Celebration to honor social worker

A celebration of life will be held for Ah Quon McElrath at 10 a.m. Feb. 28 at the ILWU Union Hall, 451 Atkinson Drive.

The retired ILWU social worker and advocate for social justice died Dec. 11 at age 92.

She wanted no memorial service, according to ILWU Local 142, which invites the public to join in remembering and honoring her many contributions to union workers, disenfranchised residents and the community.

Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. with validated parking at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Tax-deductible donations may be made in McElrath's memory to the Hawaii Labor Heritage Council and designated to the Ah Quon McElrath Fund for Economic and Social Justice, care of 451 Atkinson Drive., Honolulu, HI 96814.

HMSA offering scholarships

The Hawaii Medical Service Association is encouraging student athletes to apply for 21 scholarships offered to high school seniors.

Each HMSA Kaimana scholarship is worth $2,000 and three top contenders will receive an extra $1,000.

Winners are chosen for their athletic and academic achievement, community involvement, sportsmanship and letters of recommendation.

The deadline is Feb. 27. Applicants must be graduating this year from a Hawaii high school with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75. They must also have played on at least one of their school's athletic teams.

Applications are available at www.hmsa.com and from the Hawaii High School Athletic Association at www.sportshigh.com.

State down $132.7M in tax revenues

The state lost about $132.7 million in tax revenues during the first seven months of this fiscal year, which began July 1, a state news release said.

The 4.9 percent drop in revenue, when compared with the same period last year, includes a 22.8 percent loss in corporate income taxes, a 6.8 percent fall in general excise taxes, and an 8 percent decline in hotel revenue taxes.

Revenue from individual income taxes sank 4.8 percent to $926 million, while individual income tax withholdings increased 1.9 percent to $827 million.

Corporate tax revenue fell $7.4 million. General excise and use tax revenue dropped $103.7 million.

Philippine leader lauds pay to vets

MANILA >> A $198 million compensation package for Filipino World War II veterans included in the U.S. stimulus bill is a long-overdue victory for the former soldiers, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said yesterday.  The $787 billion stimulus package approved by Congress on Friday contains provisions recognizing and compensating Filipino veterans who fought under the American flag when the Philippines was still an American colony.  Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, a longtime supporter of Filipino veterans, has said the stimulus measure will provide $198 million for one-time payments to Filipino veterans.