Newswatch
USDA loans support rural housing on Maui
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved more than $1 million in loans for the development of rural housing on Maui.The funds will be used to buy and develop a vacant 1.7-acre parcel as part of the USDA's Rural Housing loan program. When the 12-lot site is developed, the loans will be used to fund affordable homes to qualifying families.
Mink post office will be official today in Paia
PAIA, MAUI >> The post office here will be renamed today in honor of the late U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink, but action on Capitol Hill seemed likely to keep Hawaii's congressional delegates from attending.U.S. Rep. Ed Case, who succeeded Mink in Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District seat, said legislative business would probably keep him, U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie and U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka from attending the dedication ceremony. Debate of a Medicare bill took center stage at the Capitol over the weekend.
The four-member all-Democrat congressional delegation sponsored legislation to rename the post office on Baldwin Avenue the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building, ZIP code 96779.
Mink's husband, John, and daughter, Wendy, will unveil a bronze plaque at the post office honoring the congresswoman. The post office serves the area of Maui where Mink was born and raised.
Mink died Sept. 28, 2002, at age 74.
Astronomer to discuss recent solar storms
"Keeping Track of the Sun in Hawaii" will be the topic of a public lecture by Jeffrey Kuhn, associate director of the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy, at 7 p.m. Dec. 4.Kuhn is responsible for the institute's operations on Haleakala. His talk will be in the institute auditorium, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, second floor.
He will describe the unusual solar activity late last month and early this month and discuss why many solar physicists believe the sun's activities affect Earth and how the sun varies and what it could mean for Earth.
For more information, call 956-6712 or e-mail joany@ifa. hawaii.edu.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffNORTH SHORE
A sky diver in his 40s made a hard landing at Dillingham Airfield yesterday and suffered a number of broken bones, said Skydive Hawaii manager Clarence Lopez.
Sky diver badly hurt in mishap at airfieldThe man, a student who had logged more than 70 jumps, was taken by helicopter to the Queen's Medical Center. Lopez said the man made a hard turn just before landing and hit an asphalt road at the airfield.
Lopez said yesterday's jump was the first time the man had sky-dived with his company.
"He's going to be laid up for a while," Lopez said. "We wished it wouldn't have happened."
RON VALENCANA / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Firefighters and paramedics from Waialua helped prepare an injured sky diver for transport via helicopter to the Queen's Medical Center yesterday at Dillingham Airfield in Mokuleia. The man, a student in his 40s who had logged more than 70 jumps, made a hard landing and suffered a number of broken bones.
HONOLULU
Two men, ages 21 and 19, were arrested yesterday for allegedly threatening six men and boys with a handgun and pistol-whipping one of them during a fight at the Aloha Tower Marketplace parking lot.
Pistol-wielding duo arrested after chasePolice said two groups of men and boys had agreed to a fistfight at the parking lot at 1 Aloha Tower Drive at about 3:30 a.m. yesterday.
But one of the men pulled a 9 mm handgun and began pointing it at the other group, police said. That man tossed the gun to the other suspect, who also pointed the gun and made threats.
The 21-year-old pistol-whipped one person and threatened to shoot him in the head, police said.
The six victims range in age from 17 to 19, police said.
The two suspects then tried to flee in a car, struck a police car and were stopped and arrested. The offenses include six counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, second- and third-degree assault and weapon charges, according to police.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Professional surfer Shane Dorian pulled a 24-year-old body boarder to safety in rough waters off Honoipu Landing on the Big Island Saturday.
Body boarder rescued by professional surferNine firefighters arrived to assist the victim at about 4 p.m.
Officials estimated the surf to be up to 20 feet high in the area.
The body boarder was examined by North Kohala rescue personnel and refused transport to the hospital.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
