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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Ala Moana repairs its defective lights
Question: At Kona and Kona Iki streets, there are three street lights that stay on 24/7. Since Kona Street is private, owned by Ala Moana Center, the city can't repair the lights. HECO also has said it can't do anything, as the center is a paying customer. The center's management failed to respond to my Jan. 7 letter. Since the city and HECO are always advertising to conserve electricity, it seems ironic that the center is being Napoleonic about being a good neighbor in the community. Can you help?
Answer: The lights have been repaired, Ala Moana Center General Manager Francis Cofran told us Monday. He also said the management office did not receive any letter complaining about the lights.
Hawaiian Electric Co. explained the problem, saying the three lights had defective photocells, or light sensors.
HECO spokesman Peter Rosegg told us last week that Ala Moana Center management had been "in the repair process for the past three weeks, awaiting replacement parts."
In the center's defense, he said it has always been a good partner "on energy conservation and efficiency efforts, from installing efficient lighting and air conditioning, to their support of our Live Energy Lite events at Centerstage for several years."
Meanwhile, Dwight Yoshimura, senior vice president of General Growth Properties, which owns the center, apologized for the perception that Ala Moana Center was not responsive, saying, "I can assure you that we are not like that."
He noted that some of the center's electrical circuits may be on at night because of the needs of the contractor involved in construction work at the center, although this apparently was not the case in this instance.
As for what you were told by HECO, Rosegg said that while customers are urged to conserve and use energy efficiently, "we could no more enter a private business property to enforce that than we would enter your home uninvited in the absence of a serious emergency."
HECO will respond to requests for advice, but it's up to a property owner, small or large, to do the actual work, he said.
Q: I received my renewed certificate of motor vehicle registration with the new license emblem. On the back, it says: "Keep current Certificate of Registration validated with the emblem number within the vehicle/towing vehicle for which issued. It does not have to be displayed." Does this mean we do not have to place the emblem sticker on our license plate anymore? It is confusing since, on the front of the certificate, there are instructions for applying the emblem on the license plate. The phone number 523-4325 is always busy.
A: The correct number is 532-4325 (as indicated on the registration).
You need to place the emblem on the license plate, while keeping the certificate, validated with the emblem number, in the vehicle, said Dennis Kamimura, administrator for the Motor Vehicle & Licensing Division.
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