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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Makiki Cemetery trees to be removed
Question: Who owns Makiki Cemetery? There are several trees there with their bark stripped off. Is it vandalism or done on purpose? Some of the trees are dying.
Answer: The state Department of Accounting and General Services is responsible for maintaining the cemetery.
The opiuma trees in question are dying because of the damage vandals have caused to the trunks, confirmed state Comptroller Russ Saito, the head of DAGS.
"The trees have been girdled, and this prevents nutrient and water intake from the roots into the crown," he said. "Our staff expert says that the trees will not die immediately, but they will die, although it could take a year or longer."
DAGS' Central Services Division will remove all of the opiuma trees growing in the lower Prospect Street section of the cemetery, he said. They will be removed at the next scheduled trimming, which will be late summer or fall, not only because they are dying, but also "because they do not belong there," Saito said.
"The trees are probably the result of seeds blown into the area, and not ornamentals planted by someone," he said. "Removal should not be of major consequence, and there are no plans at this time to replace the trees with other trees."
Opiuma trees were introduced into the islands in the late 1800s as shade trees.
Q: In a couple of your "Kokua Line" columns, you've addressed the issue of front license plates being required for Hawaii vehicles. You also mentioned there was a grace period for vehicles brought in from states where the front license plate is not required. What is the grace period?
A: An out-of-state vehicle is required to have Hawaii license plates one year after entering the state, or when its out-of-state vehicle registration expires, whichever occurs first.
Until then the vehicle may legally operate with one rear license plate, said Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the city Motor Vehicle and Licensing Division.
As we've noted in the past -- and which Kamimura said still holds true -- all out-of-state vehicles are required to get a safety check immediately upon arrival. There is no grace period.
Within 10 days of a vehicle's arrival, the owner also must get an out-of-state vehicle permit by submitting an out-of-state car registration, the Hawaii safety inspection form and the shipping bill of lading, Kamimura said.
That permit will then be good for the life of the out-of-state registration, or for one year, whichever comes first.
Once you are issued a Hawaii registration, title and license plates, the two plates must be placed on the vehicle, one in front and one in the rear.
Vehicles without the two plates mounted may be cited for a violation, Kamimura said.
You can find more information at www.co.honolulu.hi.us/csd/vehicle/mvinformation.htm.
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.
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