Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: I am at Honolulu Airport frequently and notice that perfectly good plants are dug up and removed. This seems unnecessary. Why are they removing the plants? The state can save money or use the money spent on this in other areas of the airport. Water’s at root of
airport plants’ moveAnswer: Your observation was on target, but there is a reason for removing the plants, said Airports Administrator Jerry Matsuda.
A few years ago, the airport switched from potable to nonpotable water to irrigate all landscaped areas fronting the main terminal and in the garden areas, he said.
"The nonpotable water contains salt, which affects the plants over a period of time," Matsuda said. Because of this, the plants are removed or replaced with ones that are more tolerant to the nonpotable water, he said.
Q: There is a white stretch-out parked all the time in the basement of the Chinatown municipal parking garage. It's apparently stored there. I've noticed it there mornings and afternoons for about three months. Is it paying any fees? Can anybody arrange to store their vehicles there?
A: The Kekaulike Courtyards parking garage, with entry and exit from Maunakea Street, is a "shared garage," with three different groups of users, said an official with the city's property management office.
It's used for short-term commercial parking -- by people doing business or going shopping in the Chinatown area; by people who work in the area who pay for monthly parking; and by residents of the building, who pay a parking fee, he said.
"They all utilize one garage. We do not allow reserved parking because we want to make the stall usage efficient," the official said.
He surmised that the owner of the stretch-out car is a resident, but would check the circumstance.
Exchange program
The Friendship Force of Honolulu is seeking participants for an exchange program with Swedish members, June 21-28.Call Robbie Gee, 255-4558.
Friendship Force is a volunteer, nonprofit organization not affiliated with any religious or political institution. It seeks to foster world peace, understanding and friendship through cultural exchanges and home-stay experience.
Mahalo
To the elderly man with a small child and the tall, young and handsome man who helped jump-start my car in the Foodland School Street's parking lot. You really have the aloha spirit. -- No name
Mahalo
To Shawn Phillips of Ewa for her incredibly brave actions at Ko Olina Resort on March 5. She was at the beach with her family when she heard shouting. With little regard for her own safety, she swam out to help a man overcome by large waves. She assisted his companions in pulling him in and began to perform CPR, even while the waves broke over them as they clung to the rocks, until firefighters and paramedics arrived. I later learned the man had died. But without her actions, I doubt he would have had any chance whatsoever. It is all too common these days to hear complaints about people's indifference to one another, yet here we have an example of a total stranger risking her own life to help a fellow human being. -- Joseph C. McLary
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
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