O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff
HONOLULU
Waste hazard drop-off set
A special "drop-off" day for homeowners to dispose of mercury and other hazardous household wastes will be held April 28.
The event is sponsored by the city and state Department of Health.
The coordinated event is in response to the recent publicity about mercury contamination and heightened interest among homeowners about disposing of potentially hazardous wastes, said Mayor Jeremy Harris.
For more information or to schedule an appointment for the April 28 drop-off day, call the city's Household Hazardous Waste information line at 523-4474.
EAST HONOLULU
Highway work topic of forum
State transportation, police and city water officials will talk about work on Kalaniana'ole Highway at 7 p.m. Monday at the Kalani High School cafeteria.
Preliminary work is under way on a massive, 21-month construction project along Kalaniana'ole Highway, with the heavy work ready to begin at any time.
The work will require digging up part of Kalaniana'ole Highway from West Hind Drive to 'Ainakoa Avenue to replace water mains and gas lines, followed by resurfacing and other work.
The meeting is being conducted by area lawmakers. For more information call 586-6310.
WINDWARD
Courthouse work to begin
The state will break ground on the new Kane'ohe courthouse with a ceremony at 10 a.m. today at the intersection of Po'okela Street and Kea'ahala Road, the site of the new building.
The Abner Paki Hale is the first courthouse to be built since the Lahaina District Court on Maui in 1968.
The Legislature has appropriated $8.9 million for the project, which includes replacing staff residences for the Hawai'i State Hospital.
The courthouse is being constructed on a two-acre portion of state-owned land,which originally was part of the hospital campus. No land acquisition money was required for the project.
The 28,000-square-foot, two-level courthouse will have two courtrooms, improved public and staff areas, secure holding facilities and parking. AM Partners Inc. designed the building.
The construction, by Albert C. Kobayashi Inc., will take place in two phases. The contractor will build the staff housing first and the courthouse second, expecting to be finished by June 2002.
The building is named for Justice Abner Paki, one of the original Hawai'i Supreme Court justices, who served from 1842 to 1847. He was also a member of the House of Nobles, a member of the Privy Counsel and Chamberlain to King Kamehameha III.
Kailua escape short-lived
Police have arrested three male teenagers who escaped Monday afternoon from the Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility.
The boys, all 17 years old, escaped from the Kailua facility about 12:19 p.m., a police report said. The boys were caught within an hour, police said.
One boy was found at the facility, one at a nearby bus stop and the third about a mile from the facility, police said.
Stolen vehicle found in valley
Police tracked a stolen 2000 Dodge Durango reported used in a Ka'a'awa theft case about 10:30 a.m. yesterday, eventually recovering the vehicle in Kahana Valley.
On the way to investigate the theft, a police officer spotted the red Durango on Kamehameha Highway traveling in the opposite direction. The officer turned to follow the SUV, but lost sight of it, according to police.
In a search of Kahana the officer sighted the SUV, but the driver evaded police again. The vehicle was found abandoned on Trout Farm Road.
A license check and call to the owner revealed that the Durango had been stolen from Windward Dodge, where the SUV was being repaired, the police said.
LEEWARD
Makaha farm to be discussed
Representatives from a new organic farm planned in Makaha will give a presentation to the Makaha Ahupua'a Community Association at its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Makaha Neighborhood Park on Manuku Street.
Also on the agenda is a presentation from Blake Yokatake, human resources director for 7-Eleven Hawaii Inc., on its plans for the area.
