Question: I’ve had personalized license plates for many years, and I love them, but with the price so high now, I can’t afford to keep renewing year after year. I guess I will switch to a plain plate, but I want to keep my personalized plates for sentimental reasons. Is that allowed? I don’t want to switch until I know whether I will have to turn them in.
Answer: You will be allowed to keep the front personalized license plate as a memento if you wish, and turn in only the rear personalized license plate, according to Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services, which posts information about this on its website. If you keep the front plate, know that “you can no longer display the personalized front plate on any vehicle,” it says. You’ll have to display your newly issued valid plates on the front and rear of your registered vehicle.
You can purchase a set of new standard license plates at any of Oahu’s satellite city halls without an appointment, it says. You’ll pay $5 for the new standard set (a one-time fee), along with whatever registration renewal fees are due.
Hawaii’s annual fee for personalized license plates, also known as vanity plates, rose to $60 from $25 on July 1. The $60 surcharge “applies to the initial application and all annual renewals of a vehicle’s registration, and is in addition to all other registration/renewal fees,” the website says.
Q: What if I can’t register for Parks & Rec classes online?
A: You can contact your preferred park location to request in-person registration, an accommodation made for people who can’t access the Parks and Recreation Online System (pros.hnl.info), where most registration will occur, according to a news release from the department.
Registration, whether in person or online, will be conducted by geographic districts, starting Tuesday. Class offerings, which are posted on the PROS website, include recreational sports, arts and crafts, music and other programs and activities for children and adults. There are a mix of free and fee-based classes. For online registration, only Visa or Mastercard credit or debit cards will be accepted for payments, the news release said. Cash or check will be accepted for in-person registration, it said.
Here is the registration schedule posted by Parks & Rec:
>> Tuesday, 4 p.m.: District 1, Ka Iwi to Waikiki. For more information, see the PROS website or call 808-768-8944.
>> Jan. 18, 4 p.m.: District 3, Waipahu to Makaha. For more information, see the PROS website or call 808-768-6889.
>> Jan. 19, 4 p.m.: District 4, Mokuleia to Makapuu. For more information, see the PROS website or call 808-768-8980.
>> Jan. 20, 4 p.m.: District 5, Pearl City to Whitmore. For more information, see the PROS website or call 808-768-6940.
>> Jan. 23, 4 p.m.: District 2, Makiki to Aiea. For more information, see the PROS website or call 808-768-9292.
Q: You mentioned where to look up traffic offenses, but I can’t recall.
A: You’re thinking of eCourt Kokua, “for access to Traffic cases; District Court, Circuit Court, and Family Court criminal; District Court, Circuit Court civil, and Family Court civil; Land Court and Tax Appeal Court; and appellate court case information,” according to the state Judiciary website, www.courts.state.hi.us. You can link to eCourt Kokua from there.
Auwe
Auwe to whoever in the lower Ahuimanu Road area is constantly burning rubbish or something for over two hours and causing smoke in the air for those of us who live near you. It is especially bad when there is no wind at all and the smell of the smoke lingers in our homes. Please have some consideration. — Neighbor
Mahalo
Mahalo to Target Salt Lake associates who found my gift bag of papaya and goodies given by a friend. On Sunday, in a hurry to do errands, I left the bag in my cart. — Appreciative kupuna
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.
