Kokua Line
Kokua Line
My neighbor's tree is hanging over my property line. What are my alternatives? Tree costs remain yours
unless real damage occursGenerally speaking, you can cut back to your property line any overhang from a neighbor's tree. You also may cut back to your property line any roots from your neighbor's tree that come into your yard. If your neighbor's tree is just making a mess, dropping leaves or fruit, you don't have authority to bill that neighbor for a trimming job.
However, under a 1981 Intermediate Court of Appeals opinion written by Judge James Burns, you can bill your neighbor if your neighbor's tree is causing real damage to your property - such as breaking your roof or cracking a wall or foundation. You have to show your neighbor the damage and ask him or her to take care of the tree.
If nothing happens, put your request in writing.
If your neighbor still does nothing, you can hire someone to do the job and bill your neighbor. This only applies when real damage occurs.
Maintaining trees growing on city property is the responsibility of the city parks beautification section.
My husband already has a veteran's license plate on his car and wonders if it is possible to get one that lists his service in World War II? He asks this question because he recently noticed a plate that indicated a veteran's military service in Vietnam.
That's not a problem, but your husband has to give up his current license plate. Your husband can get a new plate showing his service in World War II by turning in his current veteran's automobile license plate to any satellite city hall and filing for a new one, says David Mau, assistant administrator in the city's motor vehicle licensing division.
However, your husband will have to bring in his discharge papers (Form DD 214) again to verify the war in which he served.
Mau said the law was recently changed to allow a veteran to have a license plate for one car and another one for a motorcycle if he or she owns one.
To two gentlemen who alerted me to a flat tire on my car in the Federal Express parking lot on July 29. I was on the way to Kailua on H-3, and they probably saved me from a bad accident. - Yuni Mahalo
To the many nice people who are trying to help me by telling me I am driving with my lights on during the day. Perhaps they don't know that many of the new cars are now safety-equipped so that the lights are on whenever the motor is running. - Margie Mahalo
To Reggie, who helped me and my husband, Jon, Aug. 14 when our car broke down on Kalanianaole Highway. Reggie stopped by and called a tow truck on his cellular phone and drove me to work, which was out of his way. It's people like him that make the difference. - Lisette and Jon Mahalo
To the Bishop Estate, which has tons and tons of money and will make even more with its latest banking venture. A good friend of mine has been told that her daughter will not have her college scholarship renewed by the trustees. She will be a junior at a mainland college. Auwe
I know the volume of requests for scholarships has gone up, but the trustees have all this money, and they aren't willing to release more money to help children of Hawaiian ancestry attend college here and on the mainland. The attorney general and the media should continue to look into this.
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
