HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Authorities seek runaway girl, 16
Advertiser Staff
The state Department of Human Services needs the public's help in finding a runaway foster child who was last seen Jan. 18 in Hale'iwa.
Monique Kehaulani Sylva, 16, is 5-feet-2 and 125 pounds, said Derick Dahilig, department spokesman. Sylva has brown eyes, brown hair and a tan complexion.
Anyone seeing her is asked to call police.
GET YOUR FELINE STERILIZED FOR FREE
The Hawaiian Humane Society is offering free sterilization for cats today, which is designated Spay Day 2006.
A special coupon must be filled out with correct information to make a surgical appointment. The coupon appeared in several publications last week — Leeward Current, Ka Nupepa, Windward People and West O'ahu Current on Feb. 22, and The Honolulu Advertiser Central Oahu insert on Feb. 23. It also can be downloaded from www.hawaiianhumane.org.
Call Darcie Scharfenstein at 942-4421 for details.
MCDONALD HOUSE TO RECEIVE $1.11M
The Harry & Jeannette Weinberg Foundation will donate $1.11 million to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawai'i.
The donation will be the largest single gift to the Ronald McDonald House Charities' $3.7 million capital campaign. The campaign includes the renovation of the Judd Hillside Ronald McDonald House and the purchase of a second permanent home in Manoa.
The Ronald McDonald homes provide lodging and services to families with seriously ill children.
The foundation will present the funds to Ronald McDonald House Charities on Monday.
STATEWIDE
ETHICS PANEL STILL SEEKS APPLICANTS
The deadline to submit applications to fill two anticipated vacancies on the state Ethics Commission has been extended to March 17. The terms of members Nadine Ando and Dawn Suyenaga expire on June 30.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, residents of Hawai'i and may not hold any other public office.
The Ethics Commission regulates the ethics of all legislators, registered lobbyists and state employees with the exception of judges, who are governed by the Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Anyone interested should submit an application with a resume and three letters of recommendation to the Judicial Council, Hawai'i Supreme Court, 417 S. King St., Second Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813-2902.
Applications are available at the Public Affairs office, Room 206-C, Ali'iolani Hale, 417 S. King St., and from www.courts.state.hi.us Call 539-4702 for information.
KAUA'I
KAPA'A CENTER CLOSING FOR REPAIRS
The Kapa'a Neighborhood Center will be closed for two months during major improvements that include roof repair, window replacement, restroom and kitchen repairs, repainting and more.
The $2 million in work is being performed by Pacific Blue Construction, and the center is scheduled to reopen May 1.
All the county's neighborhood centers are undergoing some work, but the renovations at the 36-year-old Kapa'a facility are the most extensive, said Bernard Carvalho, director of the county Offices of Community Assistance.
WAIPAHU
PLANTATION EVENTS HONOR PORTUGUESE
Portuguese heritage will be featured in Hawai'i Plantation Village's "Relive the Plantation Days — 2006" celebration Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Waipahu.
Among the events are a workshop by the Portuguese Genealogical Society and parade of Portuguese costumes in the Gentry Room. The workshop is free, but genealogy research kits cost $5 each.
Rates are $7 general admission, $4 for kama'aina and military with ID, with children 12 and younger free, for other Hawai'i Plantation Village events that day. Parking is free.
MAUI
FOOT-LONG SNAKE REMAINS AT LARGE
LAHAINA — The snake reportedly slithering around Wahikuli Village continued to elude capture yesterday.
A man doing yard work at his house Feb. 20 said he spotted a gray, foot-long snake for about five seconds before it disappeared into a rock wall. The man reported the snake the following day, and on Friday staff from the state Departments of Agriculture and Land and Natural Resources set out 25 snake traps in the area.
Janelle Saneishi of the Agriculture Department said the traps remained empty yesterday and there have been no additional sightings. Staff will continue to check the traps over the next two weeks, she said.
Snake sightings should be reported immediately to 643-7378, which can be dialed as a local number from anywhere in the Islands.
'EWA BEACH
TAMAYO A FINALIST IN D.C. FELLOWSHIP
Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo, a former state representative who served a year in Iraq with the Hawai'i National Guard, has been selected as a regional finalist for the White House Fellows program.
Tamayo, of 'Ewa Beach, a manager of a nonprofit organization, is one of 106 people nationwide selected as regional finalists. She is the only finalist from Hawai'i.
The program gives people with leadership potential the experience of working at the highest levels of federal government. A panel this summer will recommend 11 to 19 people for one-year appointments as White House Fellows.
MOLOKA'I
LEGAL AID SOCIETY OFFICE IS MOVING
The Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i is moving its Moloka'i office to Room 106 of the Molokou Center in Kaunakakai.
For the past 30 years, the agency has been operating out of a small house on Ala Malama Avenue. Nalani Fujimori, interim executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i, said the building is deteriorating and the new location is closer to state office buildings and the courthouse.
Paralegals April Kealoha and Tiare Ritte staff the office, which serves more than 300 people a year.
A blessing for the new office will held at 12:30 p.m. Friday. The phone number is (808) 553-3251.
