Off the News: Maunalua Bay; State nurses

Contribute views on Maunalua Bay

Concerns about commercial activity in Maunalua Bay and conflicts among various users have prompted action by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

A division of the state department is forming a community panel to advise about appropriate ocean recreation in the East Oahu bay.

The group will represent the viewpoints of users including surfers (board and stand-up paddlers), fishers (all types), paddlers (individual and club), thrill craft (commercial) and diving (commercial).

Now is the time for the general public to speak up, and help decide who will be on the advisory committee.

A meeting to begin the process of forming that committee will be held April 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Koko Head Elementary School. There’s sure to be a strong turnout.

State nurses get a better deal

It’s excellent news that the unionized nurses working for the state-run hospitals have ratified their contract. Not only does this mean a moment of collective-bargaining calm, but they’ve won what seems these days to be pretty nice raises and "step movements" in the pay scale.

Beyond that, the new deal can serve as a "floor" for future talks about pay that may loom ahead. The Hawaii Government Employees Association has got to be pleased that, if the state-run hospitals do begin down a road to privatization — there’s such a proposal for the Maui facilities — the nurses are at least in a better place to do that.