Question: On Sunday, Jan. 12, at about 8 p.m., a fire-truck and another emergency vehicle with sirens on drove up Ainapo Street to Hahaione Park and were there for a considerable time. Three searchlights scanned most of the park, and then a helicopter flew in and scanned the ridge for quite a while, then made two or three round trips from the ridge to the park before flying off in the direction of Honolulu. The following morning, we saw a Hawaiian flag at approximately where the helicopter made its pickup the night before. I have Googled and searched the Honolulu Star-Advertiser to no avail to find out if there’s any connection between the event and the flag. Can you provide an answer?
Answer: It’s doubtful that the two are connected.
In fact, there were three flags along that ridgeline captured — visually, that is — by a Star-Advertiser photographer last week: an American flag on one pole and a Hawaiian flag topped by a Denver Broncos banner on another pole.
The property belongs to Kamehameha Schools and is not open to the public, said spokesman Kekoa Paulsen.
"We do not have any information about who might have placed (the flags) there or why," he said.
However, the flags "do not appear to be presenting any immediate hazard or threat to people or property, so their removal will probably occur as part of our next stewardship inspection in that area,"Paulsen said.
The Jan. 12 rescue involved a lost female hiker and her dog from a trail that begins behind Kaalakei Street in Hawaii Kai, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Terry Seelig.
HFD was dispatched at 8:11 p.m. and used Hahaione Neighborhood Park as a helicopter landing zone.
HFD’s Air 1 made at least three flights between the landing zone and the hiker, who was located safe and uninjured about a mile from the trail head at about the 600-foot elevation, Seelig said.
"The HFD personnel involved in the rescue said that they did not see a Hawaiian flag on the ridge, and there was no mention of a flag from the woman they rescued," he said. "It appears very unlikely that the flag has anything to do with this rescue."
Question: Almost every week there either is a left-on watering system or a malfunctioning system on Kalanianaole Highway fronting Bay Street near Hawaii Kai. It stays on for days, and it’s not at a trickle, but a healthy shower, flooding the road. Who can I report this to?
Answer: Call the Honolulu Board of Water Supply’s Water Waste Hotline at 748-5041.
The BWS says it needs to have the location, with an address or nearest address, if possible; the type of water waste occurring; and any additional information.
The board’s website has phone numbers for federal, state and city agencies to contact directly. Go to hbws.org and click on "conservation," then "water waste hotline."
Mahalo
To a kind young man. On Dec. 31, at Gulick Delicatessen on King Street, as I was ready to pay for my purchase, the cashier said, "It’s already paid for." All this young man said when I asked him his name was "Blane." How thoughtful of a very young man. — Forever Grateful Senior Citizen
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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.
