Man with mask and gun robs bank

A man, armed and wearing a surgical mask, robbed a Central Pacific Bank branch on Beretania Street at 9:25 a.m. yesterday.

The man is described as in his 40s, wearing a baseball cap, windbreaker and jeans.

Witnesses saw the man carrying a handgun, police said. He fled in the mauka direction, police said.

The robbery resembles an earlier case. A man, also wearing a surgical mask and armed with a handgun, robbed the First Hawaiian Bank at 250 Ward Ave. on Feb. 24. That man's description is similar to a man suspected in two previous robberies last month at the same bank.

Visitor dies in apparent drowning

A 70-year-old Alaska man died yesterday morning in an apparent drowning at Hanalei Beach, Kauai County said.

The county identified the man as Frank Palmer of Juneau, Alaska. Palmer was wading in water 20 feet offshore at 11:50 a.m. yesterday when he fell in, possibly from a medical condition, the county news release said.

He was found face down in the water, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation attempts failed to revive him. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Firefighters battle blaze, elements

Strong winds and steep terrain dogged firefighters who battled a 30-acre Waiawa brush fire throughout the day yesterday, fire officials said.

The fire, which began at 2:20 a.m. below the Waiawa Correctional Facility, was contained at 6:20 p.m. The fire was confined to vacant, unimproved property and did not damage or threaten any structures.