Question: When I went to Honolulu Hale with a friend who is a missionary to Uganda, we looked for the manger scene and could not find one. We finally found a few displays with legal disclaimers saying the city did not pay for them. They were the only displays mentioning the reason for the season, which is Christ Jesus. How can I designate my tax money to support these displays, not the ones that don’t honor the real reason we celebrate?
Answer: Taxpayer money doesn’t go for any religious display.
The five private displays set up every year as part of the Honolulu City Lights festivities are paid for by nonprofit groups, and it’s the luck of the draw who gets a space.
A lottery system was devised in 1998, after someone complained about a Nativity scene set up by the city as part of the holiday festivities.
Qualified nonprofit groups, religious or nonreligious, can apply for one of five display spots each year.
This year, 10 groups applied and the following five were picked: Boy Scouts of America, The Prayer Center of the Pacific, Blue Planet Foundation, Calvary Chapel West Oahu and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.
This is the process of selection, as explained by Gail Haraguchi, director of the city Department of Customer Services: A press release seeking applicants is issued the last week in July each year. Applications must be received by the last Friday in August, and the lottery is held the second Monday in September.
Question: What is the process for requesting the installation of an audible street signal? Each week I see an older, visually impaired gentleman with a walking stick making his way to the local grocery store, crossing several busy intersections. I saw him waiting much longer than was necessary at one. What can be done for him?
Answer: The easiest way is to contact the city Customer Services Department, by emailing complaints@honolulu.gov or calling 768-4381.
That way, the "issue is tracked from receipt to conclusion, insuring that it will not fall through the cracks," said Wayne Yoshioka, director of the city Department of Transportation Services.
Provide your contact information in case there are questions.
Once the matter is referred to Transportation Services, the Traffic Signal and Technology Division will review the situation, conduct analyses if necessary and determine the course of action, Yoshioka said.
"There are more requests for audible signals than we are able to accommodate immediately," so requests are prioritized, he said.
Mahalo
To three Pearl Harbor military and civilian personnel — SFC Jaime Carvajal, LS2 Brandon Goode and Michael Courto — who took it upon themselves to clean a community eyesore alongside Bougainville Drive after a homeless man left behind a large pile of trash. One of the three drove by the site every day on his way to work and wondered when someone would clean it. After more than a month went by, he realized the "someone" would have to be him. The three fellows tackled the cleanup on a Saturday in October, even securing a truck to haul away all the rubbish. — Thankful Community Member
Auwe
To the person who stole my daughter’s iPhone 4S at Times Supermarket in the Aiea Shopping Center the night before Thanksgiving. It was a gift for her 21st birthday, and she had it for only eight days. — L. Garcia, Aiea
Mahalo
To the young boy who stopped to ask if I was all right, and also to the two city sewers division guys for stopping their truck when I fell near Castle High School. They even offered the use of their cellphone. In my haste to get home, I didn’t even ask for their names. It’s good to know there are still caring people out there. — K. Wong
NOTE: Kokua Line will be on vacation until January.
Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
