STAR-BULLETIN / OCTOBER 2006
First lady Laura Bush was here with President Bush in October.
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First lady will arrive next week
Laura Bush will visit the islands to see a marine monument
Staff and news reports
First lady Laura Bush says the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument will receive a Hawaiian name during her trip to the islands next week.
Bush is making a trip Feb. 28 through March 2 to visit California, Midway Atoll and Honolulu.
She said yesterday in Washington that she is looking forward to her visit to the marine monument created in June by President Bush.
"He was the one who signed the proclamation. But I'm the very lucky one that's going to get to go," she said. "And next week, I'm going to make a trip there, and then go to Honolulu where, with the governor, they will do the native naming of the monument."
Bush promised when he proclaimed the area a marine national monument that it would carry a Hawaiian name. The name has been selected by a committee of native Hawaiians in consultation with government officials.
State Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Peter Young said the announcement of the monument's new name probably would happen March 2.
Midway National Wildlife Refuge Manager Barry Christenson will be the first lady's tour guide for her day at Midway.
Christenson said he believes Bush will be the first first lady to visit the island, which is a World War II landmark and a unique seabird sanctuary.
The only time a president is believed to have visited the island is President Nixon in 1969, Christenson said.
He plans to show Bush key historic sites and introduce her to "thousands of albatross" plus the many other birds that nest on the island.
Bush will fly directly to Midway from California the evening of Feb. 28, will tour Midway March 1 and arrive in Honolulu that evening, her press office said.
The Associated Press and Star-Bulletin reporter Diana Leone contributed to this report.