Census says isles have 25,584 vacation homes
The 2000 census has found 5.6 percent of the more than 460,000 housing units in Hawaii are vacation homes.That translates to 25,584 seasonal homes in the islands.
Hawaii ranked 10th among the 50 states in the percentage of vacation homes. Maine topped the list at 15.6 percent, while Illinois placed last at 0.6 percent.
There are 3.5 million vacation homes across the country, or 3.1 percent of the 115.9 million housing units in the nation.
'Blue Crush' adopted as teen lifestyle model
The national premiere of the surf movie "Blue Crush," following the lives of four young women who compete in a surfing contest on Oahu's North Shore, will be held tomorrow at the Dole Cannery Theaters."Blue Crush" features new stars Kate Bosworth, Sanoe Lake, Michelle Rodriguez, Matthew Davis and Mika Boorem and several local and professional surfers.
The Hawaii Teen Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention Council, the state Department of Health, Kapiolani Teen Intervention Program and other partners are sponsoring the film to promote healthy living for Hawaii teens.
Their theme: "Live Your Life ... Before You Make One." Those attending the premiere will receive "Blue Crush" promotional items and information about teen pregnancy and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
About 2,800 Hawaii youths, ages 12 to 19, become pregnant annually, and more than 1,300 develop sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia.
The state Health Department estimates that 75 percent of all teen pregnancies are unintended.
Kari Wheeling, coordinator of the Hawaii Teen Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention Council, said, "Our goal is that every teen in Hawaii has a passion in their lives such as surfing so that they can enjoy and really appreciate life before becoming a parent themselves."
U.S. parks recruiting firefighting trainees
U.S. citizens 18 years and older may apply now for the Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship Program.Those accepted into the program will undergo at least two years of fire management training, including intense physical work in wildland fire preparedness and fire suppression.
Upon completion the employee will be qualified as a Firefighter Type I squad boss and will be placed in a permanent, full-time position with a salary ranging from $8.67 to $10.89 per hour.
To submit an application, visit www.nps.gov/hale and find the quick link to the "Wildland Firefighter Vacancy" announcement. Write an application or resume including the required information mentioned on the vacancy announcement. The application deadline is Sept. 6.
For more information, call 877-813-3476, e-mail fsjobs@fs.fed.us or write to USDI NPS & USDA FS, USDA Forest Service--ASAP, 1249 S. Vinnell Way Ste. 108, Boise, ID 83709.
Learn more about firefighting in the National Park Service by visiting www.nps.gov/fire.
False fire alarm diverts Honolulu-bound plane
SAN FRANCISCO >> A United Airlines jet bound for Honolulu from Los Angeles landed safely at San Francisco International Airport after a warning light indicated a fire was burning in the rear cargo pit.Officials kept the Boeing 777 away from the airport's terminals yesterday until officials confirmed no fire existed and a mechanical malfunction had triggered the indicator light, said Jeff Green, a United Airlines spokesman. None of the 363 passengers and crew aboard was injured.
The crew of Flight 55 activated fire extinguishers in the aircraft's cargo section as a safety measure before landing just before 3 p.m., Green said. United Airlines is investigating the incident, though there was no indication yesterday of suspicious activity, Green said.
Green said passengers would be bound for Honolulu on another flight last night.
Water main break leaves 20 homes dry
About 20 homes in Lanikai were without water yesterday after an 8-inch water main broke.A Board of Water Supply official said the break occurred near 885 Mokulua Drive around 5:45 p.m. Workers isolated the pipes between Aalapapa and Kaelepulu drives.
An official said workers placed a water wagon nearby for residents while they excavated the pipe to determine what repairs were needed.
Cyberprankster sends Hirono surfers to Case
Two years ago, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono signed into law a prohibition on cybersquatting, the bad-faith registration of Internet domain names. Now Hirono, who has even testified for the bill after she discovered that someone had taken the Web address maziehirono.com, is the victim of an Internet hoax.Someone has taken over the Web page maziehirono.com and programmed it to automatically send Internet viewers to Rep. Ed Case's gubernatorial campaign Web page.
Hirono's campaign spokesman, Pat Stanley, said Hirono has had problems with whomever holds the license to the Web page, because several months ago it would send viewers off to a pornographic site.
"There needs to be some more responsibility on the Internet," Stanley said.
Crystal Rose, campaign manager for Case, said the Case campaign had nothing to do with and deplored the stunt.
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The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Honolulu Fire Department and Coast Guard responded to a houseboat fire yesterday in Keehi Channel. See story below.
HONOLULU
Houseboat burns in Keehi Channel
Fire officials today are investigating the cause of the fire that destroyed a 24-foot houseboat in the Keehi Channel near Honolulu Airport yesterday.The owner of the houseboat, a 53-year-old man, was asleep about 4:30 p.m. when he heard popping sounds coming from the rear of the boat. He tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before boarding a 14-foot dingy to escape.
He was able to grab one of his two cats in his escape, but the other cat died in the fire, fire officials said. Another boat nearby towed him into Keehi Boat Harbor.
The man suffered third-degree burns to his fingers but refused medical treatment.
Police arrest 2 men in Kalihi beating
Police have arrested two men for robbery and assault after they allegedly beat a 37-year-old man at the intersection of Nihi and Laumaile streets in Kalihi.At about 6:25 p.m. Saturday, two men approached the victim and his companion as they were walking through Kalihi Uka Elementary School, police said. The men demanded marijuana, and the victim replied he didn't have any and continued walking to the intersection, police said.
The two men followed, attacked the victim and took his bag and denim jacket, police said. The two then fled onto school grounds.
Two suspects, 51 and 52, were arrested later at the school.
Man arrested after store window broken
Police arrested a drunken 22-year-old man Saturday night for allegedly breaking a plate-glass window at Shirokiya at Ala Moana Center.Police said a security guard heard a man shouting at about 11:50 p.m. and found the suspect in front of the store. The guard reported he saw the suspect punch the window.
LEEWARD OAHU
Robber in stolen car slams into police car
Police were searching this morning for a robber who fled in a stolen car that crashed into a police car yesterday.The stolen car, a teal-color two-door sedan, was found abandoned at Leeward Community College about 5:20 p.m. yesterday.
Police believe the robber used the sedan as a getaway vehicle after he robbed the T. Otaka & Sons store at 66-212 Farrington Highway about an hour earlier.
Police said the robber pointed a semi-automatic handgun at a cashier, demanded money from the cash register then fled.
Wahiawa police later spotted a car matching the description of the getaway car on Ohai Street and followed it. They ordered the driver to stop but he refused, police said.
The car then crashed into a police car at the corner of Kamehameha Highway and Meheula Parkway. The driver continued without stopping.
Police said the robber was described as 5 feet 2, 120 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a dark-color jacket, long pants and a blue ski cap.
NORTH SHORE
2 arrested at Waimea after car break-in
Police arrested a 27-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman for allegedly stealing bags from a rental car Saturday afternoon at the Three Tables area near Waimea Bay.Patrol officers saw the suspects taking the bags from the rental car and putting them into another vehicle, police said. The officers stopped the couple and searched for the owner of the bags.
The owner, 33, identified the bags as his, and the suspects were arrested, police said.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Hilo man dies at Kau while free-diving
A 19-year-old Hilo man died yesterday while he was free-diving with friends in Kau.Police said Dayton Kalani Goodman was free-diving with four friends at the shoreline north of Manuka Bay about 12:25 p.m. when his friends lost sight of him. Police said Goodman's friends found him in about 40 feet of water.
Goodman was transported to Kona Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:17 p.m. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.
Maui heliport cleared as brush fire threatens
Employees of several Maui helicopter companies evacuated their buildings just before noon Saturday when a brush fire came within yards of the Kahului Airport heliport.Flames burned through six acres of haole koa brush, according to Maui Assistant Fire Chief Gordon Cordeiro.
Dave Bohn, services manager of Bradley Pacific Aviation, said winds were strong that day and spread the fire to within 200 yards of his office.
"There was a concern with the way the fire was going," Bohn said. The fire forced Bohn to delay two of his helicopter tours that day.
Winds were blowing about 24 mph with gusts up to 31 mph at Kahului Airport Saturday, according to data from the National Weather Service.
Bohn said smoke from the fire created low-visibility conditions near the airport.
Firefighters from Paia, Kahului, Wailuku and Makawao, as well as Tanker 10 and the Air One helicopter, had the fire under control by about 1:15 p.m. and contained by 6:30 p.m., said Cordeiro.
Cordeiro said the fire's cause is undetermined and that it may be related to a another fire nearby, which burned three acres of brush Friday along Kala Road. Neither fire caused any injuries or damage, Cordeiro said.
Crash of stolen car injures 2 Molokai girls
Two 16-year-old Molokai girls were thrown out of a stolen car and injured seriously yesterday after the car struck an embankment and overturned on Maunaloa Highway near Naiwa, police said.The girls, both passengers, were flown to Honolulu in critical condition, but one improved to fair condition last night, a nursing supervisor at Queen's Medical Center said.
Six people were in a 2001 Chevrolet Impala that swerved off the highway, hit an embankment and overturned about 7:13 a.m., said Sgt. Eugene Santiago with the Maui Police Department's Molokai division.
Police charged the driver, 18-year-old Wei-Ling Ah Yee, with unauthorized control of a motor vehicle which belongs to a family member, said Santiago. Ah Yee, the only occupant wearing a seat belt, was not injured, he said.
Three other passengers were treated for minor cuts and abrasions at Molokai General Hospital.
Santiago said alcohol and speed may have been factors in the accident.
