Question: Regarding the state ID, what do they mean by “legal presence”?
Answer: “Legal presence” means you can verify that you are in the United States legally.
Anyone seeking a “gold star” (federal REAL ID-compliant) Hawaii driver’s license or state ID for the first time must verify five eligibility factors in person. We’ll list them here, followed by the documents U.S. citizens most commonly use to do so. Documents must be originals or certified copies; notarized copies or faxes are not accepted, according to the city.
>> Legal Name (birth certificate, U.S. passport, marriage certificate)
>> Date of Birth (birth certificate, U.S. passport, valid driver license)
>> Legal Presence (birth certificate, U.S. passport)
>>Social Security Number (Social Security card, W-2 form, 1099 form)
>> Hawaii principal residence, two documents are required (voter registration card, pay statement, utility bill, bank statement).
Use the city’s document guide to check alternatives. Also, make an appointment to get your ID. You can link to the document guide and the city’s online reservation system from 808ne.ws/idappt Opens in a new tab
Q: Regarding the graduation rates (808ne.ws/43sty Opens in a new tab), did they look at charter schools?
A: Yes. The College and Career Readiness Indicators report (CCRI) contains a wealth of data about Hawaii’s public high schools, which include charters.
The CCRI covers far more than graduation rates. For each school, it lists such data as the percentage of students meeting academic standards, taking advanced classes, graduating with honors, enrolling in college and returning for their second year (this last factor is known as “college persistence”).
You can access the report at hawaiidxp.org Opens in a new tab, as PDFs or via an interactive dashboard, which allows users to compare schools.
To answer another reader, who said the reported college-going rate (55 percent) seemed low based on her family’s experience: That is the statewide average for all of Hawaii’s public high schools. Individual schools may have higher (or lower) rates. At Kaiser High School, which the reader mentioned, 80 percent of the Class of 2018 went to college, the report shows.
Q: What date is the free shredding? And where?
A: April 27 (a Saturday) from 8 a.m. to noon at Access Information Protection, 98-736 Moanalua Loop in Aiea, according to the AARP, which is a sponsor. This is a drive-thru event, with a limit of two business-sized boxes or bags per person.
Mahalo
While we were on a family vacation in late March, my wife became ill in Honolulu. I write to say how fortunate we were, as everyone we encountered rose to the occasion and beyond. A wonderful volunteer guide at ‘Iolani Palace immediately drove us, in her own car, to The Queen’s Medical Center. (A staff person there also offered to drive us.)
Physicians and nurses in the hospital emergency department quickly gave my wife their full attention. To treat her, the cardiologist stayed on duty several hours after he was scheduled to leave. The excellent care continued for three days, as my wife was admitted to the hospital telemetry unit as an inpatient and given multiple tests. Finally, a difficult diagnosis was established.
Meanwhile, the Hilton Hawaiian Village, where we were staying with our family, bent over backward to extend our stays in our same hotel rooms, despite the pressures of spring break. Desk clerks and others repeatedly asked after my wife’s health and helped in several ways. My wife is much better now and home in New Jersey. We learned that Hawaii has not only the most beautiful scenery, but also the most extraordinary people, of any state — and we’ve been to all 50! — Neil Weisfeld, Princeton, N.J.
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.
