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Phone numbers
you might find useful

IT'S BEEN A WHILE since we've updated our listing of useful telephone numbers. Some numbers have changed, as have readers' concerns. So, throw out the old and keep this list for ready reference, based on our most frequent questions and complaints:

Abandoned vehicles: Call the city, 733-2530. Officials say, however, that many complaints about "abandoned" vehicles turn out to be parking problems.

Aircraft nuisance: For civilian aircraft, call the state, 888-697-7813. For military: If branch is unknown, call U.S. Pacific Command, 477-6282. Call the Federal Aviation Administration, 837-8300, for safety complaints about low-flying aircraft.

Animal nuisance: For noisy roosters or vicious dogs, call police at 911. For barking dogs, or lost or found animals, call the Hawaiian Humane Society, 946-2187.

Better Business Bureau of Hawaii: For the latest scams, to check a company or charity's record or to file complaints, call 536-6956 or go to www.hawaii.bbb.org.

Book/magazine donations: Call Friends of the Library of Hawaii, 536-4174, e-mail booksale@flhawaii.org or check with your local library or school.

Cell phone recycling: Sprint Project Connect accepts used cell phones for recycling or resale, with proceeds benefiting people with disabilities. Drop off at local Sprint Stores. For more information, go to a Sprint Store or online at www.sprint.com/community/communities_across/spc.html. Drop off old cell phones (or rechargeable batteries) at any Home Depot or Radio Shack store on Oahu, as part of a recycling program sponsored by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp.

Christmas cards: Used Christmas cards may be sent to Merlinda Oania at 98-596 Kaimu Loop, Aiea, HI 96701 (phone 486-0236). Her students at Waipahu Intermediate School make picture books for delivery at Christmas to hospitalized children.

Damage on roads: On state freeways and roads, call the state Highways Division's Oahu District Office, 831-6703, for a claim form. On city roads, contact the city Corporation Counsel's Office at 523-4639 for a form.

Computer donations: Hawaii Computer for Kids puts computers in K-12 public and private school classrooms and nonprofits statewide. Call Computer-Aided Technologies International at 521-2259 or e-mail cfk@catii.com; or contact any member of the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Honolulu.

Computer reuse/recycling: The City and County of Honolulu helps sponsor a drop-off event for usable, broken or outdated computers twice a year in partnership with CompUSA (Ala Moana). Dates will be announced or check opala.org/news.html.

Computer disposal: Drop off at Island Recycling, 1803 Dillingham Blvd. (call 845-1188).

Consumer protection: For consumer-related complaints and questions, call the state Office of Consumer Protection at 587-3222.

Credit ratings: For copies of credit reports from the three major credit reporting agencies, call 877-322-8228 or order online at www.annualcreditreport.com.

Donations to nonprofits: Check the Web site www.VolunteerHawaii.org and click on "Gift Match" to find out what's needed or to list what you want to give; or check the city Web site www.opala.org/recycling_at_home/reuse_organizations.html for a listing of organizations and their needs.

Environmental concern line (city): Call 692-5656 to report illegal dumping or non-point source pollution; volunteer for environmental projects; or to get information on recycling, household hazardous wastes, bulky-item pickups, etc.

Eyeglass/hearing aid donations: Call District 50 (Hawaii) of Lions Club International, 531-2714, to find drop-off points for used glasses. Used hearing aids can be taken to the District 50 office -- Suite 401, 677 Ala Moana (the old Gold Bond Building) -- 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

Graffiti hot lines: Call the city at 527-5180 or HPD at 529-3222.

Health/Human Service Agencies: For information and referral to health and human service organizations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call 211 statewide, maintained by Aloha United Way.

Junk mail: Send a letter or postcard with name, home address and signature to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512; or register online -- www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist -- for a $5 fee. Also, call 888-567-8688 toll-free to "opt out" of all pre-approved credit offers, or contact the major credit reporting companies: Equifax Inc., Options, P.O. Box 740123, Atlanta, GA 30374-0123; Experian, Consumer Opt-Out, 701 Experian Parkway, Allen, TX 75013; and Trans Union Name Removal Option, P.O. Box 97328, Jackson, MS 39288-7328.

Landlord-tenant problems: Call the Landlord-Tenant Code hot line, 586-2634, 8 a.m.-noon weekdays, or hear recorded messages at 587-1234.

"Live Aloha" bumper stickers: Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to Live Aloha, 165 Waokanaka Place, Honolulu 96817. No charge, but donations welcomed.

Noise complaints: Call police at 911 or the Health Department's noise and radiation branch at 586-4700.

Overgrown trees: On city roadways, call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 971-7151 or the Department of Customer Services at 523-4381. On state roads, call the Department of Transportation at 831-6703.

Potholes: On state roads, call 536-7852; city, 527-6006.

Recycling: Call 527-5335 or check www.opala.org for locations of community recycling bins and other information.

Recycling/redemption program: Direct questions and complaints to the state Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch at 586-4226.

Sidewalk, overgrown lots, other housing code violations: Call the city at 527-6308.

Smoking: For information about the state's no-smoking laws, call the state Tobacco Prevention and Education Project at 586-4613.

State ID card: To obtain or renew a card, call 587-3111.

Street light outages: City streets, call 564-6113; state, leave a message at 831-6714 at any hour. Be specific on location.

Telemarketing calls: To stop nuisance calls, call 888-382-1222 -- or 866-290-4236 for the hearing-impaired -- to sign up with the Federal Communications Commission's Do Not Call Registry; or register online by going to www.fcc.gov/cgb/donotcall.

Water Waste Hot Line: To report water waste by an individual, business or government agency, call the Board of Water Supply at 748-5041.

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