Telescope Protesters Chose Not to Appeal to US Supreme Court

Dear Editor,  September 26, 2019

The opponents to the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea had an
opportunity to petition the US Supreme Court to review last year’s
Hawai‘i Supreme Court ruling. There was a 90-day deadline for a petition
to be filed after entry of final judgment of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court
ruling. The latter ruling upheld the TMT’s conservation district use
permit, which allowed the project to start construction.

The 90-day clock to petition the US Supreme Court began in late December
2018. That deadline came and went, which I found surprising. I thought
they were going to petition the United State’s highest court to review
this case. Then I read an article a few months ago that stated why they
decided not to litigate this further.  As far as I understand, they felt
the U. S Supreme Court was stacked against indigenous peoples. Their
petition wouldn’t be fairly reviewed by the court as a result.

I somewhat hoped they’d proceed with their US Supreme Court petition on
religious desecration grounds. This is one of the main issues brought up
by the Mauna protesters against this project. A conclusive decision on
this matter would’ve put it to rest, but that won’t happen as the
opponents decided to let their remaining legal options expire.

The TMT’s 10-year permitting process, which resulted in two contested
case hearings, and years of litigation, speaks for itself. The Courts
upheld the TMT’s permitting, which could’ve been further litigated by
protesters. However, they decided to let their legal options as far as
invalidating the CDUP lapse, and illegally block Maunakea Access Road
instead.

Aaron Stene
Kaiulua-Kona, Hawai'i

  *   *   *   *   *

Should We Designate a School Zone on Judd Street?

Dear Editor,    September 6, 2019

I am concerned about an area full of keiki with too many cars driving too fast. On Judd Street, between Nu`uanu Avenue and Liliha Street, we find the Pali Preschool, the Judd Street Preschool of Kama`aina Kids, and the Waolani Judd Nazarene School. I think it might be great if we could designate this stretch of Judd Street as a school zone.

Many drivers use Judd Street and Bachelot Street as a cutoff so that they can skip the Liliha/Kuakini or Nu`uanu/Pauoa and Nu`uanu/Kuakini stoplights. To do this, they often drive at high speeds on Judd and then on Bachelot, often blowing straight through the stop signs, like the one at the intersection of Bachelot and Bates on the way down to Kuakini.

If that stretch of Judd became a school zone, the drivers would be less likely to race through the entire area because the school zone would not permit them to save time by speeding.

As I have been talking about the idea with residents in the area, and people involved with the schools, everyone is supportive. Some worry that the governmental structures involved in the process would not be willing to take action because the schools are private. I don’t know the rules, but I do know one thing: the keiki at the private schools deserve a safe place to learn and grow just as much as the keiki in public schools.

This neighborhood is also the same one that was home of the Hometown Hero featured recently, Mr. Albert Matsumoto, the Mayor of Bachelot, who is 93 years old and stands in front of his house with a sign asking drivers to slow down and only drive 25 MPH. Making Judd a school zone between Liliha and Nu`uanu would honor Mr. Matsumoto’s spirit and keep the residents safe.

If God blesses me with children of my own one day, I will want their schools to be safe places. I hope we can do the same for everyone’s children.

Aloha,

Justin Mark Hideaki Salisbury

Honolulu, HI