Question: My mother-in-law has early congestive heart failure which is getting worse, so she needs a handicap placard so we can park closer at the doctor’s office, etc. She no longer drives but she does own a car. What kind of pass can she get?

Answer: Assuming that her eligibility is confirmed, she could get a disability parking permit that allows her to use accessible parking stalls but does not relieve her of parking fees. Since she owns a vehicle, she could get both a parking placard, to display in whatever car she’s riding in, and a special license plate for the vehicle she owns. Because her driver’s license has expired and she doesn’t drive, she would not be eligible for the Disabled Paid Parking Exemption Permit, which is for people with impaired mobility who drive themselves; it relieves holders of certain parking fees. All of this is according to the website of the state Disability and Communication Access Board.

We’ll also use this opportunity to publicize a change in how some applications are processed on Oahu. While we were away, Kokua Line received the following email from DCAB Executive Director Kirby L. Shaw:

“As of Dec. 1, 2022, the City and County of Honolulu ended the mail-in option to apply for a first-time disability parking permit; the replacement of a lost, stolen, or mutilated placard; or the renewal of temporary (red) placard. The mail-in option was offered during the pandemic. Applications for those transactions must be submitted in person at a satellite city hall unless the certifying physician or advanced practice registered nurse indicates on the application that the applicant is unable to appear in person, in which case a representative may appear on the applicant’s behalf. No appointment is needed. Applicants should stand in the ‘express’ line. Applications submitted by mail (postmarked) before Dec. 1 will be processed and the placard will be issued by mail. Applications to renew a long-term (blue) placard or to obtain a Disabled Paid Parking Exemption Permit (green) placard must be submitted by mail to the state Disability and Communication Access Board, P.O. Box 3377, Honolulu, HI 96801. For more information call 808-586-8121 or go to bit.ly/3h8dETx.”

Since your mother-in-law needs a disability parking permit for the first time, she must apply at a satellite city hall. The applications still handled by mail — for DPPEPs and renewals of long-term placards or special license plates — are mailed to DCAB (a state entity), not the city.

Q: Have any children died of or with COVID-19 in Hawaii?

A: Yes, children accounted for five of 1,701 COVID-19 deaths recorded among Hawaii residents over the course of the pandemic, according to the state Department of Health. The largest number of COVID-19 deaths — 614, or 36% of the total — occurred among people 80 years and older, according to mortality data posted on the DOH website.

Blaisdell traffic

Anyone going to the Blaisdell Center on Saturday should plan ahead so they don’t miss their event. “Please be advised that due to the combination of various events — Mele Kalikimaka Marketplace, Holiday Wellness and Metaphysical Expo, “Hamilton” (two shows) and Earth Wind & Fire — at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, there will be increased daytime and evening traffic on streets surrounding the complex on Saturday … between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m,” the Department of Enterprise Services said in a news release. On-site parking is expected to fill early. Overflow parking at McKinley High will open at 6:30 p.m., accessible from Pensacola Street, the news release said.

Mahalo

On Nov. 29 I returned from California but could not locate my car at the airport parking lot. A very kind Fire Department officer going off duty came to my aid and within 20 minutes located my car. He spent time after a day’s work patiently helping me locate my car. I forgot to obtain his name, but I will not forget his kindness and his aloha spirit. — Mahalo, J.T.

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.