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Kokua Line
Question: Last year, I was offered a job as a painter at Pearl Harbor. In November, I went to an interview, bringing along forms, including a security form, that were also filled out to the best of my knowledge. In the weeks that followed, I took a physical (nothing major wrong with my health) and also provided more information for the security form. Here it is the end of April and still no job. When I called, I'm told they are still investigating information on the form. How long does it take to do a security check? In April 1998, when I went to work in Kwajalein, the check took only a week and I wound up working there two weeks after applying for the job! Navy security clearance
can take monthsAnswer: In some cases, it may take up to eight months to obtain clearance, a spokeswoman said.
Once someone is selected for a position, several factors may affect how long it will be before a final offer is made and the employee reports to work, said Agnes Tauyan, spokeswoman for the Navy Region Hawaii at Pearl Harbor.
In many cases, employees report to work two to four weeks after being notified. However, medical and security clearances may significantly extend that time, Tauyan said.
For positions requiring security clearances, the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of the Navy's Central Adjudication Facility must review an "Applicant's Questionnaire for National Security Positions."
If results of a security investigation contain "questionable information, the decision for security clearance may be delayed," Tauyan said. In these cases, security clearances can take six to eight months to process.
Q: What is the correct procedure if you should have a problem with your car and have to stop on the freeway? Do you call your own tow company or do police call who they want to?
A: You call whatever tow company you want to, said Honolulu police Capt. Bryan Wauke, of the Traffic Division. He noted that many people have AAA membership, for example.
The city does have contracts with tow companies, so if you want, police can call one of those companies, Wauke said. Again, it would be your decision.
"The only time we would tow is if no one was around and it's a traffic hazard," Wauke said.
Auwe
Why did they remove the benches from Ala Moana Center? We are senior citizens who liked to sit down and enjoy watching people, then do more shopping. Now, we are unable to stay there at all -- just buy what we have to and leave. It's such an unfriendly place now. -- No name
Mahalo
Tickets went on sale the weekend of May 20 at the Blaisdell Center for the Judds performance at the Waikiki Shell and we two senior citizens queued up outside the ticket office. After standing about 30 minutes, my friend sat down on the cold concrete. About that time, a very kind lady from Kailua by the name of Joyce Herceg and her granddaughter, Nicole, joined us in line. Wisely, they had brought two folding chairs. Noticing how tired we were, they insisted we use their chairs while we waited. Almost two hours later, we approached the ticket window. Joyce and Nicole wouldn't even let us help them return their chairs to their car. We were privileged to spend almost two hours talking story with these wonderful ladies, while at the same time enjoying their hospitality, thoughtfulness AND their chairs. Lucky we live Hawaii! --Jeanne Ferguson and Dorothy Steele
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