Child seat check

Parents can have an expert check if their child safety seat is properly installed in their vehicle Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Town Center of Mililani. The service is free and on a first-come, first-served basis. It is sponsored by Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition and Town Center of Mililani.

Kim considering run for U.S. Senate

State Senate Vice President Donna Mercado Kim is thinking about a U.S. Senate campaign.

Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa) said she plans to form an exploratory committee to raise money to finance a poll.

"I’ll see what my options are at that point," she said.

Kim is a former chairwoman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and is known for her investigations of state departments and agencies. She has been in the Senate for a decade after serving on the Honolulu City Council and in the state House.

Under federal election law, potential candidates are allowed to "test the waters" without registering as a candidate. The potential candidates can raise money for polling or travel around the state to see if there is sufficient support for a campaign.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka has said he will not seek re-election in 2012.

Isle students head to robotics finals

Two Hawaii high school robotics teams have secured spots at a world robotics championship to be held in St. Louis next month after producing strong performances at regional competitions on the mainland over the weekend.

The Hawaii Robotics Organizing Committee said Sunday that teams from Waialua High School and Sacred Hearts Academy are due to compete at the 2011 FIRST Robotics Championship from April 27 to 30.

Waialua students earned top honors at the New York City Regional over the weekend. The North Shore school beat 65 competitors and won the field competition at the regional tournament. It also won the Chairman’s Award.

Sacred Hearts students earned the Engineering Inspiration Award at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Regional Competition in Massachusetts. The private Honolulu girls school’s team also took home the Industrial Safety Award.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

19 truant Waimea High teens caught

Kauai police detained 19 students from Waimea High School for truancy Thursday, the county said in a news release.

All the students were released back to school officials.

"It is important that children are in school when they are expected to be, not only for their educational benefit but also for their safety and accountability," said police Lt. Richard Rosa, Waimea District commander.

Internment camps ID’d at 2 Maui sites

wailuku, maui » The National Park Service has identified two sites on Maui as former Japanese-American internment camps.

Park officials say the Kalana O Maui building in Wailuku and the Horizons Academy of Maui in Haiku lie on areas that held Japanese Americans during World War II. The two sites are among 13 statewide to be part of a resource study.

A Park Service spokeswoman says that on Maui, there is little remaining from the camps. But officials are holding a series of meetings to seek the community’s input on how to preserve their history.