Air Force general named for Camp Smith position

Air Force Lt. Gen. Daniel J. Darnell has been nominated to be the next deputy commander of the U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith.

Darnell is deputy chief of staff for air, space and information operations, plans and requirements at Air Force headquarters.

He is a command pilot with 4,500 flying hours, primarily in F-15 combat jets, and commanded the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, from 1992 to 1994.

Darnell earned a bachelor's degree in history from the Virginia Military Institute in 1975.

He commanded the 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, in 1998; the 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base in Italy, in 2000; 57th Wing, Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, in 2003; and the Space Warfare Center at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado in 2005.

City sets public meetings on rail transit stations

The city will hold a workshop tonight about its proposal to build rail transit stations along a 20-mile route from East Kapolei to Honolulu.

The public meeting is from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Kapolei High School, 91-5007 Kapolei Parkway.

Two other workshops in Kapolei are scheduled for June 29 and Aug. 5, as a follow-up to residents' suggestions, the city said.

Three rail stations are proposed in East Kapolei near a future Department of Hawaiian Home Lands development and the University of Hawaii-West Oahu campus.

The city said the initial 6.5-mile segment will extend from Kapolei to Pearl Highlands near Leeward Community College.

The city plans to break ground by the end of the year and begin service of the first leg of the transit route by 2012.

For more information about the workshops, the public may call the project office, 566-2299 or send queries to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Neighbor island watch

LIHUE » The public is invited to meetings tonight on Kauai County's draft Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan. An information session will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall and be followed immediately by a public hearing. Comments can be sent to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or Allison Fraley, County of Kauai, Solid Waste Division, 4444 Rice St. Suite 275, Lihue, HI 96766. Deadline is June 9. The plan can be seen at www.kauai.gov.

HILO » About 4,000 pairs of old athletic shoes were recycled on the Big Island in April as part of the Nike Reuse-a-Shoe program, according to a news release from Hawaii County. This was the first time the county had participated in the program. The shoes will be converted to material used in athletic courts and other products.

WAILUKU » Registrations are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for most of the summer Junior Lifeguard Program sessions. The sessions include safety skills, an introduction to CPR, first aid and rescue techniques. The course is offered for a suggested donation of $15. Sign-ups are accepted 2:30-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Kahului pool, Kihei pool and Lahaina pool. For information call 270-6138 or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).