Latest news with #HaroldNedd
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: When will I get electric vehicle license plates?
Question : What is the current status of electric vehicle license plates ? I bought a new electric car back in February and was told at the time that the city ran out of license plates for electric vehicles, and I would be notified when the permanent plates came in. But to date no word. Answer : The city's Motor Vehicle Registration Branch started the notification process this week. 'The updated electric vehicle plates with the word Hawai 'i spelled correctly, with the 'okina along the top center of the license plate, will be mailed to register owners who completed their transaction at a car dealership. Other electric vehicle owners, whose transaction was done at a satellite city hall, are being contacted and offered the option to have the updated license plate mailed to them, or picked up at a preferred satellite city hall location. Whether the transaction was done at a dealership or satellite city hall, these electric vehicle owners will not have to pay the $5.50 fee for replacement plates, due to the inconvenience caused by the unforeseen delay in the production and delivery of the updated electric vehicle plates with the word Hawai 'i spelled with the 'okina diacritical mark, ' Harold Nedd, a spokesperson for Hono lulu's Department of Customer Services, said in an email Wednesday. Not all EV owners need replacement plates—this process is for those who were unable to get EV plates this year amid a shortage that occurred after a state law took effect Jan. 1 requiring that newly issued Hawaii license plates carry the 'okina. Along with the addition of the 'okina, the new EV plates have the words 'electric vehicle ' arranged vertically, rather than horizontally as on existing EV plates. This creates room for more characters (letters and numbers ) per license plate, which will allow county DMVs to keep up with demand for EV plates. Electric vehicle registrations increased about 62 % over the past three years, according to Honolulu's Department of Customer Services. Q : The governor talks about having the visitors pay the extra tax with the climate tax. He does not mention if local residents with a staycation are exempt, or will we be taxed again after paying our state taxes ? A : There is no exemption for Hawaii residents in Senate Bill 1396, which Gov. Josh Green signed into law Tuesday as Act 96. The law increases the rate of the state's transient accommodations tax by 0.75 % starting in 2026 and, for the first time, applies the state TAT to cruise fares ; it already applies to hotels and other nightly lodging. The measure is expected to raise up to $100 million a year to help mitigate the effects of climate change in Hawaii. Read it at. Q : It's nice that the pedestrian bridge to Ala Moana beach opened by Memorial Day, in time for the lantern-floating crowd. How much did the bridge end up costing ? A : The final price is still to be determined, but may reach about $26 million, including funding from federal, state and private sources. The construction contract amount was $17.8 million, but costs for construction management consultants and potential approved change orders may add about $3.1 million, driving the final cost of construction to $20.9 million, according to the state Department of Transportation. Federal funds will pay 80 % of that cost. In addition, Victoria Ward Limited accrued about $6 million in costs, for design, environmental and cultural monitoring, and the value of the land donation, a DOT spokesperson said. The Ala Moana Boulevard Pedestrian Bridge opened May 22, spanning six lanes of traffic to provide safe crossing for pedestrians and bicyclists to and from Kakaako (mauka ) and Ala Moana Regional Park and Kewalo Basin (makai ). The elevated pathway crosses Ala Moana Boulevard between Ward Avenue and Kamakee Street.------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: What's the delay on used-car paperwork?
Question : We bought a used car from a local dealer 30 days ago and were given a 'temporary registration ' and no safety inspection. We still have not received the 'pink slip ' and new registration, so we cannot get a valid safety inspection until we get that. It used to be about two to three weeks to get these items. Is this normal ? Answer : No. A surge in used-car sales is creating more paperwork than current city staff can handle on a timely basis, so the city will redeploy other staff to help catch up—you are one of numerous readers complaining that they're still waiting for updated vehicle registration certificates after buying used cars from dealers. 'The Motor Vehicle Registration Branch in the City and County of Honolulu is taking urgent steps to address a one-month backlog in processing registration for used cars. The backlog is due to a surge in used-car registration processing, which has created workload demands that exceed the capacity of the branch. The Motor Vehicle Registration Branch has shown that it can tackle backlogs effectively and is preparing to do it again. Starting Saturday, additional resources will be used for a one-month period as part of a backlog reduction plan for processing auto-sales transactions in the City and County of Honolulu, ' Harold Nedd, a spokesperson for Hono lulu's Department of Customer Services, said Thursday in an email. The branch will redirect workers from other tasks as necessary to process the pending registrations, and expects to resolve the backlog within a month because it anticipates the spike in used-car dealer sales will level out relatively soon, Nedd said. Consumers may be flocking to used cars in part to avoid Trump administration import taxes that are driving up the cost of new cars and car parts not made in the United States. 'You can potentially avoid paying a tariff on a new car by purchasing one that was imported to the U.S. before the tariffs took effect, or by buying a used car, ' according to Kelley Blue Book (), which said a 25 % tariff on imported cars took effect April 3 and a 25 % tariff on imported car parts began May 3. Continuing with other, unrelated DMV questions, yes, the city does still send out motor vehicle registration renewal notices as a courtesy, but the June notices were held up by a vendor's production delay, Nedd said. They should arrive in the mail by Wednesday. The registration due date remains June 30, despite the shorter reminder period. Last, by the end of the month, the city expects to have the full line of Hawaii license plates available with the word 'Hawai 'i ' spelled with the okina diacritical mark, as required by state law. Production delays had prevented the new plates from being rolled out on schedule at the beginning of the year, and in the meantime the DMV has issued a variety of alternative Hawaii license plates to motorists who needed new license plates. Previously issued license plates with current registration remain valid and do not need to be replaced with the new okina plates. Auwe Too many people go on NextDoor to bash local businesses without ever contacting the business with their complaint. Give the local business owner a chance to make it right ! And who knows whether these people tell the truth when they post their petty complaints for everyone on the neighborhood app to see ?—A reader Mahalo Saturday evening my husband and I decided to have dinner at Ramen Ya at Pearl City. Since it was cold, we asked for takeout. When I went to pay, the waitress said someone had already paid for our meal. All she could tell me was that it was a lady who was a teacher. My husband could not understand why a stranger would pay for our meal. So, from an old, retired teacher, I want to say mahalo to a fellow teacher.—L.T.------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: What lei can I bring on the plane?
Question : My family wants me to bring fresh lei for my nephew's mainland wedding. Will HNL allow this through ? I am seeing conflicting information even on florists' websites. Answer : It depends on the type of lei. The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits some common lei components from entering the continental United States to prevent the spread of plant disease. Before buying the lei, 'ask the seller to confirm that it does not include fresh botanical fruits, such as berries and pandanus fruit, or any of the following prohibited items : any citrus or citrus-related flowers, leaves, or other plant parts, as well as jade vine or Mauna Loa. Lei with these items cannot enter the U.S. mainland. Please be aware that citrus-related plant parts include mock orange flowers and leaves, which are sometimes used in making leis, ' the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says at. Even lei that are allowed in outbound Hawaii passengers' checked or carry-on luggage must pass agricultural inspection at the airport first, and must be clean and free of berries, pests / insects and signs of disease to do so, according to APHIS. These are the lei for which florists may have differing shipping policies ; some ship to the mainland and some don't. None of the florists we checked were offering to ship lei made from prohibited flowers or plants. Learn more about what flowers and plants airline passengers from Hawaii can bring along at, where you can also find the phone numbers for APHIS offices here, should you need more information before your flight. Q : I recently moved to Oahu from the mainland. I have a Real ID driver's license from Arizona. When I apply for my Hawaii driver's license, will I automatically get a Hawaii Real ID driver's license ? Or will I have to provide the documentation again for the Real ID ? A : You will have to provide documentation. 'The City and County of Honolulu's driver licensing system is not connected to the network of any other state. Given this reality, staff at our driver licensing centers cannot retrieve from other states information required to complete transactions, including an applicant's proof of legal presence and principal residence. For this reason, someone who was issued a Real ID credential in another state would not automatically get a Hawai 'i Real ID credential from a driver licensing center in the City and County of Honolulu. That out-of-state applicant would have to provide the documentation again to be able to obtain a Hawai 'i Real ID driver's license or identification card, ' Harold Nedd, spokesperson for Honolulu's Department of Customer Services, said in an email. That means you'll need to bring original or certified copies of unexpired documents proving your legal name, date of birth, lawful U.S. presence and Hawaii principal residence. A U.S. passport, for example, would fulfill the first three requirements, plus you would need two documents proving you live in Hawaii, such as a current rental agreement and utility bill. Notarized copies or faxes are not acceptable, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation website, which lists acceptable documents at. The DMV staff also will look up your Social Security number ; as of June 18, 2021, bringing in your Social Security card is optional. Mahalo This past Sunday night toward midnight at Safeway Beretania, I drove my car over a parking curb and got stuck. Despite the late hour and some slight rain, kind Brian came over to help. He offered sound advice with assurance, and patiently guided my stuck car back to the level roadway. Mahalo Brian. I had my car serviced on Wednesday and had the underside inspected for damage : only cosmetic scrapes noted !—Grateful senior------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: Why is toilet, junk still dumped near park?
COURTESY PHOTO Household junk dumped near a Mililani park included a toilet, which is partially seen next to discarded couches in this photo taken Tuesday by a reader. COURTESY PHOTO Household junk dumped near a Mililani park included a toilet, which is partially seen next to discarded couches in this photo taken Tuesday by a reader. Question : Along Moenamanu Street in Mililani, fronting Kipapa playground, there is a growing pile of illegally dumped items. There are two sofas, one mattress, and the newest addition is a toilet ! Currently, the toilet has feces in it ! This is the area where Mililani Middle School students wait for their morning bus and get dropped off in the afternoon. This is adjacent to a playground where young children play. It is absolutely unsafe, unsanitary and unacceptable ! I made a report on the city and county illegal-dumping report site. It has been reported to the Mililani Town Association. I am wondering what needs to be done to get this rubbish removed. It started sometime in February, and it is now the end of March. Please let me know what we can do to get this taken care of. It's a truly big Auwe ! Answer : You did your part by reporting illegal dumping to the city, and we've followed up to confirm a complaint was received. We expect this junk will be removed shortly, but suggest that you follow up with the city if it's not gone by the end of the week. We received your question Friday, emailed the city Monday and received the following response Tuesday from Harold Nedd, a spokesperson for the city Department of Customer Services : 'The Department of Customer Services tracks complaints that have been formally reported to the city via email (), phone call (808-768-4381 ) or via the Honolulu 311 app. 'The department's Customer Care Section found the complaint you referenced listed under a nearby street, not Moena manu. Our records show that the complaint was submitted via the city's 311 app by an anonymous customer, and it was routed directly to the Department of Facility Maintenance's Division of Road Maintenance as Illegal Dumping for Non-Residential. 'The complaint was recorded as case number CAS-76148-B2C4R9 ; submitted on 3 /20 /25 ; and the case remains open. 'As for a follow-up, customers are asked to allow departments 10 business days for a response ; however, if a customer contacts our Customer Care Section for an update, an immediate follow-up request is made to the relevant department.' Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Ten business days after March 20 would be Friday, April 4, because March 26 was Prince Kuhio Day, a state and city holiday. When we followed up with you about the city's response, you said you had mentioned Moenamanu Street in your complaint, so perhaps more than one person reported this mess. The street, which runs between Kuahelani Avenue and Kipa pa Drive, is near Kipapa Neighborhood Park. At any rate, the city department responsible for disposal is aware of the problem. We also called the Mililani Town Association and left a message for the general manager, who was out of the office Tuesday. Although the city is the primary contact for this problem, we want to ask the association about any concerns or suggestions it has regarding illegal dumping. Q : Some time ago Kokua Line printed the number of people who had gotten retro active payments under the Social Security Fairness Act. I still not have received mine. I am already in the system, so I didn't need to apply. When will they finish issuing back payments ? A : By early November, according to the Social Security Administration, which updated its website Tuesday to say that staff are now manually updating records for complex cases, which take much longer to process than simpler cases that were expedited using automation and have been paid. The agency will release retroactive benefits and send new monthly benefit amounts as it processes each case 'with the expectation that all beneficiary records will be updated by early November, ' the website says. The agency began paying retroactive payments in late February, and by March 28 had automatically processed 2.3 million cases, or 75 % of the accounts that needed to be adjusted, it said. For more information about the SSFA and whom it affects, go to to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: Why such a long wait for permit test?
Question : With the newly implemented website for teens taking the driver's permit written test online, why is the next available appointment for in-person written testing so far out, approximately three months ? The online testing was supposed to help with not going in person. Is there a problem with the website ? Answer : No, there isn't a problem with the website that administers the written test online for any eligible person seeking a Hawaii driving permit (it's not limited to teenagers ). To take the test online, an applicant must use an internet-connected desktop or laptop computer with a mouse (or mouse pad-controlled cursor ), keyboard and webcam. Cellphones, tablets or touchscreen devices cannot be used. To take the written test at any time, go to. There's a longer wait for appointments to take the written test in person at an Oahu driver's licensing center because the DMV offers fewer appointments for this service now that the online option is available. 'Our goal is to keep the wait time for in-office service for the written permit test to one month, ' Harold Nedd, a spokesperson for Honolulu's Department of Customer Services, said in an email. Be sure to check all convenient locations for an appointment time ; you may have faced a longer wait because you focused on a single location. To be clear, this is about the knowledge test required to obtain a learner's driving permit, not the road test. As the CSD website explains : 'You may take a learner's permit written test at a driver licensing center by appointment available at. Appointments for in-person written testing will be limited at each driver's licensing center to the following days : Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA.—Kapalama Driver Licensing Center : Tuesday and Thursday—Kapolei Driver Licensing Center : Monday and Wednesday—Koolau Driver Licensing Center : Friday—Wahiawa Driver Licensing Center : Tuesday—Waianae Driver Licensing Center : Thursday 'You will need to present all of the required documentation to obtain a permit prior to sitting for the exam.' The number of Oahu residents taking the online test has steadily risen since this option was first offered in early December ; 284 people took it that month, 653 in January and 1, 009 in February, according to a news release from the city. City officials are encouraged by the trend, because overseeing the written test in person is a time-consuming task, and having applicants take the test remotely frees up DMV staff for other work, including serving customers who must appear in person. Q : Did that bill about culling feral chickens pass ? A : No, the Committee on Agriculture and Environment deferred House Bill 980, HD 1, after a public hearing March 14. The bill would have expanded authority to kill feral chickens on private property, but opponents noted that licensed pest-control companies can already do so, with the permission of the property owner. You can read the bill, committee reports and public testimony at. Mahalo This past weekend I had the misfortune to require emergency medical attention and was taken to the Straub emergency room on King Street. The staff at the ER quickly and efficiently processed me in, and hooked me up to wires and tubes to diagnose my problem. They determined that I needed two units of blood, and I spent four hours getting infused. During this period the staff and nurses checked in on me regularly to make sure I was comfortable and safe. For this I am deeply grateful to the Straub ER staff and want to convey my sincere mahalo to them. But I also want to convey my gratitude to them for another, more important reason : While I was being treated in the ER, an elderly, obese, disheveled homeless woman also came in for emergency treatment. The ER staff treated her with such sincere caring, dignity and compassion. All of us in the community are fortunate to have such dedicated professionals caring for our citizens. Mahalo !—K.H.------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
