California has good tow plan

On the city towing issue, I’m not sure a single contract islandwide is the best direction ("Single-vendor towing contract keeps it simple," Off the News, Star-Advertiser, Aug. 27).

Check the California Tow Truck Association to see how it works. Qualified tow companies get on a list for their area, get a call by phone or radio, and commit to a certain amount of time to arrive on the scene in that area.

If they can’t commit, or show a history of not showing up on time, officials go to the next guy on the list for that area.

It’s quicker for the motorist, faster to get traffic moving again, and everybody in the business gets a chance to participate.

Robert J. Dupuis
Kaimuki

Move highway to solve traffic

Jim Kennedy offers a brilliant idea regarding the traffic and safety issue along the North Shore at Laniakea Beach ("Best idea is to shift highway mauka," Letters, Star-Advertiser, Aug. 27).

While costly, his suggestion to move the highway mauka from its existing "close to the beach" path — which follows the example done decades ago at Sunset Beach — just makes good sense.

The lives saved and reduced driver frustrations from road congestion, along with an expanded parking lot for beachgoers certainly would outweigh the costs for the project. Safety and public well-being dictate the need. Just do it!

Jon von Kessel
Waikiki

Laniakea needs solution now

Relatively speaking, when compared to the value of our overall tourist industry, just how expensive would it be to create an improved parking lot and pedestrian overpass at Laniakea Beach on the North Shore?

Looks like we’re at a point where we can’t afford not to build one.

Michael O’Hara
Kaneohe

Kaiser members not consulted

I read the article about Kaiser Permanente going to a 24/7 visitation at its hospitals based on mainland research ("Kaiser OKs 24-hour visitation," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 20).

I sent an email to Kaiser to express my alarm, and quickly received two calls from Kaiser administration. I expressed my disbelief that family and friends could be in a room 24/7, and concerns about other patients who might be in the same room.

They stated that the nurses would monitor the new policy. I said they are so busy doing their job, so how would that work?

They had a committee of 11 Kaiser volunteers plus doctors and administrators make this decision. There are more than 200,000 members, but Kaiser never informed, surveyed or provided any information prior to this decision that would affect all of us members.

How can Kaiser have such arrogance to tromp over its Hawaii members and impose mainland practices?

Barb Rhinehart
Kailua-Kona

Special session could be costly

Regarding talk of a special session, consider what it would have cost in the past if:

» Our legislators decided to plan a special session to agree, for example, that people of Filipino descent would be allowed to marry people of haole descent.

» If the dickering continued for six months for some reason.

» If the session succeeded only if the governor had to be convinced.

Doesn’t this all sound similar to funding nonexistent rock concerts that simply annoyed us taxpayers? I think so, and it seems a waste of money.

James L. Brewbaker
Kailua

Deedy should be punished

I am happy that the jury was hung and did not let Christopher Deedy off.

I hope that in the next trial, a manslaughter charge will be among the options, and that there will be a new prosecutor and judge, since in the first trial they were subpar and didn’t serve our state well.

Judge Karen Ahn has made numerous bad decisions, including giving probation to a man who pleaded no contest to raping a 14-year-old girl.

The prosecutor should have fought for the manslaughter charge, to be decided by the jury, since the Hawaii Supreme Court has said in principle that a lesser-charge option should be included.

Deedy, who was drinking during the day, started the altercation and pulled a gun during what should have been a shoving match. He should have called the Honolulu police instead.

He should not get away with this.

Joseph Alexander
Waipahu