HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Sewage spills onto vacant lot
Advertiser Staff
WAILUKU — An estimated 309,750 gallons of sewage overflowed from a manhole onto a vacant lot on Waiale Road on Wednesday.
The county Department of Public Works and Environmental Management said the overflow resulted from a line blockage caused by gravel, rocks and debris.
The spill was contained to the vacant lot and did not reach nearby 'Iao Stream or the ocean, officials said.
The state Department of Health was notified and the line flushed. Standing wastewater was removed and the area was disinfected, the county said.
DRAINAGE WORK TO BEGIN MONDAY
Residents of Aleo Place in Kahului are expected to get relief from repeated flooding once work is completed on drainage improvements scheduled to begin Monday.
Fong Construction was awarded a $495,365 county contract for the project, which officials said should be finished by late March.
The work will take place on Aleo Place between Kea and Ma'alo streets, where an injection well and grated inlet catch basin will be installed.
Eight- and 4-inch force mains will run up Aleo and north on Oha'a Street, ending at Ka'ao Circle.
The project includes reconstruction of roadway shoulders and driveways.
HALAWA
LITTLE LEAGUERS TO GET JERSEYS
The West O'ahu Little League team, the 2005 Little League World Champions, will be awarded their game-day jerseys during the pre-game show at the Hula Bowl tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.
Five months after winning the Little League title, the team will finally receive their jerseys, thanks to Subway Restaurants of Hawai'i, who purchased the custom-made mementos. The team was unable to afford the jerseys, so the restaurant made arrangements with the Little League international headquarters to cover the costs.
HONOLULU
WORKSHOP FOCUS IS GIFTED CHILDREN
The Hawai'i Gifted Association will host a free workshop Monday to support the parents of gifted and talented children, and discuss some of the issues facing these families.
The workshop, "Recognizing and Nurturing Your Gifted/Talented Child," will be held at 7 p.m. at the American Association of University Women center at 1802 Ke'eaumoku St.
Call Janet Shores at 261-6292 or write to gifted@hawaiianshoresdev.com to R.S.V.P.
Speakers also will discuss characteristics of gifted and talented people, testing procedures and available community resources. More information is available at www.HIGifted.org.
TRANSIT PLAN WILL BE OUTLINED
The public is invited to attend two presentations on major surface transportation facilities and programs to be implemented on O'ahu through 2030.
The draft 2030 O'ahu regional transportation plan will be presented at 5:15 and 7 p.m. Feb. 15 in rooms 319-A and -B at the Hawai'i Convention Center. Public comment is welcome through March 15.
Parking at the convention center will be validated. For information, call the O'ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization office, 587-2015, or write ompo001@hawaii.rr.com.
HAWAIIANS OFFERED HELP WITH LSAT
'Ahahui O Hawai'i, the Hawaiian law-student organization at the University of Hawai'i Richardson School of Law, will offer three sets of workshops for Law School Admissions Test preparation in the coming months for eligible Hawaiians.
The workshops will be provided to Hawaiian students at no cost, but space is limited. Funding is provided by the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
To be eligible for law school, a person must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college.
For information, write to 'Ahahui at ahahui@hawaii.edu or call Derek Kauanoe at (808) 383-6684. For information on the law school, go to www.hawaii.edu/law.
'EWA
WIDENING 2ND PHASE TO BEGIN
Gov. Linda Lingle has released $9 million for the second phase of the Fort Weaver Road widening project.
The work will include addition of one lanes in each direction, from the vicinity of A'awa Drive to Geiger Road. Phase 1, completed last June, widened Fort Weaver Road on each side of Laulaunui Street, between Farrington Highway and A'awa Drive.
When completed, the road will be a six-lane highway, three lanes in each direction.
"The widening of Fort Weaver Road will greatly benefit the 'Ewa community by relieving traffic congestion and providing safer travel for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians," Lingle said.
Other improvements include the addition of turn lanes, traffic signal modifications and new highway lighting.
KAUA'I
SOLID-WASTE PLAN MEETINGS SET
LIHU'E — The county is updating its solid-waste management plan and has scheduled public meetings around the island to gather information.
The meetings, all from 6 to 8 p.m., are scheduled Tuesday at Kilauea Neighborhood Center, Jan. 25 at Hanapepe Armory and Thursday at Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihu'e.
The update of the county's 11-year-old plan will be prepared by the engineering and management consulting firm R.W. Beck Inc.
A key part of it will be an assessment of what is being tossed into the trash today.
"After we know the makeup of the waste stream, we will first identify technologies to achieve volume reduction, and then determine how to best manage the remainder," said Troy Tanigawa, the county's solid-waste administrator.
WAHIAWA
CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING FEB. 4
The Wahiawa Nikkei Civic Association is sponsoring a sakura, or cherry blossom, viewing trolley tour for Feb. 4 through Wahiawa.
The cherry trees in Wahiawa were planted from seedlings that came from Okinawa, and the blossoms have a darker color than most, organizers said.
The trolley tour will include narration of historic sites.
There will be two 90-minute tours, at 9 and 11 a.m.
The tours will start at Wahiawa Hongwanji Mission, 1067 California Ave. Cost is $5 per person. Bento lunches may be purchased for an additional $5.
Reservations are required; call 306-1876.
