Posted on: Sunday, November 7, 2004

HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Kuakini Highway widening to start

Advertiser Staff

Work is expected to begin tomorrow on an $8 million project to widen Kuakini Highway on the Big Island.

County officials said the project will widen the highway from two lanes to four between Palani and Hualalai Road, south of Kona.

The work will also create pockets for left turns and bicycle traffic in what is one of the most congested areas of the island.

The federal government is paying 80 percent of the costs for the half-mile long stretch of widening. Construction is expected to last 18-24 months, county officials said.

County officials plan a weekly public update on the project at 7:30 a.m. every Tuesday at the Kona Mayor's Office conference room.

Panel to discuss Kona healthcare

HILO, Hawai'i — The Governor's West Hawai'i Advisory Committee will meet Wednesday to discuss healthcare in Kona.

Guest speakers will include Lynn Walton, chief executive officer of Kona Community Hospital, and John Buckstead, board chairman for the Community Health Clinic project.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Mayor's Office at 75-5706 Kuakini Highway, Suite 103 in Kailua. Anyone requiring special assistance for the event may call (808) 327-4953.

HONOLULU

Troops, families at benefit concert

The soldiers of the Hawai'i Army National Guard and their families will unite one last time before deployment to Iraq during a benefit concert at 4 p.m. today at McKinley High School auditorium to be performed by the Honolulu Community Concert Band.

The concert, entitled "Bring Them Home," will feature such songs as Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Phantom of the Opera," John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" and Claude-Michel Schonberg's "Bring Them Home" from "Les Miserables."

The public is invited to attend. Admission will not be charged, but donations to the "Home for the Holidays" fund will be accepted.

Kaho'olawe topic of presentation

The Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission will give a presentation on "Healing of Kaho'olawe Island" during a general membership meeting for 'Ahahui Malama i ka Lokahi from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Queen Emma Summer Palace in Nu'uanu.

The program also will include a tour of the palace, a performance by Na Hula Ola i ke Ao, a report on the restoration of Kawainui Marsh and refreshment.

The meeting is free and open to the public. For information call Rick Ka'imi Scudder at 597-8556 or e-mail him at bluegreendelta@hits.net.

WINDWARD O'AHU

Machine will aid Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service has installed an Automatic Postal Center in the Kane'ohe Post Office, giving residents another option to standing in line to get their packages and mail sent out.

The machine, among other things, will allow people to weigh and send packages through express or priority mail and purchase stamps using a credit card, said Duke Gonzales, Postal Service spokes-man.

"All of the things you can do at the counter, you can do at the machine," Gonzales said. "It offers another service option, especially as the holidays come up and we know that the post office becomes more busy."

More than a dozen automated centers will be installed at locations across the state, but the information about the new sites was not available. Gonzales said more may be installed in the future.

Specialist to talk about Mokapu

Diane Drigot of Marine Corps Base Hawai'i will speak about "Mokapu's Many Faces — Highlights of a Richly Storied Landscape" at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Kailua Recreation Center.

Drigot, senior natural resources management specialist, has overseen the preservation and restoration of the natural resource on the Kane'ohe base for many years.

The session is sponsored by the Kailua Historical Society.

AROUND THE STATE

Kamehameha donates books

Kamehameha Schools has donated nearly $10,000 worth of Hawaiian language books to the 14 charter schools it helps support.

The books include 500 copies each of the newly issued Kamehameha Schools Press Hawaiian translations "'O Kamehameha III: Kauikeaouli" and "'O Kamehameha IV: Alexander Liholiho." The books are primarily for upper elementary and middle school students and offer the students culturally relevant texts in the Hawaiian language.

EAST HONOLULU

Hawai'i Kai sets parade route

Hawai'i Kai's annual Christmas Parade has been set for 10 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 27 down Lunalilo Home Road and ends at Koko Marina Center.

The parade, sponsored jointly by Koko Marina Center and the Hawai'i Kai Lions Club, will begin at the corner of Lunalilo Home Road and Hawai'i Kai Drive.