Question: We stood in line for 35 minutes to purchase tickets to the St. Louis-Kahuku game on Saturday, Aug. 17. Why can’t they offer online ticket sales or at least open another ticket office for big games?
Answer: Aloha Stadium officials said they understand the frustration of fans and are working with OIA and ILH officials to try to prevent “these types of challenges” in the future.
The long lines, causing Kahuku fans especially to miss part of the game, were mentioned by Star-Advertiser sports columnist Dave Reardon in his Aug. 19 column, as well as on talk radio.
“First and foremost we would like to apologize to our guests that evening for the inconvenience caused by the long lines at our main box office,” stadium officials said in an email.
However, although some people complained that only two ticket windows were open, they said that at all times, there was a minimum of four ticket windows open. A fifth was opened when “the rush came.”
This is the explanation they gave of the situation:
The game was staffed based on past attendance figures at the football games, which were between 3,900 and 5,400 over the past four years.
The decision included the fact that both leagues “match up two big teams to kick off the season in each of those last four years.” On Aug. 17, however, attendance was upward of 7,000.
Basically, the stadium decides on the number of ticket windows to open for any given event based on expected attendance, then confers with its “client,” including on costs.
The stadium worked with the OIA and ILH, its client for that event, “to minimize expenses but service the guests at the same time,” the officials said.
Meanwhile, traffic was congested on the windward side that day because of an event at Kualoa Ranch, delaying those coming from the North Shore. (That traffic jam will be addressed in an upcoming Kokua Line.)
The main box office opened at 3 p.m., selling “minimal tickets” until the rush of people arrived around 6:10 p.m. Because of the large volume, the fifth ticket window was opened “after proper staffing” became available.
However, in the midst of the rush, around 6:20 p.m., the ticketing system went down for about five minutes, forcing staff to sell tickets manually.
As for online ticketing, that would be need to be worked out with the leagues because there are other costs involved, stadium officials said. “However, we will continue to explore creative options.”
Question: A recent house guest needed to visit an urgent care facility. While she was happy with the service, she was surprised that the facility did not seem too clean. For example, the examining table’s cover was torn with the padding showing! Is there someone who monitors this facility for cleanliness/sanitation, etc.?
Answer: No, because they are not licensed by the state.
“Urgent care clinics are essentially physicians’ offices with expanded hours or with other treatment capabilities within the scope of the physician’s license,” explained Janice Okubo, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health.
Physicians’ offices or clinics such as the facility your friend visited are not required to be licensed in the same way as an emergency department in a health care facility, unless the clinic provides X-ray or imaging services or clinical laboratory services, she said.
The Department of Health licenses health care facilities, clinical laboratory services and X-ray equipment, while the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs licenses physicians.
MAHALO
To nurses Kevin and Dwayne of Kaiser’s Moanalua Medical Center. They were very caring, compassionate and provided excellent care for my brother Wilfred, who was in ICU for eight days. We need more nurses like you two who love your job and put your hearts and souls into it. — Burns Ohana/Hilo
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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.
