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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Tour buses can stop at city parks
Question:I was walking at about 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, and noticed two large tour buses parked across about 12 parking spaces with their motors idling at Kailua Beach Park (Kailua town side of Kaelepulu Stream bridge). While I have seen school buses parked on the road occasionally, I thought large tour buses were not allowed to use this park. Can you please clarify the rules?
Answer:Tour buses and tour vans are allowed to park at Kailua and other city parks for up to 90 minutes if they have obtained a recreational/commercial stop permit issued by the Department of Parks and Recreation's Permits Section.
Discretion is left to park staff to designate permitted parking areas for the vehicles, said Deputy Parks Director Dana Takahara-Dias.
These commercial buses are allowed access to parks' property seven days a week, from sunrise to sunset, but again, only if they have a permit and utilize the park grounds for no more than 90 minutes, she said.
Other tour buses and vans are allowed to stop at the parks, without a permit, if they do not stay for more than 15 minutes.
The Parks Department has never issued a commercial permit to the company you cited. In the future, if you see that the company's buses are parked for longer than 15 minutes, Takahara-Dias asked that you contact her department.
Q:Do you know where I can find the shipping news, especially the arrivals and departures? Most newspapers used to publish this information, but I can't find it anywhere.
A:Information about the comings and goings of cruise ships and other vessels can be found on the state Department of Transportation Harbors Division's Web site: www.state.hi.us/dot/harbors/index.htm.
Click on the island you're interested in on the left side of the page.
Here's a trivia question: How many harbors are under the DOT's jurisdiction? The answer is 10: Nawiliwili and Port Allen, Kauai; Honolulu, Kalaeloa Barbers Point and Kewalo Basin, Oahu; Kahului, Kaunakakai and Kaumalapau, Maui District; Hilo and Kawaiahae, Big Island.
Interested in hopping on a cargo ship? The Harbors Division says Columbus Lines is currently the only regularly scheduled line calling in Honolulu that will take on passengers.
It says the agent for Columbus Lines is Waldron Steamship, 808-545-2466, and that more information can be gotten from TravLtips Cruise and Freighter Travel Association, 800-872-8584, or Ford's Freighter Travel Guide, 818-701-7414.
Auwe
To the man in the front passenger seat of a Toyota Previa, coming out of a Kalihi Valley church lot, for throwing rubbish out the van. You are a very poor role model for the young children in the back seat. Be thoughtful and considerate in keeping the land clean; others have put in a lot of effort and energy picking up discarded trash and/or rubbish in the valley. -- Concerned Citizen
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers