Latest news with #NateSerota
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: Will city clear Summer Fun waitlists?
Question : I noticed the enrollment capacity for Honolulu Summer Fun is down this year, with the Makiki District Park only initially having 65 total spaces. Last year they had well over a 100. I know the enrollment numbers are based on the number of summer hires they can bring on, but it still seems like many families (the waitlist is over 105 ) are stuck waiting with summer just about upon us. Does the City have a notional timeline for when families can expect to hear about expanded enrollment so we can ensure our kids have summer activities ? Answer : 'We are onboarding more staff at that location and hope to accommodate that waitlist of over 100 keiki with those hires, ' preferably by the end of this week, said Nate Serota, a spokesperson for Honolulu's Department of Parks and Recreation, confirming that low staffing, not a change in physical capacity, limited initial enrollment. Other Summer Fun sites also continue to process new hires and will whittle down their waitlists as employment is confirmed, he said. 'We appreciate the patience of the waiting families while we work diligently to get these staff ready for Summer Fun, ' Serota said in an email. However, another 16 of the youth recreational program's 59 sites across Oahu need to attract more staff to be able to welcome all the children who want to attend, he said. 'We strongly encourage anyone interested in working for the program to apply immediately. We are also in need of lifeguards in addition to the Summer Fun Aides. More information, and the ability to apply online, is available at.' Sites seeking more employees, and which have corresponding waitlists, include :—Booth District Park—Halawa District Park—Kalakaua District Park—Kanewai Community Park—Kauluwela Community Park—Moanalua Community Park—Pu 'unui Community Park—Hau 'ula Summer Fun—He 'eia Summer Fun—Kahaluu Summer Fun—Kailua Summer Fun—Kapunahala Summer Fun—Sunset Beach Summer Fun—Maunawili Summer Fun—Waimanalo Summer Fun—Pacific Palisades Community Park Moreover, the city couldn't use four intended sites—Kilauea District Park, Kalihi Uka Community Park, 'Aikahi Community Park and Keolu Elementary. 'Because there was little to no staffing at these locations, we did not include them in the registration and reallocated any available staff to other nearby sites, ' Serota said. He said DPR works hard every year to recruit Summer Fun staff to serve up to 10, 000 keiki and teens, aiming for a ratio of no more than 25 keiki per adult staff member. Summer Fun jobs pay from $15 to $20.10 an hour, depending on the role, according to the program's website. 'This week (the week of May 27 ) represents the deadline for when we can get more staff into the program before ' Summer Fun kicks off June 9, Serota said. The program runs through July 25. Not every site has a waitlist ; well more than a dozen had space available for keiki participants when we checked Friday. See for details. Note : Online registration for Junior Leaders is designed to be waitlist only. 'That's because we need to interview the teens before they can enter the program, as they act as volunteer assistants for the Summer Fun staff, ' Serota said. Mahalo On May 12 at 11 p.m., I was on my way to the Hono lulu airport. The airport offramp was totally closed. Where do I go ? Where do I turn off ? I hadn't a clue ! I continued on to Pearl City in total darkness, turned around and headed back. I called my cousin, who was waiting for me at the airport. In total darkness and unfamiliarity an angel who stood alongside my cousin remained online with me giving me instructions back to the airport. My cousin was relieved to finally see me and we headed home to Kaimuki, all thanks to our angel, security guard Meredee Strong. Mahalo piha Meredee. You saved two kupuna that late night. —Maile and Cris------------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
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Participate in the City's ‘Sew a lei for Memorial Day' event
HONOLULU (KHON2) — For Memorial Day, the City continues to honor a solemn promise to adorn every grave at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific with fresh lei. As WakeUp2Day's Chris Latronic learned from Kilauea District Park, the public is encouraged to stop by and sew a lei or two to participate in the annual tradition. Honolulu to hold 74th Mayor's Memorial Day Ceremony Officials said the tradition is a 'uniquely Hawaiian display of gratitude,' as a way of saying mahalo to veterans for their service. The City aims to make and gather 38,000 lei for every service member laid to rest at the ceremony. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Along with this significant task, the City is hoping to assist the Hawai'i State Veterans Cemetery in Kāne'ohe with their Memorial Day ceremony by donating extra lei to help them adorn the graves of the 15,000 servicemembers laid to rest on those hallowed grounds. In hopes of reaching these goals, the public can contribute the following: Lei made of fresh flowers or ti leaf Measures 20 to 22 inches untied Please tie Lei flowers Preferably plumeria or crown flower Anthurium bouquets Attend a lei-making session 'If you have a graduating senior who has their ceremony and has an extra lei, any of those fresh lei would be greatly appreciated,' said Nate Serota, Department of Parks and Recreation spokesperson. Check out more news from around Hawaii To find a lei-making station near you or for more information, click HERE. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Honolulu's parks could be going to the dogs: 8 things to know about the big dog park debate
HONOLULU (KHON2) — If you're a dog lover living on Oʻahu, you might be familiar with the challenge of finding a park where your furry friend is legally allowed. The City and County of Honolulu's Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) wants to change that, and they want your help to decide how. There are more than 300 parks on Oʻahu, but most don't welcome dogs. In fact, fewer than 40 parks currently allow leashed dogs and only 10 have designated off-leash areas. This new initiative is meant to expand dog access that will begin with on-leash privileges, while balancing the needs of all park users. 'We firmly believe the current rules regarding pets in City parks are too restrictive and should be changed, but we want to be respectful of the various needs of our community members,' said Nate Serota, DPR spokesman and lead for this effort.' He went on to explain further. 'With this in mind, we are empowering you to let us know where these dog-friendly privileges should be extended, decriminalizing an activity that should be encouraged in these open, public spaces,' he added. 'We strongly encourage you to take part in this process, with DPR requesting formal input from each of the Neighborhood Boards before September 2025.' Here's what you should know as the discussion unfolds. Of the 308 City Park locations around the island, only 36 let dogs visit while on a leash; and only 10 of those have off-leash zones. This means a lot of dog owners, especially in rural areas like the Leeward and Windward coasts, don't have a legal place to enjoy a walk or playtime with their pets. You can click to view a digital map showing where dogs are currently allowed. The City is not making changes without the community. Instead, DPR has asked all 33 Neighborhood Boards across Oʻahu to gather input from their residents. The goal is to hear which parks people believe should be open to leashed dogs and where they shouldn' can click for an interactive map of neighborhoods and dog-allowed parks. Boards are expected to collect feedback and submit formal recommendations by September 2025. The push to expand dog-friendly spaces is about giving dogs more room to roam and recognizing that many people consider dogs part of their ʻohana. The DPR wants to decriminalize the activity of walking your dog in a public park since many feel it should be normalized rather than prohibited. At the same time, the City has made it clear that dog kahu (guardians) must be responsible. That means leashing your dog, picking up after them and respecting shared space. One big concern is safety, especially when it comes to aggressive dogs. That's why a new state law, Act 224, goes into effect on July 1, 2025. It clearly defines what counts as a 'dangerous dog' and holds pet owners accountable. If a dangerous dog seriously harms someone, the owner can now face felony charges. The law also allows for dogs to be impounded under certain conditions. The hope is to give peace of mind to those who worry about safety in parks. Let's face it. No one likes stepping in dog poop. To tackle this issue, DPR is working on installing bag dispensers and putting up signs that remind pet owners to clean up. These dispensers are already in place in parts of Waikīkī, and they've made a visible difference. The expansion effort would likely bring these features to other parks, too in order to help keep public spaces clean and enjoyable for everyone. Some parks, like Ala Moana Regional Park and the Honolulu Botanical Gardens, are not part of this effort right now. These spots already have strict dog rules because of how many people visit and their focus on preserving natural beauty. But DPR said they're open to future conversations about those areas. In the meantime, the goal is to start with parks that make sense, especially underused ones that could benefit from more activity and community presence. Expanding access for dogs is about making pets happy and giving families a safe, welcoming space to spend time outdoors. It's about relieving Honolulu Police from dealing with minor dog complaints; and it's about bringing people together in shared, respectful public spaces. 'With the growing variety of ways our parks are used, and the increasing need for recreational space across the island, we want to do our best to balance these diverse interests as we extend on-leash dog privileges,' said DPR Director Laura H. Thielen. 'Even providing a small area within a larger park for leashed dogs can make a significant difference to the growing population of dog guardians.' She added that DPR hopes 'these discussions, and extending dog privileges, leads to a variety of social benefits, such as relieving our police department from responding to dog complaints, activating under-utilized park spaces, and a broader cohesion and respect amongst the community.' Talk to your Neighborhood Board. Share your ideas and concerns. Visit the online maps to see what's already allowed and what could change. The City is listening, and they want to hear from you. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHON's morning podcast, every morning at 8 You can click here and here for the maps. This is your park system. Your community. Your chance to help shape a more dog-friendly Oʻahu. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Feedback sought for more on-leash dog park options on Oahu
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Big changes could be coming to public parks on Oahu. The City is asking for input as it considers expanding dog-friendly parks. Ruff Situation: Kailua residents call for compromise on dog park ban Only a fraction of Oahu's 308 City parks allow dogs, and even fewer have designated off-leash areas, but that will soon change as the Parks and Recreation Department launches a new initiative to make more parks accessible for pups on leashes. 'So we wanted to get input from the community about where it would be appropriate, but what do we need to have in place? What type of signage? What type of reminders? Having stations where people can pick up extra bags so we're sure that they can pick up their waste,' said DPR director Laura Thielen. Anyone can weigh in through hearings at their area neighborhood board. 'Ideally, they would let us know which park locations they would like to see on-leash privileges. And if there is one where they do not want to see it, they would list that as well too,' said DPR spokesman Nate Serota. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news That feedback will be collected in September, and the first parks could see rule changes as soon as October. Dog lovers celebrated the idea and also made sure there was a focus on keeping everyone safe. 'Nobody likes to go out and leave their family members at home. At the same time, making sure those family members act responsibly and we all act responsibly is something that's important,' said Sen. Chris Lee. A new law that will take effect in July 2025 defines what qualifies as a dangerous dog and includes felony charges if someone is maimed or killed — owners said they hope more designated spaces to take on-leash canines will discourage such encounters. 'But I think having a good representation of pets who are well behaved with good pet owners is going to help transform the way that community believes that pets should be included in public space,' said dog owner Hollie Patterson. A new off-leash option is also in the works. The Pearl City Neighborhood Board just passed a resolution that requests DPR approve the construction of a dog park in a portion of Blaisdell Park. Check out more news from around Hawaii 'Not only for Pearl City, but Aiea and Waipahu can come here, relax with their pets and if we build it right with all the obstacles for dogs and make it fun for the families,' Pearl City Neighborhood Board chair Larry Veray said, 'we can use it for dog shows!' Click here for more information about the proposed changes and an interactive map of dog-friendly parks on Oahu. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
