ACCIDENTS

HAVE POLICE MOVED TO USUAL BOTTLENECKS

Just a traffic thought for the Police Department: Could some officers be dispatched to direct traffic at known bottlenecks when an emergency arises?

A four-car accident at Fort Weaver near St. Francis West? Ask any 'Ewa commuter where the backups will occur: Renton Road, Kolowaka, Geiger Road and Fort Barrette (for those trying to bypass the accident).

Four officers at those locations sure would go a long way toward smoothing an already long drive home.

WORKLOAD

GIVE US PRINCIPALS WHO CAN STAND HEAT

The Oct. 30 article "Increased workload, double the stress" evokes no sympathy. If these principals can't take the heat, then find someone else who can. We who work in the private sector manage more people, stress and aggravation than these principals. Plus, we do not have the luxury of job security and union support, which these "public servants" enjoy.

My husband, who teaches online classes at a university for working adults, often remarks that the quality and attitude toward learning among his students from the Mainland is much superior to those from Hawai'i, and he blames the local schools for this. Our son, who goes to a local high school, has a principal who seems to be delegating most of his work to his juniors, and we get to see him only during PTA meetings, at which he just recites poetry.

In these days of economic hardship when foreign businesses, students and workers are enjoying the fruits of a laid-back America, principals who complain about their work are doing a great disservice to our younger generation. Perhaps the time has come when we have to outsource the principals of our schools?

COMMON SENSE

HOW CAN AN ATTACKER NOT BE PROSECUTED?

Once again I'm dumbfounded by the lack of common sense when it comes to the law. The Oct. 28 story about the pedestrians being attacked near Ala Moana Center forced me to read the story over and over again.

The story reported that two pedestrians were attacked. The wife was trying to help her husband and the driver of the vehicle "beat her in the head and knocked her to the ground" while her husband was being beaten by the driver's friend.

Now the part that blows me away. Guy Matsunaga, the attorney representing the driver, said he does not believe his client would be charged with any wrongdoing. Let me understand this. The driver beat her in the head and knocked her to the ground; seems like assault to me. How can someone in the judicial system state that a person can be assaulted and the law in Hawai'i say, "Oh, that's OK"?

It's not OK. We need to change the laws here. If someone punched Mr. Matsunaga, beat him in the head and knocked him to the ground, wouldn't he press charges? Or would he just go home and have a beer? I don't think so.

START TO CARE

WE CANNOT IGNORE HOMELESSNESS ANYMORE

The front page on Oct. 24 featured the homeless problem, somewhat from the point of view of the homeless. I commend The Honolulu Advertiser for keeping the homeless problem in the newspaper and in the public eye.

Hawai'i's shame as well as Hawai'i's glory need to be equal as front-page news. Too often the homeless are spoken about, as opposed to listened to. Lots of people do not want to see the problem near them, nor do they want the solutions, affordable housing, childcare, schooling, social programs, habilitation and rehab programs anywhere near them.

On the other side of that, homelessness is child abuse, at least mental and educational child abuse. An 18-month-old and a 3-year-old without a home, even a state foster home, is something my mind is still unable to absorb. The situation and all those like it are at least child abuse and perhaps child endangerment. Also, a lack of education for homeless keiki helps to produce a social underclass that we really do not want to continue to establish.

The problem is in our face, and we need to deal with it the best way possible.

WAIAWA

BETTER SOLUTION FOR GOLF COURSE WATER

The Waiawa project had a solution other than giving away more valuable groundwater for use by golf courses. They could have done on-site water recycling and paid for the infrastructure required using community facilities district financing.

This was actually discussed, but the developer took the easy way out.

No new golf courses should be allowed on O'ahu unless either recycled or nonpotable water is the source for irrigation. Instead, they will pay large amounts of money to the city to put in sewage lines and pump station upgrades to take it to Honouliuli, which will then have less capacity. The city will have to pay the energy costs to pump and treat the additional flows and pay to maintain the new lines in perpetuity.

It is time to rethink the model of large regional treatment facilities. Smaller facilities using cost-effective membrane batch reactor technology can be located in areas where recycling is practical. Operational fees can be collected from homeowner associations in new developments in lieu of city sewer fees.

Additionally, recycled water pays for itself on the avoided new water development charges that developers give to the Board of Water Supply.

Failure to adopt sustainable water resource strategies only hastens the day when O'ahu has to pay for very expensive alternatives like desalination.

Sustainability isn't just good for the environment, it really is the most cost-effective approach as well.