This is a better way
to spend $500,000
The Merrie Monarch Festival has been voted as the best cultural festival in our nation and the most prestigious hula competition in the world. Given this reputation, I ask why the mayor of Hawaii County does not see fit to spend our taxpayers dollars on upgrading the auditorium where the performances take place.
The seating for audiences who pay for tickets is hard and uncomfortable for those who sit for hours on end watching performances that are now lasting until past midnight!
The number of paying tourists who come to see the festival would only increase, meaning more revenue for the county if they have a great experience at the performances.
I am one of the individuals whose home and neighborhood is being negatively impacted by the mayor’s decision to build a chain-link fence in my back yard to prevent people from entering the Hilo Municipal Golf course without paying.
Since no miscreants have ever gone into the golf course by walking through our back yard, you can imagine that I feel that the cost of this chain-link fence ($500,000) is a sad reminder of how the priorities of our mayor are sadly misplaced.
I strongly suggest that more in the public speak out about use of our tax dollars for something that will benefit thousands of people and bring positive acclaim to Hilo by improving our handling of the Merrie Monarch Festival crowds, rather than trying to keep a few people from entering a golf course past opening hours!
Use our tax money for something positive, uplifting and financially beneficial for our county, rather than a chain-link fence!
Colleen Nobuko Shimazu
Hilo
Students need reliable
transportation to flourish
I am writing this letter in response to a recent article that was published in the Star-Advertiser newspaper on the Department of Education making plans for the 2025-2026 school year.
As a teacher working in a high-poverty community, I can see the significance of reliable transportation is for the success of students. The Department of Education’s suspension of 108 bus routes — impacting roughly 2,900 students — is unfortunate and troubling. I can appreciate the steps that the Student Transportation Service is taking to reduce disruptions.
The EXPRESS and new carpool pilot programs could be helpful. However, there is a possibility that families can still face real barriers. The EXPRESS program provides free county bus passes to students to qualify. There are some families who may not be able to qualify for this.
The new carpool pilot program offers families to connect with others in their area to share school transportation responsibilities by registering. This could be a safety concern for parents about sharing rides with strangers.
I am urging DOE to go further by providing small, school-based shuttle services for students who lack access to bus passes or carpools. This would ensure that no student gets left behind — especially younger children, our special needs students, and our vulnerable students.
Our students’ ability to get to school should not be a barrier to their education. I encourage the DOE to keep engaging with families and educators to find solutions to resolve transportation challenges.
I also hope the DOE continues to adapt and listen to the needs of those affected the most.
Shania Soriano
Hilo
