts are with the families and friends of the soldiers from Schofield. Our small town of New Lenox, Ill., is also grieving because Phillip Brodnick, a part of this unit, was a resident of New Lenox and a graduate of Lincolnway High School, where our son also graduated.

As we stop and think about the deaths of so many young people in Iraq, we have to wonder if it isn't time to bring these young people home.

Isn't it time for each of us to examine the foreign policy decisions that are being made? Isn't it time for all of us to raise our voices and cry out that the humanity in all of us needs nurturing?

What can we do? There will be a vigil at Honolulu Hale at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 28 entitled "Billions for home, no more billions for war." This is a start. Isn't it time?

EMERGENCY

RESIDENTS DON'T WANT TO ABANDON THEIR PETS

As Hurricane Flossie approached, one of the main concerns for my family was our two dogs.

It was upsetting to hear on the news that emergency shelters would not accept pets. Our pets are part of our family, and we all agreed we could not leave them behind. We decided we would stay with them no matter what.

I don't understand why the state is not ordering the Department of Education to provide shelters. It is mandatory, and money was appropriated for this purpose.

If the schools are worried about cleaning up after the pets, simply make it a requirement for pet owners to clean up after their pets.

Please hurry and build the shelters before the next emergency. I know many people who will not abandon their pets.

UH FOOTBALL

SAMPLE DIDN'T LEARN TRUE MEANING OF 'OHANA

Ian Sample's book, "Once A Warrior," may contain fond memories of his experience with the 2006 Warrior football team and may sell a lot of copies, but that doesn't make news as did his allegations of improper drug testing, sex, pakalolo usage by the players and a total negative image on our Warrior football program.

His book publisher decided not to print these allegations in Ian's book. However, you can find these allegations on Ian's MySpace page.

Apparently during Ian's tenure with the Warrior football program, he never learned the true meaning of 'ohana.

May I suggest that Ian do an edit on the title of his book to read "Never a Warrior."