Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Someone is making a profit stealing those green cylinders on the guardrail on the Kailua side of the Pali tunnels. It looks terrible. Quite a few are gone by St. Stephen's Seminary. Thieves steal cylinders
from guardrail on PaliI have seen some being used on the windward side for a wall. Who's responsible for them and can anything be done?
The state Department of Transportation is well aware of the problem. Thieves have also been stealing bridge railings, ostensibly to sell for recycling.
This is nothing new, according to state highways administrator Pericles Manthos.
On the new H-3 freeway, which is equipped with security cameras, one man was caught on camera stealing ferns. In that case, the DOT had some evidence to turn over to police.
"Once we get cameras on the freeways, this kind of stuff can be prevented," Manthos said, "but obviously, we don't have cameras on the Pali."
If you know the cylinders, which were installed as glare screens to block oncoming headlights, are being used on private property, call the DOT and provide a location so staff can check, he said.
The use of glare screens is "not a requirement. It's nice to have, but we're not necessarily replacing (the cylinders) because of the (high) cost," Manthos said.
Instead, in areas where they are used atop concrete, "we're raising the concrete barriers to do the same thing."
One area is on the H-1 where several road projects are already in progress.
Workers also are "moving around" cylinders to different areas and looking at "more resilient," less expensive plastic objects as replacements, Manthos said.
The nonprofit community group, Friends of Hanauma Bay, wants to make it clear it has nothing to do with the Hanauma Bay Preservation Society, which offers T-shirts in return for "contributions," said Friends President Richard Baker. The latter group also is not associated with Sea Grant's Hanauma Bay Education Program or with the city's Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Hanauma Bay
"We have not received anything as a donation to Hanauma Bay" from the Hanauma Bay Preservation Society, said the city recreation specialist, Martha McDaniel.
To Kane and his friend. At 11:30 a.m. Feb. 25, I was at Lanikai, watching the marine life. I noticed a Clorox bottle floating toward Lanikai Point, with a sea turtle entangled in an attached cord. I drove to Kailua Beach Park looking for help. There I met Kane and told him about the turtle. We walked to the rocky point, and he went into the water. After chasing it a short distance, he caught the turtle and brought it to shore. The cord was wrapped around its neck and left flipper. Kane's friend ran to his house to get a knife and scissors. The turtle wouldn't move and looked sad. Kane cut the cord away and returned the turtle to the water. It again knew freedom. -- Steven Medeiros/Kailua Mahalo
To the lady in a silver Cadillac. On Feb. 27, just before 2 p.m. you almost caused an accident by barreling through the merge of the H-1 and H-2 freeways and sideswiping me. -- W.B. Auwe
To the person who turned in my Sears package to the Arby's counter at Windward Mall on Sunday, Feb. 22. -- Lorraine H. Mahalo
To two people working at Oahu Cemetery on Feb. 13. I was putting flowers on my husband's grave and got a cramp and could not walk. They helped me to my car. Mahalo
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com
