House being built over Native Hawaiian burials

Developer Joseph Brescia is going ahead with plans to build a house over identified burials at a beachfront lot at Wainiha, Kauai. Opponents to the project are pressing the burial council to reject the developer's plans to build over the ancient remains.

Remnants of Honoluliuli internment camp identified

An archaeological study of the Honoluliuli has revealed remnants of an internment camp there that held about 300 persons of Japanese ancestry prisoner during World War II. The survey also identified a still intact wooden building that had been part of the administrative complex for the camp.

Hawaii Capital National Heritage Area Nears Approval

Two ancient ahupua‘a, Kapalama and Honolulu, would form the Hawaii Capital National Heritage Area under a bill introduced by US Senator Daniel Inouye. While the new designation would not bring any changes to zoning, it would make the area eligible for federal funds. The heritage area could be approved in time for the 50th anniversary of Hawaii statehood on Aug. 21. Nationally, only 41 areas have been designated so far.

Meeting to help prioritize access to Makua sites

The US Army has set a meeting on the prioritization of cultural site access at the Makua Military Reservation. The meeting will take place Nanaikapono Elementary School Cafeteria, 89-153 Mano Avenue, Waianae, at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 9, 2009. The Army list 116 cultural sites in the valley. The public may access the Makua documents at http://www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/sitelistmmr.

Falls of Clyde Artifacts Missing

Friends of the Falls of Clyde hopes that persons who took parts of the Falls of Clyde will return the dozens of items taken from the ship when the Bishop Museum had planned to scuttle the vessel. Fortunately the ornate figurehead is not among the missing artifacts.
The Friends of Falls of Clyde needs the artifacts for the ship's preservation and restoration. To return items, please contact Keven Williamson kwilliamson@friendsoffallsofclyde.org ) or Heather McGregor ( hmcgregor@friendsoffallsofclyde.org. You may also reach McGregor by telephone at 526-1559 (voicemail). Arrangements may also be made for the Friends to pick up artifacts.

Fire damages century-old building and achives

Fire damaged on October 22 the 104-year-old building housing Central Union Church Preschool & Kindergarten in Makiki. The school had moved into the former B.F. Dillingham's "Woodlawn" estate building 80 years ago, on October 16, 1928. Beside classrooms, the building also stored the school's archives.

Fire is no stranger to Central Union Church; a 1886 waterfront fire destroyed Bethel Union Church, which in 1887 joined with Fort Street Church to form Central Union Church. The first Central Union Church (left) was located on what now is the grounds of the State Capitol, across from Washington Place. In the 1920s the church moved, dedicating its current sactuary at the Makiki site in 1924.

Meetings scheduled for Mākua Valley environmental impact statement

Persons interesting in commenting on the U.S. Army's environmental impact statement on the use of Mākua Valley should attend any of three meetings scheduled for 5:30 pm on the following dates and locations:

October 7, Wahiawā District Park Recreation Center

October 8, Aunty Sally Kaleohano's Luau Hale (formerly Seven Seas Luau House) in Hilo on the island of Hawai‘i

October 9, Waimea Community Center, in Waimea on the island of Hawai‘i.

The Army will accept electronic comments to usaghipaomakuaeis@hawaii.army.mil through Monday, November 3, 2008.

Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau Isle Burial Council Revisits Wainiha Decision

The Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau Island Burial Council met October 2 to revisit their April 4 decision for the remains to be "preserved in place." Property owner Joseph Brescia took the ruling and a subsequent Historic Preservation Division approval of a preservation plan to mean that construction of his house at Wainiha over the burial site could proceed. A ruling by 5th Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Watanabe returned the matter back to the island burial council after she concluded that the division had failed to follow the law.

‘Iolani Palace protestors charged

Protestors face second degree burglary charges in connection with their occupation of ‘Iolani Palace, a National Historic Landmark. The seven, including leader James Akahi, took over the palace on Statehood Day.

Falls of Clyde Rescue Near Completion

Bishop Museum this afternoon will complete the transfer of the 130-year-old Falls of Clyde to the Friends of the Falls of Clyde. The vessel will be taken to drydock after a 90-day stay in its current location. The Falls of Clyde had been scheduled to be scuttled offshore, but the nonprofit stepped forward to prevent the historic vessel's fate.

Redevelopment in the works for International Marketplace

International Marketplace in Waikiki would be redeveloped if plans by landowner Queen Emma Land Co. come to fruition. The move to a would displace vendors from the historic bazaar that has been called a "shopping safari under canopies of banyan and palm trees." Built in 1955, the International Marketplace is not listed on any historic register. A Don the Beachcomber Restaurant, built in 1971, was located in a banyan tree on the site.

‘Ewa Field threatened by development

‘Ewa Field, one of several military installations attacked on December 7, 1941, will be transferred from the U.S. Navy to a subsidiary of El Paso, Texas-based developer Hunt Companies before the end of the month. The U.S. Marine Corps air station was attacked by the Japanese on their way to Pearl Harbor. Quonset huts, bunkers, a dirigible mooring mast and other historic structures exist within the 499 acre site. Historian John Bond hopes that a fifth of the property can be preserved.

Falls of Clyde rescue near

The rescue of the Falls of Clyde, a National Historic Landmark, should be completed soon. A nonprofit group, Friends of the Falls of Clyde, has been formed, and the Bishop Museum Hawaii Maritime Center board should vote on Thursday on the transfer of ownership to the organization. The Hawaii Maritime Center had planned to sink the historic ship offshore.

Half a million ti leaves sought for Kamehameha heiau restoration project

Half a million ti leaves are being sought to help repair Kamehameha the Great's residence, Hale Mana, at Ahuena Heiau, a National Historic Landmark at Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. Kamehameha died there in 1819. The ti leaves will be prepared at the heiau on September 27.

Purchase proposed for Kaua‘i burial site

A Wainiha, Kaua‘i, lot with 30 Native Hawaiian burials would be purchased under a plan outlined by Malama Kaua‘i, a nonprofit sustainability group. The group has received a pledge for $75,000 and has a fundraising effort in the works. Property owner Joseph Brescia claims that he has $1 million invested in the beachfront location.

Suit seeks to block building on Kaua‘i burial site

The lawsuit against Kaua‘i property owner Joseph Brescia seeks a preliminary injunction that would prevent further building on his 15,667-square-foot beachfront property. The Kaua‘i-Ni‘ihau Island Burial Council voted April 3, 2008, to preserve the 30 pre-contact Native Hawaiian burials there in place, which would have effectively prevented building a house on the property. The State Historic Preservation Division, which manages burial sites for the state of Hawaii, however, approved a burial treatment plan on April 24, 2008, that allows for the construction. The suit questions whether sufficient notice was given before the approval.

Mālama Mākua takes Army to court over use of Mākua Military Reservation

Mālama Mākua has taken the US Army to federal court over use of Mākua Military Reservation. At issue is whether the Army failed to put "high priority" sites on list that allows Hawaiian cultural access and also failed to solicit necessary public input. The group had sued the Army in 2000 for violations of the National Environmental Policy Act, including the failure to complete an environmental impact statement. The suit was filed by Earthjustice.

Japanese American Citizen League honors volunteers who helped preserve Honouliuli internment site

The Japanese American Citizens League will present its Distinguished Service Award on July 12 to Betsy Young and Jane Kurahara in recognition of their efforts to preserve the Honouliuli internment camp site. Both are volunteers with the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii.

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument on the road to World Heritage List

The U.S. Department of the Interior put
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument on the World Heritage Centre's tenative list, the first step in nominating a property to UNESCO World Heritage List. Placing the site on the tenative list allows the United States to nominate the monument by the end of January 2009. The formal nomination would be reviewed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is a mixed cultural and natural nomination. ICOMOS reviews cultural sites, while IUCN evaluates natural sites. The World Heritage Committee would make a decision on the nomination, but not before summer 2010.