Question: We heard the emergency siren going off Monday. I thought the test was the first of the month. Has that changed?
Answer: Oahu’s outdoor emergency warning sirens are tested on the first business day of each month at 11:45 a.m., according to Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Services. A siren in Kapolei malfunctioned Monday, which may be the one you heard. There was no emergency.
October’s test is scheduled for today, during which all working outdoor sirens should “sound a one-minute Attention Alert Signal, which sounds like a long steady tone,” according to the city.
Every month, Kokua Line hears from readers concerned that their neighborhood siren did not go off during the test or that the noise it made was different from usual. We want readers to know how to report malfunctions to DEM or, conversely, how to let the department know a siren worked correctly. Either way, you can inform DEM by submitting an online report at www8.honolulu.gov/dem/siren-report-form Opens in a new tab or by calling 808-723-8960.
The aforementioned website also has a dashboard showing the status of outdoor emergency warning sirens on Oahu, including those needing maintenance or that are beyond repair.
Q: The roundabout at Kahekili and Kamehameha highways is open for traffic, even though there’s still heavy equipment around and no landscaping. This is not what I expected based on the promotion. I don’t mind roundabouts, but I expected it to look better.
A: This project isn’t finished, and won’t be until about March, weather permitting, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Although the Kahaluu Roundabout is in use for now, it’s only temporary, the DOT said last week in a news release. The intersection of Kahekili Highway, Kamehameha Highway (Route 83) and the city-owned portion of Kamehameha Highway (Route 830) will revert to an all-way stop when construction of the center circle begins later this month.
In the meantime — as well as after work at the site is completed and the intersection permanently operates as a roundabout — the DOT offered five basic rules for navigating a roundabout:
>> “Slow down as you approach to enter the roundabout.
>> “Yield to anyone in the crosswalk and vehicles already in the roundabout.
>> “Drive in a counterclockwise direction to your exit.
>> “If you miss your exit, go around.
>> “Watch for pedes- trians and bicyclists when entering and exiting the roundabout.”
For more information about the Kahaluu Roundabout, go to kahekiliround about.com.
Q: Good to hear Hans L’Orange is open again — so many happy memories there. How long was it closed?
A: About 21 months. Hans L’Orange Neighborhood Park in Waipahu closed in January 2023 for roughly $4.2 million worth of improvements. It reopened with a baseball game Sunday.
Mahalo
On Saturday I was standing on the street level of Ala Moana Center waiting for my daughter to pick me up. A group of five (what looked to be) teenagers or young adults approached me and asked if it was my birthday as they noticed (and smelled) the fragrant tuberose lei I was wearing. I told them that indeed it was my birthday and that I am 83 years young! All five broke into song with big, bright smiles on their faces singing “Happy Birthday.” In the middle of singing, one of them paused to ask my name so they could sing the song appropriately. To say I was moved to tears is an understatement; it was such a thoughtful, sincere and kind gesture and absolutely made my day extra memorable! God bless this special group, and God bless the parents of these young adults who undoubtedly raised them well. Mahalo nui from the bottom of my heart; I only wish I would’ve remembered to ask their names. — Grateful, Rose C.
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.
