Hawaiian culture on National Mall

Hawaii is being celebrated in our nation's capital this weekend with hula, food and exhibitions during a three-day cultural festival on the National Mall.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian is hosting the fourth annual Celebrate Hawaii Festival through tomorrow.

The cultural festival opens the museum's Indian Summer Showcase 2010 lineup, an annual concert series promoting native musicians, films, performers and traditional arts from throughout the Americas.

Guests will be treated to activities such as kapa pounding, hula dancing lessons, native films, traditional Hawaiian games and lei making with Bill Char, a finalist in Honolulu's annual Lei Day competition.

Lingle signs bill adding ER staffers' protections

Gov. Linda Lingle has signed legislation that will expand the type of hospital emergency room workers who are protected against violence.

The new law affords protections against assault and terroristic threatening to physicians, physician's assistants, nurses and nurse practitioners who are working in an emergency room.

The protections under House Bill 2349 also cover certified registered nurse anesthetists, respiratory therapists, laboratory technicians, radiology technicians and social workers.

UH Board of Regents undergoing changes

The Board of Regents meeting earlier this month marked a changing of the guard of sorts on the board that oversees the running of the 10-campus University of Hawaii system.

The regents honored James Haynes II for his seven years of service on the board. Haynes is the last remaining member of the board to have served during the tumultuous term of former UH President Evan Dobelle, who was fired and then allowed to resign from his position in 2004.

Haynes' replacement, Maui resident and former Silicon Valley businessman Ronald Montgomery, and new student regent Matthew Williams will join the board in July.

Interim regent Clifford Dias, a retired banker from the Big Island, was welcomed onto the board. He replaces Harvey Tajiri, who resigned earlier this year. His appointment must still be confirmed by the Senate when the Legislature reconvenes.

Military gets free entry to Pearl Harbor sites

Admission to all Pearl Harbor historic sites will be free tomorrow, Memorial Day, for active duty, reserve, auxiliary and retired U.S. military personnel and their dependents.

Visitors must present a military ID at the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, Battleship Missouri Memorial, and Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona Memorial and USS Oklahoma Memorial do not charge general admission.

Kauai might vote on longer council terms

NAWILIWILI, Hawaii » Garden Island voters might get the chance to decide whether members of the Kauai County Council will serve four-year terms.

The county's Charter Review Commission is considering an amendment proposal to double the length of the council members' two-year terms and to set a limit of two consecutive terms.

Another amendment proposal before the commission calls for changing the title of the county's administrative assistant to managing director. The title change would make the position consistent with Hawaii's other counties.

Gary Heu is the current administrative assistant. If Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. is temporarily absent, Heu acts as the mayor.

The commission's deadline to submit all charter amendment ballot questions to the county clerk is Aug. 6.