Soil testing will close Leeward lanes

Starting next Tuesday, nighttime soil sampling for the planned rail transit project will be conducted from Kapolei to Waipahu.

The sampling is part of preliminary design work for the first portion of the route, a 6.5-mile stretch between East Kapolei and Pearl City. Kiewit Pacific will design and construct the first segment.

Night soil testing in residential areas along the Farrington Highway median between Waipahu High School and Fort Weaver Road will start May 27 and proceed until early September.

The tests will help contractors with their design and location of concrete pillars for the planned elevated guideway.

Some westbound lane and intersection closures will occur Sundays through Fridays between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. while testing is conducted.

Closures for eastbound lanes and intersections will occur between 6 p.m. and 5 a.m.

One lane in each direction will remain open during those times.

For updates, check the project website at www.honolulutransit.org or call the hot line at 566-2299.

Talk to review Chile tsunami lessons

“;Tsunami Warning”; will be the subject of a talk by Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, at the Science Cafe from 7 to 8 tonight at P.F. Chang's, at the Diamond Head end of Auahi Street.

Fryer will discuss “;successes, concerns and lessons gathered from response to the Chile tsunami”; on Feb. 27.

Science Cafe, sponsored by the Hawaii Academy of Science, Sigma XI and American Chemical Society, will begin at 6 p.m. with a social and dinner hour. Call 956-7930 for more information.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Suspect still being sought in assault case

Big Island police are continuing to look for a 43-year-old man in the investigation of an assault of his 36-year-old girlfriend last Tuesday.

Police are seeking Will M. Kaaihue. The woman was assaulted at her home in Puna. She received internal injuries.

Kaaihue is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, 190 pounds, with a medium build, black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone knowing his whereabouts is asked to call Detective James Gusman at 961-2278 or the Police Department's nonemergency line at 935-3311. Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.