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Question: Many overhead streetlights are on during the day, especially the yellow glow ones. They’ve been on for a good three months, and are most prevalent in downtown Honolulu, fronting Central Middle School and along Beretania Street. When will this wasteful situation be fixed?
Answer: This situation, which many other readers also have asked about, is a temporary consequence of the installation of new LED streetlights throughout Oahu. Ross Sasamura, director of the city Department of Facility Maintenance, explains:
“Under our Island-wide LED Street Light Conversion Project, we are installing smart street light control nodes. These control nodes are different from the current photocells that control the previous ‘legacy’ street lights, since they allow status-monitoring of the new LED street lights. These control nodes require 24/7 power to allow this function. The lights that remain ‘on’ during the day are the legacy street lights connected to circuits controlled by master photocells. These photocells were bypassed to enable monitoring of the new LED street lights. The legacy street lights on these circuits will be replaced with LED street lights in the next few weeks, when our contractor returns to these areas.”
Once those old lights are replaced, the new LED ones won’t be on during the day, in the neighborhoods you mentioned and in other areas that are similarly affected, according to the city.
More than 53,000 streetlights on Oahu are being replaced in this project. LED lights are more energy- efficient.
Q: It was reported that the superintendent was rated as “effective.” On what scale?
A: The state Board of Education rated Department of Education Superintendent Christina Kishimoto on a scale that ranged, in descending order, from “highly effective” to “effective” to “marginal” to “unsatisfactory.” So Kishimoto, who has led Hawaii’s public school system since August 2017, received the second- highest possible rating.
Her end-of-year assessment focused on 10 professional standards and priorities to establish an overall rating. In those categories, she received seven “effective” and three “highly effective” ratings, for an overall rating of “effective.”
You can read the assessment at 808ne.ws/kisheval. If you’re interested in learning more about the evaluation process, including the difference between “effective” and “highly effective,” you can find that information at 808ne.ws/process.
Q: Is there any moving lava left to see in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park?
A: No, “there is no molten lava to see anywhere in the park,” according to the park website, which a spokeswoman confirmed was up to date. Beginning about a year ago, the lava lake that had existed inside Halemaumau crater disappeared, and lava flows from Puu Oo crater ceased.
E kala mai
Many apologies for hogging the aisle at Beretania Safeway. I am new at this scooter thing. Hopefully it won’t last forever. I know people noticed my inept maneuvering, but nobody complained and a few offered assistance. Their kindness overwhelmed my embarrassment, which had kept me from seeking help in the first place. Mahalo for that. — Old dog
Mahalo
This is a much-belated thank you to Edward and Napolean for helping with a car problem at Longs Kailua. It turned out to be a broken shift cable. It was late, but they patiently and kindly tried to help. The tow truck with Arthur and Justin arrived from Kahaluu and towed the car home. The auto shops were closed by then. Thank you all so much for your help. — Grateful senior
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.
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