Question: I would like to send a card to President Obama at the White House. What address do I send it to? I would like to let him know how happy and proud we in Hawaii are of him, and how he is getting a good start in helping our country get back on track.

Answer: You can send a letter to President Obama at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20500.

You can also send an e-mail by going to the Web site for the White House - http://www.whitehouse.gov - and clicking on “;contact us.”;

The Web site cautions people about sending gifts or any other items, because “;they are often significantly delayed and can be irreparably harmed during the security screening process.”;

The public is asked not to send any items of personal importance, such as family photographs, because the items might not be returned.

People also are asked not to send food, flowers or other perishable items for security reasons.

“;While President Obama, the First Lady, Vice President Biden, and Dr. Biden appreciate your thoughtfulness, they request that instead you look to your local community for opportunities to assist your neighbors in need.”;

You can find all sorts of information on the White House Web site, from who's part of the president's Cabinet and staff, his schedule of events, his agenda and press briefings, to general information about the White House and U.S. government.

Q: In front of the Kahala Towers apartment building, 4300 Waialae Ave., is a yellow fire hydrant almost completely covered by green ground cover. Can you please notify the Fire Department?

A: The Honolulu Fire Department is not involved with the maintenance of fire hydrants.

We contacted the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, which is responsible for the hydrant itself but not with any landscaping around it.

A Board of Water Supply fire hydrant crew did cut back the plant covering the hydrant when it was sent to check.

But it took spokeswoman Su Shin some figurative legwork to find out who was responsible for the planting and maintenance.

It is not the Kahala Towers apartment owners association or the city, she said.

That area of Waialae Avenue, from about 17th Avenue to Kalanianaole Highway, is under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Transportation, which was notified about the maintenance issue.

If something was wrong or broken with the hydrant itself - “;purely from a hardware standpoint”; - then it would be the Board of Water Supply's responsibility, Shin said.

An official with the Department of Transportation said the maintenance contractor responsible for the area was made aware of the situation.

If you still have concerns about the plantings in that area, you can call the Department of Transportation's Highways Division hot line at 831-6714.