Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff
Senior class wins song competition
The senior class took top honors in the combined class competition at last night's 81st Kamehameha Schools Song Contest at the Neal Blaisdell Arena.
Under the direction of Alika Young, the senior class won the Charles E. King Cup with its rendition of "Ua Nani Kaua'i/Nani Wale Lihue. Young and junior Troy Andrade were named the outstanding student directors.
The seniors also claimed the girls competition with their performance of "Paliakamoa." Song director Kekai Crabbe led the class.
In the boys competition, the juniors, under the direction of Kalei Velasco, took top honors. The boys performed "Beautiful Kahana."
There were ties in the evening's other award categories.
The Helen Desha Beamer Award for the best musical performance went to the senior and junior classes, while the Richard Lyman Jr. 'Olelo Makuahine Award for Hawaiian language performance was shared by the senior girls and senior combined class.
9/11 flag donated to Fire Department
Rochan Pinho, the 12-year-old boy with terminal brain and spinal cancer who raised more than $25,000 for the victims of the Sept. 11 attack, yesterday donated a special flag he had received for his efforts to the Honolulu Fire Department.
Pinho used a button press to make thousands of patriotic buttons, sold them around the island and sent the proceeds to New York.
Last October, New York Gov. George Pataki recognized Pinho's efforts by giving him an American flag that was flown over the site of the terrorist strikes on the World Trade Center, as well as a coin presented only to Sept. 11 relief workers and volunteers.
"I never felt comfortable accepting the flag or medal because, inside me, I know that it belongs to all the people in Hawai'i that have given and done so much," Pinho said yesterday at a ceremony in the governor's office where he presented the items to Fire Chief Attilio Leonardi.
Until its permanent museum is built, the Fire Department will display Pinho's items in its mini-museum with other Sept. 11 memorabilia.
Vandals a problem at Kailua school
Enchanted Lake Elementary School in Kailua is asking parents and neighbors to be on the lookout for thieves and trespassers who have vandalized the school twice in about a month.
The first act of vandalism occurred around the Presidents Day holiday, with somebody uprooting flowers and tropical plants from under the school's sign by Keolu Drive, principal Pua McElhaney said in a newsletter to parents.
The school installed new plants, but recently those also were vandalized, uprooted and stolen.
The two instances of vandalism are the latest in a series of destructive acts and thefts at Kailua schools within the past two years.
McElhaney also said that on a recent weekend someone drove their vehicle through the main corridor of the school, evidenced by two long, black skid marks. On yet another weekend, the driver of a white Honda was seen emptying trash into the school dumpster.
The dumpster was almost full, leaving little space for school trash on Monday, McElhaney said.
Ground broken for Kaua'i courthouse
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The state judiciary broke ground yesterday for a $36 million courthouse complex on Kaua'i, at the intersection of Kapule Highway and Ka'ana Street, next to the county's new green-roofed public safety building.
The new three-story building on 6 1/2 acres will house six courtrooms, judges' chambers, offices and other judiciary functions. It will have 112,000 square feet and was designed by Anbe, Aruga and Ishizu Architects. The builder is Unlimited Construction Services.
On Tuesday, the judiciary will dedicate its new Kane'ohe courthouse, Abner Paki Hale, which is the first judiciary facility built since 1987.
