Question: Where is the clearinghouse for vital records for U.S. states? I need my records from outside Hawaii.
Answer: The federal government “does not distribute certificates, files or indexes with identifying information for vital records,” according to the National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, the NCHS does have a website, 808ne.ws/cdcnchs, with links to retrieve records from individual states and territories. Eligible parties may use the nationwide contact information to request birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees and death certificates from outside Hawaii.
Q: Will they still have the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony at Honolulu Hale?
A: Yes, but the general public won’t be allowed to attend in person after all, the mayor’s office said Friday. Instead, the tree- lighting ceremony will be broadcast live on ‘Olelo Channel 53 on Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
Q: Regarding taking local ingredients on the plane to the continental United States for Thanksgiving (808ne.ws/1119 kline), you missed an opportunity to emphasize agricultural restrictions — you can’t take many fresh fruits or vegetables.
A: The Transportation Security Administration website to which we referred readers does mention these restrictions, saying that “passengers flying from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands to the U.S. mainland cannot take most fresh fruits and vegetables due to the risk of spreading invasive plant pests.”
We get your point, though, and you are not the only reader to mention this issue. One directed us to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which has a web page, at 808ne.ws/agres, that lists common agricultural items from Hawaii that passengers cannot bring to the rest of the United States. It also lists common agricultural items from Hawaii that are allowed, after they pass USDA inspection.
As noted, fresh fruits and vegetables generally aren’t allowed, with some exceptions, while commercially canned or processed foods, including processed fruits and vegetables, generally are allowed.
All in all, anyone wanting to bring local food items to the continental U.S. would be wise to check both the TSA (tsa.gov) and APHIS websites (www.aphis.usda.gov).
Q: Will people be allowed to eat inside the Blaisdell Concert Hall, under the COVID-19 rules? It would be better if they aren’t, not only for health and safety but for enjoyment of the show, without loud snacking going on.
A: No, “only water will be allowed in the arena and concert hall,” according to a news release Friday from the city. It said people attending upcoming events at Blaisdell Center should arrive early if they’d like to purchase refreshments, including alcohol, to consume at the new Blaisdell Cafe, located in the exhibition hall. Like the arena and concert hall, entry to the cafe will be limited to patrons who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the news release said.
Q: Is the interisland passenger ship, Pride of America, coming back to Honolulu?
A: The Norwegian Cruise Line website says interisland cruises on Pride of America are scheduled to resume in January.
Q: I amended my 2020 tax return to get the tax break for unemployment income but that was after they had issued the third stimulus payment, which I didn’t get. Will the IRS automatically recalculate my eligibility for the Economic Impact Payment based on my amended return?
A: No, eligibility for the third EIP was based on your originally filed tax return, according to the Internal Revenue Service’s website. “We will not reevaluate or send more money after applying the unemployment compensation exclusion. If you didn’t qualify for the payment or received less than the full amount based on your 2020 tax return, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your tax return next year,” it says in an update posted Sept. 15.
Mahalo
A belated mahalo to the young lady who helped me when I fell while shopping in Kaimuki. She helped me up and she carried my bag for me. Mahalo. — A reader
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
