QUESTION: Regarding the dangers of crossing Pali Highway: Can we catch the bus traveling mauka and remain on the bus as it heads toward town without paying an additional fare?

ANSWER: Yes, if you are traveling on Route 4 in the Nuuanu Pali area.

In most cases, cash fares are for one-way trips in one direction only, said Michelle Kennedy, spokeswoman for Oahu Transit Services, which operates the city buses.

However, an exception is made for Route 4 riders

because of safety concerns related to the dangerous highway.

“;Riders needing to de-board on the Ewa side of the Pali Highway may continue beyond the terminus (at Mamalahoa and Old Pali Road) and de-board in the eastbound direction,”; Kennedy said. “;Riders traveling on to the downtown area may also board on the Diamond Head side of the Pali Highway on the westbound trip and continue in the eastbound direction.”;

However, Kennedy warned that riders should be aware that some Route 4 trips end at the Old Pali Road terminus, and riders will not be able to continue on.

Riders should check with the driver whether the bus will be continuing on to its eastbound trip, she said.

“;If the Route 4 (bus) is not continuing on to the Ewa side of the Pali, we suggest that the riders utilize the signalized crosswalks to traverse Pali Highway,”; Kennedy said.

QUESTION: I read the question about disposing of plastic newspaper bags (see hsblinks.com/1rk). Aren't they collected in recycling bins at different supermarkets?

ANSWER: Yes.

In addition to donating them to dog parks, a “;Kokua Line”; reader pointed us to the Web site http://www.plasticbagrecycling.org, which she found on one of the Star-Bulletin's delivery bags.

“;At the site, I found that plastic bags that are typically recycled into recycled plastic products include plastic newspaper bags (such as Star-Bulletin's), grocery bags, retail bags (hard plastic/string handles removed), paper towel/toilet paper plastic wrap, plastic dry cleaning bags and all clean, clear bags labeled No. 2 or No. 4,”; she said.

Consumers are advised to check with the stores directly to find out exactly what types of bags they accept. Not all types of recyclable bags are accepted.

Only Safeway Stores and Walmart are listed among the Hawaii stores that accept plastic bags on the Web site, but that's because it relies on companies and local jurisdictions to supply the information.

As we reported earlier, Foodland and Times also

offer recycling bins for plastic bags (see hsblinks.com/1s2).

No plastic bags are accepted by the city in either

residential or community recycling bins (see hsblinks.com/1s1) because of the difficulty in differentiating acceptable bags from the nonrecyclable ones.

QUESTION: Can you tell us again who we can write to get rid of junk mail? All of a sudden I've got a whole bunch of junk mail coming in.

ANSWER: Here's the main source to write to: Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512.

However, the U.S. Postal Service advises contacting mailers directly and ask that your name be taken off their lists. See hsblinks.com/1s7.

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