Waimalu sewers being renovated

The city has launched a two-year, $45 million renovation and reconstruction project of the Waimalu sewer system near Pearl City.

Most of the sewer lines were built in the mid- to late 1950s and are in poor condition because of ground settlement, the city said in a news release.

Crews will replace 5,820 linear feet of sewer lines over 27 months by conventional open-cut trench methods. About 630 linear feet of new lines will be installed using a trenchless micro-tunneling method, the city said.

Affected streets in the area mauka of Waimalu Shopping Center include Hekaha Street, from Kamehameha Highway to Pahemo Street; Lokowai Street; Olepe Loop; Lii-Ipo Street; and parts of Kanuku Street.

Money for the project includes about $7.4 million in federal stimulus funds through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Health Department, the city said.

KCC, UH-West Oahu link programs

An agreement should make it easier for a student studying to become a paramedic at Kapiolani Community College to get a bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii-West Oahu.

Students working toward a two-year degree at the community college's Mobile Intensive Care Technician program can enroll at the same time at UH-West Oahu, and the course work will transfer toward a four-year degree in public administration with a concentration in disaster preparedness and emergency management or health care.

“;We are pleased to offer Kapiolani Community College students another degree pathway,”; KCC Chancellor Leon Richards said in a written news release. “;With a strong academic partnership such as this with UH-West Oahu, and with other four-year UH campuses, we can say to our students, 'Start your baccalaureate at Kapiolani Community College!'”;

UH-West Oahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni said, “;This agreement helps students build upon the strong foundation they have acquired at Kapiolani Community College while taking advantage of our baccalaureate programs in related fields.”;

$1.3 million to improve Hilo Airport

Hilo Airport will receive more than $1.3 million in federal grants for airport improvements, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye has announced.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is providing two grants for taxiway construction.

The airport will receive $1,028,793 to build two connecting taxiways and an additional $276,886 to rehabilitate three taxiways.