Public schools statewide will receive $25 million that has been released for capital improvement projects.

The money includes $15 million for the design and construction of school repairs and maintenance, and $10 million to continue the closure and conversion of cesspools at schools statewide to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandates.

The $15 million will be used to begin more than $66 million worth of improvements at 248 schools statewide.

The projects include electrical repairs, re-roofing, re-surfacing of driveways and drainage improvements, and are scheduled to be completed by June 2010.

The $10 million allotment will be used to continue the conversion of cesspools at schools statewide to meet a consent decree deadline of September 2009.

Projects include cesspool conversions at Waimea Elementary School, Waimea Middle School and Kohala High School on the Big Island and Anahola School on Kaua'i.

ENGINE TROUBLE TURNS BACK PLANE

A Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to Hilo was forced to return to Honolulu International Airport on Tuesday because of engine trouble.

Hawaiian Airlines flight 260 left Honolulu at about 2:35 p.m. before turning around and landing safely back at the airport following an unspecified issue with an engine, according to Keoni Wagner, vice president of public affairs for Hawaiian Airlines.

All 123 people on board the flight were accommodated on a later flight to Hilo, he said.

The plane was repaired and put back into service yesterday.

SHELTER OPENS IN WAI'ANAE

A new 72-unit emergency, transitional and low-income affordable rental project officially opened yesterday in Wai'anae.

The 250-resident, $16.5 million Kahikolu 'Ohana Hale 'O Wai'anae is the result of a collaboration between the state, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Inc. and the Hawai'i Coalition of Christian Churches.

The facility incorporates an emergency shelter for short-term assistance and a transitional shelter that will allow residents to stay for up to two years.