Kokua Line: Where are meetings on state climate plan?

Question: They’re having public meetings about climate action, and I didn’t hear anything about it so I missed the one at my library. Please let people who can still go know about these.

Answer: You’re referring to review sessions the Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission is holding at public libraries across the state to collect feedback on the draft Climate Action Pathways, a plan to guide state policies in energy, transportation, agriculture, land use and other major sectors.

Sessions were held last week at the Manoa, Kailua and Salt Lake-Moanalua public libraries, with more scheduled this week and next. Here’s the upcoming schedule, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources:

>> Monday at 5 p.m. at Mililani Public Library

>> Tuesday at 1 p.m. at Waimanalo Public and School Library

>> Wednesday at 9 a.m. at Kahului Public Library

>> Thursday at 3 p.m. at Wailuku Public Library

>> Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hilo Public Library

>> Sept. 23 at 11 a.m. at Lihue Public Library

>> Sept. 23 at 4 p.m. at Kapaa Public Library

You can read the CAP or an executive summary of it via links at hiclimate. consider.it, where you can also submit your opinions about it. The online portal will accept public input through Sept. 30.

The commission says it is “especially keen to hear” what the plan is missing, any concerns about it and how people envision implementing its proposals in their own neighborhoods and communities.

Q: Please provide a status update on the technical problems that delayed processing of mail-in motor vehicle registration renewals (808ne.ws/4prAtjo). Has this problem been resolved? Or is it ongoing and affecting September renewals?

A: Harold Nedd, a spokesperson for Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services, emailed the following response Friday:

“All of the mail-in registrations that were due in August have been processed. We’re on Sept. 4 for this month’s mail-in registrations, processing 200 to 300 per day. We won’t know for sure until the end of month whether the technical issue affecting mail-in registration has been completely resolved. To help manage the situation, we’re continuing to emphasize using one of the other three options for renewing a vehicle registration: in person, online or at a self-service kiosk. That’s the reason for the notice that remains the CSD website.”

The notice, at honolulu.gov/csd/latest-news, includes links that list the locations of Oahu’s satellite city halls and DMV Now kiosks. To renew online, go to mvinquiry.hnl.info/renewal. Kiosk and online renewals have added serv­ice fees.

Q: I received a jury summons issued by the U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. I’d like to know how long the U.S. District Court of Hawaii keeps potential jurors’ names on their active list. I’m into the second consecutive year of receiving jury summons notices from them. I believe the State Circuit Court keeps potential jurors’ names active for one year.

A: For trial jurors, the overall jury pool for this federal court resets every two years, according to its website, which says:

“In any two-year period, no person will be required to:

“1. serve or attend court for prospective serv­ice as a petit (trial) juror for a total of more than 30 days, except when necessary to complete service in a particular case, or

“2. serve on more than one grand jury, or

“3. serve as both a grand and petit juror.

“Jurors selected for a petit jury are required to serve through the completion of the trial. The average juror serves approximately two weeks for one trial.

“Grand Jurors serve an 18-month term, and each grand jury will serve until discharged by the Chief Judge. The term of serv­ice may be extended after 18 months upon the court’s determination that such extension is in the public interest, in accordance with Rule 6(g) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Serv­ice is generally two to four times a month.”

U.S. District Courts are the primary trial courts in the federal court system, handling civil and criminal cases under federal jurisdiction. Hawaii’s District Court is located in Honolulu but summons jurors from all counties because it has jurisdiction over the whole state.

As you indicated, the Hawaii State Judiciary mails out new juror questionnaires every year to reset the overall jury pool for its Circuit Courts.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.