Kauai electrical workers strike
LIHUE -- Kauai Electric's 82 electric workers, who are members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260, are on strike over job security and benefits.The union, which had been negotiating for a three-year contract, walked off the job this morning after rejecting an extension of the current contract while the parties work with a mediator, a company spokesman said today.
The strike began after negotiators failed to reach a settlement before a midnight deadline.
North Shore complex may expand
Howard Green, owner-developer of the North Shore Marketplace, plans a two-story building to blend in with the plantation style of the complex.The 6,000 square feet of space will cost $300,000 to develop.
Since this may add about 20 jobs at the marketplace, Green sees this as an important contribution to the community. He thinks necessary permits can be received as early as January and the building can be up before summer.
"We are talking to several different potential medical groups that might go in the second story, and we are thinking that the ground floor will probably be used for the expansion of existing tenants within the center whose businesses have been successful and are expanding beyond the size of the spaces they already have," he said.
Governor hosts national meeting
Gov. Ben Cayetano hosts some 1,500 state government leaders from across the country this week as the Council of State Governments holds its annual meeting and forum in Honolulu from Dec. 5 to 9.The state estimates that the national meeting, plus another Western regional meeting on the Big Island will generate about $4.5 million in sales for the state's economy.
Topics under discussion include telecommunications, early childhood development policies, state welfare reforms, sex offender registration, legislative term limits and health care for needy children.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffMan arrested in attack
Police yesterday arrested a 42-year-old Wahiawa man for second-degree assault stemming from a Nov. 4 attack on his estranged wife in which the woman's left earlobe was nearly cut off.
on his estranged wifeThe suspect was arrested at 3:30 p.m. at the woman's Waikalani Drive residence.
The man broke into her apartment at about 11:30 p.m. Nov. 4 and confronted her in the hallway, police said.
He allegedly threatened her with a pocketknife and cut her earlobe during an ensuing struggle.
The woman also sustained cuts to her neck.
Man, two sons, niece rescued from Kawailoa
A 38-year-old man and three children spent two nights on the hills of Kawailoa before being rescued yesterday by firefighters from the Waialua station.
The foursome were forced to spend Friday night in the hills after their truck became stuck in mud, Waialua fire Capt. Brian Emmons said.
The man hiked down Saturday to a level where he could use his cellular telephone and called friends. The friends, however, did not show up, so the man, his two sons, ages 6 and 8, and 8-year-old niece spent Saturday night in the hills.
The man called his sister yesterday and she contacted the fire department at 11:23 a.m.
The stranded hikers were rescued shortly before noon.
Other police/fire items:
Examiner identifies Makua crash victims
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