Question: Why aren’t the state and city’s computers linked to each other? I went to renew my driver’s license but was told the computer showed an outstanding parking violation. I was told to go to the state traffic court to clear it. I went to the Ewa District Court and was told the ticket was issued in 2003, but cleared in 2006 and given a clearance letter. I went back to the city license renewal office and gave them the letter, but was told that the violation was still in the computer. The next day, I went back to the Ewa court and asked why the violation still showed up on the city’s computer and was told that it is cleared on their computer but not on the city’s because it is a different system. So, in eight years when I renew my license again, I will have to go through the same routine!

Answer: Something went amiss in your case, because the city’s records should reflect updated traffic violations.

The state Judiciary’s Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) has online access to input and to clear “stoppers,” such as a violation, on a driver’s license file, said Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the city Motor Vehicle and Licensing Division.

Additionally, he said, a daily file from the bureau updates the “outstanding violations” field in the driver’s license files.

“To maintain the integrity of this TVB field on the driver license computer file, the (city) driver license staff has inquiry-only access, but not update authority to clear a stopper from this TVB field,” Kamimura said, emphasizing “inquiry-only.”

According to state traffic records, your citation was issued in 1998 and should have been cleared in 2005.

The Ewa District Court administrator does not know why the stopper was not lifted in 2005, said Judiciary spokeswoman Marsha Kitagawa.

However, she had good news: the stopper has been cleared from your file in both the Judiciary’s and city’s computer systems, “which means there is nothing stemming from this case that will prohibit (you) from renewing (your) driver’s license in the future.”

Kitagawa explained that the Judiciary converted 10 years of traffic case records from its old database system to a new computer system called JIMS (Judiciary Information Management System) in October 2005.

Since the conversion, all traffic case information and updates, including all stoppers imposed and cleared that day, are electronically transferred nightly to the statewide registration and license databases maintained by all counties.

“The Ewa District Court administrator has reminded her entire staff of this fact,” Kitagawa said.

Question: There are two mattresses that someone threw over a wall at the lookout to the pagoda at Honolulu Memorial Park. I can see them from my apartment. Whose job is it to remove them?

Answer: That area is under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Transportation.

Both mattresses were picked up by a Highways Division maintenance crew on Tuesday, a spokesman said.

To report illegal dumping, road hazards, potholes, graffiti and other issues on state highways, call 831-6714. 

Mahalo

To all of the wonderful people who came to the aid of my father when he blacked out, then fell in the parking lot of the Pearl City Don Quijote store on May 8. In spite of the fact that it was Mother’s Day, so many people took time from their busy schedules to help both my parents until the ambulance arrived. We are especially grateful to the person who called 911 and the man who offered a piece of his clothing to use as a pillow. We also want to thank the staff and therapy dogs at the Queen’s Medical Center for the care they provided.  — L. Minagawa Inafuku and Family

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