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As part of the $23.4 million project to resurface H-1, 50-year-old aluminum railings are being replaced with solid walls of concrete to ensure safety for pedestrians. New H-1 railings to be safer
The old ones do not meet federal safety standards, said Marilyn Kali, state Department of Transportation spokeswoman.
"We're bringing all of the guardrails up to the current safety inspection standards requiring them to be solid," Kali said.
Improvements will be made on all of the overpasses in all of the pedestrian walkways from Punchbowl to the Kapiolani interchange, she said.
DOT employees are working on the westbound area, which includes overpasses on Punahou, McCully and King streets and Ward Avenue.
HILO -- A partnership of seven federal, state and private agencies managing 32,000 acres in east Hawaii has won a national environmental award, the National Park Service announced. Olaa-Kilauea Partnership
wins award for conservationThe 2000 National Park Partnership Award for environmental conservation was to be presented to the Olaa-Kilauea Partnership at the National Park Service General Conference in St. Louis today. The award includes a $5,000 gift for the project.
The partnership consists of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Kulani Correctional Facility, and Kamehameha Schools.
"The project area (which includes the Olaa Tract of the Volcanoes park and surrounding lands) contains one of the best remaining native forest ecosystem in Hawaii," the park service noted.
Much of the work in the area has been done by Kulani inmates, including fencing 4,800 acres to protect forests from wild pigs, and propagation and planting of native plants at the 10,000-acre prison.
U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie has announced a $6.9 million grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation to the city for improvements to Honolulu's bus system. Honolulu awarded $6.9 million
to improve bus systemSome $4.4 million will be used to build a new bus maintenance facility at the former Manana Storage Area in Pearl City. The storage area will able to house, maintain and service up to 250 buses. The grant will also provide $2.5 million to replace six 40-foot buses and 20 less-than-30-foot buses.
"Anyone who's been caught in Oahu's heavy traffic understands the need for solutions," Abercrombie said.
Air Guard orders routine stand-down
Hawaii's new Air National Guard wing commander ordered a routine stand-down Tuesday of all of the unit's 32 aircraft after taking command of the 1,900-member unit at Hickam Air Force Base.Col. Albert "Putt" Richards, former commander of the 163rd Air Refueling Squadron in California, took command of the 154th Wing Saturday and placed all aircraft on a stand-down to review procedures, Capt. Chuck Anthony, Hawaii Guard spokesman, said today.
The unit's nine KC-135 jet refuelers and five C-130 transport aircraft returned to flight status Wednesday.
All 18 of the Air National Guard's F-15 fighter jets will remain on the ground until the procedural review is completed. Anthony said there is nothing wrong with the planes and that Richards just wants to look over procedures.
Voter instruction poster to be amended
After a protest from Republican Party Chairwoman Linda Lingle, the state elections office will be changing an instruction poster in voting booths across the state.Lingle said when a GOP official voted absentee yesterday, he noticed that the instruction poster inside the voting booth had mislabeled the Republican ballot.
The GOP ballot section is green, but in some of the pictures on the poster, the tan section is labeled Republican. The tan section is actually for the Democrats.
"It will cause confusion among the voters," Lingle said.
Genevieve Wong, city clerk, said elections officials decided to amend the instruction poster.
"We are doing our darndest to make sure the instructions are accurate," she said.
Public comment asked on Hickam fuel cleanup
The Air Force is seeking public comment on an environmental cleanup planned for Hickam Air Force Base.The project involves removing aviation fuel which has seeped down and is floating on the groundwater. The goal is "to mitigate potential unacceptable risk to human health and/or the environment from subsurface fuel contamination," according to a release.
The public may review the document concerning the restoration program for Spill Site 01 at the Hawaii State Library. Information is available by calling Hickam, 449-1584, extension 100.
Comments should be sent by Oct. 18 to Henry Rimas, Community Involvement, 15 CES/CEVR, 75 H Street, Building 1204, Hickam Air Force Base, Hi. 96853-5233. It may be emailed to generoso.rimas@hickam.af.mil.
Kelai elected head of Land Use Commission
State Land Use Commission members have elected Merle Kelai to head the quasi-judicial body for the third year.Kelai, Matson Navigation Co. vice president for community relations and government affairs, has been a panel member since being appointed in August 1995 by Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Four public libraries to change hours
Four public libraries will change hours of operation Monday, State Librarian Virginia Lowell has announced.Waikiki-Kapahulu Public Library will increase its hours to 44 from 38.
Mililani Public Library will open one hour later on Monday (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and one hour earlier on Wednesday (noon to 8 p.m.).
Aiea Public Library will change its regular closed day from Monday to Friday because Friday isn't as busy as Monday.
Pahala Public & School Library will make two changes: It is switching the day it is open at night to Thursday (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.), and the new hours on Wednesday will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Also, Princeville Public Library changed its mailing address from a post office box to a street address: 4343 Emmalani Drive, Princeville, HI 96722.
Makawao Public Library has a new phone number: 573-8785.
DBEDT awards team, employees of the year
Georgette Deemer, film industry development manager, has been named manager of the year by the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.She has headed the Hawaii Film Office for 14 years. In that time, film production expenditures have grown threefold to $98 million last year.
Management analyst Gail Haruki was named the department's employee of the year. She has served as legislative coordinator, developing a computer-based system other state agencies have adopted for bill tracking, notification and testimony preparation.
The group that provided staff support for the OHA Salary Commission was named as DBEDT team of the year. They include Charlene Aina, Scott Derrickson, Mary Alice Evans, Glenn Ifuku, Dawn Omoto, Richard Poirer and Lois Shirai.
DBEDT also awarded sustained superior performance awards to: David Hiromoto, library technician and web designer; Steve Sakuda, accountant; Priscilla Thompson, energy conservation analyst; and Aileen Yoshimura, public housing specialist.
Tomorrow
Some events of interest
8:30 a.m.-noon, throughout the island: Get the Drift & Bag It, Hawaii's contribution to the International Coastal Cleanup effort, will have volunteers around the island cleaning the coastlines, streams and waterways.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Waianae woman suffers critical burns in fire
Fire investigators believe the fire that destroyed a third-story Waianae apartment and sent two people to the hospital with serious burns was started when the pair was refueling a gas lantern.A 30-year-old woman is in critical condition at Straub Hospital with burns over more than 50 percent of her body.
Her companion, a 35-year-old man also suffering from burns, was expected to be upgraded to guarded condition later today, a Straub spokeswoman said.
The fire department said the unit at the Sunflower apartment complex at 85-961 Mill St. does not have electricity and that the couple was using candles and a Coleman lantern.
The fire occurred while they were refueling a lantern in a hallway and the man spilled kerosene on the woman, the fire department said.
Another man tried to douse the flames with his hand and received superficial burns. He was treated at the scene and released.
The two-bedroom unit was gutted by the fire, which was reported at 1:31 this morning.
Nine fire units responded and had the blaze under control in 30 minutes. Damage to the third-floor structure was set at $125,000 with loss of its contents placed at $20,000.
Navy cops seek suspect in '99 exchange burglary
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is seeking a suspect in a March 25, 1999, burglary in which $267,607 worth of jewelry was stolen from the Pearl Harbor Hawaii Navy Exchange at Moanalua Shopping Center.The burglary occurred in the early morning hours. Investigators believe the suspect hid in the store until it closed.
The man wears glasses and is in his late 20s or early 30s.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
