Hawai'i briefs
Advertiser Staff
HONOLULU
City to dedicate new canoe halau
A blessing and dedication ceremony for the city's new $720,000 canoe halau at Ke'ehi Lagoon will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the beach park.
The halau, which can house 27 long canoes and 12 single-person canoes or kayaks, is being named in memory of paddler and coach Gardner Ka'aihue Brown.
Brown was the driving force behind keiki paddling association Na Opio Canoe Associates, an adviser for Kamehameha Schools' Canoe Club and a member of Na 'Ohana O Na Hui Wa'a Canoe Racing Association.
The ceremony will include the arrival of koa and fiberglass canoes with dancers from the John Keola Lake Halau, entertainment and a beef stew lunch.
The city has completed three canoe halau, in Kailua, Maunalua Bay and Ke'ehi, five more are being built and three others are in the planning stage.
Basic genealogy to be taught
A genealogy workshop for those of Japanese ancestry, "Finding Your Roots," is set for 8 a.m.-3 p.m. tomorrow on the fifth floor of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i.
The workshop, which provides basic information to begin genealogy research, will be led by Greg Gubler, an archivist and East Asian history professor at Brigham Young University-Hawai'i, and Bernice K. Hirai, workshop coordinator.
The program offers segments on Hawai'i immigration history, computer software and translation services, as well as research experiences by former workshop participants.
Call 945-7633 for information.
WINDWARD
Chants, stories to be presented
Chants and traditional stories of the Kailua ahupua'a and Kawainui Marsh will be presented from 8:30 a.m. to noon tomorrow at Ulupo Heiau next to the Windward YMCA, 1200 Kailua Road, Kailua.
Chanters and story tellers include Kumu Keola Lake, Kawao Durante, Muriel Seto and Kumu Malia Bird. Donations will be accepted for this event sponsored by the Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club, 'Ahahui Malama i ka Lokahi and the Kawai Nui Heritage Foundation.
For more information call Chuck Burrows at 595-3922 or e-mail him at chuckb@hawaii.rr.com.
LEEWARD
One-day sale at Kapolei library
The Friends of the Library of Kapolei will have a special one-day book sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Kapolei library.
In addition to books for all ages, the sale will offer VHS tapes, cassettes, vinyl records, CDs and DVDs — at 33 percent off already reduced prices to the general public, and 50 percent off to members of the Friends group and people 60 and older.
For information, call Malia Schwartz at 672-8667.
Five arrested in Kalihi drug raid
Five people were arrested in a drug raid Wednesday night at a house on the 1500 block of Puolani Street in Kalihi.
Three women, ages 31, 26 and 45, and two men, 41 and 34, were arrested on suspicion of dealing crystal methamphetamine and booked on second- and third-degree promotion of dangerous drugs, third-degree promotion of detrimental drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The raid was conducted by the Kalihi police Crime Reduction Unit at 8:20 p.m. Capt. Clayton Saito said community complaints prompted an investigation, which led to undercover buys at the location.
Police seized a small amount of crystal meth and electronic equipment, which has the potential to produce counterfeit money, said Saito.
Helicopter crew saves 2 swimmers
HILO, Hawai'i — Big Island firefighters used a helicopter to rescue two swimmers who became trapped on an island in the middle of the Wailuku River when heavy rainfall suddenly increased the river flow Tuesday evening.
The two swimmers, a man and a woman, were trapped below Wai'ale Falls, firefighters said.
Both swimmers declined treatment for minor injuries after the incident shortly before 7 p.m., fire officials said.
Youth charged in robbery attempt
HILO, Hawai'i — A youth who allegedly punched and threatened a tourist with a handgun has been charged with attempted first-degree robbery, Big Island police said.
The boy allegedly approached a male tourist and his family at the Kehena Beach parking lot in Puna at about 1:30 p.m. April 18 and demanded money. When the visitor refused, the youth allegedly punched him in the head and told him, "You can do this the easy way or the hard way." The youth then reportedly lifted his shirt and brandished a pistol.
The tourist and his wife and two children fled in their rental car and reported the incident.
Police officers located the youth and arrested him, but had to release him because the victims were leaving the island. Detectives located the family on the Mainland, where they identified the youth from a photo lineup, police said.
The youth was to be flown to O'ahu for detention at a juvenile facility.
Anyone with information on the incident should call detective Randal Ishii at (808) 961-2278, the police nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311, or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 in Hilo or (808) 329-8181 in Kona.
Downtown offers tours of attractions
People can visit downtown museums and other cultural attractions for free tomorrow during "A Capital Day Down Capitol Way," sponsored by various government and private entities.
Here is a list of places that will offer free admission and tours:
• Hawai'i State Art Museum. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 586-0900.
• Honolulu Academy of Arts. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (admission also free on Sunday). 532-8700.
• Honolulu Hale. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 523-4674.
• Honolulu Police Department Museum. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 529-3351.
• Mission Houses Museum. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 531-0481.
• St. Andrew's Cathedral. 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 524-2822 ext. 251.
• State Capitol. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 586-0221.
• Washington Place. 10 a.m. to noon. 586-0240.
• Richards Street YMCA. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 538-7061.
Free parking will be available tomorrow at the Civic Center parking structure and the state Department of Health.
$111,000 raised for Alzheimer's
The Aloha Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association recently raised more than $111,000, a record for the organization's annual fund-raiser.
That's according to the local chapter's Executive Director Janet Bender Eli, and the co-chairs of the annual "Moonlight and Magic" dinner dance, Paul Brown and Josette Marsh. Eli said the event drew more than 600 people to the March 20 dinner at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and that the silent auction alone raised more than $37,000.
Eli said the money raised stays in Hawai'i to support an estimated 20,000 people with Alzheimer's and their families.
Moriarty named envoy to alliance
The daughter of a former aide to Sen. Daniel Inouye has been named ambassador to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation organization, the Hawaii senator's office said yesterday.
Lauren Moriarty has been the United States' top representative to APEC, an economic alliance of some 21 Pacific Rim nations, since August. The Senate confirmed her appointment as ambassador to the organization last week, Inouye said.
Moriarty, 49, is the daughter of David Peters, a Queen Liliuokalani Trust trustee who worked for Inouye for 14 years.
She is a graduate of the University of Hawai'i and has a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Massachusetts.
Peters said his daughter has worked in the foreign service for 26 years. She previously headed the Economic Section at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.
Kuakini seeks summer volunteers
Kuakini Health System is looking for volunteers to take part in a six-week summer program that runs from June 14 to July 24.
Volunteers can help with patient care — feeding, reading to and providing companionship to patients — or in clerical posts or at information desks.
Volunteers must be at least 14 years old and be available to work at least two four-hour shifts a week for the full six weeks. Training will be provided. For more information or to volunteer, call 547-9184.
Royal Kunia loses water temporarily
Water was scheduled to be shut off in Royal Kunia from 10 last night into the early morning hours today, the Board of Water Supply said yesterday.
Water was shut off so crews could replace a valve on a main that connects two reservoirs providing water to the Royal Kunia and Village Park subdivisions.
Village Park residents were asked to use water sparingly.
An underground valve broke Tuesday between the two reservoirs. Water pressure has been very low, especially for homes higher up in the Royal Kunia development.
Residents of the subdivision's 1,000 homes were asked to use water while it is on only for essential needs, such as personal hygiene, drinking and cooking.
The board set up an emergency pumping system to provide limited water supply to the homes.
