Posted on: Friday, January 28, 2005
HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Kids to compete in LEGO tourney
Advertiser Staff
Students from all over O'ahu will design and build robots in Saturday's FIRST LEGO League Hawai'i tournament.
The event features approximately 130 9- to 14-year-olds who have worked as teams to research and design their robots following a "No Limits" theme that will help individuals with varying degrees of physical abilities to perform everyday actions that many people take for granted.
The event will be held at Mid-Pacific Institute from 9 a.m. to noon. It is free and open to the public.
Kapolei Public Library is offering a series of free story-time programs for children on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, except holidays, from Feb. 7 through April 30. The programs will begin at 10 a.m.
Story time for children 2 to 3 years old will be held Mondays, while Thursdays will be for children 3 to 4. Saturdays are for children of all ages. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Call Kapolei Public Library at 693-7050.
Leilehua High will present its 50th annual spring band concert on April 30 at the school's gymnasium. Former band members are trying to form an alumni band to play at the concert. The group is hosting an LHS alumni band reunion and scholarship dinner at Leilehua Golf Course on April 29. For information, reach Delbert Kim at 864-2627.
State agriculture official resigning
HILO, Hawai'i — Diane Ley, deputy to the chairwoman of the state Department of Agriculture is resigning effective Feb. 28, Gov. Linda Lingle announced yesterday.
Ley has been deputy for almost two years and will return to the Big Island to serve as deputy director of the county's Department of Research & Development.
"It has been a difficult decision to leave the Department of Agriculture," Ley said. "However, this opportunity to serve the people of Hawai'i County comes at a time when family obligations also call for my return to the Big Island."
Ley was a 30-year resident of the Big Island before she took a post with the Lingle administration, and she has worked as a farmer and administrative assistant to the Hawai'i Farm Bureau Federation. HILO, Hawai'i — Hot topics at the Legislature this year will be the subject of the next Waimea Community Association Town meeting on Feb. 3.
South Kohala's newly appointed police captain, Kenneth Vieira, will also be on hand at the meeting at 5:30 p.m. in Waimea Family YMCA's Kahilu Town Hall.
Vieira will brief the community on policing priorities, and community policing officer Brad Feliciano will provide an update on neighborhood watch and other community issues including the recent rash of fatal car crashes. State Sen. Lorraine Inouye, D-1st (Hamakua, S. Hilo) and Rep. Cindy Evans, D-7th (N. Kona, S. Kohala), will also be featured speakers. There is no charge to participate though membership is urged. Membership is $12 a year per person, family or business, and funds help pay for the association's e-newsletter, the Waimea Christmas parade and community projects. Call acting president Riley Smith at 887-1978 or Patti Cook at 937-2833. Whale cruise to raise funds
WAILUKU, Maui — Mental Health Kokua will hold its 14th annual whale-watch fund-raiser Feb. 6.
The cruise, aboard the Prince Kuhio, will run from 3 to 5 p.m., departing from Ma'alaea Harbor. Tickets are $25 for adults and $12.50 for children 12 and under. Refreshments are included. Call (808) 244-7405.
Mental Health Kokua is a nonprofit agency that provides services to people suffering from emotional distress or serious mental illness. The group runs a 24-hour crisis outreach program and offers housing services and case management.
Dr. Ron Kwon, president of Malulani Health Systems, and members of Malulani's board of directors will answer questions about the 100-bed hospital being planned for Kihei.
Emma Veary and daughter Robin Kneubuhl will perform, and Maui Prince executive chef Greg Gaspar will provide tasting stations featuring samples of new menu items. Maui artist Ed Lane will offer artwork for sale, with 40 percent of proceeds going to the hospital. Tickets are $55. For reservations, call (808) 875-5888.
Utility CEO's post permanent
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The Kaua'i Island Utility Co-op has named its temporary chief executive to take the spot permanently.
H.A. "Dutch" Achenbach, a journeyman electric worker and former utility executive who has worked with electric cooperatives, has moved to the island from Casper, Wyoming.
He was selected from among 125 candidates for the top spot, said KIUC board chairman Gregg Gardiner.
LIHU'E, Kaua'i — The county is asking the 5th Circuit Court to rule that the public owns an old roadway leading to the beach at Papa'a Bay, across land owned by movie mogul Peter Guber.
Four Kaua'i residents were arrested for trespassing at the gate to the property in December 2003, and one of them, Ka'iulani Edens-Huff, said she continues to be turned away when she tries to get to the public beach at Papa'a.
Guber's Mandalay Properties last year went to federal court to seek a determination that Mandalay owns the old road alignment, but U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway threw that case out on grounds that the county at that time had not taken any overt action to enforce its claim of ownership.
At present, the old Papa'a Beach Road leads to the edge of the Guber property and stops at a gate several hundred feet short of the sandy bay.
Kapolei library offers story time
Band events set for Leilehua
BIG ISLAND
Waimea to tackle legislative issues
MAUI
Feb. 6 fest will benefit hospital
MAKENA, Maui — An evening of fine art, food and music will be held Feb. 6 at the Maui Prince Hotel to benefit the Malulani Health and Medical Center.
Dr. Ron Kwon
KAUA'I
County sues over beach access
