Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
EAST HONOLULU
Marina project blessing today
The Hawai'i Kai Marina Association will hold a blessing ceremony at 11 a.m. today at Maunalua Bay Beach Park to mark the start of its dredging project, which has been in the planning stages for nine years.
The Rev. Leilani Pratt will do the blessing at the site, near the Kalaniana'ole Highway bridge on the kokohead side of the beach park.
The dredging of the channel, which has been mired in delays and controversy, is being paid for, in part, by $240,000 in state money appropriated in 1994. The contract with American Marine Corp. is for $189,700. The association has contracted with the same company for additional dredging inside the marina.
The dredging is necessary for safety reasons because only one side of the channel is open for ingress and egress, the association said. More than 700 private boat owners can use the marina, and 15 water-sports companies use it daily.
The dredged material will be used to replenish Portlock Beach, and a sandbag groin will be built in the bay as part of the project.
HONOLULU
HPD to auction bikes, mopeds
Honolulu police will auction 115 lost, strayed or stolen bicycles and six mopeds at 9 a.m. tomorrow in the parking lot at South Hotel and Kealamaka'i streets, as is, cash and carry.
Anyone who believes the items may belong to them may inspect them between 8 a.m. and 8:55 a.m. tomorrow and make claims based on proof of ownership.
Bark park benefit planned
A barbecue lunch to benefit the Diamond Head bark park will take place from noon to 2 p.m. tomorrow at the park, 18th Avenue and Diamond Head Road.
Lunch is being prepared by Dixie Grill. Tickets are $20 each. Proceeds will be used for park maintenance.
Demonstrations and activities will be held for the dogs.
For tickets, call Frances Takaba at 737-7264.
WINDWARD O'AHU
Christian music concert slated
Waimanalo Assembly of God will host its second annual Christian concert, with participation by 12 churches and ministries, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow at Waimanalo Beach Park.
The free event will feature musical groups and singing, testimonies, and food booths.
Waimanalo library adds hours
The Waimanalo library will have a celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow to mark resumption of Saturday hours at the library, 41-1320 Kalaniana'ole Highway, for the first time since 1995.
Saturday services will include circulation and Internet access; weekly stories and crafts or other special programs at 11 a.m.; and literacy, computer and basic skills tutoring.
The extra hours were made possible by a grant from the Verizon Foundation and Hawai'i Reads program.
The grand opening will include a reading by state Sen. Fred Hemmings, self-guided tours, children's games and prizes at 10 a.m.; storytelling at 11 a.m.; and crafts and refreshments from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Estate sues firm in copter deaths
The estate of a New Jersey family of four who were killed in a tour helicopter crash on Maui two years ago has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturers of the helicopter.
The lawsuit was filed yesterday by Honolulu attorneys Kenneth Mansfield and William McCorriston and accused the manufacturers of failing to build, design, assemble, inspect, test, maintain and repair the helicopter.
The helicopter flown by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters crashed on July 21, 2000, killing all seven people aboard.
Named as defendants were European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co.; Eurocopter S.A.; American Eurocopter Corp.; Societe Nationale d'Etudes et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation, which does business as Snecma Group; Turbomeca S.A.; and Turbomeca Engine Corp. The defendants had a part in designing, building and maintaining the helicopter, the lawsuit said.
The complaint was filed on behalf of a representative of the estate of William John Jordan, 51; his wife, Jan Herscovitz, 49; their son, Max Jordan, 16; and daughter, Lindsey Jordan, 15. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
STATEWIDE
News anchor adds weather duties
KHON-TV is eliminating its weather anchor slot, leaving news anchor Joe Moore to deliver the weather updates.
Moore said he will give viewers the weather forecast 95 percent of the time "unless weather becomes a factor in the news."
Trini Kaopuiki, KHON-2's weather anchor, will become the station's 'Ohana Journal reporter, beginning Monday. She is on leave this week, tending to a family matter on Maui, and may return to the airwaves tonight as the meteorologist, Moore said.
However, when she resumes her new assignment next week, she will doing daily features as part of the nightly news. It's a five-days-a-week beat that Malia Mattoch previously covered.
"It's always been my position that we didn't need a weather anchor," said Moore. "This will be a practical use of our talent."
