Hirono held a "Congress on Your Corner" event at the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center, inviting constituents to ask questions about national issues or to seek assistance with federal agencies.

"It has been nonstop since 9:30 this morning," Hirono said as she was wrapping up the four-hour event.

Hirono said questions and concerns ran the gamut, including environmental issues, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, how federal employees can get paid sooner and a few county and state problems.

"Its just a wide range," she said.

Acknowledging that she did not share the same strategies and approaches of all of the voters, Hirono said, "That's our country."

She hoped the session would let the public "feel more of a connection" to her as a first-term member of Congress.

Robert Pollock of Keokea said he couldn't get Hirono to commit to his personal request to support Congressman Dennis Kucinich's effort to begin an impeachment inquiry for Vice President Dick Cheney.

While he didn't get the answer that he wanted, Pollock said he was pleased to have an opportunity to meet face to face with Hirono and did find common ground with her.

The executive director and founder of the nonprofit, Ebb & Flow Arts, Pollock asked Hirono to support the arts locally and nationally. Hirono has shown that she is a supporter of the arts, he said, and is following in the footsteps of the late Congresswoman Patsy Mink, who held the 2nd Congressional District seat for decades.

Wailuku resident Fred Ruge waited patiently to ask Hirono for financial support for state and county projects that he hopes to see completed.

Ruge said he has been pushing the County Council to move the Kahului Wastewater Treatment Plant away from the shoreline to somewhere outside the tsunami inundation zone, but has been told there is no money for it.

He also said he would like to get federal funds to expand Kahului Harbor. If the treatment plant is moved, the shoreline site along Amala Place could be used for harbor expansion, Ruge said. He also advocated support for improving the west breakwater at the harbor.

Cornelia Soberano, a Canadian lawyer and former judge, who is now a social worker on Maui, said she was going to share with Hirono the need to understand Filipino culture as well as bring to the forefront the achievements of many Filipino women. Soberano said she intended to invite Hirono to participate in a new project, "Improving Cultural Competency: Smart Strategies for Working with Filipinos."

With the Congress on its August recess, Hirono said she was visiting with constituents throughout her district, which includes rural Oahu and the Neighbor Islands.

Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.