Voters can cast ballots online

Oahu voters will be getting passcodes in the mail this week allowing them to cast ballots online and by telephone for neighborhood board candidates.

The voting passcodes were mailed to 115,000 voters. It's the first time that the neighborhood board elections are being held entirely online and by telephone.

Voters can vote online starting Wednesday using their passcodes and the last four digits of their Social Security numbers.

Public computers will be placed at Honolulu Hale, Kapolei Hale and Windward City Satellite City Hall for voters who do not have Internet access.

Voters can also cast ballots by telephone.

Voting ends May 22.

Candidate profiles are also online at www.honolulu.gov/nco/2009canpro.htm.

Results will be publicized shortly after the election. New board members will assume office July 1.

Nose gear collapses on small plane

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an accident involving a small aircraft on a Molokai Airport runway.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said that at about 11:45 a.m. on Friday, a Beechcraft C24R landed with four people on board and was taxiing off the runway when its nose gear collapsed.

The 1979 single-engine plane sustained minor damage. No one was hurt.

Honolulu leads U.S. in world survey

Honolulu is the highest ranking U.S. city among 215 cities worldwide in an annual survey of quality of living.

Honolulu ranked 29th in the survey conducted by Mercer Consulting, followed by San Francisco at 30th.

Vienna, Austria, and Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland, were the top cities.

The three cities that finished lowest were Baghdad; Bangui, Central African Republic; and Ndjamena, Chad, Mercer said in a statement.

The consulting company, a unit of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc., does the survey to help companies compare countries when establishing hardship pay. It measures 39 factors, including political stability, crime, currency exchange, personal freedom and health and sanitation.

3 isle harbors to get stimulus funds

Three harbors on Oahu will receive more than $4 million in federal stimulus money for operations and maintenance repairs, Hawaii Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka announced last week.

Haleiwa Small Boat Harbor will get $3 million and Waianae Small Boat Harbor will receive $1 million for maintenance dredging of their entrance channels.

Barbers Point Harbor will receive $348,000 to upgrade its visitor center exhibits, replace its air conditioning system and renovate restrooms.

UH considers insuring contractors

The University of Hawaii will conduct a feasibility study to determine the viability of establishing and operating an owner-controlled insurance program.

The study was approved by the UH Board of Regents last month.

Such a program would provide an array of insurance coverage for contractors and subcontractors working on designated construction projects throughout the university system.

The university said that $482 million in construction should be taking place within the next two years.

University officials say the system could possibly realize $5 million to $10 million in savings.

Neighbor Islands

Lihue, Kauai » A job fair this week at Kauai Community College featuring just 30 employers attracted 300 to 400 people Wednesday. Out-of-work residents outnumbered students at the event.

Kaunakakai, Molokai » No one was injured in a fire that did $140,000 in damage to a Molokai house. The fire was reported at 12:27 a.m. Thursday at 130 Beach Place in Kaunakakai. The cause is under investigation.

Kona, Hawaii » A federal Homeland Security grant will help pay for a $350,000 mobile medical van on the southern part of the Big island. The van will be based out of Kona Community Hospital and can also be used to help residents with lung ailments cope with vog.