HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Marine reservists returning to Iraq
Advertiser Staff
Marine Corps reservists from the 4th Force Reconnaissance Company at Kane'ohe Bay have been called to active duty and will be deployed to Iraq next month.
The unit, comprising about 30 Marine reservists from Kane'ohe and Reno, Nev., will be deployed for seven to eight months. This is the unit's second deployment to Iraq.
The Hawai'i-based Marines were last in Iraq from February 2003 to September 2003.
PEARL CITY
Library 'Friends' to meet June 27
Friends of Pearl City Library will hold a general membership meeting at 6 p.m. June 27 at the library, 1138 Waimano Home Road. The meeting is open to the public, and new memberships will be accepted. For information, call 453-6566 during library hours.
STATEWIDE
Filipino war film to air on KHET
"An Untold Triumph," the documentary about World War II Filipino-American regiments, will be aired at 9 p.m. Monday on KHET, with a repeat broadcast at 3 p.m. June 5.
Narrated by Lou Diamond Phillips, who is of part Filipino ancestry, "An Untold Triumph" tells the story of the U.S. Army's lst and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments, made up of immigrants and sons of immigrants living in Hawai'i and the Mainland.
The documentary, honored at the Hawai'i International Film Festival in 2003, was co-produced for PBS by filmmakers Stephanie Castillo of Honolulu and Noel "Sonny" Izon of Washington, D.C.
Grant to help smokers to quit
The Native Hawaiian health agency Papa Ola Lokahi has received $24,800 from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to support a statewide stop-smoking program for Hawaiians through its Native Hawaiian Cancer Network project, 'Imi Hale.
The money will be used to develop smoking-cessation kits that will be distributed to clients of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems for one year, starting Sept. 1. The kits include various self-help tools and substitutes for cigarettes, such as mints and gum.
'Imi Hale, a program of Papa Ola Lokahi, is financed by the National Cancer Institute to reduce cancer incidence and mortality among Native Hawaiians. Papa Ola Lokahi is authorized by Congress through the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act to address Native Hawaiian health and wellness issues and concerns.
HBA speller goes to national Bee
Jasmine Kaneshiro, a seventh-grader at Hawai'i Baptist Academy, will represent Hawai'i at the Scripps National Spelling Bee today and tomorrow in Washington, D.C.
Kaneshiro lives in 'Ewa Beach.
Of the 273 contestants, Kaneshiro is the only entrant from Hawai'i.
The contest includes one written test, followed by oral rounds until only one speller remains.
EAST HONOLULU
Waldorf School to discuss plans
Representatives from the Honolulu Waldorf School will make a presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Kuli'ou'ou /Kalani Iki Neighborhood Board meeting at the 'Aina Haina Public Library meeting room.
The Niu Valley school is considering expanding its operations to include a high school on its campus. Waldorf operates a high school in Kahala.
For more information, contact the Neighborhood Commission office at 692-5179 or visit www.honolulu.gov.
DOWNTOWN
Irish stepdancers at O'Toole's Pub
Ten-year-old twin sisters Caleigh and Delia Fabro will perform Irish stepdance at O'Toole's Pub in an "Irish Social Event with the Friends of Saint Patrick" from 5 to 8 p.m. tonight.
The girls have studied stepdancing for five years and are raising money for a trip to Ireland.
The event is free, but donations are welcome.
MO'ILI'ILI
'Being Hapa' program June 7
Various experiences and attitudes among people with mixed ethnic identities will be discussed June 7 in "Being Hapa," part of a series on Japanese-American social issues at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i.
The discussion will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the fifth-floor lounge at the center.
Admission is free.
Panelists are Randy R. Gomabon Jr., technology coordinator at Farrington High School and instructor at the UH Center for Second Language Research; Ty Tengan, UH assistant professor of ethnic studies and anthropology; Catherine Toth, features writer for The Honolulu Advertiser and journalism instructor; and Karin Watanabe, program coordinator at the Hale Kipa 'Ewa Emergency Shelter.
Information: 945-7633.
HONOLULU
Tax preparer convicted again
A federal jury has convicted a tax preparer who already is serving a 10-year state prison term for filing fraudulent tax returns.
The jury in U.S. District Court found Richard Basuel, 63, guilty of conspiracy and 20 counts of aiding and abetting the filing of fraudulent tax returns.
The jury also found Vivian Soong guilty of conspiracy and 12 counts of aiding and abetting in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns. Soong was an employee of RB Tax Service, the company owned by Basuel.
Basuel and Soong were among five people charged in a 148-count indictment in February 2004 that involved a scheme in which they falsely claimed $4 million in tax refunds for their clients in 1999.
The other three, including Basuel's son, pleaded guilty.
O'AHU
Songwriting class at McKinley
The popular five-week evening Songwriting 1 class for adults taught by songwriter Stan Rubens has again been scheduled through McKinley High School Adult Education on June 15, 22, 29 and July 6 and 13. The time is 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for the 10-hour intensive class. The cost is $20.
For information and registration, call the school at 594-0540 or 594-0541.
Rubens, president of Hawai'i Songwriters, also is preparing for Songwriting 2 and expects to be able to offer the more advanced class soon. Rubens has published more than 45 songs and released four albums.
