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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Camp Smith will turn off its field lights
Question: We live almost adjacent to Camp Smith. The lights on the football and/or baseball fields are often on all night long.
The latest was Sept. 23-24. The energy wasted operating these floodlights for empty fields is totally uncalled for even if power was dirt cheap. Previous complaints over the last six to eight years have sometimes resulted in correction, but such is always followed by relapse.
The longest correction? About two months.
The shortest? One or two days.
Can you help yield a permanent correction?
Answer: You should not be seeing lights left on overnight anymore.
The lights on the athletic fields at Camp Smith's Bordelon Field "are not supposed to be left on overnight," said Marine Corps spokesman Chuck Little.
He checked with the Semper Fit (Athletics) Department of Marine Corps Community Services at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and it was discovered that the switch box for the field lights was not locked. That meant the lights could be turned on and off "at will."
"We are installing a lock box on that light switch, and our Semper Fit representatives will ensure that the field lights are turned off each night, most nights no later than 10 p.m.," he said.
Little pointed out that lights illuminating the large memorial flagpole do stay on during the night but are aimed upward at the top of the flagpole.
"We apologize to our neighbors outside the fence line from Bordelon Field for the inconvenience, and hope to have this issue resolved very soon," he said last week.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, call 477-8313.
Little explained that Semper Fit oversees athletic activities at Camp Smith, as well as the Marine Corps base in Kaneohe, including running the intramural football program and gym, as well as coordinating the use of athletic fields by other organizations "from time to time."
Semper Fit is part of Marine Corps Community Services, formerly called Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Camp Smith is a Marine base.
Q: I'm a frequent flier on Hawaiian Airlines and accumulate frequent-flier miles. Hawaiian encourages their customers to look on the Internet for lower fares. However, if you book a seat in advance, the only fares that are offered are low in price, but the fare class available does not qualify for frequent-flier miles.
I feel that this is misleading due to the fact that you can't book a seat on the Internet that does qualify for mileage.
To receive Hawaiian Miles, you would need to book a fare at a higher rate, which is OK except Hawaiian's Internet site won't let you do that.
A: Actually, you are able to earn frequent-flier miles by booking online.
"The recent short-term special $19 fare was not eligible for miles (as other special fares may be), but otherwise all our fares can be booked online and earn mileage credit," said Hawaiian Air spokesman Keoni Wagner.
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