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Under a proposal introduced by U.S. Rep. Charles Djou, the Makiki Post Office could be renamed after the late Cec Heftel, a former Democratic congressman and Hawaii broadcast executive.
Djou introduced the resolution last week.
Heftel represented Hawaii’s 1st District from 1977 to 1986 and also owned KGMB-TV and KGMB radio. He died Feb. 4 in San Diego at the age of 85.
According to Djou’s resolution, the post office at 1227 Lunalilo St. "shall be known and designated as the ‘Cecil L. Heftel Post Office Building.’"
Djou said the selection of the Makiki Post Office is fitting because some of Heftel’s family still live in the area and that Heftel lived in the neighborhood while serving in Congress.
Djou, a Republican, said he introduced the resolution because it’s a national tradition to commemorate late Congress members by naming post offices after them. The lawmaker holding the former member’s seat usually introduces the proposal, said Djou, who represents the 1st District (urban Honolulu).
Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case introduced a resolution to rename the Paia, Maui, post office after Patsy Mink, and U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka introduced a proposal dedicating the Kapalama post office to Hiram L. Fong, Djou said. Both of those measures passed.
U.S. Postal Service spokesman Duke Gonzales said only three out of Hawaii’s more than 100 post offices have been named after someone.
Lanai’s post office is named after the late Goro Hokama, a Maui County Council member for 41 years.
Djou hopes to have the resolution heard by the U.S. House before August. In the past, post offices have been renamed within a year of the person’s death.
Gonzales said post offices across the country have been dedicated to military, political or community heroes. After a dedication ceremony, a commemorative plaque is placed on a wall of the building.
"We would be very pleased to be a part of honoring someone who did a lot of good things for Hawaii," Gonzales said.
