Question: Regarding the Valentine’s Dance, does that mean the senior clubs are active?
Answer: Yes, more than 30 Oahu senior clubs organized through the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation are active, and have been for years. Although the pandemic curtailed activities, the city adapted by offering virtual events online and by now the clubs largely have returned to in-person events, such as the Senior Valentines Dance to be held Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. The dance, put on by DPR’s Senior Division and returning to the Blaisdell for the first time since 2020, is popular among senior club members and also is open to the general public; admission is free.
About 3,500 kupuna participate in DPR senior clubs, enjoying weekly activities such as luncheons, excursions and community service, plus special islandwide events throughout the year, such as the Valentines Dance, a field day, fun walk, health expo and craft fair, according to the DPR website. For more information, see bit.ly/oahuseniors.
Q: I’ve had a heavy red fire extinguisher in the corner of my kitchen for over 50 years, and I’m trying to get rid of things. How can I do this? Whom can I call and ask or where can I take it?
A: According to the city’s Department of Environmental Services, Oahu residents may dispose of household fire extinguishers by dropping them off at a City Convenience Center or at the Kapaa or Kawailoa transfer stations.
Oahu has a total of six convenience centers, located in Waimanalo, Waianae, Waipahu, Ewa Beach, Laie and Wahiawa. The applicable transfer stations are in Kailua (Kapaa) and Haleiwa (Kawailoa).
For addresses and hours, see 808ne.ws/3wBw5nu.
Q: I don’t think the city is enforcing time limits on the inoperable digital parking meters, which means they have more time to enforce on the coin-only ones. Please find out one way or another.
A: As we’ve previously reported, tow-away times are being enforced at the city’s inoperable digital parking meters, even though nonpayment violations are not. However, you and other readers have asked about enforcement for parking-duration violations outside of tow-zone hours, such as parking for longer than two hours. You’re making the distinction between not paying for parking and hogging a stall. We followed up with the Honolulu Police Department and received the following response from spokesperson Michelle Yu: “In many cases, it can be difficult to determine how long a car has been parked in a stall. If HPD is able to determine that the car has been parked longer than allowed, the vehicle would be subject to citation. Under the city’s abandoned vehicle ordinance, vehicles that are left unattended for more than 24 hours are subject to removal.”
To be clear, this response applies to the digital meters. As the reader noted, enforcement at the city’s coin-only meters continues as usual, with the meter blinking “expired” when the money runs out. The digital meters aren’t working because they relied on technology that expired with the new year; upgrades are expected to take months.
Auwe
In my daily walks for exercise, I notice that some people toss their litter near rubbish receptacles, not in them. Hey, litterbugs, close only counts for horseshoes and hand grenades! Throw your opala into the trash bins! Auwe! — E.M.K.
Mahalo
A big mahalo to the person who found our postage stamps at Waipio Costco on Tuesday. We accidentally left them in our wagon. It is heartwarming to know that there are still honest people out there. — Beyond grateful
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
