Kokua Line: Must I appear in person to change name?

Question: Must I appear in person to change my name? I don’t live in Hawaii anymore.

Answer: You must be a Hawaii resident to have a name change granted by Hawaii’s lieutenant governor, so you would not be eligible, from your description. However, had you been eligible, you could have handled the process online and by mail, without appearing in person, according to instructions at namechange.ehawaii.gov.

Also, active-duty military personnel contemplating a name change are told to contact the lieutenant governor’s office for more information before applying.

Q: Do I have to get a new license if I move within Oahu?

A: No, you must notify the city of your new address for its records, but you don’t have to replace the actual license. You can replace your license if you wish, but that will cost $6.

The “change of address” form is at 808ne.ws/3xFK5xg. Your voter registration can be updated at the same time, if applicable. Along with the form, you’ll also have to submit two documents confirming your new address.

Q: Recently there was news about the man who won the largest lottery in U.S. history. Could he have kept his name private by creating a trust before he claimed the prize?

A: No, not in California, which is where Edwin Castro bought his winning Powerball ticket. The California Lottery’s Winner’s Handbook tells big winners that their name, the name and location of the retailer who sold them the winning ticket, the date they won and the amount of their winnings “are matters of public record and are subject to disclosure” under California law.

“You can form a trust prior to claiming your prize, but our regulations do not allow a trust to claim a prize. Understand that your name is still public and reportable,” it says.

Castro’s $2.04 billion ticket, purchased at a gas station in Altadena, Calif., was the only ticket to match all six numbers drawn Nov. 8, earning him the largest jackpot in lottery history. Castro claimed his winnings last week in a lump sum of $997.6 million, rather than the full amount paid over 30 years.

Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states (Hawaii isn’t one of them), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Winning numbers for the game Castro won were supposed to be drawn Nov. 7, but the drawing was delayed until the next morning because the Minnesota Lottery had trouble processing sales; every participating lottery must verify receipts before the winning numbers are drawn, according to news reports at the time.

Q: Regarding Outback Steakhouse, I think the one in Kihei closed, too.

A: Yes, the Maui location closed Sunday. The Hawaii Kai location, which has served East Oahu for more than 20 years, is scheduled to close its doors Sunday, as we reported last week. The lease is expiring, a company spokesperson said.

Q: When can you get a learner’s permit to drive?

A: You must be at least 15-1/2 years old to apply for an instruction permit, according to Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services.

Auwe

Auwe to the woman renting a home in Hauula who has allowed more than 50 cats to take over the small single-house lot. The cats are becoming such a problem that they are found on other neighbors’ rooftops at night and defecating in other neighbors’ yards and patios. — Frustrated neighbor

Mahalo

My wife and I were having lunch at the Marine Corps base in Kaneohe on Feb. 9. She was choking on a piece of her sandwich. I asked for help in doing the Heimlich maneuver. Several came to help. We want to thank a civilian young lady, Karen, for stepping forward and saving a life. — Bob Stock, Ko Olina

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.