Here we go again: more city employees indicted from Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s reign of dysfunction (“Kealoha settlement was rushed past Honolulu Police Commission,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 18). We are fortunate to have the feds clean up our municipal messes. Our own city departments seem too corrupt, involved or lethargic to do it.

Can we end this once and for all? Can we pass a law that states any city or state employee convicted of a job-related felony loses all pensions and benefits? Taxpayers are so tired and frustrated with having to subsidize the retirement of taxpayer-funded criminals.

A quarter million here, a quarter million there — who could ever be against a law like this? Pass this law and maybe, just maybe, it will prevent the rampant abuses of power that have plagued our city the past decade.

Pat Kelly

Kaimuki

Unlikely Kealoha will pay back what he owes

You have to give Loretta Sheehan all the credit in the world for standing up to the Honolulu Police Commission by voting against former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha’s golden parachute of $250,000 (“Kealoha settlement was rushed past Honolulu Police Commission,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 18). She was right all along. The courage of one makes a majority.

We are talking big money here. How could Kealoha pay it back when he’s in prison for seven years? And why should he pay it back? I know I wouldn’t if you threw me in prison. I really doubt he will ever pay back the full amount. Garnishing his pension may take years.

If you gave me an unsecured loan of $250,000, you can bet the family ranch I’ll be in Brazil the very next day. If you want your money back, come and find me.

Melvin Wong

Kakaako

KCC offers training here for nurse candidates

“Training more nurses in Hawaii” (Star-Advertiser, Our View, Jan. 15), is an excellent editorial on the state of health care needs in Hawaii, focusing on the nursing shortage.

One thing it failed to mention was Kapiolani Community College’s Associate in Science degree in nursing preparation. After graduating from this program, students can sit for the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) exam and, upon passing, are eligible to work as registered nurses. This program enables graduates to further their education by earning a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) at the University of Hawaii while working as a registered nurse.

I worked at UCLA Medical Center for 30 years. My nurse manager, Susan Johnson, started her nursing education at KCC, then went to UH-Manoa to get her BSN and then went on to get her master of science in nursing at UCLA. She started as a bedside nurse and retired as the director of critical care nursing. She attributed her success to a great start at KCC, which laid the foundation for her nursing career.

Lisa Michaelson, R.N.

Marina del Rey, Calif.

Vacation rentals better than expensive Waikiki

Shiyana Thenabadu’s commentary was good, but it didn’t go nearly far enough (“Neighborhoods need rentals of 30+ days,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 12).

Tourists who have been to Oahu once recognize that staying in a hotel in Waikiki is very, very expensive beyond just the hotel room rate. A vacation rental outside Waikiki offers much more.

Thenabadu put the blame for Bill 41 on the wealthy, hotel lobbyists and some politicians. She forgot the unions. Probably for the first time in history, management and labor have agreed on something — to stop vacation rentals.

Tourists renting outside Waikiki bring money to Hawaii and have a much better experience. A more robust permitting system is needed. Establish clear, fair, realistic criteria and enforce it. Don’t allow wealthy NIMBYs, hotel owners or unions to dictate against common sense.

I am aware of a family that owns two tandem units available as vacation rentals, with plenty of parking, the owner (not me) living next door, full view of the ocean 100 yard away. They can’t even get a permit.

John Henry

Kaneohe

‘Affordable rentals’ in Waikiki a joke

Thanks to Dan Aregger for his letter regarding the article, “Affordable rentals available in new Waikiki high-rise” (Star-Advertiser, Jan. 10). He voiced what many of us have felt about these so-called “affordable” rentals (“New Waikiki studios really aren’t affordable,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 13).

It truly is a joke.

Jo-Ann Kawakami

Ala Moana

UH football team needs seasoned leader at helm

Over the next three to four years, the revenue streams that will make or break the University of Hawaii’s football program will be big-money donations, maximum attendance at Ching Field and resurgent merchandise sales.

Neither Norm Chow, Nick Rolovich or Todd Graham (for COVID-19 reasons) could reverse falling attendance, attract big-money donations or create a brand to elevate merchandise sales to the height of the June Jones era.

With UH athletics on life support, few would see it wise to choose a third-year medical student over a seasoned doctor familiar with what ails the program, much less a seasoned doctor unfamiliar with the program. In the coming week, we shall see if those in charge of the future of UH athletics are made of the right stuff.

Roy Kamisato

Niu Valley

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