Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: As you come up Kamehameha Highway and turn right on Lanikuhana Street in Mililani, there are about nine trees on the right side with street lights above them. In the median strip, there are very large trees that umbrella over to the right side. We in Mililani have beautiful streets and lights, but the trees are blocking the lights for pedestrians who are jogging or walking, as well as for drivers. As you cross over Anania Drive, going up to Wal-Mart, there are more large trees, again blocking full use of the lights. The lights are there for the safety of drivers and pedestrians. Can you help get these trees cleared or pruned so the lights can shine through? Trees blocking street
lights to be prunedAnswer: The monkeypod, jacaranda, pink tacoma, etc., trees should be pruned by Friday, said George Souza of the city Department of Customer Services.
That "should open up safe visibility to walkers and joggers in the area," he said.
The job will be done by workers from the city Department of Parks and Recreation, which is responsible for maintaining the plantings along city streets.
Q: There was a big, inflated bottle, about 12-15 feet high, atop Foodland Market City. It was visible from the H-1 freeway, between the Kapiolani on-ramp and the 6th Avenue offramp. Was this legal? (Two complaints combined.)
A: According to Melvin Lee, chief of the city Building Division, the bottle is allowed as a special-event display, which requires no permit. However, such displays cannot be displayed for more than seven consecutive days and are limited to one event every six months.
Lee said the inflatable bottle would have been considered a "wind sign," which means it should not have exceeded 16 square feet in area or 16 feet in height.
Sandra Fong, vice president of Market City Shopping Center, said the inflatable bottle was to promote the opening of Richard Field Uncorked, a wine store within Foodland, on Aug. 28.
It was up for only a few days, she said.
According to the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, special-event signs "are to advertise an opening, occasion or particular event and not an establishment, service, price, product or commodity."
Both Fong and Lee said they did not receive any complaints about the bottle.
Auwe
To two Department of Agriculture inspectors at Honolulu Airport for their rude and sour attitude. My friend was returning to California, so had to have her bags inspected. We are two elderly haole women, so maybe they thought we were both tourists, although I've lived here for 28 years. But why would they treat tourists that way? I was appalled by the lack of aloha shown and was embarrassed for my friend. If they don't like their jobs, maybe they should get another one. -- N.B.
Mahalo
To the Honolulu Police Department and officers R. Kupau and Miranda, in particular, on behalf of Melissa Logan of Spring Lake Heights, N.J. Her purse was stolen from her car at Valley of the Temples. They conducted an investigation, dusted her car for fingerprints and made her feel like they really wanted to solve the case. She said that in New Jersey police might have just brushed her off. -- 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