HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Mu'olea Point purchase assured
Advertiser Staff
The Maui County Council yesterday approved a contribution of $1 million toward the preservation of Mu'olea Point in East Maui. The panel also adopted a resolution accepting a $2 million federal grant toward the purchase of the 70-acre property.
Taken together, the actions secure the acquisition of the East Maui coastal property from the Trust for Public Land, which had fronted the county's contribution to allow council members time to deliberate on the purchase.
Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa said the measures represent a milestone for the county in allowing future generations access to significant coastal and cultural resources on the parcel, which King Kalakaua maintained as a summer home until his death in 1891. It then was passed to Queen Lili'uokalani, his sister.
HONOLULU
Kapi'olani traffic crunch eases
Two lanes open, one to go.
Board of Water Supply crews yesterday afternoon completed emergency repair work on two lanes of Kapi'olani Boulevard, opening the thoroughfare to traffic in the diamondhead direction.
Officials said crews completed repair work to a broken water main and repaved the roadway by 1 p.m. yesterday, a little more than 24 hours after the pipe broke near Ke'eaumoku Street, halting all traffic on the street.
However, another repair project will keep at least one lane of traffic on Kapi'olani Boulevard closed in each direction in the same area near Ala Moana Center for several more weeks, a Board of Water Supply spokesman said.
STATEWIDE
Verizon solicits book recyclers
Schools interested in participating in the Verizon O'ahu Telephone Book Recycling Contest should register today to enter the contest, which starts Monday.
All schools, public and private are eligible to participate.
Schools will have until Oct. 31 to collect phone books and drop them off at Island Recycling Center on Sand Island. Schools collecting the most books will win cash prizes from $100 to $2,000.
Students are encouraged to get creative by organizing special contests and recycling drives, as well as contacting businesses to increase their telephone book collection.
Schools interested in participating in this contest can call Yvonne Miranda at 546-7335.
Library support groups merge
The merger of Friends of the Library and Hawai'i Library Foundation into one nonprofit organization is a "win-win situation for everyone," said Ben Matsubara, president of Hawai'i Library Foundation.
The new organization is named Friends of the Library of Hawai'i. The merger, expected to be completed by the end of the year, will result in consolidation of resources for fund-raising purposes and increase the Friends of the Library of Hawai'i's total assets from $3.5 million to $5 million.
"This will cut overlapping administration costs while boosting fund raising for the state libraries," Matsubara said in a written statement yesterday announcing the merger.
Caroline Bond, Friends of the Library executive director, will be executive director of the new organization.
Holly Richard, Hawai'i Library Foundation's executive director, will serve in that position until the end of the year. Eight directors of the 22-member Hawai'i Library Foundation board will join the new organization.
Alien seaweed cards aid control
A new set of waterproof information cards describing alien seaweeds, produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources, is available.
"These cards are an educational tool to help boaters, divers, and anglers recognize and control alien seaweeds that can easily infest the near-shore marine environment," said EPA Region 9 water division director Alexis Strauss.
The cards include information on how to avoid adding to the alien limu problem. There is a limited supply of the cards. To get a set, or for more information, call David Gulko at the Department of Land and Natural Resources at 587-0318, or the EPA at 541-2710.
WINDWARD
Castle Medical ceremony today
Castle Medical Center will hold a blessing and groundbreaking ceremony today for its new $15.5 million three-story wing that will add more than 15,000 square feet to the facility.
The project also will include converting older rooms to single-patient accommodations, making 78 percent of the hospital's rooms for one person only. The capacity of the hospital, 157 patients, will not increase.
The wing will built in the back of the present building above the delivery entrance.
Castle Memorial Hospital opened in 1963 with 72 beds and became a full-service medical center in 1983.
BIG ISLAND
Case, Gabbard forum in Kona
Second congressional district candidates U.S. Rep. Ed Case, a Democrat, and Mike Gabbard, a Republican, will participate in a free forum Oct. 18 sponsored by Kona Outdoor Circle, the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters.
The event will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kealakehe High School cafeteria. The doors will open at 4:45 p.m. with the school's Food Service Club selling chili and rice, chili dogs, a vegetarian selection, and drinks.
Candidates for state House and Senate seats will appear at a forum Oct. 21 at the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel. The event will run from 6 to 8:30 p.m., with doors opening at 5. The hotel will be selling food and drinks.
Both forums will be broadcast live on LAVA 105 (105.3 FM). To submit questions for the candidates, fax (808) 334-9646 or e-mail to konaoutdoorcircle@konacoast.com.
Big Island adds help for disabled
HILO, Hawai'i — The county has opened a new Hilo location for obtaining disabled parking placards. Applications for the placards can be picked up at 101 Pauahi St., Suite 8 (the old JC Penney's) between 7:45 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays.
Applications also are available at physician offices islandwide, the Office of Information at 25 Aupuni St., No. 217 in Hilo; and the Mayor's Office, 75-5706 Kuakini Highway in Kona. For more information, call (808) 961-8316. Download applications from www.hawaii.gov/health/dcab
