It was a dark Wednesday for several hundred Kakaako businesses affected by a late-afternoon power outage caused by equipment that is supposed to prevent blackouts. Outage hits many businesses,
including KHON newscastThe outage, which began at 5:15 p.m., lasted one hour and 41 minutes and prevented KHON-TV 2 from televising its top-rated 6 p.m. show on time.
About 300 customers -- many of them businesses between Aloha Tower Marketplace and Ward Warehouse -- were without power, says Hawaiian Electric Co. spokesman Fred Kobashikawa.
Malfunction of a "protective relay device" caused the outage, he added.
"It's a sophisticated device that's the intelligence or brain of the circuit breaker," Kobashikawa said.
The device, at the downtown power plant, decides when to trip the breaker by determining whether there's a fault, he added.
"We're not sure what caused it to malfunction," Kobashikawa said.
The outage was costly to some businesses, such as restaurants.
"I lost about 20 customers," said supervisor Ross Ishida, who was forced to close Columbia Inn's Kapiolani Boulevard restaurant until 6:45 p.m.
KHON anchor Joe Moore said the station's news staff worked with flashlights to prepare the 5:30 p.m. national and 6 p.m. local telecasts.
"We were ready to go but there was no power," Moore said. "It was frustrating, but what can you do?"
When KHON moves to its new home across from Ala Moana Center, it will have access to a backup generator, Moore said.
HILO -- Mayor Stephen Yamashiro's bid to make limited improvements on Hawaii County's cross-island Saddle Road is in trouble. Proposal to upgrade
Saddle Road in troubleA majority of County Council members are finding that the project isn't worth the money.
The Council's Finance Committee voted 5-3 Tuesday to recommend that the Council turn down the mayor's request for $3.3 million. Because five votes are a majority, at least one vote would have to change for the proposal to survive.
Yamashiro has said improvements are needed to serve the growing astronomy community which uses the road to reach telescopes on Mauna Kea.
The project would create "climbing lanes" in a four-mile stretch of a road which in many places is narrow, steep, and winding.
Kona Councilman Curtis Tyler, who drove the road on his way to yesterday's committee meeting, made the strongest case against the proposed work near the turnoff to Mauna Kea. "I would argue that there is no climbing in this area," he said.
The stretch is flat with good sight lines, so much so that passing is allowed the entire distance, he said. By contrast, no passing is allowed in the five miles just before there because of poor road conditions, he said.
"This project is unnecessary. It will not accomplish its goal," he said.
County engineer Jiro Sumada, who proposed the project on behalf of Yamashiro, agree in part.
"(The road) is flat. It has good sight distances," he said.
School bus contract law challenged
A special provision that sometimes prevents school bus contracts from being awarded to the lowest bidder may violate state procurement laws, the state auditor says.The state Department of Accounting and General Services' provision, which is aimed against contractors who service more than 50 percent of school bus routes in a county, violates the intent of open and fair competition, Marion Higa says.
Her audit of student transportation services cited three bids over three years in which the low bidder did not win the contracts, costing the state an extra $31,000.
But George Okano, DAGS student transportation branch chief, said the provision promotes competition. He also said his personal belief is that the provision is legal, but he will be asking the attorney general for on opinion on the provision's legality.
According to Okano, the 50 percent provision works like this: A contractor who has more than 50 percent of routes in a county submits the lowest bid of $1,500 for a group of remaining routes.
Another bus company then comes in second with a bid of $1,600. Because the second bus company's bid was within 10 percent of the lowest bid submitted by the company with more than half of the routes, the second company would be awarded the contract under the provision.
DAGS is responsible for procuring and delivering school bus services, while the Department of Education oversees the program, which provides school bus transportation for eligible regular and special education students.
The audit said the student transportation program lacks accountability and could be improved and be made more efficient by both departments.
More Makua munitions to be detonated today
Army explosives personnel were to detonate two World War II-era bombs today at the Pililaau Range in Makua Valley.Safeguards were to be provided to prevent damage at three possible Hawaiian cultural sites.
Troops from the 706th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) prepared to detonate the bombs in cooperation with Waianae community leaders, state departments of Transportation and Land and Natural Resources, Honolulu Police Department and U.S. Coast Guard.
The Army has been working with the community for several weeks to eliminate unexploded ordnance there.
The bombs were found in a recent sweep on the northern side of Makua Valley.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency granted an emergency permit to detonate the 500- and 100-pound bombs.
Police union declares impasse with counties
The police union says contract negotiations with the counties are at an impasse.The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers began negotiating last June, and parties have been unable to reach agreement, SHOPO said.
The union added it filed for impasse as of Dec. 30 with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board, and the board issued an order acknowledging impasse Monday.
The board appointed a federal mediator to assist SHOPO and counties in working things out, SHOPO said.
If the parties do not reach an agreement by 15 working days after the official impasse date, the matter will proceed to arbitration.
The union expects arbitration to begin in early March, SHOPO said.
Program offers home placement for disabled
Instead of living in nursing homes, 33 disabled adults have been placed in foster homes through Quality Living Choices, which offers alternatives to institutional living.The program screens and selects homes and caregivers, and then provides training for the care of disabled residents.
It is a joint project by the Catholic Charities Family Services and Catholic Charities Elderly Services.
For more information about becoming a caregiver, call Sharon Pablo, 536-1794.
For foster home placement, call 536-1794 for people 18 to 54, or 595-0077 for people 55 or older.
Potential pau riders sought for celebration
Pau riders interested in participating in the 127th annual King Kamehameha Celebration should contact the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission at 586-0333 as soon as possible.Riders will be part of the floral parade June 12.
Applicants must be experienced horse riders, and women must be able to ride on English saddles.
The commission said it will supply riding habits, but riders will be responsible for all other material, including providing flowers for leis.
The commission also has applications for floral floats, marching units, mounted units and decorated vehicles.
Deadline for these categories is April 1.
The commission also is looking for volunteers to string leis, decorate floats and other duties.
The theme for this year's celebration is "E Ku'u Lei Hali'ali'a," which translates as "My Lei of Memories."
The number to call for more information on Kaneohe Bay Marine Base's Bike-the-Base Race this Saturday is 254-7590. An incorrect number ran on Tuesday's Out There page. CORRECTION
Former Hawaii news anchor Heidi Umbhau, featured in yesterday's "Whatever Happened to ..." column, gave birth to her second child in January 1998; the year may have been unclear. CLARIFICATION
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Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffPOLICE
Woman, 70, arrested in attempted strangling
A 70-year-old woman was arrested yesterday for allegedly trying to kill her 74-year-old husband by strangling him with a cord at their Waikiki apartment.The couple's daughter went to the Ala Wai Boulevard apartment after getting a call at about 7 a.m. from her mother, who was crying. The mother told the daughter she just attempted to strangle her father, according to a detective's report.
The daughter found the parents inside the bathroom of the apartment.
The father was on his back with a cord around his neck. The mother reportedly was on top of her husband, crying and mumbling to him, police said.
The man, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, was taken to Queen's Hospital in guarded condition.
The woman, who is the man's primary caretaker, was arrested for attempted murder and is undergoing mental observation.
Drunk, disorderly man breaks officer's arm
A 62-year-old Kaimuki man was arrested last night for allegedly breaking a police officer's arm.The officer was sent to deal with a man who was drunk and disorderly at a bar at 1283 S. King St. at 8:59 p.m., police said. The man refused to leave the bar after several warnings from the officer. He reportedly fought off the officer during the arrest and broke the officer's left arm.
Arsonist using gasoline blamed for Waipahu fire
Fire investigators have determined arson as the cause of yesterday's blaze in Waipahu.A sofa located in a bedroom at 94-251 Hanawai Circle was on fire at about 2:43 p.m., police said.
Arson investigators said the fire was started by gasoline in the bedroom.
Police have no suspects.
No damage was reported to the structure. About $500 worth of damage was reported to the contents.
Two rescued from boat capsized off Waialua
City firefighters and lifeguards yesterday rescued two people whose boat had capsized about a quarter-mile offshore of Waialua beach near Au Street.Fire Capt. Thomas Roblin said the couple brought to shore were not injured.
The incident occurred about 3 p.m.
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