Celebrating peace

Hawaii’s Peace Day 2010 commemoration is tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 at the University of Hawaii-Manoa Campus Center Ballroom. Paul K. Chappell, author of "End of War: How Waging Peace Can Save Humanity," is keynote speaker.

Hawaii is the first to observe Peace Day each year on Sept. 21, which is also in recognition of the United Nations International Day of Peace and Non-violence.

Community college awarded $800K

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded Kapiolani Community College $800,000.

HUD officials said the school intends to use its Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities grant to renovate and connect culinary and continuing-education classrooms.

The department said last week that the result will be the creation of the Kapahulu Learning and Outreach Center. Plans call for the center to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

HUD officials said such grants are not intended to directly benefit schools, but will help them undertake a variety of activities, particularly those that benefit low-income people.

Farm wants waste-water dump permit

Integrated Aquaculture, which operates a shrimp farm in Kekaka, Kauai, is seeking a state permit to dump up to 30 millions of gallons of waste water each day into the ocean, the Garden Island newspaper reported yesterday. A dozen residents toured the farm Thursday amid concerns that past problems will be repeated.

When the farm was in full operation several years ago under a previous owner, ocean currents dispersed foul-smelling waste water and shellfish remains to popular surf spots such as Kinikini and Majors Bay, drawing sharks.

After reaching a peak annual production of nearly 1 millions pounds of shrimp, the original owner, Ceatech, folded in 2004 due to an outbreak of the white spot virus. Sunrise Capital bought the farm in 2006 but suspended operations in 2008 because of a second outbreak.

Integrated Aquaculture purchased the shares of Sunrise Capital in 2009 and has worked to bring operations back to full capacity.

Water festival will close Kauai route

Department of Water officials on Kauai announced that a portion of Pua Loke Street between Haleko Road and Kaumualii Highway will be closed Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the seventh annual Make a Splash Water Festival.

Only local traffic for businesses in the area will be allowed.

The Water Department will be hosting the festival for Kauai fifth-graders at the Pua Loke Arboretum.

While the festival is in progress, the Department of Water will have limited customer services available. Bill payments can be dropped off, but the planning division will not process permits until after the event.