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Shot officer's radio may have had problem
The police officer who was shot and injured last week during a domestic dispute in Ewa might have had problems alerting other officers with his portable radio.Police said today that they are investigating whether the red "alert" button on the officer's police hand-held radio worked properly.
The possible malfunction would be the the second report in less than a year of the emergency button on the police Ericsson radio not functioning properly.
Last year, a police officer said that he pressed the red emergency button while in a scuffle with a suspect in Kailua, but that no signal was received by dispatchers.
Ericsson officials said last week that the emergency button has to be pressed for more than one second and that the radio used by the officer in Kailua worked properly when tested.
Health officials say flu might have peaked
Hawaii's flu season may have peaked in December and January, but state health officials caution that outbreaks of the illness could flare up again.The state Department of Health has received a relatively low number of flu cases for what is normally the height of the flu season in the last few weeks, said Health Department spokesman Patrick Johnston.
A high number of cases were reported in late December and early January but has dropped off the last few weeks, he said.
"But we never can predict what could happen in the next few weeks," he said.
New adjutant general confirmed by Senate
Brig. Gen. Edward Correa Jr. has begun his duties as the new state adjutant general.A 22-0 confirmation vote by the state Senate yesterday made it official. Correa, 56, was nominated to the post Dec. 30 by Gov. Ben Cayetano.
As adjutant general and director of the state Department of Defense, Correa is responsible for training and readiness programs, policies and plans for the 5,500-member Hawaii National Guard (Army and Air). He also is director of state Civil Defense.
Correa earlier served as Hawaii Army National Guard commander.
Governor cancels runway extensions
Gov. Ben Cayetano has canceled plans to extend airport runways on Maui and Kauai, mainly as a result of new airplane technology.Environmentalists have battled the runway extensions to prevent direct jumbo-jet flights from Asia and Europe from landing on the islands.
But it appears the advanced technology may allow the jumbo-jets to land anyway.
"Several factors, including decreased revenues, improved aircraft technology, and an airline industry that no longer supports the improvements, make it obvious these projects should not go forward," Cayetano said.
Sand-pumping check to close Kuhio Beach
A part of Kuhio Beach will shut down Thursday and remain closed for two weeks.From the Kapahulu Avenue storm drain and the groin fronting Ohua Avenue along Kalakaua Avenue, a sand-pumping evaluation will be under way, necessitating the closing. The sand-pumping check is part of the Kuhio Beach renourishment project initial design phase.
It will test whether it is practical to use sand deposits 1,500 feet offshore to renourish and widen the beach. Restoration is expected to begin next year.
Correction
There have been five pedestrian traffic fatalities this year on Oahu, and four of the victims were elderly. A story in an early edition yesterday included incorrect figures.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Student arrested after punching another
Police arrested a 16-year-old boy at Campbell High School for punching and breaking another boy's nose yesterday.The boy reportedly assaulted the other student, 17, and broke his nose at the school at 10:40 a.m., police said. The injured boy was taken to a nearby hospital.
Man climbs up to lanai, arrested for burglary
Police arrested a 23-year-old man last night for climbing into a second-story Kailua apartment through the lanai and punching a man.The victim, 27, and some friends were on the lanai of their Wailepo Street apartment after hearing some arguing in the unit directly above them at 11 p.m., police said.
The suspect, who was in the grass yard of the apartment building, thought the group was making fun of the argument and climbed to their lanai.
He told them not to joke about the argument and then punched the man in the head. The suspect was wrestled down by the victim's friends until police arrived and arrested him for first-degree burglary.
Hawaii Kai fire may have started in parked car
Fire investigators are looking into a blaze in Hawaii Kai that detoured traffic for a few hours yesterday afternoon.Fire officials suspect a parked car may have started the fire at 2:20 p.m. The flames soon spread to an overhead townhouse at 360 Kawaihae Crescent West.
The townhouse owner, retired police commissioner Conrad Geronimo, 57, was in his kitchen when the fire began.
He escaped without injury.
Two cars were destroyed and Geronimo's unit suffered heavy smoke damage.
Weeks later, Aiea man hurt in Kalihi crash dies
An Aiea man involved in a crash near Farrington High School on Jan. 25 died yesterday at Queen's Hospital.He was identified as Sung Kwak, 21. Kwak was critically injured on Jan. 25 after his Honda motorcycle hit an Isuzu sport-utility vehicle being driven by a 25-year-old Kalihi man, police said.
Attempted murder charge for Orchidland man
HILO -- Police have charged Palmer Gaylord, 35, of Orchidland subdivision, with attempted murder and other offenses following a shooting Saturday.He was also charged with reckless endangering, four firearms violations, use of a firearm in a felony, commercial promotion of marijuana, promotion of a detrimental drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, and cruelty to animals.
The man he allegedly shot, Paul Olson, 42, of the same address, suffered three apparently minor wounds. He was treated at Hilo Hospital and released.
Gaylord also allegedly shot and killed a goat. He is being held in lieu of $72,000 bail.
Big Island girl, missing since Nov. 24, is found
HILO -- A Big Island girl missing from her home since Nov. 24 was located Saturday in good condition, police said. Police previously asked for the public's help in finding the girl, Tomilyn Dasalla, 15, of Hilo. No details on finding her were released.
