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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 12, 2006

HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Click It or Ticket begins Monday

Advertiser Staff

The state Department of Transportation and four county police departments will conduct the annual Click It or Ticket seat-belt enforcement campaign Monday to June 3.

Hawai'i's seat-belt usage is the highest in the nation at 95.3 percent, compared with the national average of 82 percent, the state said. This year's campaign will again focus on the lowest-rated groups: 18- to 25-year-olds and drivers of pickup trucks.

The law requires all front-seat passengers and back-seat passengers under 18 to buckle up. Violators will be fined $92.

Taxi cabs are exempt from the law, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Children under 4 also are required to ride in a child-safety seat. Violators will be required to attend a four-hour class and may be assessed a fine between $100 and $500.

For more information on the campaign, call the Safe Communities Office at 587-6300 or visit the DOT Web site at www.state.hi.us/dot/publicaffairs.



SCHOOL TESTING SET FOR SINGLE WEEK

The Hawai'i State Assessment next year will be administered during a single statewide test week, under a change approved by the Board of Education.

That common week will be April 9-12 with make-up sessions April 13-20.

"While creating more structure and focus, this proposal will also increase instructional time by approximately five weeks," schools superintendent Pat Hamamoto said in a memorandum to the board.

This year the test was administrated during 10 test sessions during a six-week period from March 1 to April 15.

Concerns had been raised about the length of the testing window, as well as the number of test sessions and the length of the test, Department of Education officials said.

This spring, about 96,000 students in grades 3 through 8 and grade 10 took the assessment test to measure their mastery of the Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards in reading and math.

Hawaiian Language Immersion students in grades 3 and 4 were evaluated on a portfolio based on classroom work.



ALCOHOL BROCHURE IN TWO DIALECTS

A brochure aimed at preventing underage drinking has been translated into Tagalog and Ilocano, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona announced yesterday.

"Make A Difference: Talk To Your Child About Alcohol" is a publication of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It is geared to parents of children 10 to 14 years old.

Free copies of the brochure will be available at the Filipino Fiesta tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Kapi'olani Park. People may also request a copy of the brochure by calling the lieutenant governor's office at 586-0090 or the Coalition for a Drug-Free Hawai'i at 545-3228, ext. 34.

People can also download the brochure at www.hawaii.gov/ltgov.



PACIFIC PALISADES

Power restored to 1,900 at 3 a.m.

Electricity was restored to the Pacific Palisades area at 3:23 a.m. yesterday morning, ending a daylong power outage, Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Jose Dizon said.

About 1,900 customers lost service about 10 a.m. Wednesday when a pole toppled over and took three power lines down with it.

Dizon said the pole had been replaced by about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and HECO crews worked throughout the night to "basically untangle and restring the lines."




MAKIKI

STATE ADDS $5 MILLION TO ROOSEVELT PROJECT

The state has released $5 million for the design and construction phase of the Roosevelt High School auditorium renovation.

The money will allow for a new rear stage expansion and courtyard restrooms.

The total cost of the project is $14 million, with $9 million of that previously released. It is expected to be completed by March 2007.




MILILANI

MILILANI HIGH GETS $5 MILLION FOR BUILDING

More than $5 million has been released to build and equip a 10-classroom building at Mililani High School.

The new building will feature seven general-education classrooms, two science classrooms and a special-education classroom.

The Central O'ahu school has an enrollment of more than 2,400 students despite being designed for 2,053 students.

"This new building will provide the extra classroom space needed to accommodate the growing student population, and ensure students and teachers have the facilities and tools they need to succeed," Gov. Linda Lingle said Wednesday.

The project, estimated to cost more than $6 million, is expected to be completed by the end of next year. More than $670,000 was released last year for design work.




KAUA'I

KILAUEA GARDEN SEEKS SUPPORTERS

The Na 'Aina Kai botanical and sculpture garden on Wailapa Road in Kilauea has created a membership program to support the garden's mission.

The 240-acre garden, started in 1982, is operated by a not-for-profit foundation. For information about the "Garden Delights Membership Program," call 828-0575 or e-mail marketing@naainakai.org.




EAST HONOLULU

KIDS BENEFIT JAM MAY 21 AT ROY'S

Malama Jam, a youth benefit concert group, will hold a fundraiser 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 21 at Roy's restaurant in Hawai'i Kai for the nonprofit organization Help Understanding & Group Support, which helps seriously ill children and their families.

For more information on the organization, see www.hugs love.org. Malama Jam has raised more than $40,000 for nonprofit groups through its annual concert.

Tickets are $50 for this event and tickets for preferred seating of groups of 10 or more are $1,000. For more information, call 778-6470 or 384-0551.




WAHIAWA

MYSTERY MOVIE NIGHTS AT LIBRARY

Wahiawa Public Library will show mystery movies on Tuesday and May 23 at 5 p.m. Titles of movies cannot be announced publicly, according to library officials.

The May 16 film is a biography on C.S. Lewis, and readings and discussion on the author's life and books will follow the 110-minute movie. The film on May 23 is a "mystery fantasy."

There is no admission charge.