O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
NORTH SHORE
BYUH canoe nearly finished
The hulls of the voyaging canoe under construction at Brigham Young University-Hawaii in La'ie have been joined, uniting the vessel's parts and marking a critical stage toward the completion of the sailing wa'a.
The 57-foot double-hull canoe is expected to be completed by mid- to late October and be ready to launch Nov. 3 from Hukilau Beach in La'ie.
The BYUH Hawaiian Studies Center expects to use the vessel as a floating classroom. It was financed by the W.H. Kellogg Foundation with a $619,000 grant.
The joining is like a marriage, said canoe master carver Kawika Eskaran. The 'iako, the cross members, are installed connecting the two hulls.
Traditionally the right hull is considered male and the left is female. Names are given to each hull and another name is given to the canoe, but he asked that the names not be released until the official blessing.
The canoe builders are working late hours in hopes of finishing the boat on time, and Eskaran said any help is always welcomed. Last week, the crew was working on the deck, the railings and finishing the mast. Staining and painting is next, but tying everything together will take the most time, he said.
HONOLULU
'Arts' month set for October
October is National Arts and Humanities Month, and Hawai'i is joining other states in what has become the nation's largest annual collective celebration of the arts and humanities.
The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts is encouraging people in Hawai'i to participate in and support the arts by visiting museums, attending dances or theatre productions, buying season tickets or a membership to an arts organization.
"This activity is all the more significant at this time in face of our community's need for healing, faith and creative thinking," said foundation executive director David Farmer.
The SFCA Web site includes a calendar of activities. Go to www.state.hi.us/sfca and click on the Arts and Culture Calendar.
18,000 kids lack phones
Nearly 6 percent, or 18,000, of Hawai'i's children live in a home without a phone, according to a Kids Count Snapshot report released this week.
The report ranked Hawai'i 26th in the nation. New Mexico had the most children without a phone at nearly 18 percent while Maine fared the best at 2 percent.
In all, 4 million children in America are without a phone, which also means they don't have access to the Internet.
The report found a link between poverty and phone access — 16 percent of children living in poor households were without a phone in 2000, compared with 4 percent of children in households with incomes above the poverty line.
National Guard honors rescuers
The Hawai'i Army National Guard sponsored National Public Lands Day 2001 yesterday, directing volunteers who planted 300 native Hawai'i trees in Diamond Head crater in memory of fallen rescue workers from the New York City terrorist attack.
"The memory of what they gave their lives for — saving others — will carry on in the lives of these trees," said National Guard Lt. Col. Ronald Swafford.
WINDWARD
Watershed to be discussed
A summit to address watershed issues in Waimanalo will convene at 10 a.m. Saturday at Waimanalo school cafeteria.
Issues that will be discussed include flood planning, impaired streams, underground wells, algae blooms, non-point source pollution, wastewater treatment, abandoned reservoirs and irrigation ditches, and agriculture water sources.
The summit will span four weeks in October, with meetings on Saturdays.
"The goal of the summit is to prepare a comprehensive plan for the proper treatment and long-term care of Waimanalo's watershed," said state Rep. Joe Gomes, R-51st (Waimanalo, Keolu Hills, Lanikai, Kailua, Enchanted Lake).
To attend, call Leslie Chow at Gomes' office by Oct. 1 at 586-9450, or fax his office at 586-9456, or reach him by e-mail at repgomes@capitol.hawaii.gov.central.
Three file suit in alleged attacks
Three Pearl City residents have filed a lawsuit against a neighbor whose dogs allegedly attacked them on their properties.
The lawsuit alleges that Troy Murakami has allowed the dogs to roam in the neighborhood. It also alleges that Murakami has pounded on the walls of the plaintiffs' houses, yelling threats and waving tools.
The lawsuit claims that 71-year-old Isamu Oshiro was attacked in his carport by a pit bull terrier last week, causing him to fall and sustain serious injuries to his arm.
Two other elderly neighbors say they were attacked in June and July by two other pit bulls owned by Murakami. The Hawaiian Humane Society cited Murakami after the two earlier attacks, and spokeswoman Eve Holt says Murakami removed the two dogs. The society cited Murakami again after the attack on Oshiro, but that dog was not removed.
LEEWARD
Wai'anae boy mauled by pit bull
A 6-year-old Wai'anae boy was in fair condition at St. Francis-West Medical Center after being mauled by a pit bull yesterday.
The young boy was playing with neighbor children at 87-111 Maipalaoa Road at 11:55 a.m., when the pit bull attacked him, Wai'anae police said.
The pit bull was on a leash but still able to grab hold of the boy. The dog bit the boy's leg as he ran past while playing chase, then bit the boy on the face when the boy kicked the dog while trying to break free, police said.
The boy suffered major lacerations to his face and a possible broken hip.
The dog's owner took the animal to the veterinarian to be euthanized, the Hawaiian Humane Society said.
'Ewa Beach man killed in H-1 crash
A 47-year-old 'Ewa Beach man died yesterday when the truck he was driving struck the H-1 Freeway median near Pearl City.
The man was heading westbound along H-1 near the Ka'ahumanu Street overpass at 10:50 a.m. when his 1989 Toyota pickup veered sharply to the left and struck the zipper lane median.
The man was taken to Kapi'olani Medical Center at Pali Momi where he was pronounced dead.
Police said an autopsy will be done to determine whether the man died from the crash or a medical condition. Police don't believe speed or alcohol were factors.
It was the 61st traffic fatality on O'ahu this year, compared with 48 during the same period last year.
