The groundbreaking will take place Monday for the Kona Judiciary Complex off Kamakaeha Avenue in Keahuolu.
On hand for the 2:30 p.m. ceremony will be Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald; Circuit Judge Ronald Ibarra; Susan Kim, Gov. David Ige’s representative for West Hawaii; state Sen. Josh Green (D, Naa- lehu-Kailua-Kona); Rep. Joy San Buena- ventura (D, Hawaiian Acres-Pahoa- Kalapana), vice chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee; and Rep. Nicole Lowen (D, Holualoa-Kailua-Kona- Honokohau).
Daniel Akaka Jr., director of cultural affairs at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, will lead the blessing.
The Kona Judiciary Complex will provide improved access to the civil, criminal and family court justice system. Currently, proceedings are held in three different locations in Kona, in buildings not designed to serve as courtrooms.
The 140,000-square-foot, three-story facility will have five courtrooms, a law library, a self-help center, conference rooms, holding cells, witness rooms, attorney interview rooms and a grand jury meeting room. Plans also provide 290 parking stalls.
Beach reopens after attack
State and Maui County officials reopened Hookipa Beach on Saturday in the wake of a shark attack.
Officers with the state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement and county lifeguards patrolled the waters Saturday morning and saw no sign of sharks, the county said by email.
The beach opened again at noon.
A 36-year-old Maui man was seriously injured Friday afternoon while surfing about 50 yards from shore off the west point of the park, in an area known as “H-Poko.” He was attacked by a 5-foot-long reef shark, which bit him on his left arm and left leg.