Fire can’t stop PBS pledge drive

Hawaii’s public television station will be broadcasting its pledge drive Tuesday from a studio adjacent to its main Manoa studio because of a recent electrical fire.

Leslie Wilcox, PBS Hawaii president and chief executive officer, will host the live broadcast with members of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association staffing the phone bank.

The nonprofit media organization is Hawaii’s only public television station.

A fire in the studio shut down local program production last month. The fire started when a studio light blew out and the flames spread to ceiling insulation.

PBS Hawaii spokeswoman Roberta Wong Murray said it will cost much more than the Fire Department’s damage estimate of $250,000 to repair the studio.

Poverty grips Hawaii isle kids

Hawaii island has the highest percentage in the state of children living in poverty.

According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, 10,022, or 24.5 percent, of Hawaii County’s children lived in poverty last year, a 6 percentage point increase over five years ago.

The bureau estimated Tuesday that 18.3 percent of all county residents lived in poverty, compared with 11.1 percent statewide.

The numbers for children living in poverty were 25,409 (12.3 percent) for Oahu, 5,804 (16.6 percent) for Maui County and 2,360 (15.7 percent) for Kauai.

Eugene Tian, with the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, told West Hawaii Today the estimates reflect the island’s high number of Native Hawaiians, who tend to be younger, have larger families and have the highest poverty rates of all ethnic groups.

Retail at parks requires permit

Under new Kauai County rules, anyone interested in conducting peddling and concessions at county parks, playgrounds and other facilities or on roads next to these facilities must apply for a permit with the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Applications are available at the Lihue Civic Center, 4444 Rice St., Suite 105.

Some examples of peddling operations are surf schools; lunch wagons; weddings; and renters of beach equipment.

Violators could face a fine of at least $200 and up to $2,000 for each offense.

To access the complete list of rules and regulations relating to the commercial use of county parks and park facilities, go to www.kauai.gov/parks/rules.