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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff and wire
Hawaiian group keeps its Waimanalo lease
A group of Hawaiians led by Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele has secured a liability insurance policy and is now in compliance with its state land lease in Waimanalo.Aloha First has a one-year, $2 million policy from Nautilus Insurance Co./Triad Insurance that took effect Aug. 11, said Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman Deborah Ward.
The nonprofit Hawaiian cultural and farming group was warned in July that it would lose its state lease because a former liability insurance policy had lapsed.
Aloha First leases 45 acres of DLNR farm land for $3,000 a year. The group is a successor to the Save A Nation Foundation, Hawaiian sovereignty activists who occupied Makapuu Beach Park in 1993.
Legislation for Kauai development under way
LIHUE >> Four years after adopting a new General Plan setting the course for future development of the island, Kauai officials announced yesterday they are beginning work on the legislation to implement it.Developers and environmentalists have criticized the lack of movement by county officials to rewrite the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.
Mayor Bryan Baptiste said yesterday the county Planning Department hopes to send a recommendation to the County Council by summer 2005.
Maui issues plea to lessen water usage
WAILUKU >> About 11,000 households in Upcountry Maui are being asked to reduce their water usage immediately.The county is asking Upcountry consumers to wash full loads of laundry only, reduce shower times, refrain from washing cars, driveways, and boats, and stop excessive irrigation.
County water director George Tengan said an "unusually great demand" for water during the Labor Day weekend caused a shortage in the Lower Kula Water System, dropping the water level of the reservoir to 7 million gallons from 11 million.
In addition, a well at Kaupakalua providing 700,000 gallons daily has been broken, he said.
Tengan said the county hopes to have the well repaired by next week and to have additional water through the operation of emergency wells at Hamakuapoko in a couple of days.
Areas affected by the water cutback extend along the slopes of Haleakala from Haiku to Kanaio.
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By Star-Bulletin staff
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
2-year-old Maui girl dies after car crash WAILUKU >> A 2-year-old Maui girl has died from injuries sustained in a single-vehicle crash in Kula.
Alia L. Nature became Maui's 12th traffic fatality this year, compared to 10 fatalities for the same period last year, Maui police said yesterday.
Nature was riding in a pickup truck traveling south on Haleakala Highway near Lower Kimo Drive at 10:35 p.m. on Aug. 31, when it drifted onto the west shoulder and struck a rock wall, traffic investigator Ericlee Correa said.
She was taken off life support Friday morning.
Correa said the girl's mother, Nicolette L. Klukowski, was the driver and the cause of the crash was under investigation.
Lahaina fire forces man to jump to safety
WAILUKU >> A Maui man leaped from a second-floor bedroom window of a two-story apartment unit in Lahaina on Monday night after a fire broke out in the living room.The man, who suffered minor burns and cuts, was treated and released at the scene by medics, Assistant Fire Chief Alan Cordeiro said. A male and female visitor who were in the apartment fled through the front door.
Cordeiro said the apartment unit at the Channel House at 1010 Front St. was destroyed with damage estimated at $200,000.
He said firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to the other five apartment units and had the fire under control 16 minutes after receiving the alarm at 10:53 p.m.
Cordeiro said the cause of the fire, which started in the living room, was under investigation.
Big Isle woman dies in South Kohala crash
A Waikoloa woman was killed and four other members of her family injured in a head-on collision Monday on Waikoloa Road in South Kohala, Big Island officials said. The woman was identified as Deborah Tilfas, 31.Police said she was a front-seat passenger in a 2005 Chevrolet van traveling west on Waikoloa Road, driven by her husband, Peter Tilfas.
A 2004 Dodge van, driven by James Munar, 35, of Ewa Beach, was headed in the opposite direction and struck the Tilfas' van head-on about 1:30 p.m., police said.
Deborah Tilfas was pronounced dead at Kona Community Hospital. Munar was taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital, where he was treated and released.
Peter Tilfas, daughters Mary, 11, Bedra, 8, and son Keone, 5, were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital.
Keone and Bedra Tilfas were later flown to Kapiolani Medical Center. The crash sparked a brush fire that burned about 100 acres.
NORTH SHORE
Water main break closes road in Haleiwa Police shut down part of Kamehameha highway in Haleiwa between Paalaa Road and Cane Haul Road about 6:20 a.m. yesterday after a 6-inch water main broke near the Haleiwa Pizza Hut.
The break occurred about 6 a.m. at 66-437 Kamehameha Highway, a Board of Water Supply spokeswoman said.
At least a half dozen businesses were without water yesterday morning, including Pizza Hut and McDonald's restaurants.
Board of Water Supply spokeswoman Tracy Burgo said the break damaged the road, forcing police to close a section of Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa town and to reroute traffic through the bypass road (Joseph P. Leong Highway) or through Waialua.
HONOLULU
Suspect arrested after alleged kidnapping Police arrested a 27-year-old Honolulu man Monday after he allegedly kidnapped his girlfriend and her 3-year-old daughter, restrained them in his car, and terrorized them for more than an hour by driving erratically.
Police said that between 1 and 2:18 p.m., with the victims in the car, the suspect ran red lights and aimed his car at pedestrians. Police did not provide other details.
Police did say that they were called by the woman after she and her daughter jumped out of the car.
The woman, 27, suffered minor injuries while her daughter suffered a broken leg.
The suspect apparently fled after the victims jumped out. Police arrested him about 5:25 p.m. at his Banyan Street home in Kalihi.
Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers