QUESTION: Regarding the Jan. 12 "Kokua Line" about a volunteer closing Moanalua Valley Park before the posted closing time: The general time for park users is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. However, it is dark by 6 p.m. during the winter. For the safety of volunteers and park users, the park sometimes is closed at sunset. An earlier closing time was requested, but the city has not been able to change the time. Can you let people know that if they would like to keep the park open until 7 p.m., they can contact the city parks department and volunteer to close the park at that time?

ANSWER: The city Department of Parks and Recreation is sticking to the 7 p.m. closing time, even during the winter months when it gets dark earlier.

The biggest problem with closing a park at dusk would be the confusion to both volunteers and park users as to what is meant by dusk, said Craig Mayeda, administrator of Parks Maintenance and Recreation Services.

"Everyone would have a different interpretation of when dusk is," he said, whereas 7 p.m. "makes it easier to enforce" and allows people to enjoy the park longer, especially during the summer.

Anyone wanting the park to be closed earlier can petition the local neighborhood board for its support and recommendation to the Parks Department, Mayeda said.

"If we do have a situation in which a volunteer does not feel safe … at 7 p.m. because of darkness, we encourage them not to put themselves in jeopardy," he said.

Anyone interested in being a park volunteer should call 373-8013 for East Honolulu parks, 522-7060 for West Honolulu, 675-6030 for Leeward Oahu and 233-7300 for Windward Oahu.

Any groups interested in volunteering should contact C.J. Jamile, the Adopt a Park coordinator, at 768-3034.

QUESTION: It was just getting dark on a weekday in early January, while I was at Beretania and Punchbowl streets waiting for the bus, when I noticed four letters in neon colors spelling "LOVE" vertically, in the top left-hand corner of the state Capitol. Why? What for?

ANSWER: Rep. Marcus Oshiro said he started the tradition of turning on the "LOVE" lights in 2007, to coincide with the Honolulu City Lights celebration.

"Because I have a corner office that faces Beretania and King streets, I thought (the lights) would add to the festive ambience of Honolulu City Lights," he said, adding that there’s no deep meaning as to why "LOVE" was chosen.

Oshiro pointed out that he uses energy-efficient LED lights, which use about 7 cents of electricity a day. The lights are taken down in the first week in January.

MAHALO

To a group of guardian angels who helped my daughter the night of Jan. 12, when she was in an accident on the freeway between Waikele and Kunia. The other car involved did not stop, leaving my daughter stranded in pouring rain, unable to start her car. As she was speaking to me on her cell phone, I could hear a man, then a woman, asking her whether she was OK. My daughter told me later that four men used their cars to block traffic as they helped get her car off to the side of the freeway. The woman waited to make sure that she would be OK before driving off. The men called police and paramedics, then left when they were sure she was in good hands. All this happened before my husband could get to the scene, so we were unable to thank them all. I’m afraid to imagine what could have happened if they hadn’t stopped. Thank you so very much to all of you for your concern and aloha. — J. Lee

Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or e-mail kokualine@staradvertiser.com.