BEACH BLOW-UP

Give Bellows the respect and care it deserves

While Marine Corps officials are justifiably upset about the misuse of Bellows beach by some members of the public, let's hope they relent on the June closure of the weekend campground. For their part, campers and other public users must abide by the rules, which include no illegal dumping and no driving on the southeast Oahu beach. It's no secret that areas limited to use by military families are generally left in better shape than those open — on weekends and holidays — to the general public. And while the mess might be caused by a few, everybody should pitch in to keep Bellows beautiful, safe and open to the public.

BUYER BEWARE

Be it pennies or pounds, buy wisely

Sanctions against 13 Hawaii businesses and individuals provide a timely reminder for Hawaii residents to shop carefully, whether they are dealing with a car salesman, a contractor or even a massage therapist.

Web sites for the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (hawaii.gov/dcca/ areas/ocp) and the Better Business Bureau (hawaii.bbb.org) make it easier to track a history of complaints, and in these tight times, it's more important than ever to weigh the price quote against the record of customer satisfaction. That old adage — you get what you pay for — so often proves true.