Question: Can you check into a problem I encountered when purchasing tickets for the Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College? I was told that, from now on, they will only accept charge cards, even if you go to the box office. You cannot pay in cash or by personal check anymore. This is not right. Secondly, not all of us have charge cards or use a charge card for such a small purchase.

Answer: Patrons can either pay by cash or credit card, and by check in certain circumstances, but it depends on where you buy your tickets.

There are two box offices, explained Tom Holowach, manager of Paliku Theatre.

During the week, tickets are sold on the theater's behalf at Windward Community College's Continuing Education Office.

That's because Paliku Theatre is basically a one-man band and there's no staff, except student hires on performance days, to handle ticket sales and telephones.

“;I'm the only person who works here,”; Holowach said.

Because of budget cuts and layoffs, Continuing Education officials decided a couple of months ago that they would not accept cash payments anymore, Holowach said. “;They just are overwhelmed as it is and they didn't want to do that kind of bookkeeping.”;

If you go to Paliku Theatre's box office on performance days, you can pay by cash or credit card, but not by personal check.

Holowach said it is standard procedure at most performing arts outlets to not accept personal checks. He makes an exception for large groups, such as schools, that pay in advance.

While the situation with two box offices is “;tough and not ideal,”; Holowach will be facing another problem soon.

After this year, the Continuing Education Office will no longer sell tickets for Paliku Theatre because of the budget crunch.

“;So I have to come up with a plan to sell tickets on our own starting the beginning of the year,”; Holowach said.

Question: Re Honolulu's cell phone driving ban: does this also apply to someone holding an MP3 music player?

Answer: If you're using it while driving, yes.

Find answers to this and other questions relating to the new Honolulu law banning use of hand-held “;mobile electric devices”; while driving on the Honolulu Police Department's Web site: http://hsblinks.com/v0.

Regarding devices such as iPods and MP3 players, HPD says it's a violation if a driver holds the device “;for whatever reason, i.e., changing playlists, adjusting the volume, changing photographs, and watching or shuffling a video.”;

Doing any of those things is considered a “;use”; under the Section 15-24.23 of the Revised Ordinances of Ho-nolulu.

A “;mobile electronic device”; is “;any hand-held or other portable electronic equipment capable of providing wireless and/or data communication between two or more persons or of providing amusement, including but not limited to a cellular phone, text messaging device, paging device, personal digital assistant, laptop computer, video game, or digital photographic device.”;

In an emergency, you may call 911 while driving.

However, you're not supposed to use a hand-held electronic device while stopped in traffic and you're not allowed to pull over to the shoulder of the H-1, H-2 or H-3 freeways to use a cell phone unless it is an emergency.

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