Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Who deposited two concrete pillars at the entrance to the parking area to the Judd Trail, on Nuuanu Pali Drive? If the state did it, why? I am quite concerned about the safety of people who are forced to park along the narrow roadway. Park concrete pillars
are a welcome mysteryIf anyone has any clues as to who plunked the pillars there, let us know.
State officials thought it was the city that did it, but city officials said it had to be the state.
It's a mystery who did it, but the blockade is not unwanted, said Curt Cottrell, trails manager for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' Forestry and Wildlife Division.
"The consensus seems to be there is a do-gooder from the public that went ahead and put the blockade," he said.
"For management reasons, we have no problem with that because hiker access is not jeopardized." He also said there is ample and safe enough parking along the road shoulders.
The unimproved parking area is under the jurisdiction of Department of Land and Natural Resources, but the city handles cleanup. Cottrell wasn't aware of the blockade until we asked him about it, found out DLNR staff had not done it and was told it must have been the city.
But the city Department of Public Works and the Board of Water Supply, which share maintenance chores in the area, said they weren't responsible.
Blocking off the area had been discussed for a long time because of the "chronic problem of people dumping rubbish," Cottrell said.
The problem wasn't picnic litter, but commercial trash, such as piles of broken concrete and, most recently, a container that was dumped into the stream, he said.
There was also the problem of "undesirables" hanging out there.
"There was a lot of nontrail-associated uses contributing to pollution of the stream and just this huge rubbish problem," Cottrell said.
On the mauka side of Fern Street, near Kalakaua Avenue, someone is collecting shopping carts and lining them up on the street to make sure motorists don't park there.
Can't police or merchants do something?
An officer from the Honolulu Police Department's District 1 checked out your complaint last week and found carts from various stores, including Daiei, which is relatively nearby, but also from Sports Authority on Ward Avenue, and Foodland on Beretania.
The carts were found "off to the side," a District 1 spokeswoman said. The officer was to contact the merchants to pick up their carts, she said.
There were still some there yesterday. Call HPD at 529-3386 if they're not removed soon.
For the reader interested in the Fukushima bon dance, call Harold Hishinuma (737-8829) or Kuni Morita (737-2230) of the Honolulu Fukushima Bon Dance Club. Practice sessions are being held Sundays and include other dances. More on bon dances
More bon dances can be found in "Da Kine" in today's Features section online.
To the persons responsible for calling people, then playing unsolicited taped ads. I listen only long enough to find out who the company is and vow never to do business with them. -- Carol Auwe
To the woman who threw a lit cigarette butt out her silver Camry while driving down University Avenue. You'd think she would know better. -- No name Auwe
To Lena McCormick for offering to replace the cockatiel that was stolen from my garage. It's a wonderful feeling to know that the aloha spirit still exists. -- M.T. Mahalo
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
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