Organization must pay harassed ex-official

The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission is holding a research organization and its CEO liable for religious and sexual harassment and discrimination of a former executive director.

The commission announced the decision Wednesday finding that Kay Lorraine Bate was fired as executive director of Research Institute for Hawaii USA because of her religion and for complaining about the harassment.

The institute is an organization devoted to historical research. The institute and CEO Christopher Damon Haig have been ordered to pay Bate more than $843,000 in back pay and damages.

The commission said Haig’s harassment was based on Bate being Jewish and a woman.

Attorney Bruce Voss said the foundation is disappointed with the commission’s decision and wants to have the claims retried before a Circuit Court jury.

Health Department debuts revamped lobby

The state Department of Health has a newly renovated lobby and marriage license office.

The department said the renovation was the vision of the department’s former director, Loretta Fuddy, who died after the plane on which she was a passenger crashed in the ocean off Molokai in December.

Fuddy was involved in designing the project and worked with the architects on it several months before she died.

The department opened the new lobby Tuesday, which included unveiling an improved marriage licensing office. The marriage office features computer stations for couples to complete their license applications online.

The department dedicated the Kinau Hale lobby to Fuddy.

The project cost $460,000 and was funded by the state Legislature through capital improvement bond funds.

Old photos, maps sought for Kapaa book

KAPAA, Kauai » Kauai residents are trying to preserve the history of Kapaa with a book.

Marta Hulsman, site manager for the Kapaa Neighborhood Center, has been listening to the stories of the town’s seniors for the project, the Garden Island newspaper reported Wednesday.

She’s learned about the pineapple cannery and how Kapaa was swampland in the early days.

"It all started with poi. Then the Chinese came, and there was rice. We keep uncovering more and more stuff," Hulsman said.

The town was also an entertainment center for immigrants who worked nearby.

"There were pool halls, alcohol, women and three theaters," Hulsman said.

But the committee compiling the book has had trouble finding pictures, in part because many people’s photos have been washed away in hurricanes.

The committee has been relying on images from the Kauai Historical Society and the Kauai Museum, but this effort costs money. Hulsman is asking people to contribute images, postcards, maps and drawings if they can.

Proceeds from sales will benefit the Kapaa Senior Center.

Swimming pool is set to reopen, county declares

Kauai County officials say they expect the Waimea swimming pool to reopen on Tuesday.

The pool has been closed since Aug. 27 for emergency electrical work and the installation of new pumps.

Anyone with questions can call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 241-4460.