QUESTION: The state Department of Health has instituted color-coded placards after inspecting restaurants for health standards and food safety. What about food trucks? Many of these vendors prepare food in "open kitchens" and handle cash at the same time.

ANSWER: Food trucks are required to have a Department of Health permit to operate and are among the 6,000 food establishments on Oahu being inspected as part of the new color-coded placard system.

The inspections are prioritized according to three risk categories for foodborne illnesses, said department spokeswoman Janice Okubo.

The number of food handling or preparation procedures determines the level of risk. Approximately one-third of the food establishments are in each of the three categories:

» Category 1, highest risk — A full-service establishment that has six to eight different food procedures, including receiving, cold storage, hot storage, thermal processing, transportation, cooling, reheating and display.

Regular inspections — not follow-up inspections — of Category 1 establishments are done three times a year.

» Category 2 — Typically fast food establishments, which have three to five procedures and are inspected twice a year.

» Category 3, lowest risk — Establishments, such as cookie or ice cream shops, which have up to two procedures and are inspected annually.

"Food trucks can be (in) any category depending on their operations, but typically they are risk Category 2 facilities," explained Peter Oshiro, manager of the health department’s Environmental Health Program. "Smaller operations like a cupcake truck may be a Category 3 due to low risk of the types of food sold."

QUESTION: Are noncitizens (green card holders) exempt from the jury pool?

ANSWER: If you are not a U.S. citizen (born or naturalized in the United States), you are not qualified to serve on a jury in Hawaii.

But being a U.S. citizen is just one of the requirements.

You also must be a resident of the state; be a resident of the circuit (i.e., the county) in which the jury will serve; be at least 18 years old; be able to read, speak and understand English; and not be a convicted felon in either the state or federal court.

For more information, check the state Judiciary website: bit.ly/1l7MA35.

MAHALO

To all those who helped when my husband began feeling ill on Hawaiian Airlines Flight 7 from Las Vegas to Honolulu in June. He started to perspire profusely, was nauseous and feeling faint. I scrambled to find a bag for him to upchuck in. A flight attendant asked for help and within a few seconds, an emergency room doctor, an emergency medical technician and nurses were all offering their help. It was instant relief for both of us. Because of our panic, we failed to get anyone’s name, but we would sincerely like to thank the caring flight attendants, the ER doctor, the EMT, the nurses and even other passengers who really showed concern for my husband. Thank you for all your caring, sharing your expertise and for your unselfish thoughtfulness. We are truly overwhelmed by all your warmth. — Jack and Emi Ura, Holualoa

MAHALO

To a young man who on Wednesday, Aug. 6, as Hurricane Iselle approached, gave up one of his cases of water to me at Don Quijote Waipahu. When the person distributing water at the store said he didn’t have any to give to me, I went to the front of the store, where I was told again that there was none available for me. When I went to the checkout line, this young man took one of the cases from his cart and handed it to me. I told him that I couldn’t take his water (I didn’t know how large his family was), but he said, "It’s all good." We are on Oahu from the mainland for the funeral of my mother-in-law, and we had not had time to prepare for the hurricane. It is so good to see that the aloha spirit lives in the good people of Hawaii. — Rick R.

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.