December 1997 - For every new car sold, Mike McKenna's auto dealership has donated $100 to a school of the buyer's choice. Recently, McKenna announced the following donations to Mililani Schools:
   Mililani High $800 - from Krystal & Mark Jancze, Kasio Mida, Andrew Billos, Naomi Wun, William Shavce, Clarence Garrett Jr, Jason Roberts, & Matthew & Karen Gorski.
   Mauka Elementary $500 - from Michael DeCenzo, Albert Maunakea, John & Jill Ishikawa, Terrence & Cathleen Kaya, & Steven Jennings.
   Uka Elementary $400 - from Jeff & Line Cuales, Brenda White, Alicia Whittington, & Adam & Susan Shepherd.
   Weana Elementary $500 - from B. Marcus & Leilani Badley, Tammy Ynigues, Jacqueline Sanders, Chris Herrera, & Felisa Tabisola & Margarita Kithau.
   Wheeler Elementary $300 - from Alvin Warren, Clay Harris, & Joel Baylor.

NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD ENDORSES LAUNANI SCHOOL PLAN

     December 1997 - The Mililani Mauka Neighborhood Board agreed this week to ask DOE officials to allow Launani Valley students to enroll in Mililani schools.
   Proponents of the proposal say that Launani Valley is already part of the Mililani community. Opponents cite concerns about the already overcrowding of Mililani schools.
   As reported earlier, the DOE will be making the final decision on the proposal.

MORE POST-SEASON HONORS FOR MHS ATHLETES

     December 1997 - Kaala Lo & Kaoi Yonemori were named to the OIA West girls soccer all-star first team. Michelle Taeu was named honorable mention.
   Shane Alfar received honorable mention honors for the OIA All Tournament football team.

R SERATE & ALFAR RECOGNIZED IN ALL-STATE FOOTBALL TEAM

     December 1997 - MHS Running back Jose Serate & linebacker Shane Alfar were recently named honorable mention in the Honolulu Advertiser All-State Football Team. Serate & Alfar helped MHS win the OIA Blue Conference championship.

MHS FOOTBALL TEAM GARNERS POST-SEASON HONORS

     December 1997 - MHS's James Millwood was named coach of the year in the OIA Blue Conference.
   Jose Serate was named offensive player of the year in the Blue Conference. Other MHS players named to the Blue Conference First team were Kris Goulsby, Kise Fiatoa, Dyron Kelly, Shane Alfar, & Garrison Quisano (defense).
&nbps;  Named to the Blue Conference second team were Garrison Quisano (offense), Clyde Campos, Jason Banks, Sean Vallesteros, & Jose Serate (special teams).

FREE HEPATITIS B SHOTS OFFERED AT TOWN CENTER

     December 1997 - The State Health Dept will setup a mobile clinic at the Town Center on Friday December 19 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Free hepatitis B immunizations will be available for chilren ages 6-8 accompanied by a parent. Parents must present the childs' immunization records at the time of vaccination.
   For more information, call the Dept of Health at 586-8332.

NEW FIRE FIGHTING TRUCKS EARMARKED FOR MAUKA FIRE STATION

     December 1997 - Although the new Mililani Mauka fire station won't be completed until 1999, new engine & ladder trucks earmarked for the new station is expected to be delivered this month.
   The new trucks are state-of-the-art costing $300,000 for the engine truck & $500,000 for the ladder truck.
   While the Mauka station is being completed, the trucks will be assigned to other fire stations.

MHS RUNNERS EXCEL IN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

     December 1997 - The MHS boys team finished 4th in the state cross country championships held at Waikea High on the Big Island. The girls team finished 6th.
   Individually, Robby Phillips finished 4th in 16:28, & Jess Matsuda placed 11th in 17:00. Leading the girls team over the 2-mile course was Monique Mata in 13:30.

PUBLIC INVITED TO CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

     December 1997 - Hope Chapel Mililani is sponsoring a Christmas Celebration on Dec 24 at 7pm at the Hawaii Okinawa Center on Ukee St in Waipio Gentry. The public is invited to the celebration of music, drama, & special treats for chilren. Phone 625-1077 for more information.

PROPOSAL TO ALLOW LAUNANI STUDENTS TO ENROLL IN MILILANI SCHOOLS DISCUSSED

     December 1997 - At a recent meeting of the Mililani Mauka/Launani Valley Neighborhood Board, representatives from various Mililani schools expressed concern with a proposal to allow Launani students to enroll in Mililani schools.
   The impact on existing enrollment in Mililani schools, & how the proposal would affect Mililani Uka Elementary's plan to close its satellite campus were discussed.
   Final decsion on the proposal will be made by the Department of Education.

NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT MULTI-TRACK SCHEDULE TO ENHANCE LEARNING RETENTION

     December 1997 - Registration for Mililani's new middle school begins in January. The school is for grades 6-8, & is expected to be the first public school to implement a 4-track schedule, with approximately 450 students placed in one of 4 groups, & with 1 group on vacation while the other 3 attend classes during any time of the school year.
   The school year for each group is expected to have 45-day quarters, with 15-day breaks between quarters. The number of holidays & school days will remain the same as other public schools. The philosophy behind the multi-track schedule is that a 3-month summer break is too long and hampers student learning retention.
   Roger Kim, is the selected principal for the new middle school, & is the current principal at Wheeler Intermediate.
   Last week, the DOE began accepting teacher applications.

FREE GUITAR LESSONS AVAILABLE

     December 1997 - Free guitar classes for elementary students (grade 1-6) are scheduled for Wed Dec 10 & 17 from 1:30pm to 2:30pm at Rec Center VI. Kevin Hopkins, a nominee for two Nahokuhanohano Awards will lead the classes.
   In January, Hopkins will also be offering regular guitar lessons at Rec Center VI on Wednesdays. Cost of the classes is $48 per month for MTA members. Call 623-7300 for more information.

CITY MAY RENOVATE CONTROVERSIAL PARK RESTROOM

     December 1997 - City parks director William Balfour, Jr. informed the Neighborhood Board that the City will consider measures to secure the Mililani Waena Neighborhood Park restroom after park hours, to discourage vagrancy & drug activity at night. Balfour also indicated that the City will examine the Board's suggestion of a complete redesign for the controversial restroom.

NEW BUSINESSES OPEN AT TOWN CENTER

     December 1997 - Three new businesses recently opened at the Town Center. Morning Glory, a gift shop is located next to Paradise Pet Shop. ProfesionNails, a nails salon, opened in the space formerly occupied by Puhi Hole Poki. And Bronson's, a sit-down restaurant, is in the space formerly occupied by JR's Restaurant.

MILILANI HOMES DECORATED WITH ELABORATE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

     December 1997 - School uniforms was the focus of a recent meeting of the Mililani Waena Elementary School PTG.
   Proponents cited lower clothing costs, reducing distractions to learning, helping students deal with peer pressures, & instilling school pride & student discipline.
   Opponents cited the need for students & families to continue to have discretion for deciding what the students wear, the absence of discipline/gang problems at the school, & that the cost for uniforms are not always less than store-bought clothing.
   More meetings will be held in the coming months.

DOG OBEDIENCE CLASSES TO BE HELD AT WAENA PARK

     December 1997 - You can register your dog for obedience classes on Dec 23 7pm & Dec 27 9am at Mililani District Park. The 12-wk training will be conducted at Mililani Waena Park. Cost is $25.
   For more information, call Phyllis McFadden at 623-6280.

MILILANI GOLFER ACES HOLE

     December 15, 1997 - Charles Young of Mililani scored a hole-in-one on the 155-yard 8th hole at the Links at Kuilima. Young used a 6-iron to score his first ace.

PUBLIC INVITED TO XMAS MUSIC CELEBRATION

     December 1997 - A music celebration sponsored by the Mililani Baptist Church will be held on Friday-Sunday Dec. 19-21 at 7pm at 94-293 Anania Dr.    A nativity scene will begin at 6:30pm each nite. For more information, call 623-2559.

PROPERTY TAXES IN MILILANI MAY GO UP...OR DOWN.

     December 1997 - City officials have reported that they may ask the City Council to increase property tax rates, to offset declines in property valuations, & to ensure that the City continues to collect the same amounts in property taxes next year as in the current year.
   Valuations in Mililani & nearby communities dropped by an average of 6%. Valuations in other communities also dropped between 2.9% to 10%. City officials said they will likely ask for a 4.6% increase in tax rates to help offset lost revenues.
   Property taxes account for about 40% of the city's general treasury.

MILILANI SCHOOLS TO PILOT-TEST DEBIT CARDS

     December 1997 - In March of next year, students attending MHS & its feeder elementary & intermediate schools will begin experimenting with debit cards to pay for school lunches, fees, & other expenses.
   Under the plan, parents would have the option of writing a check to the school, the school would input the information onto the debit card, students would then use the card to pay for expenses such as lunches, & the school would track expenses & inform parents when a child's account runs low.
   The pilot program will have several safeguards. Cards will have the child's picture, parents can stipulate spending restrictions, & schools will have procedures for expeditiously replacing lost cards.
   If successful, the program may be continued into the next school year.

MHS GRAD EARNS SOCCER/ACADEMIC HONORS

     December 1993 - Lena Kaer of Mililani, a senior back-row specialists on Baylor University's soccer team was named to the All Big-12 Conference Academic Team.
   Kaer is a 1993 graduate of Mililani High School.

BIKERS' INPUT NEEDED ON CITY'S BIKEWAY MASTER PLAN

     December 1997 - The City is developing a master plan for Honolulu - from Kahala to Pearl City.
   Community meetings to discuss the plan are scheduled for Jan 27-29. Mililani bikers may want to get involved because the master plan will lay the groundwork for how future roadway improvements on Oahu may take into consideration the needs of bikers.
   For more information, call 545-2055, email bikeplan@hhf.com, or website www.lava.net/~hhf/.

CASTLE & COOKE HOMES HONORS VOLUNTEERS

     December 1997 - Castle & Cooke Homes recently named Charlotte Nekota & George Okino as its "making it Happen!" volunteers for October & November.
   Nekota has been a tireless volunteer in various community activities, including neighborhood security patrols, cleaning of graffiti, PTSO, SCBM, MTA board, & youth soccer.
   Okino, vice-principal at MHS, was recognized for his efforts to beautify the MHS campus.

MORE ANTENNAS PROPOSED FOR MILILANI

     December 1997 - Voice Stream Wireless is submitting plans to the City Land Utilization Dept. for two additional antennas in Mililani.
   One antenna 6-ft tall would be built on top of an existing 100-ft light pole at the Mililani District Park. The second antenna would be built on top of an existing 40-ft pole on the Board of Water Supply facility in Mililani Mauka.
   Previously, the Neighborhood Board had taken a stand against the installation of an antenna on MTA property, & MTA had threatened to sue the board, prompting 6 board members to resign.
   The board deferred action on the proposal until its January meeting.

MILILANI HIGH SCHOOL GRAD NAMED RHODES SCHOLAR

     December 1997 - Cullen M. Taniguchi, a senior at Occidental College & a graduate of Mililani High School, was one of 32 Americans named Rhodes Scholars. Taniguchi will receive scholarships to attend Oxford University in England next fall.
   Taniguchi credited his MHS chemistry teacher, Ruth Fukuchi, for influencing him to become a research chemist. Fukuchi continues to teach chemistry at MHS.
   The Rhodes scholarship program was established in 1904 by the estate of Cecil Rhodes, a British philanthropist.

HAWAII PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEAR THE TOP IN USE OF TECHNOLOGY

     December 1997 - A recent survey by Education Week maganize, ranks Hawaii public schools near the top for use of computers and telecommunictions.
   According to the survey, 91% of Hawaii's schools had at least 1 computer connected to the Internet; 89% had access to cable television, 73% had videodisc players, & 86% of school superintendents use computers in their daily work.
   Mililani Mauka Intermediate School was Hawaii's first "high-tech smart" school, and is serving as a proto-type for future schools.

MTA THANKS YOUTH CENTER DONORS

     December 1997 - The following persons & businesses were recently recognized & thanked for their generous donations of furniture, equipment, & games for the recently opened Mililani Youth Center: Douglas & Lovyna Maynes, KH Electric, C.S. Wo Furniture & Donald Miller, Francis & Sue Ann Militante, Russell Santiago, Sue Savio, Jeannie Ohta, John Lee, Ronald Hirai, Mr. Magote, Maggie Kubota, Jason Nix, Ray & Jessical Billings, & Malvin Kibota.
   The Youth Center is located in Rec. Center I on Ikaloa Street.

SOCCER TEAM RUNNER-UP IN LAS VEGAS TOURNAMENT

     December 1997 - The Mililani Laulima girls under-13 team took runner-up honors in the 15th annual Las Vegas Turkey Shoot Invitational Soccer Tournament.
   Team members are Kristen Chung, Ashley Doi, Ashley Freitas, Jodie Hee, Jennifer Henaghan, Mallory Iha, Eryn Kishimoto, Kari Kurihara, Rachel Ling, Brandi Matsumoto, Jena Nishida, Kayla Oshiro, Jody Sing Chow, Jamie Yoyofuku, & Krystal Uchida.
   The team is coached by Glenn Ichinose, Morris Oshiro, & Matt Chung.

MHS MULTI-CLASS REUNION ANNOUNCED