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Overflow spills sewage into Makakilo Gulch

A manhole in Makakilo overflowed early Saturday, spilling about 19,000 gallons of raw sewage into an inaccessible area of Makakilo Gulch.

City crews were called at 7:51 a.m. Saturday about the Welo Street manhole. Responders found the manhole filled with rocks, boulders and a bicycle frame.

The spill was stopped at about 8:30 p.m. The state Department of Health has been notified about the overflow incident.

UH institute is fined over permit violations

HILO » The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has fined the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy $20,000 for nine permit violations discovered in May, officials said.

The Land Board fined the institute $2,000 for each violation, which included shortcomings such as failure to renew permits, and $2,000 for administrative costs.

"We're a bit embarrassed that we neglected these things," said Robert McLaren, associated director for the institute. He added that although the violations are relatively minor, "they are important."

The fines were levied by the Land Board at its meeting Sept. 10.

McLaren said five of the violations already have been taken care of, and the institute plans to apply for "after-the-fact" permits for three others. A weather tower that also was found in violation of its permit will be removed, he said.

Further involvement by the Office of Mauna Kea Management, which oversees the mountain, could head off future problems in the past, McLaren said. He noted that the agency's rangers would need more training to recognize land-use violations.

Tree-planting grants up to $10,000 offered

Cost-sharing grants to plant more trees in urban areas are available from a cooperative program between the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

Grants of $500 to $10,000 per project are available to qualifying nonfederal organizations for projects that increase the amount of trees in Hawaii's urban areas.

Application deadlines for the Kaulunani Urban Forestry Tree Planting and Education Grant Program are Sept. 30, Nov. 15 and Feb. 15.

"Our urban forests help make communities healthier and more livable," said Peter Young, director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. "Trees cool the overall environment by shading asphalt, concrete and metal surfaces, remove impurities from the air, and absorb carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses. They also contribute to the economic well-being of the state by keeping our cities and communities beautiful," said Young.

Funding is available in five categories: tree planting in public areas; educational or informational programs; technical tree care programs; Arbor Day activities; and Partnership Enhancement projects.

For applications and more information about the program, contact Teresa Trueman-Madriaga at 672-3383 or visit www.kaulunani.org.

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Police, Fire, Courts



By Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Kona driver arrested after pedestrian is hit

Kona police arrested a 22-year-old man yesterday in connection with a hit-and-run accident that injured a 34-year-old female pedestrian.

Police said the Kailua-Kona man turned himself in early yesterday. He was released pending an investigation. Police also recovered what appeared to be the vehicle involved in the accident, a blue 1996 Honda four-door sedan.

The hit-and-run occurred at about 7:20 p.m. Saturday on Queen Kaahumanu Highway near the 95-mile marker, police said. A Kailua-Kona woman was taken to Kona Community Hospital in guarded condition with several broken bones.

Witnesses said the woman had been walking along the shoulder of the road when she was struck by a car heading south toward Kailua-Kona. Witnesses also said the car had been speeding and driving recklessly.

HONOLULU
Man beaten to death over food dispute

Honolulu police arrested a 36-year-old homeless man yesterday after he allegedly beat another man to death over some food.

Police said according to five or six witnesses, the suspect walked up to a bench behind the Koko Head concession at Ala Moana Beach Park where the 49-year-old victim and others were eating at about 4:30 p.m. The suspect began eating some chips and then got either grease or salsa on his hands, which he then wiped on the shirt of the victim, police said.

The suspect and the victim then got into a fight during which, witnesses told police, the suspect beat the victim. The suspect fled but was caught later near a bus stop along Kapiolani Boulevard across 24 Hour Fitness and was arrested for second degree murder.

Teen leaves hospital, surrenders to police

A 17-year-old boy who allegedly drove a vehicle through a locked perimeter gate at Honolulu Airport last month and rammed the deputy sheriff's patrol car turned himself in to police after being released from a hospital last week.

The teenager was released Friday from the Queen's Medical Center, where he was undergoing a mental evaluation, arrested and then released pending investigation.

The incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. Aug. 28 when a teenager was spotted driving erratically in a silver Mitsubishi sports car near the end of Lagoon Drive. When a deputy sheriff tried to pull the car over, the Mitsubishi allegedly sped off and drove through a padlocked airport access gate.

Witnesses said the car then started doing stunts between hangars.

Police said the teenager rammed the car head-on into a patrol car before coming to a stop. The suspect ran away but was later stopped.

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Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers