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Kokua Line
Question: There is a derelict car left parked in a stall at the interisland terminal at Honolulu Airport. I use the terminal frequently so I have kept track of the vehicle. Its tires have all gone flat over the months and its covered with dust. I can't imagine that airport security isn't aware of this vehicle. It is parked on level 5, Diamond Head side of the terminal by the outer rail. Abandoned terminal
car was notedAnswer: The vehicle was towed Aug. 3. The reason it is was there longer than usual was because the company contracted by the airports division was on vacation, said Marilyn Kali, state Transportation Department spokeswoman. A vehicle is only towed after the state informs the registered owner by letter that it will be auctioned off if the owner does not remove the vehicle in 30 days.
Generally speaking, Kali said, the state checks the status of any vehicle left in the airport parking garage after it has been there for more than two weeks. "We check first to see if it was stolen," Kali said. "If it wasn't, then the state impounds it and sends the registered owner a letter."
Anyone planning to leave their car in the airport parking garage should make arrangements ahead of time with the parking contractor.
Q: The U.S. Mint has issued a new gold dollar coin and we are urged to use it. I wrote the Mint to advise them we could not find them here and was advised they have ample supplies through the Federal Reserve System and all the banks have to do is to order them. I checked with the main branches of three of our major banks. One has them, you can obtain two coins only; the other two banks do not have any.
The reason they don't bring it in -- their cost to ship the coins in is more than the cost of bringing bills in. One, I wonder if they have compared the cost in the long run if they don't have to bring so many bills in due to the long life of the coin, and wouldn't it be less time consuming for them to count coins than bills? And two, shouldn't they support our government's goal of reducing overall cost to the mint?
A: Two of Hawaii's major financial institutions don't plan to carry any, but First Hawaiian said there are amply supplies on hand.
Carol Tang, Bank of Hawaii spokeswoman, said the reason her bank doesn't have any is because "people tend to hoard these type of coins and the coins don't end up in circulation.
"It's also relatively expensive to bring in coins when compared to paper currency. This is because they are heavier than paper. However, in the future if we find the coins are in circulation, we may reconsider."
Kim Yatomi, American Savings Bank spokeswoman, said no new orders have been placed for another shipment at American Savings. "We used up what we had and we haven't made any new orders," she said. This is because there
hasn't been a demand for the dollar coins, she added.
Lisa Halverson, spokeswoman with First Hawaiian Bank, said all of First Hawaiian branches have an ample inventory and there are no limits.
Auwe!!!
To the father of the family who left the door of their white Durango truck open in the parking lot of the Koolau 10-plex theater at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 8. My husband noticed the door open with no one inside and went to find the family. When the man came back to close the door not only was there no mahalo or shaka sign, but he gave us the stink eye. I guess he would would have rather it had been left open. Is that what is happening to our aloha spirit? -- Unsigned letter
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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