Union responsible for sick-leave abuse

On Super Bowl Sunday, about 33 percent of the guards at Oahu Community Correctional Center called in "sick."

Overtime was required to make up for short shifts. We are paying millions in overtime for them to watch football.

Here are a few things that need to be done:

First, the state needs to get tough with the unions.

Second, the well-paid union leaders should provide the reliable work force they promised. It is their problem to fix, not the state’s.

Third, during high-absentee days, overtime will not be paid. This should serve to cause the non-abusers to get their own house in order.

Fourth, and most important, change to PTO (personal time off), which sets maximum paid days off for all absences: vacation, sick leave, family leave, football games, hangovers. No exceptions, no abuses.

In most places, such abusers would have been fired with cause a long time ago.

Richard Fucik
Ala Moana

Gun range concerns easily addressed

"Location of gun range opposed" (Star-Advertiser, March 22), presented views of the proposed public shooting range at Pu‘u Anahulu from two perspectives.

Jerry Gibson, area vice president for Hilton Worldwide, said that "Kings’ Shops is only about a mile from the site." Actually, Kings’ Shopping Center is 2.2 miles from the proposed facility’s rifle/pistol shooting venues. A consultant estimated zero probability of detecting audible gunfire at that location.

Gibson’s expressed concern over "the threat of stray bullets" reaching the resort complex is factually unsupportable. Range firing is directed to the southeast, the exact opposite direction of the resorts, rendering projectile escapement a non-issue from the resort’s perspective.

It is unfortunate these issues are being aired in public rather than in direct discussions among representatives of the differing viewpoints. The former inevitably leads to confrontation, while the latter offers some hope of resolution.

Richard Hoeflinger
President, On Target Inc.
Keaau, Hawaii

Auto inspection can end up costing a lot

The auto inspection check list has gone from unnecessary to overblown.

Vehicles were considered road safe if they met tire, horn, windshield wiper, lights and brakes test requirements.Many more inspection checks have been added to make vehicles in Hawaii 100 percent safe.

No consideration is given to affordability. Repairs frequently run in the hundreds of dollars. Any vehicle can be brought to inspection standards regardless of age or condition at the right repair cost.

It should not be assumed that everyone is financially blessed to cope with such costs. For people who do not have the luxury of owning late-model vehicles that ace inspections, the cost of repairs can be a financial blow.

When considering the extent to which safety inspections should be conducted, it would be well to take into account the fact that only 14 states have auto safety inspections. The original checks should be adhered to.

Alfred Freitas Jr.
Maunalani Heights

Be less judgmental about sexual issues

You cannot legislate morality, but you can pass laws that provide restorative justice in response to certain behavior like burglary and physical assault.

However, to reduce these crimes, our society must deal with the root causes of poverty, violence, greed, family dysfunction and the many manifestations of mental health, from an actual illness to poor decision-making.

The current issue involving police officers and prostitution is another good example.We need laws that protect our children and deny any control over another person.

However, in the same way that our culture is becoming aware of the necessity of decriminalizing drug use, we will eventually learn what laws are necessary for sexual activity and how most sexual behavior can be handled with moral instruction within our community, including families, schools and churches.

We won’t resolve prostitution until we can talk openly about sex and become less judgmental.

John Heidel
Kailua

Child abuse articles seem sensationalist

There is no question that the short life of Talia Williams ended as a result of constant, horrific and unimaginable abuse ("Father said girl could handle beatings, investigator testifies," Star-Advertiser, March 21).

If there is a heaven, I hope this baby is cradled in the arms of loving angels for eternity.

Having said that, the daily onslaught repeatedly itemizing each act of abuse as reported in the Star-Advertiser smacks of sensationalizing for the sake of selling newspapers.

Reading the story once was bad enough, but is the repetition of each atrocity day after day really necessary?

Nancy Kickertz
Kailua

Quit pointing finger and stop child abuse

We have a state Department of Human Services problem here in Hawaiiwith regards to protecting children from harm, and, most important, we have a federal problem.

State and federal officials need to quit pointing the fingers at each other and act on what abuse they see.

We have lost two children because military and state officials missed opportunities to prevent their deaths.It’s evident there was a lack of concern for the children’s best interests.

Whether working for the state or federal government, one has a duty to act with care when a child is involved. I urge all state and local officials to address this matter. It doesn’t matter if child abuse happened on a military installation or not. It happened in Hawaii. Take the lead.

Stan Finch
Salt Lake