More than 300 low-income women on Oahu who receive vouchers that allow them to buy milk and other staples for their children will not be able to pick up their checks today because the office that handles them is among government services closed due to the state workers' furlough.

Since the state's largest public sector labor union agreed earlier this week to a contract calling for 18 furlough days, the state Office of Women, Infants and Children Services has been furiously calling clients trying to reschedule their appointments. The office will be doing the same next week when the second furlough Friday hits.

Also affected are the state's unemployment office, vital records offices and camping and hiking permit offices.

People still can, however, get a marriage license by making an appointment at two contracted marriage license providers on Oahu. The service is an additional $5 on top of the $60 license fee. Make an appointment with Sherilynn Luning at 523-1880 or, in Pearl City, Fusako Miyamoto at 455-1186.

Signs were posted yesterday at the state Department of Health's Downtown office notifying the public of the furlough closure dates. The clinics affected today are in Leeward and Windward Oahu and in Honolulu. All other WIC clinics will be operating with minimal staff, said Linda Chock, DOHWIC branch chief.

At the Honolulu clinic, about 95 people had appointments for today, Chock said.

WIC is a federally funded nutritional program that provides food vouchers to 37,000 Hawaii residents who are pregnant, breastfeeding, post-partum or the mothers of infants and children under age 5. The women must meet income requirements to receive vouchers that enable them to go to the grocery store to pick up specific foods.

"It was short notice," Chock said. "Iknow many women are going to show up for their appointments (today) and see a note on the door and not be happy."

The program cannot mail out checks because the government requires an education component to the nutrition program.

"All of this comes at a time when we have a heavier caseload and fewer days to service people," Chock said.

Families who cannot get their WICvouchers today and are short of food for the weekend should consider going to a church or an area food bank, she said.

Meanwhile, couples wanting to get marriage licenses on furlough Friday can still get one by contacting a contracted provider on each island. The state has offered the service for more than 10 years and is well-known by hotel concierges and visitor industry workers, said Alice Silvanus , DOH education specialist.

"It accommodates a lot of people who don't want to lose an entire day's work just to get a marriage license," said Luning, one of the marriage license contractors. "Usually we get local kids who can't afford the time off or someone who is flying in late and wants to get married. Sometimes we even get a call from someone who just fell in love.

"The state wants to be sensitive to the fact that people want to get married and can't always get to the state Downtown office."

Yesterday, Jennier Carlile and Jared Dalgamouni made sure they went to the state Department of Health Mariage License Bureau before it closed so they could get married this weekend.

"We really hurried up to make sure we could get our license," Carlile said. "Everyone was telling us that there was going to be a furlough."

The couple, originally from Hawaii, live in London and came home to get married tomorrow at the Willows restaurant before family and friends.