Kokua Line answers the Hawaii community’s most asked questions. Got a question? Find out how you can submit it to be featured.
Question: Is it too early to get a flu shot? I know there’s been a lot of attention on summer COVID-19, but I’m more concerned about the flu because of a friend’s bad experience, and also because I am current on my COVID-19 boosters. Read more
Question: Does the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services do big surveys? I don’t mean after a particular treatment; I’ve gotten those letters before. I mean with an interview? They are asking me to do a survey and I want to find out if it’s legitimate. I know that my health data was hacked last year so it’s hard to tell. Read more
Question: Auwe to the driver of a plumbing business van who honked at me as I pulled into a parking lot for restaurants and businesses on South King Street. You were sitting parked alongside the street meter and not near the parking lot entrance with no blinkers showing any indication that you were going into the parking lot. Read more
Question: My wife and I recently downsized from our single-family home to a high-rise apartment. We filed a forwarding notice with the U.S. Postal Service and have been receiving our important mail, although in general we don’t get too much mail anymore. Will we receive our ballots this way as well? Read more
Question: Regarding Hawaiian Electric’s time-of-use rate plan called Shift and Save: I thought we could opt out at any time, but now I am hearing it has to be before the August bill. Read more
Question: Regarding recent power outages in Downtown and Chinatown, I wasn’t happy that the police I saw weren’t wearing their white gloves when they were directing traffic on the busy intersections where traffic lights were not working due to the power outage. Read more
Question: Regarding the upcoming gun amnesty/ buyback on Aug. 24, are they also accepting unwanted ammunition, including ammunition that is made for the firearms being turned in? Read more
Question: In March there was news about a health care data breach that affected millions in the U.S. I’m sure I was affected because I couldn’t fill a prescription; the drugstore said it was because of the hack. However, I never got a notification letter, as I have in other cases. Will I ever be told what health information of mine was accessed? Read more
Question: I got an email supposedly from the Social Security Administration saying “soon you will no longer be able to sign in to your online Social Security account using your Social Security username and password.” Read more
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Question: Did the city terminate its contract with All Island Wreckers as threatened? I believe the deadline was Thursday. When will refunds be issued? Read more
Question: I heard they are having another gun amnesty. Will they have a better traffic plan because last time traffic was so bad I never made it. I still have the guns I wanted to drop off last time. Read more
Question: We sold our moped to another party, and a few months later we received parking tickets for the moped, which has turned into a couple thousand dollars. How do we address this when it is not us? Read more
Question: Do you have any details on the work being done on the Dillingham Fountain, specifically whether the repairs are intended to be long-lasting? Read more
Question: I am very suspicious about a letter that I received supposedly about a survey done for a U.S. agency. Read more
Question: During a (Puiblic Safety Power Shutoff) event, if we do lose power, should we shut off power at our electrical breaker box to avoid a surge when power is restored? I do have the HECO app on my phone that should notify me when power is restored. Read more
Question: In 2023 the Office of Consumer Protection was looking into alleged overcharges by a vehicle-towing company that has/had a contract with the city. Did anything ever come of that? Read more
Question: How long does the road test take? I’m hoping to schedule this for my lunch hour. Read more
Question: There have recently been several signs on various streets and districts notifying the public of tsunami area zones. Read more
Question: There is a big fence put up on the Ewa slopes of Diamond Head, makai of the new culinary school. What is this fence for, and what is the area that is cordoned off? Read more
Question: Is the left-turn lane added at the intersection of Kahekili Highway and Kamehameha Highway permanent? Read more
Question: Where is the Sun Bucks application? They said check in June, but it’s almost the end of June. Also, usually I see something about LIHEAP by now, for help with the electrical bill. Do they still have that? Read more
