Members and Friends: We would like to update you on the status of our museum. It has been one year since we closed the museum at 301 Keawe St...(time has gone by very fast)......we were all set to move into the old Western Auto building. As we were closing the sale at the old museum site on Keawe St. last year...the Western Auto building was "Red Tagged" .....which means "shut down" by the County of Hawaii building department because of some construction done to the building without a County required building permit. The owners applied for the County permit and we again met several times with the owners and also met with their draftsman and completed the layout for the museum. The owner of the Western Auto has been working with the County of Hawaii to follow all their county code requirments but it has gotten to a stand still between both parties. The last word we got was that the the Western Auto building may be sold to McDonalds Restaurant to relocate their downtown facility located just up the road where they presently lease for 4 more years. Few weeks ago we met with the owners and looked at the old Farmers Exchange Building across the street from the Western Auto building for the museum site...also owned by the Lindsey's. Also in the last two months..... we received calls from different people that wants to open "plantation museums" along Hamakua Coast and would like to work with us to setup the museums at their site. Everything is in the planning stage. We also looking at a couple of other sites in Hilo for the museum and will keep everyone informed on the progress. Many of our friends have told us that the museum should be located in Hilo but after looking at all the potential museum sites over the past year the most ideal site for a plantation museum is the old Honomu Sugar Mill which the owner has supported our museum 100%. Once developed the Honomu Mill site would be the best plantation museum in the State of Hawaii. If you have any questions let us know. 959-4769 home or 443-7679 cell. Mahalo, wayne