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Kokua Line
Question: On a recent trip to Hawaii, I had lunch at the Ala Moana Center. I was surprised not to find any recycling bins in the food court. With all the juice and soda cans sold there, why don't they have any bins? I know I would have used them had there been any and I am sure other people feel the same. No need for recycling
bins at Ala MoanaAnswer: There is no need to separate the cans -- steel or aluminum -- because they are "captured" at the city's HPOWER (Honolulu Program of Waste Energy Recovery) plant and recycled, a city recycling spokesman said.
As Kokua Line noted previously, the plant has a magnet that first pulls out ferrous material from the trash. After the trash is burned, nonferrous -- aluminum -- materials are separated.
The city then sells all the metal to recyclers.
Q: When you enter the parking lot of the downtown post office at the Diamond Head end, there are signs against the curb, under the trees, telling drivers not to park there because cars are backing up. But the signs are facing 90 degrees makai, when they should be facing the entrance so that they are noticeable to drivers. Also, when you're going out the exit at the Ewa end, people are coming in there also. The sign there needs to be fixed. Maybe they should put a big arrow showing it's an exit only.
A: The lot belongs to the city, but postal officials agree there's been a problem with motorists disregarding the signs.
Not only do some drivers go in through the exit, they also approach the entrance from Mililani Street, going against the one-way flow of Merchant Street.
Larry Leopardi, head of the city Road Maintenance Division, also agrees there is a problem.
His division is responsible for installing city signs and doing road striping. But if changes in signs are required, the city Department of Transportation Services gets involved, he said.
Leopardi said he's referred your complaint to transportation engineers for review and possible changes.
Auwe
To the guy in a blue Camaro who almost hit me as we drove toward Red Hill on Moanalua Highway, at Moanalua Gardens, about 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. He forced me to swerve, almost hitting the medial strip. But mahalo to everyone who stopped to help us. I was shaking so much and didn't get their names, except for a woman named Monique. One man jumped out of his car and stopped three lanes of traffic so I could get out of the way. Another couple also stopped and came out to help. Thank you all so much for helping. -- Sheilah
Mahalo
To Mrs. Gail Mukaihata Hannemann for helping my grandson at the University of Hawaii-Portland State football game. She noticed that he was lost and escorted him to the information window. We were relieved to find him. She is truly a warm and caring person -- Grateful Grandmother
Auwe
To people who let their dogs loose every morning to do their "business" in other people's yards. How convenient it must be for you to not have to clean up their mess. You still continue to let them run loose regardless of the many warnings you received from the Humane Society. -- No Name
Mahalo
To the kind gentleman who paid for my lunch and disappeared before I could thank him properly. -- Senior Citizen (Fort Street Mall)
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