QUESTION: Since you wrote about the Aiea Medical Building parking lot on March 27, 2008, the parking lot is still the same. It’s been sitting idle for years. The vacant lot is full of graffiti, and there is machinery all over the place. Residents, neighbors and patients are wondering what’s happening. Also, they have planted shower trees that are unkempt, with leaves and flowers just blowing into the street and neighbors’ yards. Also, the grass along the sidewalk on Heleconia Place is overgrown; they don’t maintain it. Can you find out what is happening with the lot?

ANSWER: You should be seeing work restarting on the lot this week, but we don’t know exactly when it will be opened.

The property manager said construction was supposed to begin again on Monday, but deferred questions to the owner because the lot hasn’t been turned over to the management company, Wagner Hawaii Inc., yet.

We did not get a call back from the owner, Katsumi Kazama Family Partners.

The city Department of Planning and Permitting has given the building owner all the permits needed to construct the lot.

But "like the area residents, we, too, are awaiting completion and opening of the off-site parking lot for the Aiea Medical Building," said David Tanoue, director of the Department of Planning and Permitting.

As we reported in 2008, the lot was constructed without the proper permits.

"The owner was required to obtain an after-the-fact conditional use permit, as well as the necessary building and grading permits," Tanoue said.

The building permit was issued last October.

Changes relating to landscaping and fencing had to be made to comply with parking lot standards in the city Land Use Ordinance, "which the owner is in the process of completing," Tanoue said.

Building permits generally have an expiration date of three years.

Regarding a lack of maintenance, "the parking lot is the owner’s responsibility to maintain," Tanoue said. "We do not regulate graffiti."

However, he said he expects that the lot will be cleaned up once construction is completed.

QUESTION: We found a piece of jewelry at the beach. Where can we report it found? We don’t want to post it in the newspaper or even Craigslist and deal with false claims. I couldn’t find a phone number or contact information.

ANSWER: You can turn in found money or items to the Honolulu Police Department.

Just go to any police station, where a "lost property report" can be made. The jewelry would then be kept in the evidence room at the main police station at 801 S. Beretania St.

Under Hawaii law, if found money or property is not claimed within 45 days, the finder can lay claim to it.

MAHALO

To the staff at Leahi Swim School in Manoa for their aid after our 2-year-old daughter tripped and fell July 4 on her way to watch her older sister’s swimming lesson. One young female staff member, in particular, was very helpful in calming our daughter, cleaning her small cut, applying an ice pack to the bump and providing a Band-Aid. She also advised my wife to watch out for signs of a concussion. Fortunately, after being checked by our doctor, our daughter was fine. In all of the excitement, my wife forgot to get the young lady’s name. We want to thank her for her kindness and concern.—David/Kaimuki