The body of late state Sen. Gil Kahele is arriving home to the Big Island today, and the Kahele family is inviting community members to come pay their respects.
Kahele’s body will arrive at Hilo International Airport at 12:45 p.m. and then pass through town via a 90-minute, police-escorted motorcade.
The procession will pass at least 16 locations and sites the senator was fond of. Kahele’s family encourages the community to come see the motorcade as it makes its way.
Stops include Keaukaha Elementary School at 1:10 p.m., Richardson’s Ocean Park at 1:20 p.m., Banyan Drive at 1:30 p.m., the County of Hawaii Building at 1:40 p.m., Hawaii County Fire Department Central Station at 1:50 p.m., Hilo High School at 2:05 p.m., the Federal Building, U.S. Post Office and the courthouse in Hilo at 2:10 p.m. and finally Dodo Mortuary at 2:15 p.m.
Kahele died Jan. 26 after suffering a series of heart attacks. He was 73. He is being honored this morning in Honolulu via an eight-minute tribute as his motorcade passes through the Hawaii State Capitol.
The Kahele family also encourages the public to attend a celebration of life for the late senator on Feb. 8. The event, titled “Evening of Aloha,” starts with visitation at 4 p.m., followed by services at 5 p.m. It will be held at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.
Kahele’s celebration of life likely will draw a crowd from Honolulu. On Monday, Senate President Ronald Kouchi said in a memorandum to senators that Hawaiian Airlines has added an additional flight on Feb. 8 from Honolulu to Hilo. Kouchi encouraged lawmakers to make travel arrangements early and wear blue, though there’s no particular dress code for the event.