Posted on: Friday, September 27, 2002
Hawai'i briefs
DOH to regulate storage tanks
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has authorized the state Department of Health to regulate underground tanks that store fuel and hazardous substances, effective Monday.
The state has about 1,100 working underground storage tanks, each of which must be inspected once every three years.
The DOH needed to meet specific requirements in order to be certified to handle the program, which is intended to prevent leaks in underground tanks and to clean up the ground where leaks have taken place.
"This now gives the state primary responsibility for administering the underground storage tank program," said Wayne Nastri, EPA regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest.
The EPA will provide technical support to the state and will still have authority to inspect tanks and to look for violations of federal requirements.
Skatepark blessing today
The city's newest skatepark will open at the Kane'ohe District Park with a blessing ceremony at 3 p.m. today.
The 7,500-square-foot concrete facility, a Kane'ohe vision team project, will accommodate skateboarders of all ages and skill levels.
The facility is the ninth skatepark built by the city. Five more are in the planning or design stages, and the city is reviewing requests for eight more.
Bryce E. Uyehara, AIA, designed the park, and the contractor was PER Inc. The $226,000 park took five months to build and includes landscaping and a new sidewalk.
Kailua students to honor artist
Kailua Intermediate School children will hold an assembly today for artist Ron Artis, who restored the school mural after it was vandalized this month.
Using black spray paint, vandals made at least 13 graffiti marks on the mural, which covers two walls of the administration and library building.
Artis, who painted the original work, spent six hours recently restoring the painting, said school principal Lorraine Henderson.
Artis will also be recognized for the restoration work by the Kailua Chamber of Commerce at the opening of the Windward Sunset on the Beach event taking place Oct. 4, 5 and 6 at Kailua District Park.
Candidates debate on 'Olelo
Candidates for House District 23 (Waikiki, Ala Moana, Kaka'ako) will take part in a live TV debate tonight as part of the "Vote! 2002: Candidates Debate" series sponsored by 'Olelo Community Television.
The debate will air from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oceanic Channel 54 and Oceanic Digital Control.
The participants will be Republican incumbent Galen Fox and Democratic challenger Robert Morgenweck.
