A half-hour compromise to daylight saving time? That would be a global monkey wrench

Clock trickle-down

With all due respect, Star editorial board, your idea of moving the clock forward or backward by a half-hour is not as clear as you think. (Nov. 5, 6A, “Changing clocks, KC police payments, Bill Self punished”)

What about computer systems that run on GMT or the world clock? What about times in other countries that are, for example, six hours different from us? Then they would be 6 1/2 hours different? I’m sure the airlines and other time-sensitive companies would not be happy trying to change their computers to reflect this change. And Hawaii, most of Arizona and parts of Indiana, which currently do not change their clocks twice a year, would have to be on board with this.

There are way too many variables in changing U.S. time by 30 minutes, unless the whole world does as well.

- Wili McKinney, Lenexa

When it shines

All the whining and moaning about having to change the clocks back to standard time reminds me of the old woman in Iowa who told me she didn’t care about daylight saving time as long as her tomato plants got enough sunlight.

- Ken Leonard, Lenexa

Time to stop

It’s obvious that daylight saving time has outlived all its perceived benefits.

- Paul Comerford, Blue Springs

One-man band?

Reading the news that the ground-penetrating radar study at Shawnee Indian Mission in Fairway has been put on hold — and the way this search has been advocated for, planned, awarded grant money and then halted — something seems off. (Nov. 1, KansasCity.com, “Ground search of Native American site in Kansas delayed”)

Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes does not speak for all the tribes and nations whose children were taken and kept at the Methodist mission. There are at least 15 named tribes in the rosters. Therefore, it should be a group decision whether the study continues or halts.

What are Barnes’ actual objections to the ground-penetrating radar study? What did he say to officials at the Kansas Geological Survey at the University of Kansas when he communicated with them? And why did he not tell the Mission site and the Kansas Historical Society when he wanted it halted?

If other tribal leaders are glad to have the study continue, why would one person be able to stop it?

What other tribes and nations have been contacted about the study? Who is doing the research about whom to contact? What did the other tribes say? Do they know that Chief Barnes is now calling it off?

-Martha Johnson, Shawnee

Kids at risk

The national mental health crisis and medical provider staffing shortages have contributed to a pediatric hospital bed crisis. According to the Clarify Health Institute, there was a substantial increase from 2016 to 2021 in inpatient mental health utilization among all youth age groups. Unfortunately, the Missouri Department of Mental Health has not had enough employees to staff beds at its facilities.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Missouri did not have sufficient pediatric, clinical, counseling and school psychologists to meet the state’s needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this deficiency, especially among nursing staff. This disparity between supply and demand of health care providers continues to create unfavorable and even unsafe work environments, further making these open jobs difficult to fill.

As a physician, I know pediatric hospitals are not equipped to address the specific mental health needs of children and are also experiencing significant staffing shortcomings. Keeping children at pediatric hospitals only postpones necessary mental health interventions and prevents another child in need from having a hospital bed during a busy respiratory virus season.

We need to address the staffing shortages in all aspects of the medical field to keep our children safe.

- Sarah Gwazdacz, Kansas City

Lack of respect

As much as I admire the Kansas City football team, it was really hard to watch the crowd chant and do the tomahawk chop on “Monday Night Football” last month, especially considering that it was Indigenous Peoples Day. And, of course, it continued at Sunday night’s game against the Titans.

It’s time to retire the Chiefs’ name and all the insulting and disrespectful rituals.

- Steve Clancy, Buffalo, New York