Question: I can't help but wonder every time I see one of these Job Quest job fairs in the Star-Bulletin charging $3 admission. Who is profiting from this entrance fee and why charge the people who need a job and probably have very little money to pay a $3 fee to enter. If it is to use the Blaisdell Center, why not charge the employers looking to hire a larger registration fee to be there? Who is making money off the unemployed?

Answer: The admission charge covers rental of the Blaisdell Arena and general “;costs to put the event on,”; including marketing, said Beth Busch, president of Success Advertising Hawaii, organizer of the job fairs.

The rental cost depends on how many tables and chairs are rented, how many ushers are needed and how many tickets are used—“;It's always different,”; she said.

Busch pointed out the fee is only $1 for the military, seniors and students.

Despite that, “;we don't want anybody who can't afford to come to the job fair not to get in,”; she said, so passes are given to participants in such programs as Welfare to Work, the homeless, etc.

“;We try to be very community-service-oriented,”; she said. “;We provide free services for people that are trying to get work,”; referring to free seminars and career advice given once people enter the job fair.

Interpreter services, if needed, and handicap assistance also are provided at no charge, Busch said.

Regarding charging employers, she said the idea is to lure as many employers to the fairs as possible.

“;We try to keep the costs (for employers) really low so we'll have a lot of employers so the event is better for job-seekers,”; Busch said.

She said the job fairs for employers cost about half what it costs employers at mainland venues, according to figures she's seen.

The result, she said, is that there were 107 employers at the most recent fair at the Blaisdell last week, compared with “;maybe 30 employers”; at job fairs on the mainland.

“;That's how we get them there—we don't charge them an arm and a leg.”;

Plastic bags, anyone?

I just can't seem to toss more plastic than necessary in the trash. I have a bagful of plastic newspaper bags. Do doggie parks accept these bags or does anyone have a use for them?—No Name

Dog parks appreciate having extra bags available for park users, among them Moanalua Dog Park (www.moanaluadogpark.org) and Hawaii Kai Dog Park (www.hui-ilio.org/TheHawaiiKaiDogPark.php).

The Moanalua Web site notes that Moanalua is a city park, “;so poop bags are not supplied as they are at the privately run dog parks”; (the Hawaiian Humane Society's McInerny Park and the Bark Park in Kaimuki).

You can find a listing of the leashed-dog-friendly and off-leash dog parks on Oahu on the Hawaiian Humane Society Web site, www.hawaiianhumane.org/parks_beach.html.

Auwe

To the driver of the silver van who blasted through a solid red light at the intersection of Kalanianaole Highway and Kuliouou Road at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11. You could have caused a horrific accident or killed a pedestrian crossing the road.—No Name

Write to ”;Kokua Line”; at Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana, Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).