Newswatch Star-Bulletin staff and wire service

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Lava flows into subdivision

A new lava flow from Kilauea volcano has entered the Royal Gardens subdivision.

Most of the homes have been abandoned or destroyed from previous flows, and the remaining two occupied homes do not appear to be threatened, said Tim Orr, a geologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Orr said he flew in a Hawaii County Fire Department helicopter at about 9:30 a.m. yesterday and saw that the lava flow had advanced more than four-fifths of a mile into the subdivision.

He said the flow -- the most extensive in the subdivision in the past few months -- was following a path along Royal Avenue, more than 450 yards east of the nearest occupied house.

Humpback calf dies on Maui

WAILUKU » Chased by sharks, a humpback calf swam through the surf to a beach in Puamana in West Maui yesterday morning and later died, surfers told federal officials.

David Matilla, science and rescue coordinator for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, said there was no obvious cause of death, although the whale had some marks indicating shark bites.

The whale, an endangered species protected by federal law, beached itself at about 10 a.m., according to officials with the nonprofit Pacific Whale Foundation.

Matilla said sanctuary officials received a call at about 11 a.m. and were at the scene close to noon.

The whale, lifted into a flatbed truck by a front-end loader, was taken to an undisclosed state site, where a necropsy was expected to be performed.

The findings will require laboratory tests that will probably take several months to complete, a federal official said.

State workers patrolled the waters offshore looking for sharks, and the shoreline was closed off by authorities. Foundation research director Quincy Adams said the calf, about 8 to 10 feet long, appeared to be only weeks old.

"It appeared to be emaciated, which makes me believe that this was not a healthy calf," she said. "As sad as it is, it's possible that nature was simply taking its course here."

Police, Fire, Courts Star-Bulletin staff

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NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Gunman's standoff closes area roads

WAILUKU » Maui police blocked roads around the Harbor Lights Condominium in Kahului last night as an armed man refused to give up and remained in a third-floor apartment unit.

A portion of the roadway on the campus of Maui Community College was also closed to traffic.

About 100 residents were evacuated from the condominium complex last night, the county said in a news release. The Red Cross and the county Parks Department opened an emergency shelter at the War Memorial Gym, the county said.

Polynesian Adventure Tours helped transport residents to the shelter.

As of 6:30 p.m. police were trying to re-establish communication with the 30-year-old man, who broke off talks after speaking with them for 40 minutes.

Assistant Police Chief Wayne Ribao said details were sketchy but that the suspect was wanted on a no-bail arrest warrant.

When officers arrived at about 4:45 p.m., they saw the man brandish a weapon and run into the apartment unit in Building D.

According to the news release, the man is believed to be a resident and had retrieved two guns -- a shotgun and a pistol -- and had fired one round.

Ribao said initial reports indicated no one was hurt. No one else was believed to be in the unit, the news release said.

Honolulu

Woman arrested in choking of tot

Police arrested a 26-year-old woman who allegedly choked a 3-year-old girl Sunday night until the toddler lost consciousness.

The child was taken by ambulance to Kaiser Medical Center in serious condition, said Emergency Medical Services spokesman Bryan Cheplic.

Police arrested the woman at her home at Hickam Air Force Base at about 10:25 p.m. on suspicion of attempted murder.

The woman and toddler are related. However, the relationship is unclear.

Lt. Wayne Wong said another family member called 911.