Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: Who is responsible for monitoring tourist publication boxes? At the corner of Kalakaua and Ala Moana, in front of the Sizzler restaurant, nobody has put publications in some boxes for a while. Instead, people have been stuffing in trash. It's an eyesore. Waikiki publication
boxes trashedAnswer: The city Department of Customer Services (formerly the Office of Information and Complaint) assumed the responsibility a few weeks ago from the Department of Finance.
Georgina Yuen, the new deputy director, went the day after we passed on your complaint last week to assess the situation and personally cleaned out the trash. "I filled one complete garbage bag," she said.
It turns out the two wooden stands that had become trash containers did not have the required sidewalk use permits. The city will try to identify the owners of the boxes, Yuen said.
"We plan to check the newsstands that don't have permits and put some notification on (them) that a permit is required," she said.
A check over the past few weeks reveals that many stands, especially in residential areas and involving real estate publications, do not have permits, she said.
Yuen urges those publishers "to contact us and we'd be happy to mail them an application." After an application comes in, "it's referred to the police department for investigation as to whether there is a safety issue," she said. "It's basically safety issues that would preclude a person from getting a sidewalk use permit."
If a site is OK'd by police, then a permit is issued for $15 per stand per fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. Among other requirements, permittees must obtain public liability insurance and display a decal bearing a number and expiration date.
City ordinances are a bit different for stands along Kuhio and Kalakaua avenues in Waikiki, where a lottery system is in effect.
"There are so many spots for coin-operated stands and non-coin-operated ones, such as for tourist publications," Yuen explained.
If you have any complaints about such stands or want an application, call the Department of Customer Services, 523-4385.
Q: I couldn't find the number for Citizens Against Noise in the phone book, but you can get a number if you call ASK-2000. What's up with them?
A: We called the Big Island number - (808) 985-8861 - also given us by the ASK-2000 operator for Citizens Against Noise, but no one returned calls. News stories in recent years quoted representatives of CAN on the neighbor islands, usually in reference to aircraft noise.
The group apparently is not active on Oahu. If someone has any connection or information about CAN, call Kokua Line and we'll let our readers know what's happening.
Mahalo
To the person for the return of my city bus pass and driver's license, which I accidentally dropped. May God bless you and your famiy. - P.Y.
Mahalo
To five firefighters from the Kaneohe Fire Department who helped us on the freeway March 31, when our neighbor's pregnant daughter was having problems. They escorted us to Kaiser Moanalua, going out of their way to ensure our safety. Mahalo also to a very nice man in a pickup who tried to call police for us and tried to get cars out of the way.- No name
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com