By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

Tuesday night, it led the 10 o'clock newscasts. Wednesday morning, it was at the top of the front page. By Thursday night, the story had been relegated to the second block of the evening newscasts.

It's amazing how withholding information from the public can throw cold water on a hot story, despite the impact on so many people.

Friday morning, two of the University of Hawai'i Regents were on the Channel 2 morning news saying an interim university president may be in place for a year or more at UH while the "healing process" takes place.

Healing process or forgetting process?

Time may heal all wounds, but it also provides myriad opportunities for obfuscation.

Lie low for a while and the heat will die down. It works every time, and we, the residents of these islands, are accomplices. We're busy. We're distracted. We're tired.

There was a time when people marched to the State Capitol vowing to enact retribution for former state Attorney General Margery Bronster. "We won't forget!" When election time came around, half of the lawmakers who voted against her reconfirmation were re-elected.

There was a time after Hurricane 'Iniki when every time the wind got a little gusty, folks got a fearful flutter in their hearts. Now, the destruction of the hurricane seems to have faded like a bad dream and big houses have been built on the rubble of shoreline and ridgeline homes that were torn apart in 1992.

There was a time not very long ago when the thing we feared most was mold in public buildings or when we were so afraid that any errant sprinkle of Ajax or baby powder just might be anthrax.

But we got over that.

And speaking of stuff we've conveniently forgotten, never mind the bitten ear, isn't Mike Tyson a convicted rapist? Oh, yeah. That. Yet people are willing — excited even — to pay money to see him fight here.

Out of sight, out of mind, off the priority list.

Will we ever find out what made the UH Board of Regents believe it was in the best interest of the university to summarily fire Evan Dobelle, hold a press conference while he was out of town and change the locks on his office like there was some sort of emergency?

Let's hope so. And soon.

Will we care?

Depends how long they wait to come out with it.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.