HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Visitor dies while surfing
Advertiser Staff
A man died after he was pulled unconscious from the water off Waikiki yesterday afternoon.
The man, described as a visitor in his 50s, collapsed while on a surfboard shortly after 2:30 p.m., police said. A surfing instructor pulled the man to shore, where lifeguards performed CPR.
The man was taken to Straub Clinic and Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 3:20 p.m., police said. The case has been classified as an unattended death, pending the outcome of an autopsy.
The man's name was not released last night.
Power failures affect 2,000
About 2,000 Hawaiian Electric Co. customers were without electricity during two separate power failures yesterday.
Power went out for 1,980 customers at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki at 10:30 a.m., and was restored at about noon, said spokesman Jose Dizon.
At about 1 p.m., power went out along McCully Street, including the McCully Shopping Center, where three people were stuck in the elevator until power was restored at 1:40 p.m.
Also, two traffic signals went out on McCully Street at Beretania and King streets, forcing police officers to direct traffic.
In both cases underground cable trouble was the cause, Dizon said.
'Green Cuisine' how-to planned
A presentation on how to prepare "Green Cuisine," or healthy foods, will be from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 15 at the Waikiki Community Center at 310 Paoakalani Ave.
French cook Norma Koenig will discuss working with foods that are low in salt, sugar and fat and offer tasty recipes.
Tickets for the tasting are $3; reservation deadline is Friday.
Call 923-1802.
NORTH SHORE
Kids: Put on your PJs and listen up
In conjunction with the holiday movie "The Polar Express" starring Tom Hanks, the Kahuku Public & School Library will present a special Polar Express Pajama Read Aloud program Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.
The "Conductor" is scheduled to read aloud the classic children's holiday story "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg, the book on which the movie is based.
Children are invited to visit the library dressed in their pajamas. As in the movie, refreshments of cookies and cocoa will be served. The Kahuku Public & School Library is at 56i490 Kamehameha Highway. Call 293-8935.
HONOLULU
Forfeited items to be auctioned
The state attorney general's office will hold an auction of forfeited property Saturday at the Neal Blaisdell Center.
Items to be auctioned include cars, motorcycles, trucks, stereo equipment, tools and jewelry.
Property inspection will start at 10 a.m. for vehicles and 11 a.m. for other items, with the auction beginning at noon.
Visit the auctioneer's Web site at www.rosenauctions.com.
Church sponsors charity bazaar
The Hawai'i Cedar Church of Kalihi is sponsoring a charity bazaar from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow at the Neal Blaisdell Center. Proceeds will help pay for a planned substance-abuse center.
The center, to be called the House of Love, will serve primarily Korean-speaking people hooked on crystal methamphetamine.
The bazaar, in the Pikake Hall, will feature items for sale and Korean entertainment.
Peace Corps director to speak
Gaddi H. Vasquez, director of the U.S. Peace Corps, will be the commencement speaker at Chaminade University of Honolulu's fall graduation Monday, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall.
More than 300 graduates will receive degrees and hear Vasquez speak about the rewards of a life committed to service. He has served in the administrations of three California governors and is the first American of Hispanic ancestry to serve as director of the Peace Corps.
Under his leadership, the Peace Corps has seen a 28-year high in its volunteers serving in 70 countries.
ID card office open Saturday
The State Identification Office will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday for residents to apply for or renew ID cards.
The office is at 465 S. King St. in the Kekuanao'a Building, formerly the Territorial Office Building.
The office is open periodically on Saturdays to help people who have trouble getting there on weekdays. For more information, call 587-3112.
O'AHU
Health survey seeks natives
Papa Ola Lokahi, a nonprofit Native Hawaiian healthcare organization, and the Indian Health Service are conducting a survey of American Indian and Alaska Natives to help in the design of programs and services to the Native American population here.
Those who are O'ahu residents and not in the military are eligible to complete the questionnaire, a confidential 29-question survey on their health and other information. Deadline is Dec. 31.
The questionnaire results will be made available to the public.
The agencies also plan to establish an advisory board for a nonprofit native health network to serve this population.
To complete the questionnaire, call Lisa at 597-6555 or e-mail ui@imihale.org. The survey also can be completed online (www.imihale.org/survey .htm). A modest gift will be provided for participants.
STATEWIDE
EPA grant to help wetlands
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $93,750 to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to produce a wetland plant field guide.
The grant will support the writing, review and production of the Hawai'i Wetland Plant Field Guide, which will be an ecological and identification guide to wetlands and wetland plants of the Hawaiian Islands.
The field guide will illustrate various wetland plants and identify the native species that will be ideal to use when restoring wetland areas.
A focus of the guide will be on the lower elevation wetlands because these areas are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of urban and rural development and the spread of invasive species.
