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Kokua Line June Watanabe |
Call police to dispose
of old fireworksQuestion: What is the correct way of disposing of unused sparklers, morning glories, etc. Should we just soak them in water, then throw them into the trash?
Q: How do I get rid of my unwanted small-caliber ammunition?
Answer: In both cases, call the Honolulu Police Department at 911 and an officer will be sent to "assess the situation" and advise you on disposal, said department spokeswoman Michelle Yu.
This holds for any kind of unused fireworks, gun powder, bullets, explosives, etc.
Q: There is a public safety issue on Vineyard Boulevard, between the Pali Highway and Nuuanu Avenue. The median strip is planted with Oleander bushes surrounding a chain-link fence, which people have broken down and cut open. They're crossing in the middle of the intersection, coming out right into Vineyard Boulevard. It is quite hazardous because people just pop out from the bushes -- you can't see them until they're right in front of your car. It scared me because I almost hit one of those people. But sooner or later someone's going to get hit or there will be an accident. The hole in the fence is about eight feet past the 30 mph sign when you're going Ewa on Vineyard.
A: We passed your complaint on to the state Department of Transportation.
Unfortunately, this is a recurring problem.
Three years ago, we had a similar complaint about the chain-link fence being torn open on Vineyard Boulevard and jaywalkers posing a safety problem.
In response to your complaint, the department issued a work order to repair the fence, said spokesman Scott Ishikawa.
He said the fence gets cut regularly. It was repaired "a couple of times," as recently as six months ago, he said.
Call the Highways Division hotline, 831-6714, to report any future damage.
In 2000, the DOT said the fence had been reinforced with cross bars, but apparently that was not enough to stop the vandals. There was a suggestion that landscaping be put in to further discourage jaywalking, but the DOT said it was almost certain that the landscaping also would be damaged.
The advice given then was to call police whenever someone is spotted cutting the fence.
Mahalo
To a young man from the Iglesia Ni Cristo church who has got the Good Samaritan story down pat. In the driving rain on Saturday, Nov. 29, as I headed up Likelike Highway, my windshield wiper stopped working and slid off the car as I turned off on Valley View Road, the last exit before the long haul to the tunnel. I parked, retrieved it and walked across to the church to ask some young men there whether anyone had a screwdriver to help me. One guy had tools in his car, had me drive into the church parking lot and worked on the dang thing for quite a while. A spring had come undone. He got drenched, despite the umbrella I held over him. He wouldn't tell me his name. All he said was that he is in the Air Force. -- Mary Adamski
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Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
E-mail to kokualine@starbulletin.com