Posted on: Sunday, June 5, 2005
HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Contraflow lane added at night
Advertiser Staff
Highway officials are adding a night contraflow lane to traffic on Kalaniana'ole Highway in East Honolulu for as long as sewer work continues there, city officials said.
The new contraflow lane will run in the kokohead direction from 8 to 11 p.m. each night between East Hind and Pu'u'ikena drives. After that, only one kokohead-bound lane will be open to traffic.
Work on the Niu sewer bypass project began in late April, creating a night traffic jam and prompting many complaints from East Honolulu drivers.
Although the sewer work is a county-financed project, it is being done along a state road, giving the state Transportation Department the authority to order the contraflow lane to keep traffic moving, officials said.
Construction of the emergency sewer bypass, which allows the city to install a permanent replacement for the main sewer serving the area, is expected to be completed by August. Work on the permanent replacement is expected to take two to three years.
HAWAI'I KAI — The Hawai'i Kai Lions Club will hold its annual Father's Day Pancake Breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. June 19 at the Kaiser High School cafeteria.
Takeout orders are available and tickets are $5 each. The breakfast is a fundraiser for the club, which performs community service projects that include painting curbs at elementary schools and bus stop shelters, and an eyeglass recycling project. Last year the club installed fans in the Kaiser High School cafeteria.
To purchase tickets call 395-7802.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has awarded a $15,035 grant to the Marimed Foundation's agriculture and culinary arts vocational programs for youths.
The grant will finance Marimed's new Food Literacy and Nutrition Program, which will supplement the foundation's vocational training about Hawai'i's indigenous foods, basic food literacy and nutrition, and healthier food preparation with an emphasis on Native Hawaiian and local food customs and value.
Marimed's Kailana Residential Treatment Program offers a ship- and shore-based treatment and education programs for at-risk youth.
Young children will be able to hear stories read over the phone starting today by calling 536-READ.
Keiki O Ka 'Aina Family Learning Centers is behind the free literacy project, which will feature a new book every week. The aim is to help children from pre-kindergarten to third grade reap the benefits of being introduced to good books.
The stories range from a minute-and-a-half to four minutes and include works by authors such as Eric Carle, Kevin Henkes and Margaret Brown.
The first four stories will be:
• "The Boo Baby Girl Meets the Ghost of Mable's Gable" by Jim May • "Goodnight Dinosaurs" by Judy Sierra • "I Love You the Purplest" by Barbara Joosee • "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" by Mo Willems The list of books is available at www.keikiokaaina.org, along with a way to purchase them online.
HILO, Hawai'i — The family of a 12-year-old boy who drowned in a pool at the Hawai'i Naniloa Resort on July 5, 2003, has sued the hotel for negligence.
The lawsuit filed in Hilo Circuit Court also names Kam Wah Liu and Lili Liu, the parents of two boys who were in the same tour group and were reportedly swimming in the pool at the time of the drowning.
The complaint alleges that Anthony Su of Lewisville, Texas, was swimming when he was kicked by one of the other two boys and sank to the bottom of the pool, where he drowned. The suit claims the hotel was negligent in maintaining the pool and failed to provide a trained lifeguard or proper rescue equipment.
The suit also alleges that the poor clarity of the pool water made it more difficult for anyone to see Su, contributing to his death.
Officials at the Naniloa would not comment, referring inquiries about the case to the company's corporate office in Los Angeles, which was closed Friday afternoon.
The lawsuit was filed by the dead boy's sister, Linh Su, and parents, Dong Su and Loan Su.
WAILUKU, Maui — A second community meeting on the future of historic 'Iao Theater will be held at 6:30 p.m. June 16 at the Market Street theater in Wailuku town.
County officials are seeking public input to determine how best to use the facility, as its lease with Maui OnStage expires Sept. 30. The building lacks air conditioning and needs costly improvements. It is in use only a few nights each month, and officials would like to see more activity there. Ideas include a mini-museum and the starting point for a walking tour of Wailuku.
The county hired Cultural+Planning Group to conduct a community needs assessment, and company representatives are running the meetings.
For more information, call the county Office of Economic Development at (808) 270-7710.
Annual breakfast for dads June 19
OHA gives $15K for food program
Hear kids' books read over phone
Family sues hotel over drowning
'Iao Theater on meeting agenda
