Question: The Kapiolani Community College Saturday Farmers Market opens at 7:30 a.m. with the horn, and no one is allowed to take anything until that time. However, vendors have been allowing customers to make their selections before then, pay for the items and waltz off with their purchases when the horn sounds at 7:30 a.m. Everyone else is left to pick through the remaining items and stand in line, and it’s not even 8 a.m. This practice has been going on for a long time but has really gotten out of hand. This has turned into a private preview where some people get the choicest selections with no waiting in line by coming early. This is no longer an OPEN market and I’m sure not the intent of the market. Can you get an answer how this technicality continues to be allowed by vendors and customers?
Answer: "We are revisiting our entire farmers market policies and will certainly look at this (issue) again," said Joy Gold, interim executive director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, which sponsors the KCC Farmers’ Market.
But for now, vendors will not be required to turn away customers who want to reserve purchases before 7:30 a.m.
"Currently, it is left up to the individual vendor," Gold said.
From a practical standpoint, she said, it would be difficult to cordon off access to the vendors because there are so many entry points.
The other factor, particularly for the KCC market, is that it’s so popular — with more than 7,000 people attending every Saturday.
So "even when you arrive at 7:45 (a.m.), many of the high-demand, low-supply products will be gone," although "of course, there are many other products available."
Gold said she looked at the frequency of complaints on this issue and found "anecdotally" that there might be one or two per month among the thousands of people who attend.
"That’s not to minimize the concern," she said, but "just to put things in perspective."
It really is a situation in which the early bird snags the organic lettuce.
"It focuses on high demand and low supply … and those who price their product at a very competitive rate," Gold said.
Question: What on earth is this all on the fire hydrant on Kaneohe Bay Drive across from the Aina Moi intersection near the bus stop?
Answer: The photo you provided showed the Board of Water Supply’s fire hydrant encircled by chains.
"The contraption attached to the hydrant is a temporary hydrant meter rig for a private contractor working in the area," said BWS spokeswoman Tracy Burgo. It was installed by the BWS on July 22.
"The extra heavy chains and additional locks secure the rig to the hydrant and the wooden structure that supports it, further deterring theft of the equipment," she said.
As we explained previously, the Fire Department is not the only entity that can access the board’s hydrants. For a fee, commercial entities, usually construction companies, can pay a fee to hook up to a hydrant. They are then charged for the water drawn, as recorded by a meter.
AUWE
To myself. A man on a chopper-style motorcycle was coming out of the city’s motor vehicle reconstruction station in Kapahulu on the Kapiolani Boulevard side Wednesday morning, July 27. I wasn’t paying full attention and didn’t see him as I pulled in, making him swerve out of the way. I didn’t mean to startle him. It bothered me all day, and I hope he sees this and accepts my apology. — ‘Alohi
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 email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
