Question: The primary election is coming up soon, and I would like to pose a question to the candidates. Where or who can I contact so my question can be asked at one of the debates?
Answer: Email your question to debate@Khon2.com for possible inclusion in a televised debate set for July 16 that will feature Gov. David Ige and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who are vying for the Democratic nomination for Hawaii governor. AARP Hawaii is sponsoring the debate, which is to air live on KHON2 from 7 to 8 p.m. on that date.
Hawaii’s primary election is Aug. 11.
Q: On Sunday at about 10:30 p.m, officers from two police cruisers interacted with a vagrant who was apparently not in full control of his senses. They took him away, but not before the man defecated in the street fronting our homes. As of Tuesday morning the mess remains, as none of the neighbors is willing to go near the specimen. If a car drives through it, there will be a very widespread contamination. I was wondering which city/county department deals with such issues? We would appreciate if it were removed and the area sanitized as soon as possible.
A: Kokua Line received your email Tuesday morning and forwarded it to the city, as you had requested, including the specific Kaneohe address. The city’s Department of Facility Maintenance cleaned up the mess, a task you confirmed was accomplished quickly once the proper department had been notified.
In the future, you or any member of the public who encounters this problem should call 768-4381, which is the complaint line for the city’s Department of Customer Services; it will schedule the cleanup.
Q: With so much of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park closed, what happened to the park staff? Did they get laid off?
A: No. “All 134 employees continue to work. Some staff are working remotely in Hilo from temporary office space as guests of the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Incident Management Team and emergency responders are safely working in the park at the Visitor Emergency Operations Center. Other staff members have relocated to the park’s Kahuku Unit, which has expanded operation to five days a week, pending air quality issues, while others continue to serve visitors at the Mokupapapa Discovery Center in Hilo, the Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani campus, and other locations in local communities,” according to the National Park Service’s park closure information and FAQ, which you can read at 808ne.ws/parkclosure.
Visitors who use the National Parks Service’s passport to log their visits to national parks throughout the United States can get the official Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park stamp at the Mokupapapa Discovery Center, which is at 76 Kamehameha Ave. in Hilo. Admission is free.
Q: Is the Kilauea Military Camp closed, too? It doesn’t seem to be covered with ash.
A: Yes. It is within a 4-mile radius of the Kilauea summit, with a chance of marble- to pea-size rockfall, according to the website.
Auwe
Some of the exit signs at the Honolulu airport are misleading. I dropped off some friends Tuesday morning, which is the first time I had been there in seven months, and followed the signs when I left. One sign said “exit airport next left.” But it wasn’t the next left; it was right there! They should fix this. — A reader
Mahalo
I heard that Shane Victorino is officially retiring, and I just want to say mahalo. I am sure I speak for a lot of fans when I say “thank you” for many years of great baseball and for making Hawaii proud. All the best to him. I hope he comes back home often! — A fan
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.
