Harbors

Airports

OGG Says Good-Bye to Roxanne Prito

By: Brian Kamimoto

Secretary Roxanne Prito poses with ADM Marvin Moniz at her retirement party.

“I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Kahului Airport’s team for the last 28 years.

“I consider myself blessed for being able to retire and spend time with my husband and family traveling and making memories.

“Just thankful for each and everyone I crossed paths with. I will miss it for sure, and it was a great ride, ” Secretary Roxanne Prito said at her retirement farewell party.

Maui District Manager, Marvin Moniz commented on Roxanne’s impending retirement.

“Roxanne will be truly missed as a professional who had a passion for taking care of people and giving from the heart,” said Moniz.

“Putting others before herself to make sure health and safety was a top priority. Even with 28 years working at the airport, she treated every day like it was her first day. be one that all of us in the airport community will always missed. God Bless her on a so welldeserved retirement.”

When asked what stood out in her career, she replied, “it has been an interesting career for sure. I truly enjoyed the challenges, good and bad. Never a dull moment and everyday is different. Events that will forever stand out are the attacks of 9/11, ATA and Aloha closing and most recently, the pandemic.”

Besides not having to wake up at 5 a.m. every morning for work, Roxanne is looking forward to spending more time with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

They have purchased an RV and truck in California, where her children and grandchildren reside.

Roxanne will be a part-time California resident and after having shipped her horses, she looks forward to riding and competing in rodeos once again.

Roxanne started her career as an 89-day emergency hire at Kula Hospital in 1992.

She also did a brief stint as a worker’s comp clerk.

In 1994, she transferred to Kahului Airport as the Office Assistant in Custodial. Three years later, she accepted a position as a Secretary II to the ADM.

Roxanne will be riding into the proverbial cowgirl sunset, albeit, not with a horse, but on a jet plane to California, COB March 31st.

Airports

LIH Receives $8.5 Mil to Expand Ticket Lobby

Lihue Airport (LIH) is bigger and better than ever thanks to an $8.5 million expansion of the ticket lobby.

The improvements increased the useable area of the lobby by relocating USDA baggage screening equipment and filling in four garden areas.

The project was funded entirely by state airport revenues.

Governor David Ige was at the blessing March 22. “The expansion of the Lῑhuʻe Airport ticket lobby is part of the larger $2.3 billion Airport Modernization Program and will increase efficiency and comfort for travelers coming through the State’s fourth busiest airport,” said Ige.

Ige continues, “our airports are critical in serving our visitors and residents alike in our island state.”

The work highlighted how important our neighbor island facilities are for the DOT, a huge congratulations to all who worked on the project!

By: Jai Cunningham

Local High School Artwork on Display at ITO

By: Steven Santiago

Various east side high schools on the Big Island participated in the renovated restroom project to create art for dispay on the construction barricades in theme with “What We Love About Hilo.”

DOT donated 24”x24” plywood and the kids got to work.

Artwork is visible on the walkway leading to the TSA checkpoint. Make sure to check it out.

Harbors

37th Troy Barboza Law Enforcement Torch Run

State DOT Harbor Police is proud to continue its support for the Hawaii’s Special Olympics and our partner Law Enforcement agencies as we once again will be participating in this year’s 37th Troy Barboza Law Enforcement Torch Run (2022) set on Saturday June 18, 2022.

Special Olympics Hawaii was established in 1968 as a non-profit organization to provide yearround sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympictype sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

The event also fosters increased understanding and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the community.

We would like everyone from DOT to your show support for this wonderful opportunity to help our boys and girls of Special Olympics Hawaii.

For those who are interested in purchasing a shirt or donate to Special Olympics Hawaii, please send and email to John.D.Dejesus@ Hawaii.gov with your shirt size and contact information by April 22nd 2022.

By: John DeJesus

Harbors Shout Out for Cruise Ships Welcome

By: Jai Cunningham

Kudos out to our team at Harbors in coping with the cruise industry coming back online. DOT-H worked with federal, state, and county agencies to craft port agreements with Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) and Carnival Cruise Lines.

In the coming months Disney ships will start calling on Hawaii ports as well as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ships. Those two lines have “opted in” with Centers for Disease Control guidelines covering response to Covid-19. Job well done Harbors!