QUESTION: I was in Seattle for Thanksgiving and was to return home a couple of days later, when I thought I had lost my wallet, only to find it had been just misplaced. What happens if I actually lost my wallet or IDs a day or two before returning home? To change the scenario a bit, supposedly I was robbed and a police report filed. Would this help in getting me past TSA? I don’t think this has ever been brought up by TSA or any other traveler.

ANSWER: The Transportation Security Administration says it actually gets this question a lot and addresses it at www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/acceptable_documents.shtm.

"We understand that people lose identification on their trips and they could show up to the airport without their passport or other forms of substantiating their identification," said Nico Melendez, TSA public affairs manager for Hawaii, California and Arizona.

Basically, passengers would be asked to substantiate their identities "using the verbal process," meaning they would be asked questions.

As to the questions, "we will not go into the specific questions that could be asked because they change for everybody," Melendez said.

He said a passenger without an acceptable ID also could be subjected to additional screening at the checkpoint.

If the TSA cannot verify a passenger’s identity, he/she may not be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint or onto an airplane.

QUESTION: The police provide descriptions of wanted persons to TV and newspapers when asking for the public’s help in apprehending them. They provide all relevant facts: estimated height, weight, age, etc. except race. A TV anchor told me that with rare exceptions, police refuse to release this information. Why? Is this political correctness run amok?

ANSWER: The Honolulu Police Department says it does provide information on ethnicity, if known or provided.

"We release what a witness tells us," said HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu. "If it is an unknown suspect, we will give the ethnicity provided by the witness." If it’s a known suspect — someone who’s been "through the system" — HPD will rely on the ethnicity "self-reported" by that person, she said.

Yu noted that CrimeStoppers often includes ethnicity/race in a description of wanted suspects.

AUWE

To the lady who frequents the public Petrie Park near 21st Avenue in Kaimuki in the evenings with her six shaggy-hair toy dogs. You arrive in your SUV, and once parked, you open your doors to release your dogs to defecate and urinate wherever they please. They’re not on leashes, like they should be, and they always run around without any supervision. They’re friendly and often approach strangers to jump on their legs. I love dogs so that doesn’t bother me, but my problem is the fact that you are not monitoring all the fecal piles, and when people walk or play on the grass, it is very unsanitary! I have talked to you once about this in a friendly manner, but with an expletive you brushed me off. I have called the police once, but you left with your dogs before they arrived. Please have a heart and limit the number of dogs you bring to Petrie Park because you cannot control all of them. There is both a leash law and a litter law! — Friends of Petrie Park