City to provide updates on bicycle program

An informational meeting is scheduled Thursday night on a project to take one lane of King Street and turn it into a protected bicycling lane.

According to the city’s Bicycle Program website, construction on the King Street Cycle Track pilot project will start in September and be completed in November.

The cycle track, also known as a protected bike lane, will be on the left (mauka) side of King Street from Alapai Street to Isenberg Street. On-street parking will be moved into the second lane from the mauka curb and the bike lane will be between the mauka curb and the on-street parking.

Green paint will be installed in conflict zones, such as driveways and intersections, to caution motorists and bicyclists to potential conflicting traffic in those areas.

The city will provide updates on the project beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Neal Blaisdell Center.

Weekend prison visits canceled on Big Isle

Prison visits were canceled Saturday and Sunday at the Kulani Correctional Center in Hilo.

Visits are still scheduled for Monday, Labor Day.

The state Department of Public Safety also announced that visitation was canceled Saturday at the Punahele, Komohana and Waianuenue units of Hale Nani.

Hale Nani, in Panaewa, is the reintegration program for the Hawaii Community Correctional Center.

Weekend visitation has been canceled frequently this year at state correctional facilities due to ongoing staffing shortages.

UH program helps students buy textbooks

Nineteen University of Hawaii students received free textbooks this semester under the 15 to Finish program, which encourages students to graduate in four years.

Freshmen who earn 15 credits in each semester and maintain a 2.0 grade point average are eligible for the random selection.

"I was stoked," said sophomore Mitchell Moses, one of those selected. "I was excited. I knew my books were going to cost a lot so I knew I was going to save a lot of money. "

Moses, an architecture major, saved $720.

Fellow winner Rachel Blaire is majoring in civil engineering and saved more than $500 on her textbooks.

Both will save even more money because they are on track to finish in four years.

"It’s tough, but it is worth it because you’re graduating in four years," said Moses. "You don’t have to go to summer school, you’re just in-and-out. Four years."

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Man dies after ocean trouble

A 60-year-old Arizona man died Saturday after he was pulled from the ocean at Kaanapali, Maui, police said.

Greg Ira Eveloff of Scottsdale was swimming with his family near the Sheraton Resort when he experienced difficulties, police said.

Police, fire crews and medics responded to a report of an unresponsive male around noon. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation proved fruitless and Eveloff died at the scene.

An autopsy will be conducted.

Council OKs new tax class

A new real estate tax class — residential investor, with properties worth at least $2 million — won approval last week by the seven-member Kauai County Council.

The classification would be restricted to properties that are not being rented on a long-term basis, the Garden Island reports.

About 199 properties on Kauai can be placed into this new tax class, Finance Director Steve Hunt said. If the tax rate were set at $7.05 — $1 more than the current residential tax class rate — the real property taxes from those homes could generate about $837,000 in additional revenues.

“With this amendment, limiting this to 199 properties that are most likely sitting vacant — these are the super wealthy people, these are the stars who own homes here — I can support this bill,” Councilman Tim Bynum said.

Councilmen Gary Hooser, Ross Kagawa and Mel Rapozo cast the dissenting votes Wednesday. Council Chairman Jay Furfaro cast a silent vote, which went toward the majority in favor of the new tax class.

Council members JoAnn Yukimura and Mason Chock supported the measure.