Auwe to whoever was responsible for the massive traffic jam in Kaneohe on Saturday, Dec. 7. About 10 a.m. that day, I was on Kamehameha Highway and saw some blue lights flashing far ahead. I assumed it was a traffic accident. At 10:05, I shut off the ignition and waited for the road to clear. All three lanes of the road were filled with cars as far back and as far ahead as I could see. It turned out the route was blocked for a Christmas parade! We didn't start moving until 25 minutes to noon. Could we be outgrowing Christmas parades? Talk to parade planners
to ease 2-hour traffic jamSorry it's taken this long to get a response, but the answer given by the city Department of Transportation Services is something to keep in mind when the parade season rolls around this year.
First off, parade organizers need to get a permit. They have to show there is community support and that it somehow benefits the community, said Transportation Director Cheryl Soon.
Also required is a certificate of insurance naming the city or state as an additional insured party, she said.
There is no time limit set on the parade, but the idea is to minimize the effect on traffic as much as possible, Soon said.
"Explicit considerations are given to address temporary traffic restrictions, such as street closures and parking restrictions."
Organizers are required to work with police and city or state transportation officials on the route and traffic controls, she said.
They also are required to publicize the event through the media, including newspapers, radio or TV stations.
If you feel the traffic problems offset any community benefits, "we suggest that (you) work with the event organizers to either have the route modified and/or the event shortened or terminated," Soon said.
The sponsor of the parade was listed as the Kaneohe Business Group, but there was no telephone number available. If a representative of the group wishes to comment, please call 525-8686.
Regarding the fishermen who supposedly used chlorine to kill fish. Coral and other marine life also were killed. Apparently a lot of people buy the fish at open markets because of the bargain price. But are the fish safe to eat? While chlorine is toxic and can kill fish and other aquatic life, there apparently is no health risk from eating fish killed by the chemical.
"Chlorine burns the gills and tissues, and fish die from that," said toxicologist Barbara Brooks, with the state Department of Health's Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office.
But "fish don't bio-accumulate chlorine," Brooks said. "My estimate is that eating the fish would not be toxic."
What it would be is "aesthetically unpleasing," she said.
"If there were sufficient levels on the fish tissue, the fish wouldn't taste good. It would be like drinking highly chlorinated water."
To Diane and Bruce from Round Top for finding my bag at the Waikiki Twin Theaters parking lot on Tuesday night, Jan. 6. They went out of their way to drop it off to me. They truly define the aloha spirit. Their kind act saved my vacation in the islands. -- Dawn Mahalo
To Milton Inouye, who came to my assistance when an unleashed golden retriever attacked me on Manoa Road and Kuahine Drive on the evening of Jan. 8 when I was jogging. -- Susan Minami Mahalo
To the gentlemen with a fire extinguisher who put out a fire in our car in front of the Kalihi fire station on Jan. 19. Mahalo also to the lady behind us who alerted us to the fire and to the firemen who helped. -- Sue Mahalo
