Park’s grass pays price for lack of groundskeeper

QUESTION: I’ve been going to Koko Head District Park for 12 years, and the grass there has always been lush and often overgrown. Recently I’ve noticed that it’s completely dead. It seems as if someone has turned off the sprinkler system and is relying on Mother Nature to do the watering for them. Has the city stopped watering the park because of budget problems? Is anything going to be done any time soon to restore the grass?

ANSWER: The manual watering was stopped because the Department of Parks and Recreation is short-staffed.

But it hopes to get a new groundskeeper soon “who will assist with getting our grass back in good shape,” said Todd Hira­naga, manager of the department’s East Honolulu district.

That area does not have an automated irrigation system, so in the past, staff manually irrigated the area using “quick couplers,” he said. Quick couplers are irrigation attachments that need to be placed manually into the ground.

“They are left out for specific periods of time while the groundskeeper performs other duties,” Hira­naga said. “Unfortunately, due to being short-staffed, we could not just leave the quick couplers out unattended” because of thefts. Each coupler costs $90.

Hiranaga says the Parks Department would welcome help from the public.

“We are always looking for volunteers who can assist with this type of work,” he said. Anyone willing to volunteer should call him at 373-8013.

QUESTION:  Are you aware of any scheduled computer recycling events in Hono­lulu? We have a couple of old ones at home so are asking in order to be “green.” Or is it permissible to just toss them out with the trash?

ANSWER: The Going Green organization plans to have a community recycling event, where computers and other electronics can be dropped off, at Kapo­lei High School on Dec. 1. Contact Rene Man­sho at 291-6151 or rene­mansho@hawaii.rr.com for details.

The best source to find all the different options for recycling or donating electronics is the city Department of Environmental Services’ website, www.opala.org/solid_waste/eWaste.html.

Electronics from individual homeowners can be placed with the regular trash or for bulky-item pickup, according to Environmental Services, but it encourages people to recycle instead.

MAHALO

To a kind gentleman who helped me on Wednesday, Oct. 10, when I was hit by an oncoming vehicle as I was getting into my car on Kamehameha Highway near Heeia Kea Harbor. He moved me to a safer spot, called the police and ambulance, and I believe he even called my home. He stayed with me until I was safe, then quietly slipped away before I could thank him. I was quite disoriented and do not know how I would have managed without his calm intervention. I am forever grateful to this wonderful man. — Jackie Graessle

MAHALO

To all those who helped after two of our football players were injured during the University of Hawaii/University of New Mexico football game at Aloha Stadium. First, the UH athletic training staff acted in a professional manner in assisting and securing transport for our athletes to Straub Hospital. The crew that transported our athletes and the staff at Straub took great care of all of us. Straub staff contacted VASH (Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii), which was able to secure rooms for us at the Wakiki Beach Marriott. The manager there, Ryan, made sure that everything was ready for us when we arrived at the hotel. The concierge the next morning assisted us in getting flights back to Albuquerque. We were contacted by members of VASH and hotel staff about the welfare of the athletes and myself. May God bless you all. — David Binder, UNM head athletics trainer football

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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.