Judge’s decision right thing to do

It’s a shame the issue had to be resolved through the courts, but at least a federal judge’s order will allow Noboru and Elaine Kawamoto, ages 95 and 89 respectively, to live together in the same licensed care home — ending for now a long battle with the state.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin S.C. Chang’s order, issued Friday, temporarily blocks the state from preventing the couple, married 68 years, from residing together.

Jeffrey Portnoy, the couple’s lawyer, says it’s unconstitutional to allow spouses on Medicaid to live together in a state-licensed care home but deny the same access to private-pay clients. At their age, neither spouse should have to worry about living in a home without the other.

Credit cards can help you buy time

Few can be surprised by the city’s plan to use more parking meters that can eat plastic, too.

The upside for the public? Folks can use the metered stalls even when they’re lacking enough loose change to pay for the time needed.

The upside for the city? The same thing.

Cha-ching!

People who track such things say that a meter that accepts credit or debit cards is more likely to be well fed than the old-fashioned type.

For the coin-only meters, people have proven more likely to take a chance on inserting less money than they probably need. Of course, there’s a chance of revenue there, too — a parking citation — but the meter reader has to catch them in the act.

One last upside for drivers: The meters won’t switch to zero when the parker pulls out. A litte aloha can be left for the next guy.