String lei for Memorial Day

The city is asking for donations of lei for placement at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl for Memorial Day. Lei must be of fresh flowers or ti leaves and be 20 to 24 inches long before tying. Drop-off containers will be at Punchbowl from Wednesday through next Sunday. People may also drop off lei Friday at the Fasi Municipal Building, Kapolei Hale, fire stations and district parks. Call 768-3002.

Keiki Olympics offer day of fun for homeless kids

University of Hawaii medical students and faculty are giving homeless children an opportunity to participate in physical activities including relay races, soccer and balloon tosses.

The Keiki Olympics are to be held Saturday morning in Kakaako Makai Gateway Park.

The event is organized by the Homeless Outreach and Medical Education project, a free clinic run by students of the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

More than 100 children are expected to attend.

The event is funded by the Hawaii Women’s Legal Fund and the Academy of Family Physicians.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Candidates sought for UH regents’ panel

The Regents Candidate Advisory Council will soon begin the recruitment process to fill a vacancy for a Big Island seat on the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. The vacant seat was previously occupied by an interim regent whose term expired at the end of this year’s legislative session.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie will make the appointment, subject to state Senate confirmation.

For more information on how to apply or to nominate a candidate, visit the council’s website at www.hawaii.edu/rcac or call 808-692-1218. The deadline for applications is June 13.

UH regents and advisory council members serve voluntarily and are not paid.

Council adds golf subsidies to budget cuts

HILO >> The Hawaii County Council is planning to cut funding for golf subsidies, emergency spending and land purchases.

The cuts are aimed to trim Mayor Billy Kenoi’s $367 million proposed operating budget.

But the Council is preserving money for the 128-year-old Hawaii County Band, whose $285,000 budget survived budget reductions.

The Council also voted Wednesday to fund insurance coverage for the county’s future retirees.

The Council agreed to eliminate a $500,000 subsidy for $25 golf coupons to private courses in West Hawaii, but it kept a $315,000 subsidy for the Hilo Municipal Golf Course, which relies on government money less than do other county recreational programs.

The Council also moved $2.8 million in anticipated union savings out of a rainy day fund.