Question: Another year has passed, and the parking lot at the Shell is still under construction. The Wildest Show in Town events at the Honolulu Zoo began June 11 and the parking space is sorely needed. The lot was under construction during the Wildest Show in 2013. What’s going on? A year to resurface a parking lot in a warm climate seems excessive. One might even say inefficient.
Answer: The $3.2 million project, which began in February 2013, is mostly completed, but the parking lot will remain closed for most of the summer.
The lot has been repaved and the stalls striped, and the contractor is finishing landscaping in the surrounding planting areas, said Mark Yonamine, acting director of the city Department of Design and Construction.
However, that will be followed by a landscape maintenance period to allow for the plantings to get established, he said.
The parking lot is set to open to the public before the 31st Annual Okinawan Festival, scheduled Aug. 30-31 at Kapiolani Park.
In October, we were told the project was taking so long because it not only involved repaving, but also meeting standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act in pedestrian areas; enlarging "islands" in the lot to accommodate mature tree growth; and adding "Low Impact Development" features to utilize storm water — diverting it away from storm drains into holding areas or green spaces for natural seepage into the ground.
The contractor also was required to stop work for pre-scheduled, large park events, such as the Honolulu Marathon.
As to the $64,000 question about whether parking will continue to be free once the lot reopens: for now, the answer is yes.
"The discussion of metered parking, parking fees or similar (fees) has been ongoing for years and until a decision is made, parking at the Waikiki Shell will continue to be free to the public," said Michele Nekota, director of the city Department of Parks and Recreation.
Question: Are parents who leave their children unattended in cars charged with a crime, such as child endangerment?
Answer: In Hawaii, they can be charged with a violation, not a "crime," with a fine as punishment.
Since 2009, 63 people have been charged under Section 291C-121.5 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle" (or its equivalent Session Law of Hawaii 2008, Act 170, Section 2), according to statistics provided by the Hawaii State Judiciary.
Forty-nine cases were on Oahu (three dismissed, the rest in favor of the state), seven on Maui, five on Kauai (two dismissed), and two on Hawaii island (one dismissed). Fines can range from $200 for a first-time offense to $500 for three or more violations within a year of the first. On top of any fine, there is a $30 administrative fee, plus a $7 driver’s education fee.
A person, either the driver or adult passenger, can be charged if they leave the vehicle for five or more minutes, regardless if they are responsible for the care or custody of the child left in the vehicle.
A child in this situation is someone under age 9. "Unattended" means leaving a child either alone in a motor vehicle OR alone with a minor under age 12.
Mahalo
On Memorial Day weekend, my daughter went to place flowers on the gravesite of my parents
at the National Memorial Cemetery, Punchbowl, and could not free the bronze vase, which was stuck in its casing in the ground. So she left the flowers on the ground. When my husband and I found out, he called the cemetery office to see if they could help. Larry (last name unknown) took my parents’ names and said he would look up their location so they could fix the problem. In about an hour, he called back to inform us that the vase had been freed and the flowers put in place. With all the activities planned for Memorial Day, we know how hectic it was for all the workers at the site. Aloha to Larry, who was so personable and helpful — The Santos Family
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