Letters to the editor: 01-09-18

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Water like the airports do

Today I was flying to Honolulu and noticed this generous offer of free bottled water to all passengers and workers because the water fountains are inoperable. I have also noticed that the water fountains at both Kahaluu Beach park and Pahoehoe park have been inoperable since September.

My question is, why hasn’t the generosity been extended to all the beachgoers, residents, vacationers and workers? If this is impossible, maybe the powers to be can get these fountains fixed expeditiously.

Peter Kinchla

Kailua-Kona

Vaccination coverage shocking

I am shocked and highly disappointed at how you handled the issue on mandatory vaccination. Instead of appropriately reporting information and evidence on both sides, you degraded yourselves by simply slandering a local physician!

How low can you go? Who paid you to do this? This is not good journalism. Your opinion is none of our concern. Your job is to present the information on both sides, not to withhold information based on your bias! I found your article degrading, slanderous, highly inappropriate, unprofessional, mere propaganda for the establishment and a smear campaign! Shame on you! You really lowered yourselves and your newspaper this time.

Diana Leaf

Keaau

Understand before criticizing

This is a response to Mr. Elarionoff’s criticism of national park employees. He asks why they do not volunteer to work without a paycheck. Mr. Elarionoff does not understand that there are rules that govern a shutdown.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) states “Employees who are funded through annual appropriations but are not designated as excepted are barred from working during a shutdown, except to perform minimal activities as necessary to execute an orderly suspension of agency operations related to non-excepted activities. These employees will be furloughed.”

The Department of Interior is not funded and national park employees are not designated as excepted. They are not allowed to volunteer to work without pay. Mr. Elarionoff, please check your facts before you criticize.

Elizabeth Rawsthorne

Kona