Kokua Line: Why are restaurant reports offline?

Christine Donnelly, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
·3 min read

Jan. 26—Question: I used to be able to pull up restaurant inspection reports on the state Department of Health website. They're not there anymore. Why? Where can we access the reports?

Answer: The website where members of the public could check whether a Hawaii restaurant or other food establishment has a valid permit and see food safety inspection reports is no longer active because "the Food Safety Branch is in the process of switching IT vendors to manage its public website, which includes access to restaurant inspection reports. This process could take up to a couple of months," Shawn Hamamoto, a DOH spokesperson, said Wednesday in an email.

In the meantime, he said, "copies of restaurant inspection reports are available to the public by contacting the Food Safety Branch on each of the respective isles."

>> Oahu: Call 808- 586-8000 or email doh.foodsafetyoahu@doh.hawaii.gov.

>> Hawaii island: Hilo, 808-933-0917; Kona, 808-322-1507

>> Maui, Molokai, Lanai: 808-984-8230

>> Kauai: 808-241-3323

You are one of several readers who noticed that the website that once displayed color-coded restaurant inspection reports is down and has been for some time. Rather than linking to the reports, hi.healthinspections.us/hawaii says "site no longer active" and directs users to health.hawaii.gov/san for more information. As of Wednesday morning, rather than providing more information, the referral page promoted the availability of online reports and directed users back to the inactive site. The page was updated later that day, after we contacted the DOH, to explain why the reports were not accessible online and to tell people how to request them.

Q: How far in advance can the state ID be renewed?

A: The earliest you can renew a Hawaii state identification card is six months before expiration. You won't lose six months of duration by renewing early, because the new expiration date won't be calculated from the renewal date. The expiration date of the renewed card will be eight years from your current card's expiration date (your birth date). However, if you happen to be in the U.S. temporarily on a travel visa (business or pleasure), you won't get an eight-year state ID. In that case, "your state ID will expire on the last day of your legal state in the U.S.," according to Honolulu's Department of Customer Services.

Q: Regarding the disability parking permit that exempts the disabled driver from feeding the meter, is there a different form for that?

A: No. Use Form PA-3, which you can download at 808ne.ws/pa3form or on the Disability and Communication Access Board's website, health.hawaii.gov/dcab.

Form PA-3 is used to apply for any type of disability parking permit, including the temporary permit (red placard), long-term permit (blue placard) and the type you are asking about, the disability paid parking exemption permit (green placard).

Only the DPPEP exempts the holder from certain parking fees, as it is restricted to licensed drivers with a qualifying mobility disability who are physically unable to access a parking meter or pay station. The other types of permits can be issued to people with qualifying mobility disabilities, regardless of whether or not they drive; they are commonly held by passengers.

The full requirements of each type of permit are listed on the form.

Flight delays

Commercial airline passengers flying into or out of Honolulu, Kona, Kahului and possibly Lihue should be prepared for potential flight delays caused by military training being hosted by the Hawaii Air National Guard through the end of the month, the state Department of Transportation says.

During the Sentry Aloha exercises, "the Federal Aviation Administration may implement ground stops due to the increased military aircraft activity," affecting travel schedules, it said. "Passengers are advised to check with their airline for information specific to their flight."

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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.

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