Leeward access road fixes get $2.5M boost

Hawaii will receive a $2.5 million federal grant to repair and reopen an emergency evacuation route for Oahu’s Leeward Coast.

Kolekole Pass Road in Waianae provides an alternate route if Farrington Highway, the sole highway in and out of the coast, is shut down during an emergency. Part of the Kolekole road was closed earlier this year after heavy rain eroded the hillside and washed out the pavement.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye announced this week that the U.S. Department of Transportation grant will be used to install a prefabricated bridge over the washed-out area while engineers work to permanently repair the road.

Inouye says Oahu’s west side is the fastest-growing segment of the state and that infrastructure is struggling to keep pace.

Boy Scouts honor former HPU president

The Boy Scouts of America Aloha Council will present retired Hawaii Pacific University President Chatt Wright with its Distinguished Citizen Award in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the community.

During his 38 years at HPU before retiring in June, Wright elevated the school from a small downtown campus into the largest private accredited university in Hawaii. HPU has more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs and more than 8,000 students from 110 countries on three campuses.

He is an ardent supporter of Boy Scouts in Hawaii, describing scouting as “developing the important, character-building values of leadership, service to others, and courage.”

He will be honored at the annual Boy Scouts Distinguished Citizen dinner Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel.

Nature Conservancy receives $500K gift

A self-storage entrepreneur has donated $500,000 to The Nature Conservancy to support forest conservation on Hawaii island.

The Nature Conservancy said Thursday that the gift from Ed Olson is targeted at protecting the native forests of Kau and South Kona. Forests in these areas provide critical habitat for many of Hawaii’s endangered forest birds.

Olson’s company, A-American Storage Management Co., is among the largest self-storage companies in the country.

Last year Olson moved to protect more than 2,000 acres of Hawaii agricultural land from development by reaching a conservation easement deal with the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust.

The land included more than 1,200 acres on the slopes of the Waianae Mountains on Oahu and more than 900 acres in Kau.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Hawaii County offers farm leases

Hawaii County is offering farmers 10-year leases on land in Paauilo, ranging in size from less than

13 acres to nearly 110 acres.

In seeking bids the county is asking a minimum $11.63 per acre annually for the 16 parcels, which total 718 acres, based on an outside market appraisal.

An informational open house will be held 4 p.m. Sept. 1 at Paauilo Gym to discuss the details of the program and to answer questions from the public.

Bidders’ proposals must comply with the current agricultural zoning and meet terms of Hawaii County Council Resolution 38-11. Proposals must be received by the county by 4:30 p.m. Oct. 14.

For more information, call the county Property Management Division at 961-8069.

Hawaii isle library to close for month

The Kealakekua Public Library on Hawaii island will close for a month because of a staffing shortage, state library officials said.

The library will be closed from Sept. 3 through Oct. 2. During that time patrons can visit the Kailua-Kona Public Library, at 75-138 Hualalai Road, officials said Thursday.

The Kealakekua library’s book drop will also be closed, but patrons can return borrowed items to any other public library during the month.