Newswatch
By Star-Bulletin Staff
South Point brush fire burns 500 more acres
HILO >> Fire from hot spots in a 10,000-acre Big Island fire jumped a fire break and burned 500 more acres yesterday, said Troy Kindred, Hawaii County Civil Defense chief.Prevailing winds in the South Point area were carrying flames away from populated areas.
"The winds have been constantly in our favor," Kindred said.
But at about 2 p.m. an eddy or swirl of wind carried embers over the northern, windward edge of the burn area, about 1 1/2 miles from the nearest homes in Discovery Harbor subdivision, he said.
"It's moving extremely slowly to the northeast (where the homes are located). The movement to the southwest is a lot faster," he said.
Two bulldozers were cutting new fire breaks yesterday, and a county helicopter was continuing with 125-gallon water drops.
The cause of the fire, which began Friday, remains unknown. Officials initially called the fire suspicious because some people were reported in the area of Kaalualu Bay where it started.
There were no injuries, and people evacuated from eight isolated homes Friday were allowed to return the same day. Since the fire raced across grazing land, authorities speculated that some cattle might have been killed, but Kindred said there is "no firm information" on that.
Space lecture tonight is about lunar landing
B. Ray Hawke, lunar scientist with the University of Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, will give a video and slide presentation entitled "On the Moon with Apollo" at 7:30 tonight.His Spaceweek 2003 presentation, part of the Hawaii Space Lecture Series, will be held at the NASA Pacific Regional Planetary Data Center, on the fifth floor of the Pacific Ocean and Science Technology building, 1680 East-West Road.
2 power outages affect thousands on Big Isle
HILO >> The Big island suffered two power failures yesterday morning, according to the Hawaii Electric Light Co.A 12:47 a.m. power outage at the independent Hawaii Energy Partners generator knocked out power to 24,000 customers, said HELCO spokesman Jay Ignacio. Stand-by HELCO generators took over within 11 minutes.
At 9:49 a.m. the loss of a HELCO generator at Keahole, North Kona, knocked out power to 4,700 customers, but power was restored from other generators about an hour later.
The Hamakua Energy generator remained partially off line for maintenance, but the Keahole generator was brought back into service at 4 p.m., avoiding possible problems during peak evening usage, Ignacio said.
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[Taking Notice]
>> Molly Tafoya, of La Pietra, has received the Hawaii Youth Rotary Scholarship, $3,000, to attend Georgetown University this fall. Tafoya is student council president and winner of the school's Joseph H. Pynchon headmaster's award.>> The Rotary Club of Metropolitan Honolulu has awarded two-year scholarships worth $2,500 to 12 high school students:
David Bourgoyne and Joanna Wong, Kaimuki High School; Maybelle Do, Nicole Figueroa, Christopher Joseph, Kaulike Kalama, Yu-Ju Lee, David McGhee, Javen Peahi, Jobet Roxas, Clariss Velasco and Jennifer Yeban, McKinley.
>> The Windward Oahu branch of the American Association of University women has awarded scholarships to Joann Aiu, $1,000; Rosannah Cannell, $1,000; Jessica May and Michelle O'Phelan, $500; and Tiare Fonoimoana, $500.
>> The Market City Foundation has awarded $1,000 scholarships to Sam Peng Ho, Kaimuki High School; Marsha Sumfeh Ng and Noah K.K. Sakimura, Kalani; Lizzeth C. Carreon and Ling Lu, Sacred Hearts Academy.
>> Richard Kalbrener, of Honolulu, has been given an Award of Distinction by the Winona State University Alumni Society. Kalbrener, who graduated from WSU in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in business administration and political science, is chief executive officer and president of Pihana Pacific, an Internet exchange data center services provider in the Asia-Pacific region. He is also acting president for BBiTV, of Honolulu.
>> Bradford Lee, of Honolulu, who is entering his senior year at Harvard University, has been named one of 80 Morris K. Udall Scholars for the 2003-2004 school year. The scholarship program provides up to $5,000 for educational expenses.
"Taking Notice" runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Please send items to City Desk, Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffNEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Puna man is sought concerning burglary
Big Island police are looking for a 34-year-old Puna man who is wanted for questioning in the burglary of a Pahoa business in February.Police identified the suspect as Seanisson Minniall, whose last known address was in Nanawale Farm Lots. Minniall is also wanted on three outstanding bench warrants.
Police describe Minniall as being 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing about 150 pounds, with hazel eyes, dirty blond or brown hair, and bad teeth.
Anyone with information about Minniall's whereabouts is asked to call Detective Greg Esteban, of the Hilo Criminal Investigation Section, at 961-2384 or the police nonemergency number at 935-3311.
EAST OAHU
Man who fled collision arrested for auto theft
A 43-year-old Aina Haina man who allegedly fled the scene of a traffic collision was arrested for suspicion of auto theft Sunday when police discovered the car he was driving was stolen.Police said the collision occurred about 3:30 p.m. on Prospect Street in the Punchbowl area. The other driver involved in the collision followed and caught up to the suspect, who allegedly fled from the stolen vehicle after blowing two tires.
When officers arrived, they found the suspect hiding in a nearby parking structure. In addition to auto theft, the suspect was arrested for suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident.
LEEWARD OAHU
Boy tells police he was kidnapped by 3 men
A 12-year-old Pearl City boy told police that three men kidnapped him and then took his clothes yesterday morning.According to police, the victim said that at 3:55 a.m. two men dressed in dark clothing and wearing masks and gloves broke in through his bedroom window while he was sleeping, then took him back out the window and into a dark-colored sport utility vehicle that was driven by a third man.
The victim said one of the suspects then removed his clothing and let him out of the vehicle about a block away from his home.
Police said the victim did suffer some minor injuries due to the broken glass from the window. The case is being investigated as a burglary, kidnapping and assault.
WINDWARD OAHU
Anonymous warning leads to pair's arrest
A 22-year-old woman was arrested for auto theft Saturday after police received an anonymous tip that the woman and a 24-year-old man were using a stolen vehicle to steal mail.The vehicle was reported stolen from a Kahaluu residence last Tuesday. The woman was driving the vehicle Saturday morning when police stopped her and arrested her for auto theft. The 24-year-old man was arrested on a warrant. They were later released pending investigation.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
