Posted on: Friday, October 15, 2004

HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Repair limits 'Aiea library's hours

Advertiser Staff

'Aiea Public Library will be open only four hours per day until its central air-conditioning system is repaired.

The library will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Temporary hours for the library's passport acceptance service will be in effect tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The air-conditioning system was shut down last week. Large fans and open windows provided minimal relief from high heat, resulting in the decision to reduce hours of operation from 36 to 20 hours a week.

90th anniversary for Deaf & Blind

The Hawai'i Center for the Deaf & Blind, a public school for deaf, blind and deaf-blind students, will celebrate its 90th anniversary on Oct. 23.

Former and current students, staff, family and community members will be on hand for the festivities.

The school was established in April 20, 1914, in Palama, then moved to its current site at 3440 Le'ahi Ave. in 1918. Since opening its doors, the school has undergone six name changes and has had 12 administrators. It has an enrollment of 82 students from O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands.

The celebration begins at 10 a.m. A program with entertainment and keynote speakers will begin around 1:30 p.m.

East-West Center picks diplomat

A U.S. diplomat who has been based in Russia for the past four years will research the relationship between Russia and the Asia-Pacific region as the East-West Center's diplomat-in-residence for the 2004-05 academic year.

Pamela Spratlen served as consul general in Vladivostok, Russia, before arriving at the East-West Center. Her earlier assignment was coordinator for U.S. technical assistance at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

In addition to her research, Spratlen will participate in the Asia Pacific Leadership Program for students and other East-West Center activities.

Spratlen's former assignments include secretary of delegation of the U.S. mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; economic and trade affairs officer with the U.S. mission to the Organization of American States and consular/economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala.

Before joining the U.S. Foreign Service in 1989, she was a program analyst and senior consultant for the California Legislature.

Punahou event honors astronaut

Students in Grades 4 through 12, parents and teachers are encouraged to register for the third annual Astronaut Lacy Veach Day of Discovery from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 30 at Punahou School's Science Center complex.

The free event, which will feature 17 hands-on space and science sessions, honors the life and legacy of the local boy who grew up to fly two space shuttle missions. Participants will be able to create water-powered bottle rockets, design windmills, learn about living and working in space and build Lego robots. The finale of the event will be a Magic Science show.

The workshop portion of the event requires registration. Those interested can consult www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/Day-of-discovery. The public need not register for the interactive displays.

The event is sponsored by the Hawai'i Space Grant Consortium, the local point of contact for NASA's Office of Space Science Education and Public Outreach Program, as well as Hawaiian Electric Co. and Punahou School.

Veach, who grew up in Honolulu, had a distinguished career in the Air Force before he became an astronaut.

Visitor society to train helpers

The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i will have volunteer training for Ambassadors of Aloha tomorrow from 9 a.m. to noon at the board room of the Hawai'i Convention Center. Volunteers will learn how to assist O'ahu visitors who need emergency assistance.

The mission of the society is to share aloha with visitors who have been crime victims or had other misfortunes and to provide follow-up assistance and support to create a positive memory of their stay in the Islands.

Reservations are recommended. Volunteers will receive certificates.

For information call Jessica Rich, president and executive director, at 926-8274.