HAWAI'I BRIEFS
Teen gets 5 years in machete case
Advertiser Staff
LIHU'E — A 16-year-old high school student who attacked his teacher with a machete was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison by Kaua'i Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Wata-nabe.
Andrew D. Sarita of Hanama'ulu pleaded guilty Aug. 9 to attempted first-degree assault and second-degree criminal property damage.
Sarita went to Kaua'i High School Nov. 22 after having been ordered by the Family Court to remain confined at his home after a previous altercation with teacher Timothy O'Rourke Jr. He entered O'Rourke's classroom and swung the machete at the teacher, who suffered a gash to his hand while trying to defend himself. Sarita also attacked O'Rourke's car, smashing windows and slashing tires.
HUI TO MONITOR COAST FOR STATE
The state Department of Health's Clean Water Branch has contracted with the nonprofit Hanalei Watershed Hui to conduct water quality monitoring of six north Kaua'i coastal locations.
It is the first such partnership between the Clean Water Branch and a community organization.
The watershed hui, an environmental group focusing on the island's north shore area, has been conducting its own monitoring of coastal waters for several years, and will now receive state funds to help cover the costs of the activity, which increases the number of Kaua'i sites the Clean Water Branch is able to track.
INPUT SOUGHT ON LAND PRESERVATION
LIHU'E — The Kaua'i Open Space Commission will hold a series of community meetings to review its findings and gather public views on the preservation of open space, cultural areas, forests, coastlines and other places.
The Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund Commission has meetings scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center, tomorrow at the Lihu'e Civic Center conference rooms and Oct. 26 at 'Ele'ele School cafeteria.
The county board is asking those with recommendations to fill out a community input questionnaire, which is available at the meetings and from the Planning Department and the county Web site at www.kauai.gov, under boards and commissions.
MAUI
RESTORATION TO BE 'GREEN' EFFORT
WAILUKU — The effort to preserve the historical administration building at the Old Maui High School in Hamakuapoko got a $248,000 boost from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The special purpose grant will be used by the nonprofit Community Work Day program and the Friends of Old Maui High School to incorporate federal "green" building guidelines in the restoration of the building, which dates to 1921 and was designed by noted architect Charles W. Dickey. It has been deteriorating since the school closed in 1972.
Plans including recycling demolition debris, composting trees and brush cleared from the site, and adding elements that will conserve energy, water and materials.
Groups working to restore the Old Maui High School want to turn it into a center for social services and education in honor of the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink, a 1944 graduate of the school.
For more information on the Friends of Old Maui High School, call Barbara Long at (808) 878-8529.
MAKAKILO
ROAD NARROWING TO BE DISCUSSED
The Department of Transportation Services will hold a meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at Mauka Lani Elementary School in Makakilo to discuss narrowing Makakilo Drive to one-lane-up and one-lane-down, or what's known as "traffic calming."
How to deal with the steep road, which has been the scene of runaway vehicles and, earlier this year, the death of a 15-year-old student, has been the focus of concern among area residents.
The Makakilo Neighborhood Board, which originally opposed the concept, recently voted in favor of it. Tonight's meeting has been called to consider additional input from the community, according to Kioni Dudley, president of the Friends of Makakilo.
NORTH SHORE
ANTI-DUI SIGNS IN MEMORY OF BABY
Friends and family of Saydee Miller — a 10-month-old Wai-alua girl who died Sept. 12 from injuries received in a traffic collision — will wave signs along Kamehameha Highway at the accident scene near Waimea Bay from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 3, which would have been Saydee's first birthday.
Saydee was in a child-restraint seat in the front passenger seat of a Honda sedan headed toward Hale'iwa when a minivan crossed the centerline and collided head-on with the Honda.
Police have said the van driver was speeding and had been drinking.
The purpose of the event is to raise community awareness about drinking and driving, said Darin Awong, the girl's grandfather, who has spearheaded a grass-roots campaign he calls BADD (Babies Against Drunken Driving).
Awong said BADD T-shirts will be available for $10, and that proceeds will be used to help pay for a BADD Fun Day for kids next Sept. 12, as well as assist the families of child victims of drunken drivers.
STATEWIDE
STORYTELLERS TO SPEAK AT LIBRARIES
Two nationally prominent storytellers, Alton Chung and Lyn Ford, will continue performing at state libraries this week following last weekend's Talk Story Festival.
Chung, a specialist of obake tales and local spirit lore, will be performing today at 'Ewa Beach Library at 2:30 p.m. and later at Kapolei Library at 6:30. On Saturday, he will be at the Lahaina Library on Maui at noon.
Ford, a storyteller from Ohio specializing in cultural tales passed through her family, will be performing tomorrow at the Wailuku Library at 3 p.m. On Saturday, she will be performing at the Kahului Library at 10:30 a.m.
The Jack-O-Lantern Spooktacular will take place on Maui at 5:30 to 10 p.m Friday and Saturday at Lahaina's Old Prison. Festivities will include a costume contest, pumpkin walk, spooky stories and food.
