Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Rep. Case calls Maui meetings
U.S. Rep. Ed Case is kicking off a series of town meetings this weekend to "talk story" with residents of the 2nd Congressional District.
Four gatherings are set for Saturday on Maui at:
- West Maui, King Kamehameha III Elementary School, 8 to 10 a.m.
- South Maui, Kihei Elementary School, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Upcountry, Pukalani Elementary School, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
- Central Maui, Wailuku Elementary School, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Case also will visit Helene Hall in Hana from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.
"These meetings will be an ideal time for residents to come and talk story with me about their concerns," Case said. "It'll also be a time for me to report — in person — to the people of the 2nd Congressional."
Other meetings are planned for Kaua'i (Feb. 15), Lana'i (Feb. 18), Moloka'i (Feb. 19) and the Big Island (Feb. 22 and 23).
For more information, call Case's office at 541-1986 on O'ahu, (808) 935-3756 on the Big Island, (808) 242-1818 on Maui and (808) 245-1951 on Kaua'i.
HONOLULU
Nu'uanu pagoda discussion today
A meeting to discuss the Honolulu Memorial Park bankruptcy and plans for the three-story Japanese pagoda at the cemetery will be held at 6 p.m. today at Kawananakoa Middle School cafeteria, 49 Funchal St.
Wayne Kotomori asks that as many of the creditors and niche owners as possible attend to discuss the bankruptcy and a strategy to save the pagoda.
The Nu'uanu cemetery's owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and want to tear down the pagoda, spending about $200,000 on the project rather than the estimated $1 million needed to repair it.
Only pagoda niche holders and company officers are eligible to vote because they are directly affected by the bankruptcy plan. A simple majority is needed to decide the issue.
A ballot on whether to accept the plan has been sent to all pagoda niche holders. The deadline to vote is Tuesday. A court hearing to announce the results is set for Feb. 18.
WINDWAR O'AHU
WCC biotech lab dedication held
Windward Community College dedicated its new $40,000 Tissue Culture and Plant Biotechnology Laboratory yesterday, giving community college students the opportunity to earn a certificate in the subject area that would be transferable to the University of Hawai'i's Manoa campus.
Students receiving the certificate can pursue a degree in plant and environmental biotechnology, said Ingelia White, program coordinator.
The program also prepares students to pursue careers in agriculture, aquaculture, biology, horticulture and medicine, White said. The lab will enable students to propagate plant tissues, implant genes from one plant to another, perform DNA sequencing and other experiments.
Federally and state financed, the lab is the latest addition to the college's biotech program.
