Haseko gives $15,000 to ag center 10.29.08
Haseko recently awarded Campbell High a $15,000 grant to help fund programs at the school's Agricultural Learning Center. Advertisement The center previously received a grant from Haseko in 2004 to launch an aquaculture program, as well as financial assistance to purchase a hydroponics system. "James Campbell High School's Agricultural Learning Center is an excellent training ground for students who wish to pursue careers in the industry," said Sharene Saito Tam, assistant vice president of Haseko. "Under the guidance of Derek Chow, students gain hands-on experience that helps prepare them for the future and even build businesses of their own."..................  West Oahu People

Ewa Author Paints Family Mo’olelos 10.29.08
Matthew Kaopio lets his readers become part of his ohana in the recently released Hawaiian Family Album. “This book was originally intended for my nieces and nephews so they could be acquainted with family members long past and the stories my cousins and I grew up with,” the Ewa Beach resident said. “I try to cater to all ages, since even grownups like a good story once in awhile.” In his third book, the mouth-brush painter recounts 11 stories from his grandmother, Pearl Leilani White, who refused to tell a young Kaopio such tales for fear it was “not the Christian way."White would later let her grandson into her story-filled world after her short-term memory began declining because of Alzheimer’s disease..................  West Oahu Islander

Carving out good times at pumpkin patch event 10.15.08
Beauty will be in the eye of pumpkin holders and pickers during the upcoming Aloun Farms' Pumpkin Patch Festival. Now in its sixth year, the ever-popular family event will be held on four days — Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26 — at the farm in Kapolei. In addition to selecting a pumpkin of choice, attendees will enjoy delicious food, tractor-pulled hayrides and pony rides, jumpers and bouncers. "There's not a lot of big events (in West Oahu), and this is an annual event that's really become a part of the community," said Terry Phillips, public relations and marketing officer for Aloun Farms. "I believe everybody looks forward to it every year, and it's become a tradition..................  West Oahu People

Els pays visit to championship golf course 09.24.08
In advance of Hoakalei Country Club's grand opening, professional golfer Ernie Els swung by the Ewa Beach community to check on the progress of his first signature 18-hole golf course in the state. Advertisement Els said he was pleased with the course design as he walked the par-72, 7,400-yard championship course with his design team, the developer and golf course management. "I'm really happy with how Number 7 turned out," Els said. "I think it will be one of our signature holes. The fairways are split by a natural spring that has been on the property for years, and not only is it beautiful, it will be very challenging for players seeking to try out different strategies - making for a new experience each time they play this hole.".................  West Oahu People

New Classes Nurture Early Education 09.24.08
Giving children a head start on education garners well-deserved attention these days, highlighting the importance of preschool and kindergarten readiness. Thus the timely opening of Kulia I Ka Nu’u ("strive for the highest"), a kindergarten-readiness program provided by Keiki O Ka Aina Family Learning Center. The free program was created especially for parents looking to give their 3- or 4-year-old children a jump forward when heading to kindergarten. Classes began Sept. 22 at four Oahu locations, including Ewa Beach Elementary School, where it will meet at 9 a.m. every Tuesday. To register or for more information, call 843-2502.................  West Oahu Islander

Benefit Concert Saturday For Ewa Beach Teenager 09.10.08
The Friends of Sweet Leilani will have a benefit concert from 2 to 7 p.m. this Saturday at Pipeline Cafe to raise money and support for Leilani Emosi of Ewa Beach. Emosi was recently diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, an aggressive form of leukemia that requires the 19-year-old to have a bone marrow transplant. A recent donor drive in Kapolei netted more than 50 new potential donors for the Hawaii Bone Marrow Registry, something that has Emosi’s family and friends very hopeful. “That’s over 50 new chances for folks like my daughter, who are praying for a match to save their lives,” said mom Valeri Emosi. .................  West Oahu Islander

Mouth painter hoping to brighten up festival 08.06.08
Back in 2005, Ewa resident Morris Nakamura met Mayor Mufi Hannemann for the first time and, as part of the occasion, gave the city official one of his oil paintings of Diamond Head. Advertisement To his horror, however, Nakamura immediately realized that his gift contained an error, as the waves were coming in from the wrong direction. "When you look at Diamond Head and it's on your left, and the ocean is on the right, the waves are supposed to come in from the right side," Nakamura explained. "I made the waves come in from the left side. "But that's OK," he added, laughing. Nakamura's upbeat attitude is what keeps him motivated about life and painting these days, despite his ongoing battle with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a form of Muscular Dystrophy that in recent years has forced him to paint strictly by mouth.................  West Oahu People

Ice Cream Block Party A Real Scream In Ewa 07.30.08
As Ewa Beach resident Sheryl Murphy hung invitations on the 35 doors on Kauoha Place cul-desac, people wondered, “What’s the catch?” The July 12 invitation for free ice cream in front of her home was part of Murphy’s prize for being one of eight in Hawaii to win an ice cream block party from Dreyer’s in its fourth annual Slow Churned Neighborhood Salute, a sweet way for entrants to share memories and make some new ones while enjoying the brand’s Slow Churned Light ice cream. ................  West Oahu Islander

Campbell students reap benefits of culinary class 07.16.08
Chef Grant Sato understands how challenging it can be for teenagers to whip up a quality meal when hunger strikes. Advertisement That's why, for the past five years, he's been volunteering as the instructor for the annual Culinary Arts Summer Program, which aims to not only teach teens how to cook simple, well-balanced meals, but also to provide them with important life and job skills. "The program was something I felt was very necessary for the kids," Sato said. "Most of the students are either latchkey kids or their parents work, so it gives them more self-confidence knowing that they can cook for themselves and their loved ones. By the end of the program, I hope they will also have a better understanding of work ethics, as well as realize that food service is a difficult field."................  West Oahu People

Leeward Oahu Student Wins HMSA Kaimana Scholarship 06.16.08
Hawaii's top public and independent high schools gathered this weekend to receive student and school honors for achievements in athletics, academics, sportsmanship and community service during the 2007-08 school year. Principals, athletic directors, students and family members from across the state attended the annual presentation of the HMSA Kaimana Awards & Scholarship Program honors. More than 200 attendees participated in the awards ceremony, which was held at The Kahala Hotel & Resort. Advertisement At the ceremony, three student athletes received distinguished scholarships valued at $3,000 each, and 18 students received scholarships worth $2,000. James Campbell High School student Tiffany Lastimosa, an accomplished tennis player, was among the nearly two dozen students winning scholarships ................ The Honolulu Advertiser

KOA Awardees Help Kapolei Thrive 05.28.08
Kapolei Property Development recently announced the 2008 recipients of the prestigious Kapolei Outstanding Achievement (KOA) Awards during a ceremony held May 21 at the Ihilani. First established in 1990 - the year the City of Kapolei broke ground, the KOA Awards recognizes individuals, companies and organizations whose accomplishments in the areas of community service, education, environment and leadership have helped define Kapolei. ................  MidWeek

A double blessing in West Oahu 05.14.08
Two related major projects expected to bridge the diverse communities of West O'ahu in different yet significant ways held a joint ground-blessing ceremony yesterday on the 'Ewa Plains. Advertisement Department of Hawaiian Home Lands officials blessed the $17.3 million East-West Connector Road while the Salvation Army did the same with the $103 million Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. The Kroc Center lies at the intersection of the East-West Connector Road and the upcoming North-South Road, and its main entrance will be off East-West Road. That symbiotic relationship was mentioned by leaders of both projects yesterday. The East-West Connector Road being built by DHHL is expected to be completed in about 18 months, or late 2009, while the Kroc Center is anticipated to open for business in mid- to late 2010................  The Honolulu Advertiser

Ocean Pointe's resort homes on sale in May 04.16.08
Haseko (Hawai'i) Inc. is about to make a major transition in the development of its master-planned community in 'Ewa Beach, with sales of its first resort homes next month and the opening of its private golf course this fall. The shift to selling and building the two initial elements of Hoakalei Resort take Haseko into a new phase of what, until now, was a traditional residential community called Ocean Pointe begun by the company in 1997. The developer is on pace to complete sales this year of the last 80 or so homes in the 2,500-home Ocean Pointe, which represents roughly half of the greater Ocean Pointe/Hoakalei project on 1,100 acres planned for 4,850 homes. Next month, Haseko will begin selling the first phase of Hoakalei homes, priced from the mid-$500,000s to more than $1 million. Other pieces of the resort include an 18-hole Ernie Els-designed Hoakalei Country Club, a marina, vacation accommodations, a commercial center, a district park and expansion of the city's One'ula Beach Park. Full buildout is anticipated to take 10 to 15 more years. Here's a more detailed update of the components of Haseko's project: ................  The Honolulu Advertiser

'Graffiti' contest will leave mark on youth 02.27.08
Vivian Ahsam didn't have to look twice at the graffiti-sprawled walls at her alma mater to determine the best course of action in cleaning up Campbell High School. Proactive by nature, Ahsam, an Ewa Beach resident, recently decided to create an aerosol art contest for aspiring "artists" in the community. The idea, she said, is not only to give them freedom to create — but to do so in a controlled setting. "My hope is that this event will help them to understand that expressing themselves through aerosol art in an approved and controlled environment can be very rewarding," Ahsam said. Sponsored by Hawaiian Electric Co., Gentry Homes Inc., Ewa Weed and Seed, Ewa by Gentry Community Association, Design Madness and Prototype, the contest called "Youth Explosion" will be held March 8 at Ewa Beach Community Park...............  West Oahu People

Ewa Beach student wins Leeward Bee 02.23.08
Natasha Manuel, an eighth-grader at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in 'Ewa Beach, last night correctly spelled "perfidy" and "cybernetics" in the final rounds to win the Leeward District Spelling Bee. Manuel and runner-up Meghan Crowther, a sixth-grader from Holomua Elementary School, will represent the Leeward District in the Hawai'i State Spelling Bee, March 16 at Windward Community College. Manuel, 13, topped a field of 20 contestants in a competition that lasted 15 rounds. "It was more difficult than I thought," said Manuel. "I was really nervous, but excited at the same time." Her parents, Jun and Elaine Manuel of 'Ewa Beach, described themselves as nervous wrecks but were all smiles during the ceremonies following the competition. "She went to the district spelling bee last year and was third place," Jun Manuel said. "When I was in the fifth grade I came in second in a spelling bee. So she's finally made my dream come true." ..............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Affordable housing project scheduled for June opening 02.20.08
An affordable housing complex will open as planned this summer, despite some residents' complaints that the development will be a towering blight on the community. The Plantation Town Apartments, located adjacent to Waipahu District Park, will sit on 4.4 acres of land when the project wraps up in June. Comprised of two 12-story towers on Paiwa and Kauolu streets, the apartments will offer potential homeowners a choice of 330 fee-simple units — with a starting price of $131,500. "It's affordable housing for the local market," said Peter Savio, principal broker for Hawaiian Island Homes, Ltd. "The buyers are getting a lot older and younger, so it's a good mix. There's a lot of people who have lived in or have a connection to the Waipahu area, and younger families who really want to get into homeownership. For a lot of people, that's the only way they can get started." ..............  West Oahu People

Preschool gets playground thanks to Haseko donation 02.13.08
The children at Ewa Plains Enrichment Preschool are enjoying a new playground, courtesy of a $3,300 donation from Haseko. Jessica Sanchez-Luning, the school's executive director, explained that the playground never opened when the school was established in 2004, because the jungle gym was over 20 years old and posed a safety hazard for students. Although the campus, which covers 3.5 acres, has another playground with a bike path and sandbox, parents decided two years ago to begin raising $18,000 for a new playground, which would include a $9,100 soft mat so preschoolers could play safely. "They sold chili, they sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts, they sold School Kine Cookies," Sanchez-Luning said. "It took them about a year and a half, and some of their kids even graduated and the playground wasn't finished." While Sanchez-Luning wanted parents to take ownership of the entire project, she decided to ask local developer Haseko for financial assistance after learning that the parents were still short of their go ..............  West Oahu People

Limu delays project to ease Ewa flooding 01.28.08
n years past, an abundance of limu -- native seaweed -- regularly washed ashore on the remote sandy beaches of Oneula Beach Park in Ewa Beach. [art] Today, rarely is any found, due to environmental changes and overpicking, according to scientists and cultural experts. And the existing seaweed is reachable only during low tide along the rocky coast. Now the rare marine plant, valued in Hawaiian culture as a source of food and medicine, has taken center stage in a dispute over flooding-mitigation measures. Eileen Hirota, former principal of Ewa Beach Elementary School for 16 1/2 years, recalls wading through knee-deep water in the parking lot after heavy rain; teachers would carry kids piggyback to their parents' cars. "It was really bad," she said. "It would take about two days for the water to evaporate." A developer's proposed response: an $8.1 million storm-water drainage system..............  The Star Bulletin

Hawaii school lands top college-prep program 01.07.08
James Campbell High School in 'Ewa Beach is the first Hawai'i public school given approval to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, an elite college preparatory program with an international focus. In the Fall 2008 semester, Campbell High School, which is facing sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind mandate, will begin offering the International Baccalaureate courses, which help prepare students for university-level work and also help mold students into global citizens. English teacher Julie Do, the International Baccalaureate coordinator at Campbell, said the program will help students realize that "there is life past Renton Road." ..............  The Honolulu Advertiser

New bus route may save area riders time 12.19.2007
The city has been offering bus riders a faster commute into town since TheBus' CountryExpress! Route "E" began operating earlier this month. The new route travels between Ewa Beach, Downtown and Waikiki. The service uses the H1 Freeway from Waipahu to Downtown — making only limited stops in Honolulu. According to city officials, riders traveling from Ewa Beach to Waikiki can save up to 30 minutes on a one-way trip compared to the local bus, and more than an hour for a daily round trip. The new service operates from early morning until late evening, seven-days a week. The Ewa community is one of the fastest growing regions on Oahu. From 1990 to 2006, the area has grown almost 80 percent. The Fort Weaver corridor is one of the most congested highways on Oahu, and bus routes there are often overloaded..............  West Oahu People

Live and Let Live' event tackles DUI issue head on 12.19.2007
West Oahu residents are once again hitting the pavement with area police officers to promote safe driving throughout the holiday season. The 23rd annual "Live and Let Live" campaign — which kicked off in Waianae at the beginning of the month and then in Kapolei a week later — will run through the first week of the New Year. Members of the community have been assembling for the campaign's main activity, sign waving, which has taken place at various sites in Ewa, Kapolei, Waianae and Maili. Several sign-waving events will take place this week at area schools and along Farrington Highway. Today's sign-waving effort begins at 7:30 a.m. with the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, located at the Hale Pono Clubhouse in Ewa Beach. ..............  West Oahu People

Ewa Weed and Seed Recognized With A National Award 10.03.2007
Ewa Weed and Seed has been selected to receive a national crime prevention award at a luncheon Thursday in Atlanta, Ga. The ceremony will take place as part of the National Conference on Preventing Crime. The Ewa program has been named the Crime Prevention Program of the Year for the under 250,000 population, one of McGruff ‘s 2007 National Crime Prevention Awards of Excellence. Gale Braceros, Ewa Weed and Seed site coordinator, is in Atlanta to accept the award from the National Crime Prevention Council from Washington, D.C. Ewa Weed and Seed has flourished under the support of the YMCA of Honolulu since 1997. The YMCA provides staff leadership and infrastructure support for the Ewa program..............  West Oahu Islander

Fort Weaver Road work to start later this month 10.02.2007
Ewa commuters are enduring yet another slowdown on Fort Weaver Road this week, but the big one is yet to come. The one-lane shutdown that backed up traffic heading toward the H-1 Freeway at midday yesterday is just a one-week tree- trimming job. The long-anticipated Fort Weaver widening project, last scheduled to start in August, won't start until later this month, state Transportation Department spokesman Scott Ishikawa said. Meanwhile, Ishikawa reported, there is good progress on the North-South Road that is expected to ease the traffic grind for 'Ewa and Kapolei motorists when it is completed in about two years. The tree-trimming is taking place through the end of the week from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will shut down the right lane from a point just above the Old Fort Weaver Road intersection until the Laulaunui Street intersection. Trees affected are along the West Loch Golf Course and the bike lane on Fort Weaver ..............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Cool breeze on way at Pohakea 10.01.2007
Pohakea Elementary School is the recipient of $320,000 for design and construction of campuswide air conditioning. The money was released recently by Gov. Linda Lingle. The 'Ewa Beach school, with an enrollment of 525 students, has five permanent and six portable buildings. The money will be used to verify what electrical work is needed for the air conditioning to function properly without jeopardizing electrical service elsewhere. An earlier $3.5 million allotment is covering the remaining costs. ..............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Weed and Seed cleans Hawaii neighborhoods 09.15.2007
As the Weed and Seed program struggles to secure funding year after year, officials are kicking off a new initiative meant to attract volunteers willing to put in long-term commitments in their communities. Today in three Weed and Seed neighborhoods — Kalihi, Ala Moana and 'Ewa Beach — hundreds of volunteers will gather to paint out graffiti, pick up trash and hand out informational packets. The events are meant to find residents and organizations willing to adopt parcels of their communities for a year or more. "The success of Weed and Seed is community participation," said Maile Kanemaru, program director. "Communities care. We just have to provide a venue for them." ..............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Holomua student selected for nat'l leadership conference 08.23.2007
This fall, Darion Rotolo, currently a 6th grader at Holomua Elemetary School, will take part in an extraordinary leadership conference in Washington D.C. Themed "Voices of Leadership: Reflecting on the Past to Create the Future", the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) introduces young people to the rich tradition of leadership throughout American history, while helping them develop their own leadership skills. The aim of the Junior National Young Leaders Conference is to inspire students to recognize their own leadership skills, measure their skills against those of current and former leaders and return home with newfound confidence in their ability to exercise positive influence within their communities. ..............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Local woman a semifinalist in search for 'Next Elvira' 08.01.2007
If things go Yvette Nii's way, she will soon be donning the familiar black outfit of "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" for audiences nationwide. The 23-year-old Nii is one of 13 contestants who recently advanced to the semifinals of the FOX-TV reality series, "The Search for the Next Elvira." The Ewa Beach resident is currently preparing for a return trip to Los Angeles, where the series resumes taping on Aug. 10. Nii said she auditioned for the role of the vampish Elvira because of the opportunities the part could offer her. "This will be my first big break if I win this competition," she said. "I've been singing since I was 4. I've always loved entertaining people, and I've never had any shame or embarrassment when performing in front of people." ..............  West Oahu People

West Oahu boys retain winning touch 08.01.2007
They stand a little taller and are a bit broader across their shoulders. However as far as winning is concerned, nothing has changed for the team of boys from West Oahu that captured Little League's biggest prize and, in the process, the hearts of Hawaii's people. Last Saturday, the West Oahu boys, along with their families and coaches Layton Aliviado, Clint Tirpak and Andy Kam, celebrated a reunion of sorts by shutting out the No Name All-Stars, 8-0, to win the 14U division at the Sixth Annual Kids International Diamond Sports, Inc. (KIDS) Hawaii World Series, which was played from July 21-28 at Central Oahu Regional Park (CORP). Although the players were disguised as the Paina Boyz, it didn't take long before their booming bats, clutch hitting and solid pitching — so reminiscent of 2005 — broke their cover to all that came and watched them play. ..............  West Oahu People

Ewa Beach 'mayor' still has the young at heart 07.25.2007
If there is one characteristic that best describes Charles "Dick" Beamer, it's that he's a philanthropist at heart. Yes, the man area residents fondly refer to as "The Mayor of Ewa Beach" was certainly born with a soft spot for others. And though he's lived for nearly nine decades — the last three of which have been spent residing on Ewa's hot plains — he still hasn't lost his passion for community service. "I used to be the unofficial mayor of Ewa Beach in the late '70s, '80s and early '90s," said the 89-year-old Beamer, who's been involved in at least a dozen community organizations, not to mention another 20 or so service-minded groups around the island. "I guess you can say I was the person in charge of Ewa Beach..............  West Oahu People

'Voyagers' in 'Ewa blazing their own trail 07.19.2007
The teachers, faculty and staff of Holomua Elementary School are living up to their school nickname as "voyagers" by charting a different course at the 11-year-old 'Ewa school. First, it became the state's first year-round, multi-track school when it opened in 1996. Then, several years ago, it became the state's largest K-6 elementary school with an enrollment of 1,554 students, about 1,100 of whom are on campus at any given time. "Essentially, we're four schools," said Principal Norman Pang, winner of this year's $25,000 Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award, which honors a public school principal who is "visionary, community-minded and has an entrepreneurial spirit." .............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Campbell grad receives N. Michigan scholarship 07.18.2007
David "Kawika" Tangjian has always had big dreams as an amateur boxer, and now one of his most cherished goals is coming true. Last Friday, Tangjian, who is the reigning state amateur champion at 119 pounds, got the biggest news of his fighting career, when he received word that he was accepted by Northern Michigan University on a boxing scholarship. The university is home to the United States Olympic Education Center, and is one of four Olympic training centers in the country. It is the second largest Olympic training center, and the only one that is located on a college campus. .............  West Oahu People

Town prepares for first retail shopping center 07.18.2007
Area residents will soon welcome the town's first retail shopping center, which is currently being developed on one of the last remaining parcels of historic Oahu Sugar Co. land. Construction work to Plaza at Mill Town — whose red frames have attracted stares from passersby along Mokuola Street over the past few months — is expected to be completed by the end of the year, according to officials at Avalon Development LLC. Tenants are expected to open their doors for business no later than February 2008, said Christine Camp Friedman, Avalon's president and CEO. "There's no current place for people who work in the area to eat, except maybe one restaurant," Friedman said. "(Several) businesses will occupy the plaza, including at least one bank, (several) restaurants and other service oriented businesses.".............  West Oahu People

Public denied access to some Oahu beaches 07.02.2007
The clean, white sandy beach along Iroquois Point offers a stunning view of downtown Honolulu, Waikiki and Diamond Head. But unless you live there, this beach is off limits. Iroquois Point Island Club, the civilian subdivision that has replaced what was once the Pu'uloa Naval Housing complex, does not allow public access to its beach. "It's private property, the roads are private, they're not city and county," said Steve Colon, president of Hunt Development's Hawai'i division, which operates the property. Other private, oceanfront developments on O'ahu — including Ko Olina and Turtle Bay — offer beach access to the public. State law requires all beaches remain accessible to the public, and counties must make sure the public can reach the beach in areas where private property dominates .............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Lingle releases $8.8M for upgrades at 3 schools 06.19.2007
Gov. Linda Lingle has released $8.8 million for improvements at Campbell High, Wai'anae High and Highlands Intermediate schools. The projects include new classroom construction, air conditioning and electrical upgrades, and installation of fencing. "These projects are needed to meet the enrollment growth and enhance the education of our students, while ensuring their safety and health," Lingle said in a news release. "The environment in which our students learn is a major factor in their educational success." # Campbell High School: Nearly $6.7 million will be used to construct an eight-classroom building that will include two science and five general-education classrooms and one special-education classroom. In 2006, Lingle released $575,000 for the design of the building to address overcrowding at the school .............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Ewa Beach’s Chung Serves In Africa 06.13.2007
Ewa Beach resident and Navy reservist Carol Chung put her job as a first-grade teacher on hold while she helps “promote peace with stability” halfway around the globe on the Horn of Africa. “I’m really glad for the opportunity to be here, definitely there’s no place like home. I can’t wait to go back, but I do appreciate the experience - for me it’s a once in a lifetime,” said Chung, an intelligence specialist 2nd class, who is halfway through her six-month deployment to the Republic of Djibouti, a northeast African nation about the size of Massachusetts. The ‘88 Waipahu grad is in the capital of Djibouti as part of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, comprised of more than 1,800 U.S. servicemembers, civilians, coalition forces and partner nations. The Horn of Africa nations are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. .............  MidWeek

Ocean Pointe community unites to fight crime 06.13.2007
A rise in the number of garage burglaries in the Ocean Pointe housing development of 'Ewa Beach has spurred a group of residents to rally their neighbors into action. There have been 118 burglary reports in the past year, at least 83 of those since January, in Police Beat 875, which consists of all of Ocean Pointe, a small section of 'Ewa By Gentry, and the cluster of homes in the area around Papipi Road leading to One'ula Beach Park, also known as Hau Bush, according to Honolulu Police Department officer Tony Pacheco. "There's been a spike," said Pacheco, a member of HPD's District 8 Community Policing Team.............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Lingle signals she'll work with Democrats to push innovation 06.08.2007
Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday she wants to work with Democrats who control the state Legislature to help transform Hawai'i's economy away from land development and toward innovation. The Republican governor signed three bills to promote innovation — a theme of her State of the State speech in January — and said she had reassessed what were initially disappointing reviews of the last session. Several Republicans have described the session as a failure, but Lingle said, at least on innovation, it was positive. "Cumulatively, I think we did quite well this session. All of us, working together," Lingle said at a news conference at the state Capitol............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Shopping center project bought 06.08.2007
Michigan-based retail developer has acquired the Laulani Village shopping center under construction in 'Ewa Beach. Westwood Development Group LLC said it has acquired the 260,000-square-foot project from a partnership that included Hawaiian Asset Management & Investment Corp. and the Bristol Group of San Francisco. The price of the retail center, at Fort Weaver Road and Keaunui Drive, was not disclosed. When it is completed in spring 2009, Laulani Village will be the largest in 'Ewa Beach, which has experienced explosive population growth in recent years. Its construction is expected to cost about $100 million...........  The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawai'i's largest community center to open in 2010 06.07.2007
The Salvation Army's Kroc Center, considered by regional leaders a key component in the maturation of the "second city" of Kapolei, is expected to break ground next summer and hold its grand opening in spring 2010, said Maj. Phil Lum, project director for the community facility. When completed, the $63 million facility on 12 acres of state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property near the proposed University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu site will be the state's largest community center. From a performing arts center to a gymnasium, and even a banquet facility, the center is expected to fill a badly needed niche for the growing number of families living in the West O'ahu area............  The Honolulu Advertiser

Fort Weaver Road Project a Must Have 06.07.2007
In a letter dated June 4 by Mr. Keith Steadman, he enumerated that the state's initiative to widen Fort Weaver Road is ill advised and a waste of money. I disagree. The Fort Weaver Road widening project will add a pedestrian path where there currently is none and feature closed- circuit television monitors to help synchronize the traffic lights in addition to adding lanes that can be contraflowed to cater to emergency situations. When describing O'ahu's traffic situation the term "lane deficient" fits since Honolulu ranks dead last in the category of how many roadway miles are available to serve its population compared to other cities of its size in the United States ...........  The Honolulu Advertiser

Sky's the limit for Saber teen 06.07.2007
It took awhile for Campbell High student Lawrence Britt to find his niche. But now that he's done it, there's literally no telling how high his skills will take him. Facing his final year as a prep athlete, Britt finally discovered how to put his sleek 6-foot-2-inch frame to good use on the field of competition, and he did it with less than a month to spare before he graduated from the Ewa Beach campus. In a whirlwind month of May, the transplanted 18-year-old athlete from Virginia, won the high jump in the OIA championships with a leap of 6 feet, before topping 6 feet 2 inches in the 2007 Island Movers Track & Field State Championships, which were held on Maui. ...........  The Honolulu Advertiser

Widening of Fort Weaver Road set 06.01.2007
The long-anticipated widening of Fort Weaver Road is slated to begin no later than August, state Department of Transportation officials told about 50 'Ewa and 'Ewa Beach residents last night at a community meeting. The $59 million project will widen the area's main traffic artery from four lanes to six, and take an estimated two years. Initially slated to begin in late 2005, the project was stalled because a design contractor went bankrupt, so the state had to start over. The project will be done in three phase ...........  The Honolulu Advertiser

School vacations might be revised 05.31.2007
The state Department of Education is re-examining a shortened summer vacation because of concerns the seven-week break is not long enough for schools to offer credit courses or repair facilities. Education officials are planning to survey schools to get feedback on the unified calendar adopted last year. Officials hoped to facilitate the schedule for parents with children in different schools or grades and prevent students from forgetting what they learned while away from school. The winter break could lose a week to the summer under a plan to help schools offer courses that have been discontinued because of a unified statewide calendar...........  The Star-Bulletin

Holomua Elementary principal wins leadership award 05.25.2007
Norman Pang, principal of Holomua Elementary School in 'Ewa Beach, last night was named as the top winner of the Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award — a $10,000 personal award and $15,000 to be used for a school project. Eleven principals from around the state were nominated for the award presented by Island Insurance Foundation. The nominees were recognized last night at a fundraising dinner for the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom. This is the fourth year the award has been given out. It honors the late Masayuki Tokioka, founder of Island Insurance Co. Ltd..........  The Honolulu Advertiser

Librarians share the magic of books 05.24.2007
Two West O'ahu public school librarians are making a world of difference, improving the lives of youths in three Asian towns while teaching their students here the meaning of living in today's "global village." The Building Global Libraries project set up by Karen Chun of Campbell High School and Susan Smith of August Ahrens Elementary School was recognized this year as one of the top 10 service projects in the nation by Volunteers in Prosperity, the agency established by President Bush to encourage volunteerism by professionals. It began three years ago when Chun was doing volunteer work for the Degenhardt Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in Vietnam.........  The Honolulu Advertiser

Strategy for Re-entry is the Right Course 05.22.2007
This year, lawmakers took an unprecedented step in passing SB 932 (The Community Safety Act), which effectively implements a comprehensive re-entry system in Hawai'i. Weighing reintegration strategies against evidence-based research, legislators paved the way for a policy that has been proven across the board to decrease prisoner recidivism, increase public safety, and create opportunity for restorative restitution and community support. Ninety-five percent of incarcerated men and women eventually return to our communities.........  The Honolulu Advertiser

Fort Weaver-Keaunui signal lights up today 05.22.2007
A traffic signal at Fort Weaver Road and Keaunui Drive, near the entrance to the Hawai'i Prince Golf Course in 'Ewa Beach, is expected to go into service today, city and state transportation officials said yesterday. Transportation officials said motorists should expect the signal to be activated sometime after peak morning and before peak evening traffic hours along the oft-congested Fort Weaver Road. The signal is part of a $4.3 million project, which includes turnout lanes and other improvements at the intersection. It was completed by Gentry Hawaii as required by a traffic study done as a condition of a zoning approval it received from the Honolulu City Council in 2004. The Keaunui intersection is just south of the planned widening of Fort Weaver Road to six lanes, scheduled to get under way this summer........  The Honolulu Advertiser

City disputes EPA's sewage-plant orders 04.23.2007
A fight between local authorities and the federal government over how intensely Honolulu should upgrade two major sewage treatment plants has been brewing for decades, but there are strong indications that it has now reached the boiling point. The work could take years and cost more than $1 billion — on top of many other costly repairs the city must make to long-neglected sewer pipes that feed into the plants. That's a price tag that, in the words of senior Hawai'i Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, could "bankrupt" the city. As it is, the city is on the verge of approving a $300 million deal with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to replace four major pipes and perform other sewer work. Those projects were already on the city's to-do list, but last year's disastrous rupture of a major pipe in Waikiki — which prompted the city to flush 48 million gallons of raw sewage into the Ala Wai Canal — triggered federal demands to complete the work as soon as possible......  The Honolulu Advertiser

Ewa Weed and Seed Money Put to Use 04.11.2007
Thank you, Mayor Mufi Hannemann, for granting $250,000 to the Weed & Seed Honolulu Initiative. Since 2002, the 'Ewa site has formed 28 neighborhood security watch teams and eight citizen patrols. 'Ewa citizens have met and formed a partnership with Weed & Seed law enforcement officers to develop non-confrontational solutions, which has greatly improved 'Ewa's quality of life. The YMCA of Honolulu serves as the fiscal agent for Weed & Seed, providing staff leadership and the infrastructure support. We appreciate their commitment to this community strategy........  The Honolulu Advertiser

Some seeking nightly Leeward park closures 04.08.2007
Ewa Beach resident James Jackson enjoys fishing late into the evening at Oneula Beach Park, where there are miles of aqua-colored waters and a picturesque view of Diamond Head. But Jackson and others are concerned that the time to fish and relax at the beach with his friends will soon be cut short.The Ewa Neighborhood Board has recommended the city close Oneula Beach Park and other parks in the Ewa region from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The proposed night closures angered a large crowd of residents who showed up last month after the board voted 8-1 in February to recommend all city parks in Ewa and Ewa Beach be closed due to community concerns about illegal activity, including late-night drinking, drug use and drag racing........  The Star-Bulletin

West Oahu campus to cost $135M03.16.2007
Hunt Building Corp. will pay the state about $100 million for 298 acres at Kapolei as part of a public-private partnership to build the long-delayed permanent campus of the University of Hawaii-West Oahu, the university announced yesterday. The university hopes the current session of the Legislature will provide an additional $35 million, making a total of $135 million that the university will use to complete a first phase of the new campus. That work would be done on 202 acres adjoining the Hunt purchase. The 500-acre tract from which the two areas are being carved originally belonged to the Campbell Estate, which donated it to the state. art West Oahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni said the first phase will consist of four buildings: classrooms and administration, library, student services and power plant. The floor space will total 215,000 square feet.....The Star-Bulletin