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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
The sand dunes at Kaena Point are beginning to stabilize after years of recreational use. Photo from Feb. 2006.
Vehicles banned from Kaena
Motorized vehicles are banned from Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve under a bill signed into law by Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday. According to House Bill 2133, SD1, Kaena Point "is the last relatively intact coastal dune ecosystem remaining on Oahu." The law specifies that the Department of Land and Natural Resources may adopt rules to allow people to have vehicular access for fishing and camping. DLNR and emergency vehicles are exempt from the prohibition.
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Snapped pole cuts power to Palisades
About 1,900 Pacific Palisades homes were left without power through much of yesterday after a remote utility pole snapped.
The outage started at about 10 a.m. yesterday, and crews worked through the night to restore electricity. They hoped to have power back on by 6 a.m., Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Jose Dizon said.
Dizon said the pole was inaccessible by vehicle so crews had to cut a trail in to the site, and a replacement pole had to be flown in.
HECO asked homeowners affected by the outage to unplug sensitive electronic equipment to protect it from a power surge.
Also, customers whose refrigerator or freezer food went bad in the outage can file a claim with HECO. For more information, call 543-4624.
Louisiana visitor still in critical condition
KOLOA, Kauai » The Kauai visitor who had to be resuscitated after a scuba lesson remains in critical condition after being airlifted to Straub Hospital, Kauai officials said yesterday.
Renee Mayher, 58, of Natchitoches, La., was taking a scuba lesson at Koloa landing Tuesday morning when her instructor noticed she was having difficulty breathing. He brought her to shore and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before medics took her to Wilcox Hospital, Kauai officials said. She was transported to Straub yesterday.
Property tax credit available for some
The city is accepting applications for a partial credit on 2006 and 2007 property taxes.
To be eligible for the credits, homeowners must:
» Have a home exemption on their property during the tax year claimed.
» Earn no more $50,000.
» Not have property elsewhere.
For 2006 claims, a homeowner's property taxes must exceed 4 percent of the income of all titleholders.
Application forms are available at all satellite city halls and Room 115 at Honolulu Hale.
They are also available online at www.honolulupropertytax.com. Applications will be accepted through Sept. 30. For more information, call the city at 523-4856.
TAKING NOTICE
A&B gives $11,000 to help environment
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Alexander & Baldwin Inc. has donated $11,000 to the
Nature Conservancy's Corporate Council for the Environment, a coalition of more than 100 local businesses that have given more than $3 million to protect Hawaii's environment.
» TheIrvin & Evea Bainum Foundation has awarded $2,000 to theAmerican Lung Association of Hawaii for its 2006 Asthma Sports Day, for children ages 5 through 12 with mild to severe asthma. The funds will enable children to attend three-day sports camps statewide in June and July to improve their management of the disease and increase their physical fitness under supervision.
»Ian MacMillan, an English professor and an award-winning novelist, has received the Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award for 2006 from the University of Hawaii-Manoa Graduate Division. He has taught in the Creative Writing Program since 1966 and is the author of seven novels and four short-story collections.
"Taking Notice" also runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
McDonald's safe at Aina Haina robbed
Police are looking for a burglar who broke into the safe at the Aina Haina Shopping Center McDonald's between 11 p.m. Tuesday and 5 a.m. yesterday.
The restaurant's day manager discovered the restaurant's safe unlocked and missing money at about 5 a.m. yesterday. Police said the surveillance tape was also missing from the recorder.
Police said the night manager reported that the safe had been secured and doors locked at the end of the night Tuesday.
3 arrested in robbery of teen in Salt Lake
Police arrested three robbery suspects who allegedly returned to the scene of the crime Tuesday.
Police said a 15-year-old boy was robbed in the Salt Lake area at 7:05 p.m. Officers were gathering information from him and from witnesses when one witness pointed out that the suspects were passing by in a vehicle, police said.
Police stopped the vehicle and arrested the two 17-year-olds and a 20-year-old for investigation of second-degree robbery and having open containers of alcohol in a vehicle.
WAIKIKI
Robber pulls knife on man from behind
Police are looking for a man who allegedly robbed a man in Waikiki at knifepoint.
The victim, 32, said he was walking through a beach park between 4:30 and 4:45 a.m. Tuesday when a man grabbed him from behind, placed him in a choke hold with one arm, put a knife against his throat with the other hand and demanded his wallet. The victim took out his wallet and dropped it on the ground, police said.
The suspect then pushed the victim to the ground, grabbed the wallet and fled, police said.
The suspect is described as 6 feet tall, about 250 pounds, with black, bushy hair. He was wearing a white tank top and board shorts. Anyone with information is asked to call 911.