O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff
NORTH SHORE
Doll exchange at school today
Dolls will help promote cultural awareness among Wai'alae Elementary School students during a traditional exchange program today on the campus.
The Japanese Friendship Dolls Program symbolizes bonds of international friendship between the people of Japan and the United States, said Ed Krentzman of the FELLOWS Program, a international mentoring project.
Students will receive dolls to promote greater awareness of cultural diversity and understanding of Japanese heritage.
The dolls program is coordinated by the Japanese Cultural Center in Spokane, Wash., and Mukogawa Women's University in Nishinomiya, Japan.
The program began in 1927 when American educator Dr. Sidney L. Gulick rallied church groups, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and entire communities to donate 12,739 dolls to the Japanese Doll Festival, known as Hina Matsuri.
In return, the people of Japan commissioned the best doll makers of the time to create 58 formal display dolls.
All the dolls in the exchange come with passports, one-way tickets and letters from children with wishes of friendship.
LEEWARD
Abuse counsel training set
The Wai'anae Domestic Violence Task Force will hold a training session from 9 a.m. to noon next Friday for dealing with victims of sexual assault.
The free session at the Wai'anae Satellite City Hall conference room, 85-670 Farrington Highway, is designed for staff members of Leeward Coast agencies that work with families, students and victims of domestic violence.
Participants will learn the proper way to respond when being told a client has been sexually assaulted or abused.
The Hawai'i State Coalition Against Domestic Violence-Rural Grant and Malama Na Wahine O Wai'anae are also sponsoring the workshop.
For more information, call Amanda Scholz at 624-2155.
HONOLULU
Police to sell bikes, mo-peds
The Honolulu Police Department will auction 115 bicycles and 13 mo-peds at 9 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot at South Hotel and Kealamakai streets.
All items will be sold as is on a cash-only basis. The items must be paid in full at the time of the sale and picked up immediately.
Mo-peds are not guaranteed to be operable and warranties will not be given.
People who feel they may own any of the items held by police may examine them at 8-9 a.m. Saturday and claim the item by presenting proof of ownership.
Dental firm draws tax fine
Dr. Franklin Kometani and Kometani and Associates, a dental corporation, were fined $40,000 yesterday by a Circuit Court judge for not filing corporation general excise tax returns and for not paying over withholding taxes on employee wages, the Department of Taxation said.
Circuit Judge Richard A. Perkins accepted Kometani's plea of no contest to not filing the corporation's general excise tax return for 1997, and not paying employee withholding taxes for 1996, the department said.
The corporation also pleaded no contest to not filing a general excise tax return for 1996, and not paying over the withholding taxes on employee wages for 1995, according to the department.
Perkins agreed to a deferred acceptance of the no-contest plea, meaning the conviction can be expunged if certain conditions are met. Kometani could not be reached for comment.
WINDWARD
Event to benefit scholarships
Holy Trinity School will hold a fund-raiser concert April 7 at Sea Life Park to benefit its scholarship fund.
Called "Hawaiian Stars Under the Stars," the concert will feature entertainers such as Frank DeLima, Ho'onu'a, Sean Na'auao, Bruddah Kuz, Gordon Freitas & Local Folk, Maacho, Hawaii and Cordell.
All money raised will be used to provide financial aid to families in need.
The concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children 2 to 12, with children under 2 free.
Tickets can be purchased by calling Holy Trinity School at 396-8466; at Tower Records; the Sea Life Park box office or at the door.
For more information, call 396-8466.
