City and County of Honolulu News

You are here:  Main / Customer Services / Public Communications Division / 2012 / 09/19/12 Renee Sonobe Hong Named First Deputy Corporation Counsel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                      September 19, 2012     RENEE SONOBE HONG NAMED FIRST DEPUTY CORPORATION COUNSEL   (Wed., Sept. 19, 2012)—Mayor Peter Carlisle today announced that Renee Sonobe Hong has been named Honolulu's First Deputy Corporation Counsel.               "Renee has always been a hard worker," said Carlisle. "In her new role, she will become an even greater asset to the City team."   Sonobe Hong formerly served as the City's Administrative Deputy Corporation Counsel. Prior to joining the Corporation Counsel Department in 2011, Sonobe Hong served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, prosecuting felonies including homicides, attempted murders, robberies, organized crime and other cases.   Sonobe Hong earned her law degree at Hastings College of the Law after earning a Bachelor's Degree in Legal Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.   -30-   Media contact: Louise Kim McCoy, Mayor's Office, 768-7798.

City and County of Honolulu News

You are here:  Main / Customer Services / Public Communications Division / 2012 / 09/19/12 Honolulu Named One Of The Nation's 100 Best Communities For Young People

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                  September 19, 2012   HONOLULU NAMED ONE OF THE NATION'S 100 BEST COMMUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE   (Wed., Sept. 19, 2012)—Honolulu has been named one of America's Promise Alliance's 100 Best Communities for Young People.  The national award, presented by ING, recognizes Honolulu's outstanding and innovative work in addressing the high school dropout crisis, and its programs and services that make it an outstanding place for youth to live, learn, and grow.   A five-time 100 Best, Honolulu continues to provide youth with educational, safe, and productive activities.  Other winning years were 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011.  Since 2003, the City and County of Honolulu's Youth Services Center has provided development and employment training services to at-risk youth.   "We are proud to be one of the nation's 100 Best Communities for Young People," Mayor Peter Carlisle said. "This award recognizes the hard work of many community members who have contributed to making a difference in the lives of our young people.  It reinforces our belief that a focus on youth pays dividends to the entire community."   This year, Honolulu competed with more than 320 communities from all 50 states, Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico for this honor.  All communities entering the 100 Best competition completed a rigorous application where they provided details on how their existing programs and initiatives help deliver the Five Promises—resources, identified by America's Promise as being critical to the development of healthy, successful children into caring adults; safe places; a healthy start; effective education; and opportunities to help others.  Applicants also were asked to describe how different sectors of their community work together to help children and families overcome challenges.  Most importantly, communities were judged on the strength and innovation of their efforts and programs to help high school graduates prepare for college and the 21st century workforce.               For more information, visit http://americaspromise.org/Our-Work/100-Best-Communities-for-Young-People/2012-Winners/Honolulu-HI.aspx.    -30-   Media contact:  Leinaala Nakamura, Department of Community Services, 768-5788

City and County of Honolulu News

You are here:  Main / Customer Services / Public Communications Division / 2012 / 09/18/12 Traffic Advisory: Lane Closures for Archaeological Survey Work In Urban Honolulu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       September 14, 2012   TRAFFIC ADVISORY: LANE CLOSURES FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYWORK IN URBAN HONOLULU   (Tue., September 18, 2012) - The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) wants to inform drivers that archaeological survey work continues next week in the urban Honolulu area for the rail transit project.   Motorists are advised of lane closures related to the survey work being conducted in the Kaka'ako area.Work will require lane closures during non-peak traffic hours.   For the safety of both the work crews and motorists, the public is advised to proceed with caution through these areas. Drivers should anticipate possible traffic delays or use alternate routes during work hours, and provide a safe distance between themselves and the construction workers and equipment.   Work for the week of Sunday, September 16, through Saturday, September 22, will take place at the following locations between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., unless otherwise noted:   ·       Kamehameha Highway between Makalapa Road and Radford Drive ·       Kamehameha Highway between Center Drive and Plantation Drive ·       Dillingham Boulevard between Alakawa Street and Akepo Lane ·       Dillingham Boulevard between Kalihi Street and McNeill Street ·       Dillingham Boulevard betweenWaiakamilo Road and Kohou Street (work             could also take place from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.) ·       Halekauwila Street between Richards Street and Punchbowl Street ·       Halekauwila Street between Cooke Street and Ahui Street ·       Waimanu Street between Kamae Street and Pensacola Street ·       Pensacola Street between Kona Street andWaimanu Street   The City is conducting the archaeological survey work along the urban Honolulu section of the Honolulu rail transit route to identify potential archaeological, historical and cultural resources. The archaeological work will aid rail project staff in their design of the elevated rail guideway.   Contractors Cultural Surveys Hawaii Inc. and Royal Contracting Co. are conducting the fieldwork.  For updates on construction work days and times, visit the project website at www.honolulutransit.org or contact our hotline at 566-2299.   # # #     Media Contact: Scott Ishikawa, (808) 768-6172, cell: (808) 227-2350.

City and County of Honolulu News

You are here:  Main / Customer Services / Public Communications Division / 2012 / 09/18/12 Ironwood Tree Pruning And Removal At Kailua Beach Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                         September 18, 2012     IRONWOOD TREE PRUNING AND REMOVAL AT  KAILUA BEACH PARK   (Tue., September 18, 2012) — A Division of Urban Forestry contractor will begin work tomorrow, (Wednesday) September 19, 2012, to remove two ironwood trees and prune 19 others townside of the Kailua Beach Park stream.   The trees were recently inspected by staff arborists and two were determined to warrant removal due to severe structural defects. The trees to be pruned will have crown restoration performed to reduce the possibility of limb failures.               For more information, contact Austin Braaten at Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Urban Forestry at 971-7151.       - 30 -

City and County of Honolulu News

You are here:  Main / Customer Services / Public Communications Division / 2012 / 09/18/12 Downtown, Kalihi TOD Plans to be Unveiled at Workshops

DOWNTOWN, KALIHI TOD PLANS TO BE UNVEILED AT WORKSHOPS   (Tuesday, September, 18, 2012) — The Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) will hold separate community workshops to present the Downtown and Kalihi neighborhood transit-oriented development (TOD) draft plans.               The Downtown TOD workshop will be held on Tuesday, September 25, at the Hawaii Community Development Authority, 461 Cooke St. The Kalihi workshop is set for Wednesday, September 26, at the Farrington High School Library Conference Room, 1564 North King St. Both workshops begin at 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided.               Three rail transit stations are planned in the Kalihi (Kapalama, Kalihi and Middle Street) and Downtown (Downtown, Chinatown and Iwilei) neighborhoods and a draft land use and transportation plan has been prepared in anticipation of growth and change around the stations. The public review draft plans are the result of workshops, surveys, and advisory committee meetings with residents, business owners and other stakeholders in each community.               The upcoming workshops will share the preferred development scenarios for land uses around the six transit stations and include improvement ideas and opportunities relating to residential and commercial development, industrial and waterfront uses, park enhancements, and transportation topics. The public is encouraged to review the draft plans and provide comments.               For more information, see the Neighborhood Transit Oriented Plans webpage or call Bonnie Arakawa at 768-8048.   -30-   Media contact: Curtis Lum, public information officer, Department of Planning and Permitting, 768-8284.     Rendering of Kapalama Neighborhood TOD

City and County of Honolulu News

You are here:  Main / Customer Services / Public Communications Division / 2012 / 09/17/12 Traffic Advisory: Lane Closures for Archaeological Survey Work in Urban Honolulu

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: LANE CLOSURES FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY WORK IN URBAN HONOLULU     (Mon., September 17, 2012) − The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) wants to inform drivers that archaeological survey work continues next week in the urban Honolulu area for the rail transit project.   Motorists are advised of lane closures related to the survey work being conducted in the Kaka'ako area.Work will require lane closures during non-peak traffic hours.   For the safety of both the work crews and motorists, the public is advised to proceed with caution through these areas. Drivers should anticipate possible traffic delays or use alternate routes during work hours, and provide a safe distance between themselves and the construction workers and equipment.   Work for the week of Sunday, September 16, through Saturday, September 22, will take place at the following locations between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., unless otherwise noted:   Kamehameha Highway between Makalapa Road and Radford Drive Kamehameha Highway between Center Drive and Plantation Drive Dillingham Boulevard between Alakawa Street and Akepo Lane Dillingham Boulevard between Kalihi Street and McNeill Street Dillingham Boulevard betweenWaiakamilo Road and Kohou Street (work could also take place from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.) Halekauwila Street between Richards Street and Punchbowl Street Halekauwila Street between Cooke Street and Ahui Street Waimanu Street between Kamae Street and Pensacola Street Pensacola Street between Kona Street andWaimanu Street               The City is conducting the archaeological survey work along the urban Honolulu section of the Honolulu rail transit route to identify potential archaeological, historical and cultural resources. The archaeological work will aid rail project staff in their design of the elevated rail guideway.               Contractors Cultural Surveys Hawaii Inc. and Royal Contracting Co. are conducting the fieldwork.               For updates on construction work days and times, visit the project website at www.honolulutransit.org or contact our hotline at 566-2299.   - 30 -   Media Contact: Scott Ishikawa, (808) 768-6172, cell: (808) 227-2350

City and County of Honolulu News

You are here:  Main / Customer Services / Public Communications Division / 2012 / 09/14/12 Hawaii's Largest Job Fair Returns Tuesday

HAWAII'S LARGEST JOB FAIR RETURNS ON TUESDAY (Fri., Sept. 14, 2012) – Job Quest, the largest job fair in Hawaii, returns to the City and County of Honolulu's Neal S. Blaisdell Center on Tuesday, September 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. General admission is $3. Admission is $1 for students with school identification, seniors aged 55 or older, and military personnel with identification. The event offers job seekers the opportunity to meet more than 125 exhibitors in one location, and will help employers reach numerous talented applicants. Attendees and employers will be able to exchange information, pinpoint opportunities, and build relationships. For exhibitor information, please call 536-7222. Job seekers can pre-register at www.successhi.com/SuccessHI-2012/Job_Quest_2012.html and are encouraged to 'like' the WorkForce/Job Quest Hawaii Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/HawaiiJobFairs. -30- Media contact: Department of Community Services Director Sam Moku, 768-7760.