Going to the wedding
chapel and drinking
rejected again

By Mary Adamski
Star-Bulletin

Kapahulu residents whose opposition was sufficient to kill a wedding chapel's try for a liquor license last month found themselves forced to the battle lines again as the application was resurrected.

They were in a standing-room-only crowd at the Honolulu Liquor Commission meeting yesterday.

The commission was set to hear Gloria Bridal Services of 3050 Monsarrat Ave. make a pitch for reconsideration of the license denial. But the commission didn't have a voice in the rejection. Since 53 percent of the close neighbors opposed it, the law mandated denial.

"Once you get over 50 percent, it's a dead issue," said Elden Yoshida, a resident of Kaunaoa Street, which borders the business property. Neither he nor others in the crowd were permitted to address the commission yesterday.

Commissioners granted Gloria Bridal Services' request to postpone its presentation for four weeks. Commission Chairman John Spierling advised chapel spokeswoman Nanette Noma that the law requires some new information before the matter can be reopened. Deputy Corporation Counsel Duane Pang said the liquor rules provide for reconsideration "in any case."

Noma said she has evidence that "false and misleading information" about the liquor application was circulated and led some people to sign an opposition petition. She said people have since told her they want to rescind their signatures, and she wanted a continuance while the company mails circulars giving other opponents the opportunity to recant. She said she halted efforts to do that previously because "I received a threat on my personal self."