The recent escape from the Hawaii State Hospital unfortunately has caused us to lose focus on what is best for people with mental health challenges (“How did this happen?” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 15).

Hawaii State Hospital is a hospital, not a prison; residents are being treated, not incarcerated. People with mental illness have been stigmatized enough. There is much discrimination.

Already, patients have lost attendance privileges at the Koolau Clubhouse, a rehabilitation facility. This is not good for their mental health. Let’s hope that the administration will restore this privilege soon.

Randolph Hack

Wilhelmina Rise

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Hospital escapee isn’t a celebrity

With the recent events involving the Hawaii State Hospital escapee, I feel enough has been said, printed and videoed.

I ask local news media sources to not turn that individual into an island celebrity, which he most surely is not.

The focus should now be turned internally and externally toward fixing the problems within the State Hospital system to prevent this breakdown of accountability and processes from ever happening again, and to assure the local community that its safety is of paramount interest to the hospital administrators as well as the day-to-day staff and security.

Efrem Williams

Aiea

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Illinois, Hawaii run by unions

The most important article in Sunday’s Star-Advertiser is buried on Page F4 (“In Illinois, a looming battle over bankrupting ‘blue model’,” Star-Advertiser, George Will, Nov. 19).

Change the names from Chicago and Illinois and you are describing Honolulu and Hawaii. Money buys offices; government unions run the government. Do “unfunded state and local government retirement debt is more than (X billion dollars) and rising,” and “unfunded pension liabilities,” sound familiar?

George Will’s column should be required reading and action for all of our government officials.

Arg Bacon

Kahala

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Too many people crowding Oahu

At a recent City Council hearing, ProWork Pacific architect Jimmy Wu advocated more monster homes to relieve our housing problems, fitting even more people onto the island’s limited land area.

In China and Korea you’ll find rows of the same building with people packed into the smallest spaces possible. People generally find Oahu to be a desirable place to live exactly because we did not follow such planning models. Oahu kept green open spaces.

Monster homes and the like will continue to be a problem until we address overpopulation. The Oahu General Plan has several provisions to “control the growth of Oahu’s resident and visitor populations in order to avoid social, economic, and environmental disruptions.”

In 2017 many of these provisions were proposed for deletion from the plan, but avoiding a careful and compassionate adherence to these enlightened policies will cost us and the next generations dearly.

Mathew Johnson

Kaimuki

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Cal Lee, a living legend in isles

I am coming straight out and saying the great Cal Lee of the Saint Louis Crusaders is a living legend in Hawaii sports, in addition to being a class act as an individual.

Congratulations go to Lee, his assistant coaches and great players for winning the 2017 HHSAA Open Division football championship (“Unbelievable,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 20).

This victory is Lee’s 17th state crown, a record that may never be broken and will more than likely grow with the Saint Louis varsity football team looking great for 2018.

Credit must be given where it is due and Cal Lee, his staff and superb players deserve it.

Dean Nagasako

Honokaa, Hawaii island

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Mayor deserves credit for repairs

This is not to discount Joel Brilliant’s letter on poorly managed government projects (“More boondoggles from government,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 14), but it is important to recognize those employees of city government who listened and followed through from complaint to finish.

People in Ewa Beach are now riding on wide smooth roads and walking on sidewalks without trip hazards.

This work, contracted out by the city, is top-notch; the sidewalks, for instance, are meant to last another 20 years. They were ripped out and replaced — definitely not a waste of taxpayer money.

This could not have occurred without the leadership of Mayor Kirk Caldwell, whose political campaign focus was fixing infrastructure, which he has done, from sewer projects to roads.

Let’s not mire him in a rail project that he inherited.

Belou Wendel

Ewa Beach