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Question: What will happen to the swap meet when Aloha Stadium is torn down?
Answer: The Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & Marketplace will continue to operate, relocated within the broader property, most likely to the upper Halawa parking lot, Samantha Spain, a spokesperson for the Aloha Stadium Authority, said Thursday. The move is months away at least, she said, as construction on a new stadium is not expected to begin for about nine months.
“There is no change for now, although at some point it will move to a different area, but it will keep operating” before, during and after demolition and new construction, she said.
A similar message is posted on Aloha Stadium’s website, which says, “We value our partnership with our Swap Meet vendors, and we recognize that it generates a significant revenue source for small businesses as well as a great value to Hawaii.”
The swap meet is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sundays from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the website. It’s currently located along the outer stadium circle, featuring more than 400 vendors, Spain said.
On a related note, farewell activities are scheduled Saturday at the stadium complex. Read more at alohastadium. hawaii.gov.
Q: I’ve made an appointment to renew my driver’s license at Koolau DMV for March 28. In Thursday’s Kokua Line column, it states that “of Oahu’s nine satellite city halls, only four renew driver’s licenses or state IDs.” Is Koolau considered a satellite city hall? Is Koolau still renewing driver’s licenses?
A: Keep your appointment. Koolau is not a satellite city hall; it’s a driver licensing center, which many residents commonly refer to as a DMV. Yes, Koolau still renews driver’s licenses.
Thursday’s reader asked about satellite city halls, and we missed an opportunity to say that Oahu also has five driver licensing centers. Satellite city halls and driver licensing centers are not the same thing.
The five driver licensing centers are Kapalama, Kapolei, Koolau, Wahiawa and Waianae, focused on driver’s license and state ID services, which includes first-time issuance as well as renewals.
As we stated Thursday, Oahu also has nine satellite city halls, four of which renew Hawaii driver’s licenses or state IDs — the Downtown, Hawaii Kai, Pearlridge and Windward City locations.
Read more about each facility and their particular services at 808ne.ws/DLCSSH.
Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services encourages residents to use the AlohaQ reservation system (alohaq.org) to schedule appointments in advance at driver licensing centers or satellite city halls. Besides reserving a date and time for the transaction, using the online system can prevent people from wasting time by trying to complete a task at the wrong facility — as Thursday’s reader did. AlohaQ lists services available at any selected location.
Mahalo
Our heartfelt thanks to the friendly young couple who sat at the table next to us at Yohei Sushi Restaurant on Valentine’s Day. We had only just met them as we chatted briefly going into the restaurant and at the tables. Imagine our surprise as we found out that they had paid for our dinner. It made our Valentine’s dinner even more special. I think their last name might have been Kanno, according to the waitress. We did not have a chance to properly thank them, as they were going out the door when the waitress informed us of their generosity. In any case, we wish them a year filled with many happy surprises. Many thanks again and warm hugs from this senior couple, their “neighbors” at Yohei. — The Suzukis
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.
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