Kipahulu road will be closed for repairs to landslide damage

A half-mile portion of Hana Highway on the Hana side of Haleakala National Park in Kipahulu will be closed entirely from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday for repairs to sections of road damaged by a landslide.

Traffic will not be permitted through the area during working hours, according to the Department of Public Works. Motorists will be advised of road closures by electronic message boards in Hana town and at Ulupalakua Ranch.

Tom’s Backhoe and Excavation is the contractor for the $836,071 project, which includes excavation, the pouring of hot-mix asphalt, installation of wire mesh with soil/rock anchors, erosion control matting and hydromulch seeding.

For more information, call 270-7745.

Okinawan Festival offers free genealogy research

Mmm … andagi. Find the deep-fried Okinawan doughnuts and other popular dishes at the Maui Okinawan Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center in Kahului.

New to this year’s event is an opportunity for families of Okinawan descent to conduct free genealogical research with the help of representatives from the Okinawa Prefecture Library.

The festival, sponsored by the Maui Okinawan Kenjin Kai, also offers traditional entertainment by Maui and Oahu groups, including taiko and sanshin performances and odori dancers.

Bring eco-friendly shopping bags to buy all manner of Okinawan food such as pig’s feet soup and pork plates, and shop at the Country Store and craft fair. Festival T-shirts also will be sold. For details, call 242-1560.

Send meeting notices, announcements and other news to maui@staradvertiser.com.