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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff and wire service
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Rain runoff shuts Bellows beach
Runoff from heavy rains prompted the Air Force to close Bellows Field Beach Park through Monday, according to a news release from the state Department of Health.
The Air Force notified the Clean Water Branch of the closure. It said the rains washed silt and debris into the water fronting the beach.
Senators report income
U.S. Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye says in his 2007 financial disclosure report that he had nongovernmental earned income of about $165,000 last year.
Fellow Democratic island Sen. Daniel Akaka reported earned income of just a little more than $14,000.
The figures would be in addition to their Senate salary of $183,500.
Both reports were released last week.
A major source of Inouye's unearned income included capital gains on the sale of Central Pacific Financial Corp. stock valued at between $15,001 and $50,000.
Inouye's income included a Hawaii state pension of $1,257.
Akaka listed $14,262 in income from the Hawaii Employees' Retirement System.
He also had rental income of between $5,001 and $15,000 from a condominium in Alexandria, Va.
Molokai Ranch disputes PUC
Molokai Ranch is objecting to the state Public Utilities Commission's order that it continue providing water and sewage service until it finds an alternative provider.
The company wrote the commission this week saying its utility operations are financially insolvent. It says Maui County should take over the utilities.
The commission responded two days later, saying Molokai Ranch has failed to provide documentation showing it doesn't have the money to provide water and sewage services.
But the commission has meanwhile asked Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares to prepare Maui County to take over Molokai Ranch's water and sewage services.
Molokai Ranch told the PUC its parent company covered a $580,000 net loss for the utilities in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007, and a $566,000 net loss for the first 11 months of this fiscal year.
Molokai Ranch announced in March it would shut down ranch and resort operations and lay off more than 120 employees.
Lawmakers to learn about vog
The state House Special Committee on Vog Effects will hold its first meeting Friday at the state Capitol.
The committee, headed by Rep. Robert Herkes (D, Puna-Kau-South Kona-North Kona), is looking at the effects of vog on public health and safety, agriculture, water quality, pets and animals, wildlife and other areas.
The University of Hawaii Hilo Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory will give presentations to the committee.
The meeting will be held in conference room 325 and will be broadcast on public access television.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
Officer injured after vehicle hit
A Honolulu police officer suffered minor injuries when a suspected drunken driver rear-ended a parked police car on the Moanalua Freeway early yesterday morning, police said.
The Pearl City police officer had just finished issuing a traffic citation in the westbound lanes of the freeway near the Kahuapaani Street overpass. Police said the officer was sitting in his marked police car, which still had its blue flashing lights on at about 3:45 a.m., when the suspect rear-ended his vehicle.
The suspect and the officer were taken to the Kapiolani Medical Center at Pali Momi. The suspect refused treatment and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
A passenger in the driver's car suffered head and neck injuries and was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in serious condition.
CENTRAL OAHU
Man allegedly used drill in threat
Police arrested a 20-year-old Mililani man Friday morning who allegedly threatened a 44-year-old man with a power drill.
The two men were arguing when the younger man threatened the older man, police said. The man was arrested at 10 a.m. yesterday at a Waipahu home.
WINDWARD OAHU
Couple allegedly drive stolen car
Police arrested two people who were allegedly riding around Kailua in a stolen car.
Police said that at about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday, an officer pulled over a vehicle on Kailua Road because it did not have a front license plate.
The officer checked the rear license plate number and learned that it belonged to another vehicle, police said. The officer then checked the vehicle identification number and learned that the car had been reported stolen.
Police arrested the 26-year-old male driver on suspicion of auto theft, driving without a license and unauthorized possession of confidential information. His passenger, a 28-year-old woman, was arrested on suspicion of unauthorized entry into a vehicle.
NEIGHBOR ISLAND
Speed, alcohol linked to fatal crash of SUV
Big Island police say speed and alcohol were involved in a fatal single-vehicle crash in Puunahulu in North Kona early Friday morning.
Police identified the victim as 41-year-old Chenault D. Bethea, of Kamuela. He was driving a 1999 Lexus sports utility vehicle north on Route 190 between the 18 and 19 mile markers when he lost control of the SUV, ran off the road and overturned.
The crash was reported at 12:16 a.m. Police said Bethea was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.