O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff
LEEWARD
Emergency-road plan advances
Leeward motorists moved closer to getting some emergency road relief this week.
The Wai'anae Coast Emergency Access Road concept has passed an environmental assessment and will continue on to the design phase, Cheryl Soon, city transportation services director, said Tuesday. That process should take about two months, she said.
"Then we get it ready to go to construction," said Soon. "Optimistically, we may begin by the fall."
The $8 million construction project will link six mountainside roadway segments that can be used to bypass Farrington Highway during emergencies.
The four-lane highway is the only way in and out of the Wai'anae Coast.
CENTRAL
Groundbreaking today for school
The state will hold a groundbreaking at 9 this morning for a second elementary school campus in Mililani Mauka.
The yet-to-be-named school will be at the corner of Meheula Parkway and Lehiwa Drive. State Department of Education officials hope the first part of the 12-acre campus can be ready by fall 2003 for grades K-2.
The new campus will have a capacity of 650 students and could be expanded to handle up to 870 students through a multitrack system. The school is needed to help deal with overcrowding at Mililani Mauka Elementary.
Contractor for the $17 million first phase of construction is PER Inc.
State lawmakers representing the Mililani district are pushing for an additional $8 million this legislative session to complete the campus for grades 3-5.
HONOLULU
Pacarro named district judge
Clarence A. Pacarro has been appointed a Honolulu district court judge by Chief Justice Ronald Moon.
Pacarro fills the vacancy created by the retirement of I. Norman Lewis. Pacarro's appointment is subject to confirmation by the state Senate.
Pacarro has been in private law practice since 2000 and specializes in personal injury, criminal defense and contracts. He had served as deputy corporation counsel and deputy prosecuting attorney with the city.
He also has been a per diem judge for the District Court, where he presided over family court cases.
Pacarro was born in Wailuku, Maui.
