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Newswatch
Star-Bulletin staff
and wire service
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Sub leaked radioactive water
The Navy says a nuclear-powered submarine leaked minimally radioactive water in the ocean while traveling to Japan, Guam and Hawaii over three weeks.
U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesman Capt. Scott Gureck said yesterday the amount of radioactivity released into the environment from the USS Houston was less than one-half a microcurie.
He said that is a negligible amount, equivalent to the radioactivity of a 50-pound bag of fertilizer.
The Navy discovered the leak July 17 when the submarine was in dry dock for routine maintenance at Pearl Harbor.
State Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo said the Navy reported the incident, but officials did not take action because they did not see any issue that would create a threat.
Shark sighting shuts down beach
HANALEI, Kauai » Kauai lifeguards once again closed Hanalei Bay yesterday due to sharks in the area.
According to county officials, lifeguards spotted an 8- to 10-foot shark this morning and have posted signs to alert beachgoers.
It is the third time in the past month that shark sightings have led to the closure of Hanalei Bay.
Numerous 6- to 8-foot-long sharks were spotted on July 12 and 16, according to county officials.
Lifeguards said they would reopen the beach when it is deemed safe.
UH denies June Jones settlement
A University of Hawaii spokeswoman has denied that a settlement was reached in the contract dispute with former football coach June Jones over a $400,000 payment to the university for leaving early to take a job at Southern Methodist University.
But a source with knowledge of the case told the Star-Bulletin that both sides reached a settlement and agreed to the amount Jones will pay, the key issue in the case. The source said details must be worked out on the time and manner of payment.
UH spokeswoman Carolyn Tanaka said yesterday that the university is "hopeful" a settlement will be reached "in the near future."
"When and if a settlement is reached, the university believes that it should be made public, as state law requires," Tanaka said in an e-mail.
Bidding to start on reservoir fix
HILO » Repair work on two 50 million-gallon reservoirs above Waimea on the Big Island is expected to go out to bid this month, said Hawaii County Department of Water Supply Deputy Manager Quirino Antonio.
Following the major Oct. 15, 2006, earthquakes, Reservoir No. 1 was lowered to about 30 million gallons, and Reservoir No. 2 was emptied due to concerns about quake damage, he said.
A third reservoir with 50 million gallons has remained in service and, with two wells, has been supplying household water to Waimea, Antonio said.
Waimea households have been asked to cut usage 10 percent since the quakes.
The estimated repair cost is now put at up to $2.4 million, he said.
Vog help line to provide updates
Hawaii residents will be able to check vog conditions daily by calling a new state help line where they can also ask questions about volcanic emissions.
The Hawaii Volcano Helpline will be staffed Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the state Department of Health announced yesterday.
Recorded messages will be updated at 7 a.m. daily with information about sulfur dioxide and particulate levels for the Big Island.
The help line was set up in response to a recent spike in emissions from the Halemaumau Crater and Puu Oo vent. The number is (866) 767-5044.
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Police, Fire, Courts
Star-Bulletin staff
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HONOLULU
Human bones found in Kalihi
Police found human skeletal remains in Kalihi yesterday.
Officers were called to the area near Notley and Meyers streets at about 10 a.m., police said.
The case has been classified as an unattended death.
WEST OAHU
Robbery suspects are on the loose
Police need help in finding four men suspected of robbing a Pearl City convenience store.
At about 12:10 a.m. Monday, four men entered the Tesoro gas station's convenience store on 922 Kamehameha Highway and allegedly removed some items without paying, police said.
The suspects then allegedly assaulted the cashier before fleeing in a light-blue four-door sedan. The cashier was treated at a hospital and released.
All four men are described as between ages 18 and 20. The first suspect is said to be 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing blue denim long pants. He was not wearing a shirt.
The second suspect is described as about 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 160 pounds, with black wavy hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a white tank top and black shorts.
The third suspect is described to be about 5 feet 10 inches tall, 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a white baggy T-shirt and blue denim shorts.
The last suspect was about 5 feet 6 inches tall, about 180 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was seen wearing a brown T-shirt and dark shorts.
Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cell phone.
Sheriffs collar 30 on traffic warrants
State sheriffs rounded up 30 people Thursday on outstanding traffic warrants.
Sheriffs made several arrests in the Ewa Beach area. The arrests cleared 44 warrants.
The roundup is done on a routine basis throughout various areas on Oahu, said state Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy.
