Posted on: Sunday, August 22, 2004
HAWAI'I BRIEFS
N.Y. spotlight to include Lingle
Advertiser Staff
Gov. Linda Lingle will be in the national spotlight later this month when she attends the Republican National Convention.
Lingle has been named temporary chairwoman for the convention, scheduled for Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 at New York's Madison Square Garden. Hawai'i GOP Chairman Brennon Morioka said that as temporary chairwoman, Lingle will preside over the election of the convention's permanent officers and fulfill the responsibilities of the permanent convention chairman, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, when he is not on the dais.
A state project to replenish sand on Waikiki Beach will be discussed at a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 1 at Waikiki Elementary School, 3710 Le'ahi Ave.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is holding the meeting to discuss its plans to dredge offshore sand and place it onto Kuhio Beach starting in October. Under the proposal, a suction pump will be used to dredge as much as 10,000 cubic yards of sand.
It will be the largest replenishment effort in more than three decades and is intended to offset erosion that has taken away about a foot of beach a year since 1985, according to the state.
The objectives of the project are to expand the beach between the North Kuhio Beach groin and the Kapahulu storm drain and demonstrate state-of-the-art offshore sand collecting and pumping technologies for future beach restoration efforts.
The project, estimated at $500,000 to $700,000, is expected to take about 90 days.
For more information, call the DLNR at 587-0401.
The University of Hawai'i-Manoa College of Business Administration's international business program for undergraduates has moved into the top 10 in "America's Best" college rankings by US News & World Report.
The UH program tied for 10th place with Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and the University of MissouriiSt. Louis.
The magazine's "Best Graduate Schools" issue earlier this year listed the UH-Manoa college's international programs for graduate students in the top 20 nationally.
The rankings are prepared to help students choose schools and are done through a compilation of surveys by senior academicians.
William Chismar, associate dean at the College of Business Administration, said UH's international outreach programs are "increasingly active" in Asia and the Pacific.
A hearing is scheduled tomorrow on a lawsuit seeking to prevent Hawai'i County Council Chairman Jimmy Arakaki from running for another term.
Because the primary election is only four weeks away, the three Big Island residents who filed the lawsuit are asking Circuit Judge Glenn Hara for prompt consideration.
Big Island voters in 1996 approved a charter amendment that limits County Council members to four consecutive two-year terms. However, it was not clear when the change takes effect.
County Clerk Al Konishi, an attorney, and Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida have issued legal opinions saying the term limits started in 1998, meaning Arakaki can seek a final two-year term.
Arakaki's attorney, Brian De Lima, agrees with the two county lawyers. He said there were no term limits when Arakaki ran in 1996, so limits started in 1998.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit contend that Arakaki's term began when he was sworn in to office in December 1996, after the charter amendment was approved by voters and certified.
If the court rules that he cannot seek another term, he still could get more votes than his little-known opponent, Ollie Fulks, one of the plaintiffs.
In that case, Fulks would not win by default, but rather a vacancy would be declared in the 3rd Council District, said Konishi. The other council members then would select someone to fill the vacancy.
Hawai'i Reserves Inc. will replace a water line with a 12-inch main on the makai side of Kamehameha Highway in La'ie from the Kahawainui Stream bridge to Pounders Beach beginning in September.
The $2.7 million project, to include new fire hydrants, is estimated to take nine months and could involve lane closures, said Jeffrey Tyau, HRI director of engineering and utilities.
"We currently have it permitted for lane closure but we are trying to see if we can avoid that," Tyau said.
The project is on the shoulder of the road, Tyau said, and will use horizontal boring to dig the hole for the pipe, thereby avoiding open trenches. But some trenching will be necessary, he said.
Bryan Clay, a competitor in the decathlon in the Olympic Games in Athens, will be honored by the state Legislature at the Windward Ho'olaule'a taking place from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 4 at Windward Community College in Kane'ohe.
The event, sponsored by the college and Kane'ohe Business Group, is free but there is a fee for the Imaginarium shows.
Sand restoration briefing Sept. 1
UH program ranks in top 10
Hilo hearing set on term limit
Water-line work in September
Olympic athlete to be honored
