Question: Are pickleball classes through parks and recreation supposed to be free? I can’t find any.
Answer: Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation offers a wide variety of free or fee-based recreational activities, including pickleball. Of the 17 pickleball classes or clubs our search of the DPR website turned up, two charged a fee ($18) and the rest were free.
You’re likely having trouble finding a free class because you are searching for one open now, after most of DPR’s summer classes have ended and before fall enrollment begins. Thirteen of the 17 pickleball offerings we found are for the upcoming fall session.
Fall enrollment is scheduled to begin Aug. 21 for classes, activities and programs that start in early September, according to the department. Check out the catalog of more than 320 activities, including pickleball, at pros.hnl.info.
Besides pickleball, there will be archery, aerobics, arts and crafts, basketball, board games, card games, ceramics, flag football, gymnastics, kupuna exercises, paddleboarding, snorkeling, surfing, swimming, volleyball, Zumba and more, according to a DPR news release.
Registration will be conducted online, in the “Activities” section at pros.hnl.info, on a rolling basis by park district.
>> District 1 (Ka Iwi to Waikiki), Aug. 21 at 5 p.m. District office: 808-768-8944.
>> District 2 (Makiki to Aiea), Aug. 22 at 5 p.m. District office: 808-768-9292
>> District 3 (Waipahu to Makaha), Aug. 23 at 5 p.m. District office: 808-768-6889
>> District 4 (Mokuleia to Makapuu), Aug. 24 at 5 p.m. District office: 808-768-8980
>> District 5 (Pearl City to Whitmore): Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. District office: 808-768-6940
People without internet access can register in person at the activity’s location from 5 to 7 p.m. on the day designated for that park district, the news release said. “Please call the park location where your class is located to coordinate,” it said.
For classes with fees, only Visa and MasterCard credit or debit cards will be accepted for online payments. People registering in person can pay by cash or check.
Q: Has the governor’s special housing panel met yet?
A: No. The kickoff meeting of the Build Beyond Barriers Working Group is scheduled for Friday from 9:30 to 11 a.m., according to the governor’s office. Created via Gov. Josh Green’s emergency proclamation on housing, the group tasked with expediting development is not subject to Hawaii’s open meetings law, also known as the Sunshine Law, but the public can view the meeting via the governor’s Facebook page (facebook.com/Governor/Hawaii), according to a notice from his office.
No housing project applications will be considered at this meeting, which will focus on orientation for members of the working group, which is led by Nani Medeiros, the state’s chief housing officer.
Stroke alert
“Be fast” to respond to signs of a stroke, which is the No. 1 cause of chronic disability and the third-leading cause of death in Hawaii, according to the state Department of Health. Call 911 at the first symptom. Vital treatment occurs in the ambulance; don’t waste precious treatment time by driving the person to the hospital yourself, DOH says.
>> B: Balance loss. Is the person suddenly dizzy or off balance?
>> E: Eyesight problems. Did they suddenly lose vision in one or both eyes, or suddenly experience blurriness or double vision?
>> F: Face drooping. Is one side of their face drooping or uneven?
>> A: Arm weakness. Are they suddenly unable to raise both arms, or experiencing weakness or numbness in one arm?
>> S: Speech difficulty. Is their speech suddenly slurred or hard to understand?
>> T: Time to call 911. Call 911 when someone suddenly has one or more of the symptoms; don’t wait. Learn more at livinghealthy.hawaii.gov/stroke/.
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.
