Helm deserves lifetime music award

The Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts can and should amend its current constitution and bylaws to make apparent their support of one of their peers, the late, great George Jarrett Helm Jr., unfortunately missing since March 1977.

The foundation HARA is built on is to recognize the Hawaiian musicians who paved the way and one of those pioneers is George Jarrett Helm Jr.

His is still the greatest falsetto voice Hawaii nei has lost. He was also a great humanitarian who became the leader of the first "protect Kaho'olawe 'ohana." He paved the way for the betterment in its Hawaiian music, its 'aina hanau, its 'olelo, its mele, its hula and its pila ho 'okani.

Denial of petition disregarded its merit

I am writing about your Nov. 4 article about the Hawaii Supreme Court's recent rejection of the state's petition against Judge Virginia Crandall with regard to the State of Hawaii vs. Shaun C. Rodrigues. You stated "the justices did not detail why they denied the petition" and quoted Deputy Prosecutor Russell Uehara as saying "They don't give a single reason why the writ was denied, and it was denied without prejudice, so obviously the writ has merit." You also reported that Uehara said "it appears the state will have to wait until the appeal -- which could take a couple of years -- is decided."

All three statements are wrong. The Supreme Court's order clearly stated the petition was denied because "any request for relief related to the order granting release on bail pending appeal should be filed in the pending appeal." In short, the deputy prosecutor sought relief in the wrong way. Further, a denial without prejudice to filing in the right case makes no judgment about the merits of the petition.

Finally, a motion filed at this stage of the appeal will not take two years to decide. Such motions are routinely decided within a month after the opposing party answers the motion (depending on the state of the record, the complexity of the legal argument, and the number of motions pending).

Sub teachers are unsung heroes

I totally agree with substitute teacher Pat Peterson's disgust with the proposed Department of Education pay cut for substitutes (Letters, Nov. 5). What kind of an organization would try such a thing and hope to keep up morale at the same time? Seven dollars a day might not seem like much to many but how many full-time unionized workers would sit still for this, or any, reduction? This is an insult.

These unsung heroes of our public education system are educated, experienced and flexible while working without benefits or formal organization. Substitute teachers daily come to the rescue of full-time teachers who really need them. Wouldn't one think that these unionized teachers would become the supportive organization to insist that "their" substitutes are treated fairly? Ironically, it seems not. But without the subs, what would teachers and the DOE do?

Wouldn't it be interesting if substitutes called in for a sick-week or two to make the point that they are being treated shabbily? But then, unlike full-time teachers who have gone on major strike in the past, subs probably wouldn't. They are too dedicated to making sure the teachers and the kids are covered.

Believe it or not, he was re-elected

» Seeing is believing.
» Don't believe everything you see or hear.

Whether you believe or don't believe, you've got to believe that George W. Bush won a second term of his convoluted presidency.

Recent events don't sound very moral

America voted for moral values? Thousands dead in Iraq, torture in Iraq, backdoor draft, corporate corruption, squandered surplus, record deficit, jobs shipped overseas, unemployment, millions without health care, tax cuts for the rich. All this in the name of God? Compassionate conservatism?