Kauai authorities treated chief unfairly
Kauai Mayor Maryanne W. Kusaka and the Police Commission have given their island a black eye, as well as probably a costly resolution to their mishandled investigation of police Chief George Freitas.
It started with the cowardly move of pulling the rug out from under Freitas while he was on vacation. Then they refused to tell him the specific charges, while they publicly smeared him with vague accusations.
One by one the charges have been dealt with behind closed doors and dropped, except two: that Freitas gave a friend a ride in a county car and that a subordinate didn't like his tone of voice. How manini!
Credit goes to Councilmen Ron Kouchi, Gary Hooser and Bill "Kaipo" Asing for trying to defuse the matter, although their concern may be less for fairness and more for the cost to the county.
Good luck to you, Chief, in your civil suit. It's a pity the people of Kauai are the losers in this sorry matter.
Jane Wylie
[Quotables]
"This dumb bill wasn't even on our radar screen. I haven't even looked at the measure or studied this measure yet."
David Matsuura
Senate Health Committee chairman, speaking about a death-with-dignity bill Gov. Ben Cayetano is pushing. The legislation, which is expected to pass in the House, might stall in the Senate because Matsuura said he will not hold a hearing on the doctor-assisted suicide bill.
"Is not it a shame that with all the opportunities facing Wales now ... the only thing that the honorable gentleman can rant about today is the sheathing, swelling and length of his leek?"
Chris Ruane
Welsh lawmaker, on an opponent's criticism of the European Union's directive that all leeks sold in stores must look the same. Grocers may not sell young leeks with a diameter of less than 8 mm and older ones less than 10 mm; there must be no soil between the leaves, which must be neatly cut, and the white part must form at least one-fourth of the length. The leek is the national symbol of Wales.>
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Merged airlines would be on local kine time
We should support the status quo and maintain two airlines. Toward this end, we should begin saying the name that may be used to identify the new merged airline, Mauna Kea -- Hawaiian Time Air.
The first part of the name describes how high a monopoly can set its prices. The second part speaks for itself -- the flights will leave when the plane is full or if the pilot has a hot date at his or her destination.
Smoky Guerrero
Mililani
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